Recommendations for Wifi Router with good range?

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Recommendations for Wifi Router with good range?

adamshand

22 posts

Geek

#165978 26-Feb-2015 17:39

Helping out a friend who is trying to get wifi working in the back corner of his house from his office (where the DSL and router are installed).

He's got an old Belkin router at the moment (11g only) with a single antenna.

I've looked at relocating the wifi to a more central point in the house but that's not currently possible so am thinking that a newer, higher powered and better antennae'd router is the best option.

Any recommendations for a Telecom compatible router / switch / access point with excellent range?

Or alternate suggestions (my experience with range extenders is poor but several years old)?

Cheers,
Adam.

zCelicaDude

171 posts

Master Geek

#1247251 26-Feb-2015 18:27

What about a Ubiquti Access Point? I've sold/installed 20+ , great units :)

Where about's is the friend located? Auckland orrr?
Has he got a single story or double story property? Roof access etc?
Has he got any ethernet cables running about the place?

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
13767 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1247259 26-Feb-2015 19:04

Unifi FTW :) Runs PoE so easily installed where you want it long as some CAT5/6 can get to it :)

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

LinkTree

adamshand

22 posts

Geek

#1247264 26-Feb-2015 19:34

zCelicaDude: What about a Ubiquti Access Point? I've sold/installed 20+ , great units :)

Where about's is the friend located? Auckland orrr?
Has he got a single story or double story property? Roof access etc?
Has he got any ethernet cables running about the place?

Friend is in Kāpiti Coast. Single story family home with separate office building. No existing ethernet infrastructure.

Good thought about Ubiquiti, will check them out.

Thanks!

adamshand

22 posts

Geek

#1247276 26-Feb-2015 19:37

xpd: Unifi FTW :) Runs PoE so easily installed where you want it long as some CAT5/6 can get to it :)

The UniFi stuff is really nice, but mesh networking might be a bit overkill. :-)

Was hoping for a simple switch/router/ap with better than 30mw and good antenna's which works with Telecom network. Trying to keep things *really* simple!

leaplae

218 posts

Master Geek

ID Verified

#1247279 26-Feb-2015 19:41

I like the Peplink AP One AC mini: http://www.peplink.com/products/enterprise-access-point/feature-comparison/

Should be able to find them for about the same price as a Unifi LR, however they are dual band and wireless AC.

Pushing some Ethernet cable would likely be the best option, and shouldn't be too expensive if you do it yourself.

Sideface

9357 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1247280 26-Feb-2015 19:41

In answer to the OP's original question:

Any recommendations for a Telecom compatible router / switch / access point with excellent range?

ASUS RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router

Sideface

adamshand

22 posts

Geek

#1247301 26-Feb-2015 19:58

Sideface: In answer to the OP's original question:

Any recommendations for a Telecom compatible router / switch / access point with excellent range?

ASUS RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router

That looks perfect, but I only see PPPOE support. I'm out of date, is Telecom no longer PPPOA?

Adam.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

Jase2985

13462 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1247334 26-Feb-2015 21:03

considered Ethernet over power adapters?

Sideface

9357 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1247360 26-Feb-2015 21:34

adamshand:
Sideface: In answer to the OP's original question:

Any recommendations for a Telecom compatible router / switch / access point with excellent range?

ASUS RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router

That looks perfect, but I only see PPPOE support. I'm out of date, is Telecom no longer PPPOA?

Yes your modem will use PPPOA.
The RT-N66U is a router only - you'll need a modem as well - eg a Vigor 120 (ADSL) or Vigor 130 (ADSL & VDSL)
Or get a modem-router eg an Asus DSL-N66U.

Sideface

tkgit

33 posts

Geek

#1247397 26-Feb-2015 22:23

you can describe more detail about what you need, coverage radius, obstacle, etc
i think 1 pict can say a thousand words

Jase2985

13462 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1247485 27-Feb-2015 06:34

there are 2 types of asus "modems" the RT-xxxx which is a router only and supports UFB and the DSL-xxxx which supports ADSL/VDSL and i believe UFB

adamshand

22 posts

Geek

#1247795 27-Feb-2015 13:18

Jase2985: there are 2 types of asus "modems" the RT-xxxx which is a router only and supports UFB and the DSL-xxxx which supports ADSL/VDSL and i believe UFB

Thanks, I understand that now.

Just to confirm, I don't see any mention of PPPOA on the Asus DSL-xxxx specifications post. Sounds like you guys are saying that it will work though?

What I'm trying to do is consolidate my friends modem, switch & ap into a single box. Reception is dodgy because the DSL is installed in an office outside of the main house and to get inside of the bedrooms in the house it has to go through several walls.

Realise that it would be better to run a cable and put the AP closer but he'd rather not run a cable. I'm hoping that since the existing old Belkin is almost good enough that a modern high powered AP might work well enough to do what he needs.

Powerline might work but again because it's an outside shed I'd expect that it's going through a fuse box.

Thanks!
Adam.

Xeon

302 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1247897 27-Feb-2015 16:19

adamshand:
Jase2985: there are 2 types of asus "modems" the RT-xxxx which is a router only and supports UFB and the DSL-xxxx which supports ADSL/VDSL and i believe UFB

Thanks, I understand that now.

Just to confirm, I don't see any mention of PPPOA on the Asus DSL-xxxx specifications post. Sounds like you guys are saying that it will work though?

What I'm trying to do is consolidate my friends modem, switch & ap into a single box. Reception is dodgy because the DSL is installed in an office outside of the main house and to get inside of the bedrooms in the house it has to go through several walls.

Realise that it would be better to run a cable and put the AP closer but he'd rather not run a cable. I'm hoping that since the existing old Belkin is almost good enough that a modern high powered AP might work well enough to do what he needs.

Powerline might work but again because it's an outside shed I'd expect that it's going through a fuse box.

Thanks!
Adam.

They support PPPoA fine, if the house is in an UFB zone I would get an RT model with a separate modem (so later the modem part can be sold, also I don't think there is UFB support for DSL models).

Jase2985

13462 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1248064 27-Feb-2015 20:19

it has a WAN port but im unsure if it supports VLAN tagging, but bigpipe dont require it so technically it should work

adamshand

22 posts

Geek

#1248071 27-Feb-2015 20:29

They support PPPoA fine, if the house is in an UFB zone I would get an RT model with a separate modem (so later the modem part can be sold, also I don't think there is UFB support for DSL models).

Good thoughts, and thanks!!