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[New home] Reliable wifi

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giopas

Regular Contributor
Hi,

In a couple of months I will move to a new place. The new house is on two floors, each room with two ethernet (cat7) wall plugs all linked to a Gb switch.

I currently have an Asus RT-AC87U (running Merlin's firmware) as router and a Asus N-53 repeater for my flat.

What I would like to do is to plug my router in a room and then expand wireless everywhere in a decent way.

To do so I could either use the Asus N-53 (probably coupled with another one), or use the ethernet plugs in each room and install a repeater there.

In the latter case, what kind of device do you recommend? Nothing too much expensive, but reliable. Ideally with 5Ghz support as well...

Thank you!

giopas
 
With the structured wiring network you are installing you are approaching the problem from the wrong end.

You should be planning your system so as many devices as possible are connected to your network using Ethernet cables.
Wifi should only be used for devices that have no Ethernet ports such as phones and tablets.

Then you need to begin mapping out your network. Where does you broadband service come into the house, where is your structured wiring cabinet, where will you locate your router? Then map out your devices such as printers, NAS, PCs, smart home wired devices, security systems, TVs, streaming radios, streaming video boxes, etc. Some locations will have multiple devices requiring Ethernet connections meaning you will need to install small switches to provide multiple connections. You also may need a switch located in or near your structured wiring cabinet to activate some or all of the Cat7 jacks you have had installed.

Then you can decide where you need good Wifi service. If it is only so smartphone users can check their e-mail no need for super high speed or even 5 Ghz radio coverage. For what ever areas you want to cover you can plug APs (not repeaters ) into a hot Cat7 jack and expand your WiFi coverage. For 2.4 Ghz you probably can get by with just your router's radios and one additional AP. For 5 Ghz you could need up to two additional APs.

By having as many devices as possible connected using Ethernet cables your devices using WiFi will work better as their will be less contention for air time.

With the money you spent for Cat7 wiring utilize it. WiFi will never be as good or more importantly as reliable.
 
If possible, I would suggest that you get the following done to your new house before you move in.

In the ideal center of the space (in 3D) with at least 10' (3 metres) above ground level (not just floor level) and free of obstructions from all around for at least 3' (1 metre), including the ceiling (adjust as necessary to accommodate the actual construction of the home) you will want to have at least 5 runs of CAT5e cable or higher to place your router there. If you consider the RT-AC88U with 8 LAN ports (or any future similar high port WiFi router), I would suggest at least 9 runs of CAT5e cable or higher (ideally? Double what the total of WAN + LAN ports your main router has).

With this setup above, the ISP's demarcation point (usually in the basement with the modem placed nearby) is not a detriment to the proper placement of the main WiFi router.

A switch with enough ports to connect the entire home is needed at this 'home run' location (or you may select to choose multiple switches (one for each LAN port of the main router) if segregating the network devices makes sense for your network).

Having only two runs of LAN cable to the ideal spot of a WiFi router is very limiting when building a proper network.

I hope you are able to make this adjustment to the new home you're moving into soon.
 
Hi guys,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I cannot make any change to the current wiring network (I will need to use money for the mortgage already :) ).

I agree that best speed and reliance can only be obtained with a cable. That is why I will certainly use it for my Nas :)

The rest is only 3 smartphone, 2 laptops and 1 PC desktop (to be wired as well). Not much more.

My problem is that anywhere I am in the house, I would like to have a very good WiFi network.

Since I have the Asus AC-87U router and a N-53 repeater, if they will not be enough, what do you suggest to use to extend WiFi?

Moreover, should I just have to look at wireless extenders, or to a (wired) access point? In such case, would it be possible to use the same SSID and password for my router and access point?

Thank you!

giopas

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
 
N-53 repeater
the good news is the n-53 can be use in access point mode

so you can have the rt-ac87u on one floor and the n-53 connected to one of the ethernet points up stairs and run in ap mode will provide wifi upstairs

the down side is the n-53 isnt wireless AC so even up stairs its coverage for the rooms upstairs may not be totally adequate
but for starters is worth checking out

reality in time when you can afford it replace the n-53 with an asius rt-ac68u in AP mode

In such case, would it be possible to use the same SSID and password for my router and access point?

sure you can run the n-53 in access point mode with the same ssid and passphrase as the rt-ac87u just ensure you use different channels for both bands
eg 2.4 gig

rt-ac87u ch 1

n-53 ch 11

5 gig rt-a87u ch 153

n-53 ch 44
 
Hi guys,

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I cannot make any change to the current wiring network (I will need to use money for the mortgage already :) ).

My problem is that anywhere I am in the house, I would like to have a very good WiFi network.

Thank you!

giopas

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk


If you can physically pull the cables now, it will be the cheapest time to do it (especially if you can do it with a buddy and you).

A WiFi router in an optimal location is highly preferred to a WiFi router and AP('s).

Guest networks (isolated) will work as intended (an AP usually cannot have isolated guests) is just one example of why AP's are a poor second choice to an optimally placed router. Assuming of course that the single router will adequately cover the areas needed (usually anything less than about 4000 SQFT, depending on the layout of the building).

A good WiFi network requires keeping things simple. An AP complicates things very quickly as your needs change and the number of devices grow.
 
Yes... prewire cat5e or better.
Then we can help you place access points if you provide a description of, or scanned drawing of floor plan(s).
Router brand selection is debatable; we all have our fav. Mine's ASUS.
 
giopas,

This was just mentioned on Engadget today:
http://www.engadget.com/2016/02/23/eero-is-the-home-wifi-solution-ive-been-waiting-for/

Apparently they create a mesh wireless network for the entire house.

So many issues with that 'review'. Comparing it to an ISP supplied router and (worse) an apple express?

2 minutes to download a 5MB image? At 90Mbps?

Only able to configure with a mobile phone? With a password eero gives you?

$500? And 'app' limited capabilities too. With 2 LAN ports?

This is a pass for anyone that can type in 192.168.1.1 in their browser and follow directions on screen.
 
So many issues with that 'review'. Comparing it to an ISP supplied router and (worse) an apple express?

2 minutes to download a 5MB image? At 90Mbps?

Only able to configure with a mobile phone? With a password eero gives you?

$500? And 'app' limited capabilities too. With 2 LAN ports?

This is a pass for anyone that can type in 192.168.1.1 in their browser and follow directions on screen.
Very true, in fact I got curious and after reading the review I think it is not worth it.
 
asking for reliable wifi in the consumer space is very very rare to get. You'd have to look at the non consumer space for reliable wifi. Ubiquiti for example have APs that have better range and stability and mikrotik would have customisable indoor APs and both would sell even less than consumer. Than theres the more expensive stuff that can do better too. Non consumer suppliers tend to have a stable price globally whereas in some countries consumer suppliers like retail or online tend to hike the prices.

Using consumer wifi routers as APs tends to work reliably for some. So while consumer routers tend to make bad routers they do well with the minor things they were made for rather than the main things they were made for.

mesh networks, really depend on the firmware and application. If you have a big wireless network with many APs and some of them are repeaters to bridge 2 APs together than this would work for it. It is also for a network where many LAN transfers take place so if you had a lot of APs and a lot of LAN resources like your own file servers, networked logins and such which are commonly used or an intranet than mesh helps here. Ofcourse if you had the money you could just do it for fun.

If you're confused about what to get theres always the alternative option, get all of them.
 
Hi folks,

what about buying a new RP-AC56 to replace* my RP-N53?

Or do you still suggest to get a new rt-ac68u router? What would be the benefit in this case?

Thanks,

giopas

ps: I do not have footprints on hand to share yet. But what could I use to best deploy APs?

pps: what Ubiquiti or mikrotik products would you recommend otherwise?

* I actually could always keep it to extend wifi in the garage, where I do not need full speed usually :)
 
Hi,

I come back to this topic (I will move at the end of the month) because I will need to change my plan: my ISP offered me to rent this modem-router at a discounted price since it does not offer modem only devices to rent.

Such router seems quite good (I already used a Fritz!Box in the past and I was fairly satisfied with it) and I therefore have thought to change the plan: use the Fritz!Box as modem-router and use the Asus RT-AC87U as mere Access Point Repeater on the first floor.

It is a bit waste of money, but at least I would not have to buy yet other repeaters.

What do you think? Will this work? Do you see other more efficient solutions?

Thanks,

giopas
 
One reason why someone buys a router like asus is for the features and performance. If the router given lacks the features and performance you need than buy. Reliability is also a deciding factor.

It really depends on what features you need. That modem router offered by your ISP has phone jacks, the zyxel i was lucky to get from my ISP also has the same things the router offered by your ISP has.

If you dont plan to use the phone jacks than you can go with seperate modem and router. You can get a very good modem router but it is complicated involving SFP modules. As for repeaters wifi repeaters usually perform poorly so it is better to wire them up to extend wifi rather than repeat especially if you plan to use that modem router offered by your ISP.
 

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