Help w/ extending Wi-Fi network

[Tarrant1701]

Hi all!

I need some advice on how to extend my Wi-Fi network. My problem is that my router is on the 1st floor, and I get spotty Wi-Fi reception on the 2nd floor of my house. Here is my current (and complicated) setup:

1. Verizon FiOS broadband
2. MoCA connection from the ODN to my Actiontech router on 1st floor
3. Router provides wired as well as 802.11g wireless connections to clients in the home

My goal is to extend the range of my wireless network on the 2nd floor. However, I am unsure if I need an AP, a bridge, a repeater or some other solution. I have a MoCA wired network set up, and it would be easy for me to connect an AP to a MoCA adapter on the 2nd floor. My questions are:

(1) Do I need an AP, a bridge, or a repeater as the best solution to my problem?

(2) Will whatever solution I use on the 2nd floor have the same SSID as my router?

I'd like the solution to be as "transparent" to the user as possible. So say I'm watching streaming video on my iPad over Wi-Fi on the 1st floor. I walk up to the 2nd floor and the video continues to stream (the iPad hopefully is handed off to the AP on the 2nd floor since it should have a stronger signal).

Hope I'm making sense. Appreciate any advice! Also, any specific product suggestions would be welcome as well.

 

[thiggins]

Why not just move the Actiontec router to the 2nd floor if you have a coax connection there?

 

[Tarrant1701]

Because then my 1st floor Wi-Fi coverage would suffer and I would be in the same boat

 

[thiggins]

Extend the network by using an access point connected to the MoCA adpater. You won't get a fast, seamless handoff from AP to AP with consumer gear.

Besides, you probably want different SSID's so that you can ensure that 2nd floor clients connect to that AP and not the first floor AP.

For setup tips see How To Add an Access Point to a Wireless Router.