Crowded wifi, 5 Ghz performer?

[Nathan P]

I'm currently living in an apartment complex that is filled with grad students and otherwise younger folks (read:lots of wifi going on, I ran a scan and found no less than 6 networks with decent signal from my kitchen on each of the 3 main 2.4 channels). 5ghz seems pretty bare in comparison, but in our current configuration my EA4200v1 is having trouble beaming 5ghz from the bedroom where the router is to the kitchen table where I do my homework. Compounding this is the fact that it's an OLD building with lots of brick and who knows what in the walls.

I'm working on getting the modem/router moved over to the office (which is more centralized) but I've never been impressed with the 5 ghz range on the 4200 (otherwise it's been a super solid router since 2012 when I bought it). The crowded environment combined with the infrastructure of my new (old) building is likely compounding that issue.

With the crowed 2.4, even with next to zero signal I get better speed out of the 5 ghz but the consistency is horrible.

Is there a router that excels at 5 ghz specifically above the rest? I feel like a 2 bedroom apartment is a bit small to start looking into distributed access points (although I have thought of taking off some switch covers to see if I can drop a cat5 down into the basement, which is totally unfinished).

I am interested in building a home server/firewall box to hide in a closet so if something more esoteric (used pro gear that needs a control box) would make sense I'm all for it. Just more stuff to play with.

Thanks,
Nathan

 

[stevech]

The number of SSIDs (networks) in range is not important. I too live in a high density area.
What is important is if any SSIDs within 3 channels (2.4GHz band) of the channel you've chosen to use, and it is very heavily used. Like lots and lots of streaming video most every day.
This is rare.
Even more rare is that among channels 1, 6 and 11, all 3 are carrying heavy traffic most of the time.

The WiFi nearby-networks survey tools do NOT show you how busy the channels are.

5GHz is disadvantaged by the laws of physics. More attenuation than 2.4GHz - for a given distance, and in penetrating walls/floors.

Cat5 and an Access point in weak signal areas if any, is the panacea.
Use WiFi only for handheld/mobile devices - if at all possible. Next best is new cat5 cable. Then IP over power line. Then IP over existing TV coax (MoCA). Last choice for immobile devices is WiFi.

 

[System Error Message]

If you want a server/firewall i would suggest pfsense. One thing some do is to run VMWare on the box so they can run pfsense and NAS on the same machine.
Since your apartment is small i suggest you run ethernet (Cat5e not Cat5) along the corners and walls. Theres some neat tape you can use (or maybe police tape ) and hooks to hide the cabling). Using tapes you can sneak the cables under the door corners without any issues.

 

[coxhaus]

I am with you 5 GHz works better if you can get a good signal. I switched from 2.4 GHz to 5GHz and in the process I figured out 5GHz does not penetrate brick or tile very well to the point of having to add a repeater. Wire does work even better if you can overcome getting it strung.

 

[Chrysalis]

for me a 1 bar 5ghz still blitxes my 5 bar 2.4

2.4 throughput on 20mhz usually sits between 10 and 30mbit/sec., When I used to run 40mhz I could just about push about 75mbit/sec, but I dont run 40mhz anymore due to the fact any modern device forces 20mhz use only and that it was less stable with many stalls.

5ghz I can easily push about 80-100mbps on N and 400mbps on AC.

 

[Nathan P]

Had the cable guy out on Friday to move the modem. Turns out we missed a switchplate where the splitter was hiding the first time and that moving to the other room didn't even require running any cable. (The office had been dead when he came out the first time and they couldn't figure out where the lines were going.)

With the E4200 moved to a more central location (the office with the desktop) I'm able to max out my internet connection (exactly the same test result as wired) on 5ghz from the kitchen (furthest point in the house with the most walls) even though I only "technically" have a medium signal. I'm okay with that. It's a solid enough signal on 5 GHz that I was able to use Steam's streaming capability to play fallout from my kitchen at 1080p with no apparent issues. Dropouts/switching back to 2.4 automatically has gone away and for now I'm happy. I haven't tested mobile performance much yet. 2.4 tops out at around 18Mbps in the kitchen which is enough for the fiance's older computer to stream netflix alright. That's all on the surface pro 2 which doesn't have the world's strongest wifi adapter built in.

Thanks for all your help! When I upgrade I'll likely DD-WRT the E4200 and use it somewhere else or put it into access point only mode and use it as a DMZ for the G/guest devices, especially once windows 10 gets wide adoption.

 

[L&LD]

Location, location, location.