R D S wrote:
So, is WiFi just a bit ****?
Shall I knuckle down and run cable (would be a ballache) or persevere
resiting the router and PCs and trying different channels?
(Which I have done today and it's currently usable)

Wifi is a technology that can range from working almost better than a wire to just
awful. It very much depends on the equipment you have, the RF environment,
and how it's configured. Wifi isn't ****, badly installed or configured
systems are. If you have an installation that is in any way challenging (ie
not the usual suburban house) then that's where it needs to be set up
properly.

Get a wifi analyser app on your phone and read guides like this one:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020...int-placement/

and you can likely make things better. You may need to upgrade your kit
though, especially if you're trying to cover a large area with a single node.

Running cable is a solution, but what I'd look at is running cable to
additional access points to cover dead spots. That means you need many
fewer cables. Mesh is like using radio spectrum for the backhaul instead of
running that cable - less work, but that's spectrum your clients (or next
door) could be using.

Theo