Totally get where you’re coming from—those old plaster walls are no joke. I’ve been in the same boat, trying to keep things tidy without tearing up half the house. Surface raceways are a solid move, especially the paintable kind. I actually did the baseboard conduit thing in my dining room, and you’re right, it’s not invisible but it kind of works as a quirky trim if you keep it neat.
As for wireless, I’ve tried a couple mesh systems and honestly, it’s been a mixed bag. Sometimes moving the nodes just a foot or two makes a difference, but thick plaster just eats signals. One thing that helped me was using powerline adapters—basically, they use your electrical wiring to send internet around. Not perfect, but cheaper than running new cable and less ugly than some options.
You’re definitely not alone in this. It’s a lot of trial and error, but every little improvement feels like a win. Hang in there—it’s worth it when you finally get rid of those dead zones.
- Totally agree, plaster walls are brutal for wifi.
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100%—I swear my signal drops just walking into the hallway.“Sometimes moving the nodes just a foot or two makes a difference, but thick plaster just eats signals.”
- Powerline adapters worked okay for me, but I had weird issues when the microwave was running. Anyone else get that?
- Tried running flat ethernet under a rug once. Not pretty, but it did the trick for a while.
- Still hunting for a setup that doesn’t look like a tech museum exploded in my living room...
Honestly, I think powerline adapters get a bad rap. Sure, they can be finicky with certain appliances—microwaves are notorious for messing with the signal—but in older homes with thick walls, they're sometimes the only thing that works reliably. Mesh wifi is great in theory, but if your walls are full of metal lath or chicken wire, even the best mesh system struggles. I ended up running ethernet through the basement and popping up where I needed it. Not pretty, but at least I’m not tripping over cables or losing Zoom calls every time someone nukes leftovers.
I get what you’re saying about powerline adapters, but I’ve had the worst luck with them—my house wiring must be ancient or something. I actually found a single good spot for mesh by sticking a node in a closet, of all places. Not perfect, but better than drilling through floors for me. Guess it really depends on the house’s quirks.
I totally get the wiring thing—my place is from the 60s and I swear, half the outlets are just for show. I tried powerline adapters too and one of them just buzzed like crazy, so that was a no-go. Mesh has been hit-or-miss for me, but oddly enough, hiding a node behind a bookshelf actually helped with the dead zone in my bedroom. It’s wild how much these old houses keep you guessing... sometimes I wonder if the walls are secretly lined with lead or something.