Extending Starlink Wifi Range throughout the home (Mesh?)

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PukeStar

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#295815 26-Apr-2022 08:19

Hi team,

Starting a new thread (thanks freitasm)

I live in an old farmhouse that about 20 years ago we wired with CAT6 cabling back to a CISCO 16 port giga switch.

We could only get ADSL here, and we used Spark with their Huawei router, provided pretty good coverage but there was always wifi black spots.

We’ve just installed Starlink and it works great, also plugged into the CICSO and I use some devices on Ethernet no problem - I now want to fix my wifi coverage.

Can anyone recommend devices I could use (on an Ethernet backhaul) to extend my wifi throughout the house - keeping the same SSID to allow for seamless roaming? I imagine there may be two additional extender devices required on opposite sides of the house.

Thanks!

freitasm

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#2906663 26-Apr-2022 08:26

What router are you using with Starlink?

Is it located in the centre of your home at a good height? Where are the no-coverage spots? What distance from the router?

freitasm

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#2906665 26-Apr-2022 08:27

PukeStar:

Can anyone recommend devices I could use (on an Ethernet backhaul) to extend my wifi throughout the house - keeping the same SSID to allow for seamless roaming? I imagine there may be two additional extender devices required on opposite sides of the house.

I use a FritzBox 7590 as a router and a FritzBox 7490 as a mesh node, connected via ethernet (it also works over their own wireless channel but ethernet backhaul will always be better). There are other options but I suggest you not look at Google Nest WiFi.

Jase2985

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#2906681 26-Apr-2022 09:24

you would likely want 2 access points, installed near to ether end of the house to give you the coverage you need. then you would turn the wifi off on the starlink router.

depends on your requirements it could be a 1-200 each or 200-400 each.

cyril7

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#2906686 26-Apr-2022 09:37

Hi, mesh is a marketing lingo thing, all it means is will seamlessly backhaul via wireless if needed. As you have cabling I would strongly recommend you backhaul any new wifi via the cabling.

As for wireless units, I would recommend GrandStream, there is a decent selection of models to suit your budget and spec. I personally would not break my back to go ax, so two or three ac units will do you well, the 7615 fits a sweet spot performance and $ wise imho.

If you think you will really need three APs to cover the house, then I recommend you get three units and turn the WiFi in the starlink router off.

Also with the GrandStreams you need to purchase the POE injectors seperately. Once installed one of the units will take the role of master and configure/manage all the others, alternatively you can use their cloud service.

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eonsim

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#2906692 26-Apr-2022 09:46

The cheaper option would probably be a set of 3 TP-link Deco units (M4 or M5) set in AP mesh mode. First one plugs into the router, the rest plugin to that and use ethernet back haul.

The very cheapest option would be a set of 3x Tenda MW5 mesh units in AP mode (~$100 on Aliexpress).

The best option would be two or three SDN AP points, either the TP-link Omada with a software controller ($130-260ea AP), or something else like the GrandStreams. Many of the TPlink units come with PoE injectors, or ideally you could get a POE Switch and simply power them off that using the ethernet lines you've already got.

michaelmurfy

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#2906694 26-Apr-2022 09:51

It looks like you've got Ethernet around the place so don't need "Mesh" - instead, you're better to get access points as others have said and place those around.

Also, the access points I recommend I recommend for your use-case will be the GWN7660 (https://www.gowifi.co.nz/grandstreamnetworks/gwn7660.html). Make sure you grab PoE injectors too (https://www.gowifi.co.nz/gspoe.html) but essentially you configure these to do your WiFi.

Where are you located out of interest? Perhaps there is somebody from here who can come help you out.

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freitasm

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#2906704 26-Apr-2022 10:08

If you folks fixated on "mesh". When I wrote it I mean the topology, not necessarily the wireless tech. Using a FritzBox in "mesh" configuration with an ethernet backhaul would work just fine.

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MikeAqua

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#2906822 26-Apr-2022 13:39

I have some Deco M9 units (one acting as a modem). Our house is a flattened u-shape, with the UFB connection at one end, so bad for transmission . We have achieved really good results with just two Deco units. We used to have marginal WiFi at the far end of the house, now it's really good. While the unit acting as the modem is plugged into Lan, the other unit isn't, so that's purely because of better wireless. With a LAN connection it would be even better I imagine.

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nztim

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#2906844 26-Apr-2022 14:25

freitasm:

Using a FritzBox in "mesh" configuration with an ethernet backhaul would work just fine.

That is the key, ethernet backhaul or dedicated radio otherwise it will run like a dog

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

sonyxperiageek

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#2907774 28-Apr-2022 02:28

michaelmurfy:
It looks like you've got Ethernet around the place so don't need "Mesh" - instead, you're better to get access points as others have said and place those around.

Also, the access points I recommend I recommend for your use-case will be the GWN7660 (https://www.gowifi.co.nz/grandstreamnetworks/gwn7660.html). Make sure you grab PoE injectors too (https://www.gowifi.co.nz/gspoe.html) but essentially you configure these to do your WiFi.

Where are you located out of interest? Perhaps there is somebody from here who can come help you out.

You could probably get cheaper PoE injectors such as this one: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NETTPL0150/TP-Link-TL-POE150S-Gigabit-PoE-Injector-8023af--15

Sony

eonsim

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#2908045 28-Apr-2022 22:05

nztim:

freitasm:

Using a FritzBox in "mesh" configuration with an ethernet backhaul would work just fine.

That is the key, ethernet backhaul or dedicated radio otherwise it will run like a dog

It does depend on the speed of the primary internet connection (assuming an internet focus rather than LAN traffic). Straight up mesh without dedicated radios or ethernet backhaul works reasonably well for at least up to 100mbps. Assuming you have the correct number of mesh nodes correctly placed so they actually have decent connections between themselves and you walls aren't RF black holes, and your not swamped by 50 other wireless networks.

If you want to push more than a hundred to a few hundred mbps though definitely correct, ethernet, dedicated radios or if you have amazing wiring ethernet over powerline (which admittedly will also top out in the mid hundred mbps even in perfect conditions).