Help with MoCa and multiple access points please!

[Westchester1902]

Hi everyone.  I'm new to this forum, sorry if this has been asked before, and I've done a lot of research but I can't seem to get any definitive answers. 

I have an 1902 multi-story house and when we moved in 8 years ago I created the following network set up, using two airport extremes and one airport express: 

1) ActionTec fios router with fast internet plan -- Turned off the radio.  Connected an airport to the lan port and used the airport to create an SSID.  

2) one MoCa bridge in another room across the house, connected to coax and then ethernet from moca to another airport to broacast another network with SAME SSID

3) one MoCa bridge in top floor, connected to coax and then ethernet from moca to final airport express to broadcast another network with SAME SSID.

All airports set to bridge mode.  

All working beautifully.  Devices seamlessly passed between routers on same SSID.  All devices could recognize an airprint printer regardless of which one of the networks it was on, all good stuff. 

Now i'm having problems with the old apple airports and they don't make them anymore.  I tried google wifi, spend days trying to get it to work, couldn't switch them to bridge mode, and when on one it wouldn't recognize the airprint printer if it was on a different google wifi.  A huge pain in the neck!

QUESTION: what is the best alternative modem to replace the apple airports?  And is the setup i have the most advantageous?  I keep reading about mesh, but wouldn't that be slower if they're all repeating from one router essentially?  Wouldn't i rather have three fully fast and "moca wired" routers blasting the same SSID with strong internet? 

ANY HELP APPRECIATED!  Thanks!!

[Edg1 · Accepted solution]

The way you had it was the best way. Everything set to bridge mode feeding off of one router. That keeps everything on the same subnet. The reason Google Wifi didn’t work right is because if you have more than one puck they can’t be set to bridge mode and the main one has to be a router which creates a double NAT. 

If you have to upgrade your equipment follow your original setup with Actiontec wifi radio set to off and replaces the Airport and Extremes with  3 WAPs (wireless access points). 

I use two AC Lite access points from Ubiquiti Networks. They are more enterprise grade and will require a little setup. Not plug and play friendly but they work great. Also if you have to change your router they will connect seamlessly without any further configuration. 

In my opinion WAPs are a better option in your setup. No matter what mesh setup you use needed 3 the main will have to be set as a router which causes the double NAT. 

[Westchester1902]

Thank you!! Not sure if my earlier reply posted but I wasted so much time with those google Wi-Fi pucks and trying to get them into bridge mode (which I couldn’t). I’ll definitely keep the setup as 3 waps in bridge mode. And take your recommendation for the hardware upgrade! Thanks again!!

[Edg1]

Sure no problem. Setting up the access points with the same SSID and Password you had before and you shouldn't even really have to do anything else after they are configured.

Also I should have said any WAP will be fine. You don't necessarily need to get the Ubiquti ones. Just as long as they are dual band wireless AC you'll be all set. 

[Westchester1902]

Thanks! Just ordered three Ubiquiti AC lites and will hook it up. Didn’t order a cloud key, will try to download software and set up that way — watched a YouTube video. Will try it when they arrive from amazon. Thx!