Wifi mesh systems

RangeR · 14-03-2021 01:55PM

GrumPy wrote: »

Finally got around tho setting up google nest mesh system with virgin media hub 2.0. I turned the wifi off in the virgin settings. Any other config changes I need to consider to avoid things like double NAT?

You want to turn on modem [or bridged] mode to prevent double NAT.

jacko · 16-03-2021 12:55PM

Hi,

I've got cat6 cables ran in my ceilings downstairs to either end of my house, with the original intention of ceiling mounted AccessPoints. If possible I want to avoid the signaldrop when moving between Access points

Are there any options for a good Mesh setup that will work on POE (There's no power cables ran beside the cat 6). Most of what I see are powered options so maybe best to just forget about the cat6 in the ceiling and go with the powered options?

Thanks.

WLad · 16-03-2021 01:11PM

jacko wrote: »

Hi,

I've got cat6 cables ran in my ceilings downstairs to either end of my house, with the original intention of ceiling mounted AccessPoints. If possible I want to avoid the signaldrop when moving between Access points

Are there any options for a good Mesh setup that will work on POE (There's no power cables ran beside the cat 6). Most of what I see are powered options so maybe best to just forget about the cat6 in the ceiling and go with the powered options?

Thanks.

Wired access points will always outperform a mesh system. The word mesh references the mesh wireless network that's created to communicate between APs.

If you are going wired access points like Ubiquiti then that's your best option. The drop between them should be minimal anyway and there will also be the same drop if its a mesh system.

jacko · 16-03-2021 01:24PM

WLad wrote: »

Wired access points will always outperform a mesh system. The word mesh references the mesh wireless network that's created to communicate between APs.

If you are going wired access points like Ubiquiti then that's your best option. The drop between them should be minimal anyway and there will also be the same drop if its a mesh system.

Thanks WLad.

So a ceiling mounted Ubiquiti then is best way to go and use the cat6 to power.

babelfish1990 · 16-03-2021 01:48PM

jacko wrote: »

Thanks WLad.

So a ceiling mounted Ubiquiti then is best way to go and use the cat6 to power.

+1 for Ubiquiti Unifi. Install a POE Ethernet switch at your hub, and connect it to your ISP router. Turn off the WiFi in your ISP router, and let the Ubiquiti Access points create seamless coverage throughout your home.

WLad · 16-03-2021 01:54PM

jacko wrote: »

Thanks WLad.

So a ceiling mounted Ubiquiti then is best way to go and use the cat6 to power.

I'm hoping so, doing exactly this myself in the next couple of weeks to hopefully fix my parents WiFi for good ðŸ˜‰

Cyrus · 16-03-2021 04:00PM

babelfish1990 wrote: »

+1 for Ubiquiti Unifi. Install a POE Ethernet switch at your hub, and connect it to your ISP router. Turn off the WiFi in your ISP router, and let the Ubiquiti Access points create seamless coverage throughout your home.

+2 best way to go

irelandspurs · 16-03-2021 10:56PM

Is there any issues using the m4's with sky Q boxes, I've purchased these for a neighbour and just noticed he has a main sky Q and 1 Q mini box.

WLad · 17-03-2021 02:38AM

irelandspurs wrote: »

Is there any issues using the m4's with sky Q boxes, I've purchased these for a neighbour and just noticed he has a main sky Q and 1 Q mini box.

Shouldn't be. If you can, wire them with ethernet to the mesh system and turn off the WiFi on both. Otherwise they'll create another network themselves which will hurt the m4s. Google how to completely turn it off.

irelandspurs · 17-03-2021 06:00AM

WLad wrote: »

Shouldn't be. If you can, wire them with ethernet to the mesh system and turn off the WiFi on both. Otherwise they'll create another network themselves which will hurt the m4s. Google how to completely turn it off.

Thank you, will give it a go

irelandspurs · 17-03-2021 08:40AM

Can powerline adapters still be used with m4s?

motley · 17-03-2021 09:06AM

This is a novice question that has probably been asked before. Can I setup a mesh network with different brand devices?
I have a Fritzbox router and Tp-link mesh extender. Trying to figure out how they would work together or should I just get a Tp-link router?

17-03-2021 11:04AM

irelandspurs wrote: »

Can powerline adapters still be used with m4s?

Yes

RangeR · 17-03-2021 04:53PM

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Hi,

I need to get a reliable internet connection in an attic for a PTZ IP camera. Camera is to be powered by POE (802.3at).
I've no way to put a cable from router into attic directly.
I was considering using a powerline adapter, but was wondering if there was another (better) solution.

The powerline would require 802.3at POE and passthrough would help greatly. There is a SkyQ setup in the house with a mini box directly below the required area in attic.
As it is not my property I do not know what signal strength is in the attic from the Sky Mesh and/or whether it would be suitable.
The intention was that further down the line, some security cameras would be added into the system so had a preference for a wired connection.
At that stage, a POE network switch would be located in the shed into which all the cameras would feed into and the network would link from the switch back to the NVR in the attic which would be wired into the internet.

1. Is there an electrical outlet [not light fitting] in the attic. This is a requirement for PowerLine.
2. Just get up to your attic now and run WIFI Analyser on your mobile. This will tell you how strong the wifi signal is. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes. But see point 5 below.

3. It might be better to get a regular, fast, powerline adapter and a separate POE injector like this.
4. One of your prerequisites is a reliable connection. Only cable will give you this. Powerline, in my experience, needs to be power cycled every few months. Although it's been about 3-5 years since I used one regularly.
5. Bare in mind, CCTV over WIFI is hit and miss, at best. Recording/Viewing will be heavily dependent on the number of devices connected to that AP, available wifi [not internet] bandwidth and environmental factors. I would strongly dissuade anyone from CCTV over WIFI.

Is this attic camera for viewing the attic or positioned to view outside the house? If outside the house, would you consider fixing it to the external wall and run a cable out an air vent? No drilling of hols required for that cable.

17-03-2021 07:58PM

funkey_monkey wrote: »

As I thought, it looks like that might be against code to run it up the same conduit as power.

Shouldn't really be an issue running it beside SWA (steel wire armour)

Clareman · 18-03-2021 04:17PM

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I have been looking at powerlines, but I've been told they are not overly reliable and drop out - requiring a reset.

Struggling to find a way of getting a reliable internet connection in attic without chasing into wall or tacking cables up the wall.

I might be just lucky with the ones I have but mine are rock solid, very rarely require a reset and are constantly in use.

RangeR · 18-03-2021 04:50PM

funkey_monkey wrote: »

I have been looking at powerlines, but I've been told they are not overly reliable and drop out - requiring a reset.

Struggling to find a way of getting a reliable internet connection in attic without chasing into wall or tacking cables up the wall.

Maybe a point to point fixed wireless solution. No idea on cost but basically you put a dish on the house and a dish on the shed and just make sure they are absolute line of site. Saves running cable. Go high or go home.

Edit : Maybe something like this. Get two. A bit out of my specialty so not sure what other hardware you would need. A bitta research would be needed.

Edit 2 : Ok, looks like good news. They are actually simple to install and set up. Here is a sample youtube tutorial [I didn't watch it all]

The dish on your house must connect to your home networks in some way, ideally back to the router.
The dish in the shed, it connects to a switch to which you can connect other devices.
The dish to dish transmission is only max 100Mbps but they are cheap and I don't think you need more than that for one camera. I'd say that speed would be fine for multiple cameras, then some.

This could be a winner for you. They do require POE but a POE injector is supplied with each dish. winner.

This will be much better than powerline or standard WIFI, but obviously not as good as direct cable connection.

Clareman · 18-03-2021 05:46PM

funkey_monkey wrote: »

What ones do you have?

I've these, looking at my order history I got them in November 2015, I have 3 of them in use around the house at the moment, 1 connected to the router, 1 to the office and 1 to a TV that doesn't have WiFi, that TV hasn't been used in ages now that I think of it. I've the burgler alarm, Hue hub, server and laptop connected to it, all working perfectly (touch wood).

54and56 · 18-03-2021 09:50PM

Big shout out and thanks to @RangeR, @WLad and all the others who have held my hand over the last few weeks as I transitioned from a 12 year old VM Cisco modem and a similar age ASUS router struggling to get my 200mb D/L 20mb U/L around my house to a new VM Hitron modem and a TaoTronics Tri-Band AC3000 Mesh system serving my new 300mb D/L 30mb U/L all round and a good bit outside my house.

The speed test below is from the location which pre Mesh was struggling to get 15mb D/L speed.

Happy family of WFH parents and online students now.

Kudos to you all.

Hurrache · 19-03-2021 11:58AM

irelandspurs wrote: »

Is there any issues using the m4's with sky Q boxes, I've purchased these for a neighbour and just noticed he has a main sky Q and 1 Q mini box.

If his broadband is with Sky, and as he has Sky Q, the Q boxes then work as a mesh system so shouldn't be any need for M4s.

WLad · 19-03-2021 12:21PM

Hurrache wrote: »

If his broadband is with Sky, and as he has Sky Q, the Q boxes then work as a mesh system so shouldn't be any need for M4s.

While true I've found the sky q mesh to just not be good. There's also no option to use an ethernet backhaul.

Hurrache · 19-03-2021 04:02PM

I had it for a few years and it was pretty good, never had issues. I only remembered they implement it when I removed their broadband service and all my previous issues of blackspots etc came back to haunt me.

It's more than adequate for the vast majority of users. I myself am a heavy user and have no interest in trying to get ethernet anywhere in the house, I simple don't need it.

FastFullBack · 20-03-2021 09:49PM

Hey, I've read through this full thread over the last few days. I'm moving into a new rental house in about 6 weeks that is big; 2 storey and over 2000 sq ft. It's also rural and limited to 30MB broadband so I want to get the best setup to ensure the best WiFi coverage I can to get the best from the 30MB.
I've seen a few comments saying a good router should be the first thing to try before a mesh system so I'm thinking to try that first. I'd like to spend around 150 ish on this.
This is the one I've picked so far; https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07YN5496D/?smid=A1X0M9U5WW1195&tag=idealocom-mp-21&linkCode=asn&creative=6742&camp=1638&creativeASIN=B07YN5496D&ascsubtag=ZCZdF8g6yFxyPpAlQ2bVTA&th=1&psc=1&ref_=d6k_applink_bb_marketplace

Does this look good or any other recommendations?

Hurrache · 20-03-2021 09:55PM

funkey_monkey wrote: »

Can SkyQ not work as a mesh if you connect a BT (other service providers are available) router into the main SkyQ box ethernet port?

No, it only works with Sky Broadband.

Clareman · 20-03-2021 11:24PM

FastFullBack wrote: »

Hey, I've read through this full thread over the last few days. I'm moving into a new rental house in about 6 weeks that is big; 2 storey and over 2000 sq ft. It's also rural and limited to 30MB broadband so I want to get the best setup to ensure the best WiFi coverage I can to get the best from the 30MB.
I've seen a few comments saying a good router should be the first thing to try before a mesh system so I'm thinking to try that first. I'd like to spend around 150 ish on this.
This is the one I've picked so far; https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B07YN5496D/?smid=A1X0M9U5WW1195&tag=idealocom-mp-21&linkCode=asn&creative=6742&camp=1638&creativeASIN=B07YN5496D&ascsubtag=ZCZdF8g6yFxyPpAlQ2bVTA&th=1&psc=1&ref_=d6k_applink_bb_marketplace

Does this look good or any other recommendations?

At 30MB total speed I wouldn't be too worried about the local network to be honest, without knowing how many devices you are hoping to connect I'd guess that the ISP supplied router will be able to give some kind of WiFi coverage everywhere within the 2,000sqm, mighn't be the fastest local speed but even at the weakest connection they'll all have 30MB.

FastFullBack · 20-03-2021 11:35PM

Clareman wrote: »

At 30MB total speed I wouldn't be too worried about the local network to be honest, without knowing how many devices you are hoping to connect I'd guess that the ISP supplied router will be able to give some kind of WiFi coverage everywhere within the 2,000sqm, mighn't be the fastest local speed but even at the weakest connection they'll all have 30MB.

Thanks. Probably 15-20 devices connected. I'll connect the 2 TVs and work laptops via powerlines.

The supplied router is this one https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/tl-wr841n/.

Will this cover the house so do you think?

Clareman · 20-03-2021 11:51PM

I've used those a couple of times, they're rock solid, not massive work horses but they'll do a job.

In my opinion, you should look at the weakest point and improve that before looking at anything else. You've a WiFi router that's 10 times faster than your incoming internet connection, the problem with it is that it's maximum range is 70 meters, how many devices will be beyond that that won't be on powerlines?

20-03-2021 11:55PM

A better wireless router will give faster speeds, but not further distance as this will be hindered by walls and ceilings. You are better to wait and see how you get on first

dreamers75 · 20-03-2021 11:57PM

Got google mesh and one point, its quite good.

Was quite shocked with how good it is.

Clareman · 20-03-2021 11:59PM

dreamers75 wrote: »

Got google mesh and one point, its quite good.

Was quite shocked with how good it is.

It really is isn't it, it's just good and easy to use and it just works.

Wifi mesh systems

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