This is the nature of wifi. It uses crowded garbage spectrum. Perhaps with highly directional antennas between sites aimed at one another some of the back haul problems could be reduced, but even then you’re only cutting out so much of the noise.
I’ve had fair luck in the past with small meshes using 5GHz for the backhaul and 2.4 for the local. The backhaul is where most of the speed loss is, and having higher speed and less interference makes a big difference.
I gather its signal propagation and ability to penetrate urban environments isn’t so desirable which is why it was originally relegated to unregulated use in the first place.
Cordless handsets, RF TV remotes, probably garage door openers, I imagine baby monitors all live in that space as well. But admittedly few are as … verbose … as wifi. And with the exception of cordless handsets as numerous.
Bit of an update, I’ve finally figured out a way to make it to the space after work. Took a little adventuring around on the rail lines but we’ll get the SIG scheduled towards the end of the month.
I’ve also found an older discussion on talk about the same subject which I’ll post below: