Extending wifi range

Jasx

hi all,
i have Eir fibre broadband (150mb) direct to house but the wifi coverage within the house is very patchy - mainly because the modem is in a press in the utility room. I do have Cat 6 network cable throughout the house so have wired this into tvs etc and all good.

I am getting bamboozled looking at options for wifi range extenders/powerline extenders/second routers etc and wondering what is the best (and cheapest!) option? i tried to set up an old Vodafone mobile broadband unit as a second router but it doesnt have an option to repeat the signal (therefore need a second sign in for wifi).

appreciate any info

thanks

babelfish1990

Jasx wrote: »

hi all,
i have Eir fibre broadband (150mb) direct to house but the wifi coverage within the house is very patchy - mainly because the modem is in a press in the utility room. I do have Cat 6 network cable throughout the house so have wired this into tvs etc and all good.

I am getting bamboozled looking at options for wifi range extenders/powerline extenders/second routers etc and wondering what is the best (and cheapest!) option? i tried to set up an old Vodafone mobile broadband unit as a second router but it doesnt have an option to repeat the signal (therefore need a second sign in for wifi).

appreciate any info

thanks

Since you already have Cat 6 wiring, you should use this to extend your WiFi coverage. It is by far the best solution. Most of the discussions on Boards are from people who don't have the luxury of wiring, and end up with other less optimal solutions. You need to add WiFi access points(APs) in a few rooms, plugged in to your Cat-6 wiring. You can power these over the Cat-6 wiring (POE - Power-over-Ethernet). You will probably need to add a POE Ethernet switch at your hub - these are not expensive. Plug the Ethernet switch into your Eir router, and switch off the WiFI in your Eir router, and allow the new AP's to provide seamless coverage throughout your home. You can add as many APs as you require, but 2 or 3 will cover most homes.

Ubiquiti Unifi range of devices are excellent. Shop around and get a good price for a 3-pack. No need to buy Ubiquiti's switch or router. Get a cheap 8-port router with POE.

Alternatively you could buy a Mesh system such as TP-Link Deco or Tenda Nova. You don't need to use this in Mesh mode, as you have wiring - but they are quite cost effective, and also work with wiring when you have it. You will need local power at each point, unlike the Ubiquiti. Set up in Access Point mode - don't use as a router.

Don't add any routers. Don't use home-plugs. Waste of money, and you will end up replacing them.

Jasx

thanks for quick reply, yes that makes sense will look into those. i already have the Eir modem plugged into two 24 port 10/100mbps TP Link SF 1024 switches and the CAT 6 cables feed off that to each room - but based on your advice above i will need to add an additional POE switch? There is power to these switches but not sure if that provides POE to the access points?

also will these repeat the same signal as the Eir router (i.e. same WIFI code etc) or is this why you propose to disable the wifi on the router?

sorry totally outta my depth here!!!

babelfish1990

Jasx wrote: »

thanks for quick reply, yes that makes sense will look into those. i already have the Eir modem plugged into two 24 port 10/100mbps TP Link SF 1024 switches and the CAT 6 cables feed off that to each room - but based on your advice above i will need to add an additional POE switch? There is power to these switches but not sure if that provides POE to the access points?

also will these repeat the same signal as the Eir router (i.e. same WIFI code etc) or is this why you propose to disable the wifi on the router?

sorry totally outta my depth here!!!

You are well set up with the wiring and switches. This would be fine if you opt for a mesh system with locally powered APs in the rooms. However, if you want to opt for POE devices such as Ubiquiti you will either need to add a POE switch or use separate POE injectors to inject power at hub to send to each AP. The Ubiquiti APs usually come with separate injectors, so this is an option, but a POE switch would be neater and more future proof if you wanted to add POE CCTV cams etc. In the future.

The reason for switching off WiFi in Eir router is so that you let the new APs create a seamless zone through the whole house. They will have one SSID and p/w throughout house. If you leave WiFi switched on in Eir router you will create separate zones with messy handovers and mobile devices will cling onto the weaker signal. If you want to avoid reconfiguring all your devices, take a note of the exact Eir SSID and p/w. Then reconfigure your new APs with the exact Eir SSID and p/w. All your devices will then work without reconfiguration.( The new APs will not "repeat" the Eir WiFi as it will be switched off. - you are just simulating it's config in your new setup)

dam099

Jasx wrote: »

thanks for quick reply, yes that makes sense will look into those. i already have the Eir modem plugged into two 24 port 10/100mbps TP Link SF 1024 switches and the CAT 6 cables feed off that to each room - but based on your advice above i will need to add an additional POE switch? There is power to these switches but not sure if that provides POE to the access points?
!

Is that correct specs on your switch? If so you should upgrade at least one to a 1Gb switch to get the maximum benefit from your 150Mb FTTH (also many ISPs are upping that to 500Mb for their base package).

Also do you need 2 X 24 switches, that's a lot of points to have in a house? Even a 5 or 8 port 1Gb switch going to the network points where you will be placing your access points would be a cheap enough upgrade.

Jasx

yep at the time of building the house i was working off a mobile vodafone unit peaking at 10-15mb with no sign of fibre anywhere near our house - electrician is brother in law and he went a bit mental with ethernet points all over the house (not complaining now!). might look at upgrading if i put in a POE switch but im happy with the speeds im getting on tvs etc.

smuggler.ie

Jasx wrote: »

i tried to set up an old Vodafone mobile broadband unit as a second router but it doesnt have an option to repeat e signal

What model is that?
You dont have to "repeat", you should be able to set it as AP:
Set it on static IP in same range as Eir(192.168.1.253), disable DHCP, configure WiFi, enjoy

babelfish1990

smuggler.ie wrote: »

What model is that?
You dont have to "repeat", you should be able to set it as AP:
Set it on static IP in same range as Eir(192.168.1.253), disable DHCP, configure WiFi, enjoy

Even if it works, it's not a good idea to use multiple APs from different suppliers. You won't get seamless handover between the zones ("IEEE 802.11r - Fast Roaming"). If you use different suppliers, mobile devices will tend to cling onto the weaker WiFi signal to avoid dropping the connection, rather than switching to the strongest signal.

If you use the Ubiquiti APs or Mesh APs throughout your house, mobile devices will handover smoothly as you move from zone to zone.

My first choice would still be the Ubiquiti, as this offers POE, and you have the wiring. However, if you have the Eir F3000 router, I see that Eir are now offering their own Mesh devices. While slightly more expensive than some other makes, this has the advantage that you can add them to work in tandem with your F3000. Hence you won't need an additional AP to cover the zone where your existing router is. The config would also be very simple, as they will copy the F3000 settings. I haven't used the F3000 Mesh - but it looks like a good option, and appears to allow the use of Cat-6 cabling backhaul, since you have it.

https://www.eir.ie/smartwifi/

smuggler.ie

Known that dedicated WiFi AP system will be better than "mesh-mash", should include disclaimer in my post

castletownman

My wifi pings off an aerial and comes into the main house via a satellite dish (one of those independent providers). I have recently converted the far end of the house, at a basement level, into a flat, and can't pick up wifi. Too far away from the main router.

Can anyone recommend an effective way of boosting the signal, as I have been waiting long enough for the technicians to sort the issue to no avail? Only really became an issue this week with the premier league back

Liamo_mu

castletownman wrote: »

My wifi pings off an aerial and comes into the main house via a satellite dish (one of those independent providers). I have recently converted the far end of the house, at a basement level, into a flat, and can't pick up wifi. Too far away from the main router.

Can anyone recommend an effective way of boosting the signal, as I have been waiting long enough for the technicians to sort the issue to no avail? Only really became an issue this week with the premier league back

You could try TP link Powerline Adapters.

Basically beside your router you plug a Powerline Adapter into the wall with an ethernet cable to the router. Then plug another adapter that emits WiFi in the room where there is currently no signal

Results may vary depending on how your house is wired up

castletownman

Liamo_mu wrote: »

You could try TP link Powerline Adapters.

Basically beside your router you plug a Powerline Adapter into the wall with an ethernet cable to the router. Then plug another adapter that emits WiFi in the room where there is currently no signal

Results may vary depending on how your house is wired up

Cheers.

In the meantime, I have been told that the technician is arriving Wednesday morning to sort it out, but had your suggestion above in the pipeline before I got word.

castletownman

castletownman wrote: »

Cheers.

In the meantime, I have been told that the technician is arriving Wednesday morning to sort it out, but had your suggestion above in the pipeline before I got word.

Update:

Technician installed a system called Nova, which is connected to the main router, and two plug receivers along the house. While I have wifi in my area now, the download speed is hovering around 5-7, compared to 16-17 in the main house.

It means that netflix is hit and miss and I can't run Sky Go at all. But if I got a third Nova plug (or something similar), would it improve the speed? The nearest booster to me is in the room directly above me upstairs- I am down a flight of stairs, and at the other end of a partition wall.

Gooser14

You could use a WIFI mesh system such as the TP-Link Deco M4 or M5.

Don Imac2

castletownman wrote: »

Update:

Technician installed a system called Nova, which is connected to the main router, and two plug receivers along the house. While I have wifi in my area now, the download speed is hovering around 5-7, compared to 16-17 in the main house.

It means that netflix is hit and miss and I can't run Sky Go at all. But if I got a third Nova plug (or something similar), would it improve the speed? The nearest booster to me is in the room directly above me upstairs- I am down a flight of stairs, and at the other end of a partition wall.

I don't know what your ISP is providing but you seem to be getting very little from your Nova so a third unit is no use. I'm no expert but I have three Novas and get around 80-120mb (fibre 500 FTTH). Maybe someone with more know-how can help you configure your Novas to get improve things.

ED E

Thread jacking like this is a mess, FTTH in one post and FW in the next. Townmans post should be forked.

Jasx

babelfish1990 wrote: »

Since you already have Cat 6 wiring, you should use this to extend your WiFi coverage. It is by far the best solution. Most of the discussions on Boards are from people who don't have the luxury of wiring, and end up with other less optimal solutions. You need to add WiFi access points(APs) in a few rooms, plugged in to your Cat-6 wiring. You can power these over the Cat-6 wiring (POE - Power-over-Ethernet). You will probably need to add a POE Ethernet switch at your hub - these are not expensive. Plug the Ethernet switch into your Eir router, and switch off the WiFI in your Eir router, and allow the new AP's to provide seamless coverage throughout your home. You can add as many APs as you require, but 2 or 3 will cover most homes.

Ubiquiti Unifi range of devices are excellent. Shop around and get a good price for a 3-pack. No need to buy Ubiquiti's switch or router. Get a cheap 8-port router with POE.

Alternatively you could buy a Mesh system such as TP-Link Deco or Tenda Nova. You don't need to use this in Mesh mode, as you have wiring - but they are quite cost effective, and also work with wiring when you have it. You will need local power at each point, unlike the Ubiquiti. Set up in Access Point mode - don't use as a router.

Don't add any routers. Don't use home-plugs. Waste of money, and you will end up replacing them.

would these be ok?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...KL5A1OLE&psc=1