Small apartment extend WiFi

[LeoBloom]

The wifi signal from my living room doesn't reliably reach the bedroom - it seems to be due to either the granite counter or the wall supporting it. If I place the router onto the counter, the WiFi is reliable, but it is an eye sore

What would be the best way to extend WiFi to the bedroom? I am thinking of getting a powerline wifi extender (where one of the two boxes has built in wifi)

Is there a better solution like something utilizing MoCA?

 

[OzarkEdge]

The wifi signal from my living room doesn't reliably reach the bedroom - it seems to be due to either the granite counter or the wall supporting it. If I place the router onto the counter, the WiFi is reliable, but it is an eye sore

What would be the best way to extend WiFi to the bedroom? I am thinking of getting a powerline wifi extender (where one of the two boxes has built in wifi)

Is there a better solution like something utilizing MoCA?

The best solution in a small apartment is to locate one good router central, high, and in the clear. This may cost the least, be the easiest to manage and use, and would limit WiFi interference suffered by close neighbors. If you are using an average ISP wireless router now, you may be able to bridge it (serve as modem only) and add your own better router at a better location.

What is the sq ft area of your apartment?

OE

 

[Trip]

Per @OzarkEdge's advice, I'd try to find a high/centralized place to put the wireless router, if you can, to keep your setup as simple as possible. Perhaps high atop a kitchen cabinet, mostly hidden? If that's at all possible, I would go that route first. Explore all options.

If that just won't work, then yes, most likely you're going to want a second broadcast location in or near the bedroom, ideally connected by wire to the main router (by ethernet or MoCa over TV coaxial) for max reliability. Ethernet is of course the best choice. Second would be MoCa; you'll need MoCa-compatible splitters at all points along the cable path, plus at least two MoCa 2.5 adapters. Lastly, I would avoid powerline adapters altogether; operational certainty is too low, on average (it may work; it may not; it may start out working, then degrade at random or all at once, or only when the blow dryer is plugged in, or when the dishwasher runs, etc...).

As for wireless hardware, a cheap, standalone AP, extender or all-in-one running in AP mode may be simplest. If your main router is an AiMesh-compatible Asus model, then another AiMesh-capable Asus would allow for a bit easier management of both. For a good chance of even more seamless client roaming and set-and-forget reliability, I would either 1) disable wifi on the router and put in a pair of controller-based APs, such as Cisco CBW140AC's (~$110 ea) (plus two $16 PoE injectors to power them), or if that sounds too complex or spendy, 2) simply replace the router altogether with a hardwire-capable consumer mesh system, such as Eero (dual-band 3-pack for $175).

Hope that helps. Any questions, feel free.

 

[LeoBloom]

Thank you for your suggestions - good to know about the issues associated with powerline. Will attempt to find a more centralized space!

 

[L&LD]

PLA's may be sufficient (even if I don't rely on them at all) if the ISP speeds are on the lower side, the internet demands in the far room are more modest, and/or the connection between where one is plugged into the router somehow gives a phenomenal signal to the one near(er) the far room. Remember, you don't need to be inside the room to increase the range/throughput.

PLA's (where one has Wi-Fi) is usually a poor option. Not worth the money in many cases for the expanded range and variable levels of throughput they provide.

What is the router you currently have that is struggling in your small apartment? What are your ISP speeds? What are your expectations in the far room?

An RT-AC86U, (or even an RT-AC66U_B1, depending on your answers to the above) or an RT-AX58U will easily light up the apartment with Wi-Fi for you.

Between now and the next few weeks will be ideal to look for one in your price range during all the sales that are coming our way.

 

[LeoBloom]

My apartment is L-shaped and is 750 sqft.

My building is a mix of poured concrete, something similar to cinderblocks, and steel according to management

There are windows on both inner sides of the L (i.e., I could look from my bedroom window into my living room window, where I can see the router standing on the counter)

My ISP offers 250 mbps down, and I get 190 mbps down on my phone wifi from the bedroom (if router on counter)

If I place the router beneath the counter onto the floor, my phone loses the wifi connection (it sees the SSID, but too weak to connect)

The foyer connects the two sides of the L - I suppose I can put a router on table in the foyer, but my wifi requirements in the bedroom are minimal (i.e., would be perfectly happy with 50 mbps in that room)

That's why I was thinking of a powerline with the wifi enabled end to be plugged into an outlet in the bedroom

I have a cable provider that currently supplies the modem/router (all-in-one) to me: Arris DG2470

I am looking to switch from cable to Verizon FIOS around March when my promotion pricing for cable lapses and non-promo pricing for FIOS becomes cheaper - that is when I was expecting to either purchase a router to cover the whole apartment, or use an old asus in the living room with a powerline/wifi set-up for the bedroom

 

[L&LD]

If you can put your current router (or any future one) in the corner of that 'L', or as close to it as possible, it may solve all your issues.

Make sure you buy PLA's that are returnable. One never knows how clean the wiring (or Panel box) may be in an apartment.

As suspected, even the ISP's router is more than sufficient when properly placed. Concentrate on doing that 'right' than buying additional equipment that won't give you what you can have now.

 

[degrub]

https://www.commscope.com/globalassets/digizuite/61698-dg2470a-ds.pdf

That indicates it has and can use MOCA2.0, so it will depend on what your ISP has implemented and what your apartment cabling/splitters looks like as well as location of outlets. If your apartment has multiple outlets, hopefully you have access to the splitter as it will need a MOCA POE block at the inlet and needs to be certified for MOCA2. Might talk to the ISP and see what is possible as well as look around for a single Actiontec 6200 modem if you have an outlet near where you need it.

Otherwise, run an ethernet cable where you need it. You can get flat cables that are likely good enough.

 

[LeoBloom]

When I get FIOS installed, I will try to put the router in the middle of the L - I have a foyer table where I can probably clear up some real estate

I actually currently use a powerline for my desktop (there were issues where the internet would drop a few seconds at a time despite WiFi remaining connected) - the powerline has been very reliable albeit slower than the speeds I am paying for (~100 mbps I could reliably get). Powerline WiFi will be my fall back option in case I can't get the router to the centralized spot

 

[LeoBloom]

PLA's may be sufficient (even if I don't rely on them at all) if the ISP speeds are on the lower side, the internet demands in the far room are more modest, and/or the connection between where one is plugged into the router somehow gives a phenomenal signal to the one near(er) the far room. Remember, you don't need to be inside the room to increase the range/throughput.

PLA's (where one has Wi-Fi) is usually a poor option. Not worth the money in many cases for the expanded range and variable levels of throughput they provide.

What is the router you currently have that is struggling in your small apartment? What are your ISP speeds? What are your expectations in the far room?

An RT-AC86U, (or even an RT-AC66U_B1, depending on your answers to the above) or an RT-AX58U will easily light up the apartment with Wi-Fi for you.

Between now and the next few weeks will be ideal to look for one in your price range during all the sales that are coming our way.

Do you think the RT-AC66U would be enough for this scenario? I can get one for free from family

 

[L&LD]

The RT-AC66U is an unsupported (RMerlin) model for a long time now. I wouldn't recommend it as the main router.

But it would be very effective with @john9527's RMerlin fork installed for use as a set and forget Media Bridge for wired devices.

 

[LeoBloom]

The RT-AC66U is an unsupported (RMerlin) model for a long time now. I wouldn't recommend it as the main router.

But it would be very effective with @john9527's RMerlin fork installed for use as a set and forget Media Bridge for wired devices.

Sorry - I meant RT-AC66U_B1

 

[L&LD]

As I may have mentioned already, optimally placed, the stock ISP router seems sufficient. The RT-AC66U_B1 may or may not be better vs. that unknown (to me) quantity.

 

[LeoBloom]

As I may have mentioned already, optimally placed, the stock ISP router seems sufficient. The RT-AC66U_B1 may or may not be better vs. that unknown (to me) quantity.

Got it - the stock router will be taken by RCN once I switch to FIOS. Will use the Asus one. Thanks