Why did my Nintendo Switch stop working after I installed mesh Wi-Fi?

The short answer

Hangs on to a distant box far longer than it should. New mesh systems change the network name, the bands and often the address range. Fixed-position gadgets don't cope with all three at once.

What's happening underneath

Wired backhaul helps a lot. Two routers both doing address translation cause strict NAT — that's usually the real fault.

Source: Manufacturer documentation

Try these, in this order

• • Run the console's own internet connection test from the dock's usual spot.
• • Use a USB network adapter in the dock for downloads — cheap and transformative.
• • Move the dock out from behind the TV.
• • Check the signal where the gadget actually lives, not where you're standing.
• • Move the router off the floor and out of any cupboard before buying anything.
• • Put the gadget and your phone on the same Wi-Fi name.
• • Restart the gadget before the router — it is quicker and it fixes more.

Setting it up again properly

• • Stand next to your router while you set it up, then move the gadget to where it lives.
• • Put your phone on the 2.4 GHz network name for the setup, or use one name for both bands so the phone can follow.
• • If your router splits bands into two names, turn the 5 GHz one off for five minutes rather than fighting it.
• • Turn mobile data off on your phone during setup — some apps quietly use it and never find the gadget.

When it's worth spending money

A wired USB adapter first; mesh only if other devices in that room also struggle.