Adding another router or external antennas to AC-66U

[jamiedolan]

HI;

I have a AC66U I got about a month ago. I've been very happy with it's network performance over all. It's QOS has been a blessing and has allowed me to have uploadings running continuously near the upper limit of my connection while still allowing other services to work well.

The only problem I would like to address; I don't get as good of a range as I would like. I've played with a number of settings, including different channels, slightly different antenna positions, newer firmware (3.0.0.4.354 currently), power output settings and nothing has seemed to make a significant difference.

My house in on a lot that is about 130 feet wide by about 80 feet deep. The AC66U is placed in the center of the house on the second story. I have good coverage everywhere inside, but coverage tends to drop off sharply when I get out a bit farther into parts of the yard, so if I'm on a VOIP call or video chat I will lose the connection or come close. These are at spots that are technically only around 50 to 60 feet from the router. (but have to go through the house walls, trees / bushes, etc.)

We don't have a heavy device load, most of the time we just have a wireless printer and a couple phones and my laptop on the wireless network.

I'm wonder if I'm better off trying some different ASUS antennas or if I should get an additional unit of some kind and run it in bridge mode and place it at the end of the house. I don't really want to have to deal with manually trying to switch between networks though.

I'd be happy if I could get just about 20 feet farther with solid coverage.

I included a quick drawing of the router placement / approx coverage area.

Thanks Very much;

Jamie

 

[Pericynthion]

Are you using the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz for the VOIP call devices?
My 2.4 has got some phenomenal reach, but I do use a EA-N66 to repeat my 5Ghz to a far end of the location (similar to your layout).

I can recommend the EA-N66R as a repeater with the 66U, albeit a little pricey (also note you can only repeat the 5Ghz OR the 2Ghz , not both at the same time)

I wouldnt bother with the additional antennas unless you have very marginal gains/losses - in my (personal) testing they are also only relevant for high power devices (laptops, desktops, etc).
Increasing the power / signal at the base station is one thing, but most mobile devices (VOIP phones, tablets etc) dont have sufficient power to transmit back - so you need to move the access point closer with something like a repeater or another AP.

As a guide I used to have a WNDR3700 in the central location, and then powerline adapters to either end of the site where I had an Apple Airport Express at each end - all 3 running the same SSID. Once I put the ASUS AC66U in the center, I could rip out all the powerline and Airport express connections , the 2.4Ghz covers everything just fine, but I need the 5GHz in a particular corner where I do some video streaming to an AppleTV (so the EA-N66 sits at the edge of my 5GHz central coverage)

 

[joegreat]

Hi,

I have a similare layout in my flat, and I get very good results by replacing the omnidirectional standard antennas with this ones (only the outer two) to have a better alignment of the signal with the layout of the flat.

It improved the coverage sightly but signiticatntly the reception of the weak clients. Remember that the client side als should be improved...

With kind regards
Joe

 

[jamiedolan]

Are you using the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz for the VOIP call devices?
My 2.4 has got some phenomenal reach, but I do use a EA-N66 to repeat my 5Ghz to a far end of the location (similar to your layout).

I can recommend the EA-N66R as a repeater with the 66U, albeit a little pricey (also note you can only repeat the 5Ghz OR the 2Ghz , not both at the same time)

I wouldnt bother with the additional antennas unless you have very marginal gains/losses - in my (personal) testing they are also only relevant for high power devices (laptops, desktops, etc).
Increasing the power / signal at the base station is one thing, but most mobile devices (VOIP phones, tablets etc) dont have sufficient power to transmit back - so you need to move the access point closer with something like a repeater or another AP.

As a guide I used to have a WNDR3700 in the central location, and then powerline adapters to either end of the site where I had an Apple Airport Express at each end - all 3 running the same SSID. Once I put the ASUS AC66U in the center, I could rip out all the powerline and Airport express connections , the 2.4Ghz covers everything just fine, but I need the 5GHz in a particular corner where I do some video streaming to an AppleTV (so the EA-N66 sits at the edge of my 5GHz central coverage)

Hello;

Sorry for the slow response; busy weekend here. I'm using 2.4Ghz. I've tested the 5Ghz (with my Note II phone that supports 5Ghz) and the range seems dismal. For example; I'm down one story (first floor) and about 15 feet away from the router and get about a -85 on the 5Ghz. On 2.4 Ghz in the same spot, I am around -50. I walk just 10 feet out my back door and I loose the 5ghz signal. (and that has to be a total of only around 30 feet and 1 wall from the router).

I did come across the EA-N66R and wondered if that would be the way to go; placing that on the far end of the house, maybe in the attached garage attic (I'd have to see what it's operating temp specs are though). Since the 5Ghz doesn't work very well for me, I think I would be fine with it just boosting the 2.4Ghz.

Do you use the 5Ghz to that device because you need more bandwidth than you can get out of 2.4Ghz? So far from what I saw with 5Ghz, I wasn't very impressed. I knew it had distance limitations, but had hoped that the lack of interference in that band would allow it to go farther.

Thank You;

Jamie

 

[jamiedolan]

Hi,

I have a similare layout in my flat, and I get very good results by replacing the omnidirectional standard antennas with this ones (only the outer two) to have a better alignment of the signal with the layout of the flat.

It improved the coverage sightly but signiticatntly the reception of the weak clients. Remember that the client side als should be improved...

With kind regards
Joe

HI;

Thanks. I looked at some of those, but they seemed like they would be too directional for my layout. I wasn't sure if I could just replace one of the antennas with one of those and point it towards the weakest part of the property or if that would end up messing with the rest of my coverage to have removed one of the omni antennas.


So even with the directional antennas it's interesting that you didn't get much more coverage. I would have guessed with a directional you would have gained a good amount of distance in the direction of that antenna.

Jamie

 

[joegreat]

I'm using 2.4Ghz. I've tested the 5Ghz (with my Note II phone that supports 5Ghz) and the range seems dismal. For example; I'm down one story (first floor) and about 15 feet away from the router and get about a -85 on the 5Ghz. On 2.4 Ghz in the same spot, I am around -50. I walk just 10 feet out my back door and I loose the 5ghz signal. (and that has to be a total of only around 30 feet and 1 wall from the router).

Hi,

That's well know that the 5GHz signal range is much shorter then the 2.4GHz one.

But with my addtional antennas the coverage is nearly the same (in my flat of course) as the 2.4GHz one.
I mean coverage not the singnal level - which is lower on 5GHz - but as long as I can use it I am fine.

With kind regards
Joe

 

[Fraoch]

So far from what I saw with 5Ghz, I wasn't very impressed. I knew it had distance limitations, but had hoped that the lack of interference in that band would allow it to go farther.

There will be lack of interference until 802.11ac becomes ubiquitous.

However 5 GHz signals just don't propagate as far as 2.4 GHz signals do and they're also heavily affected by obstacles like walls, floors, etc.

This may counterbalance the interference issue, it's not very likely that you'll even see your neighbour's 5 GHz network unless you're in a dense environment. The signal just doesn't travel that far and will be severely hampered through 2 exterior walls.

 

[jamiedolan]

I can recommend the EA-N66R as a repeater with the 66U, albeit a little pricey (also note you can only repeat the 5Ghz OR the 2Ghz , not both at the same time)

As a guide I used to have a WNDR3700 in the central location, and then powerline adapters to either end of the site where I had an Apple Airport Express at each end - all 3 running the same SSID. Once I put the ASUS AC66U in the center, I could rip out all the powerline and Airport express connections , the 2.4Ghz covers everything just fine, but I need the 5GHz in a particular corner where I do some video streaming to an AppleTV (so the EA-N66 sits at the edge of my 5GHz central coverage)

HI;

I was all set to order the N66R and a question came to mind. I did some searching and have not found a solid answer. With these 2 units, the AC-66U and the N66R setup in the fashion you mention; are there hard hand-offs when you switch devices?

For example; am I could to lose a VOIP based call if I leave the coverage area of the AC66U and enter the coverage area of the N66R?

Even with the same SSID used, I'm a little unclear as to when the devices (such as my phone) will decide to make the switch to the other device.

Thanks;

Jamie

 

[joegreat]

I was all set to order the N66R and a question came to mind. I did some searching and have not found a solid answer. With these 2 units, the AC-66U and the N66R setup in the fashion you mention; are there hard hand-offs when you switch devices?

For example; am I could to lose a VOIP based call if I leave the coverage area of the AC66U and enter the coverage area of the N66R?

Hi,

There will be a (short?) disconnect and re-connect if the coverage of one device is lost and the other-one needs to take over.

It depends on the application how it will handle the interruption.
Classical Internet surfing will not be a problem as it more kind request/response approach.
Applications like Video and Music streaming will have a small interruption but should reconnect fast when the internet connection is restored on the other device.
In VOIP phone connections it might be a problem, but again it depends on the ability of the application to reconnect.

So, you better not move around when you do phone calls!

With kind regards
Joe