Advice on getting better wifi access at home.

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Advice on getting better wifi access at home.

ToPGuNZ

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#157654 8-Dec-2014 16:01

Hi, I have read a few threads similar to what I need some help with but they get technical fast and I get a bit lost.

Goal:
To improve wifi access at one end of the house.

Current set up: (after reading the blog on wifi I now know this is not ideal)

I have a wireless modem/router in a cabinet in the garage (at one end of the house behind doors and walls). I also have a wifi booster in the kitchen.

This does not provide good wifi coverage for the other end of the house. I do have one room cabled back to the router at this other end.

Solution:
I am thinking of adding a device in the cabled room.

Can I use a standard wireless router like this?
http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=78/ID=23110/SID=20362433/productdetails.html

Or do I need to use one with access point in the title like this?
http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=339/ID=23836/SID=626562398/productdetails.html

Once I have a device I will likely be back with set up questions :)

Thanks.

mmlakeman

106 posts

Master Geek

#1191681 8-Dec-2014 16:15

Either will work fine, the only thing you will need to do is turn off DHCP on the new one otherwise it will conflict with your existing ADSL router / modem.

Then plug the cable from a LAN Port on the Internet Router to a LAN port on the new one and setup the SSID and password.

afe66

3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1191690 8-Dec-2014 16:25

You could probably use the router as long as you can turn off the DHCP on the router so that it gets addresses for your network from the router attached to the internet.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/network-wifi/3494655/how-set-up-router-as-repeater/

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
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#1191691 8-Dec-2014 16:26

Or get a Unifi which uses POE and can be wall/ceiling mounted..... this was my solution to replace the wifi on the modem and to give better coverage over the house (even reaches down to the pool which was a nice bonus :) )
Only reqs a single cable run.
http://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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robjg63

4098 posts

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#1191713 8-Dec-2014 17:35

Depending on your house wiring you could use homeplug to run reasonably quick connection to the other end of your house and plug a wifi router into that.
Or get a homeplug device in the garage and get a wifi homeplug device for the other end of the house.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Sideface

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#1191719 8-Dec-2014 17:43

xpd: Or get a Unifi which uses POE and can be wall/ceiling mounted..... this was my solution to replace the wifi on the modem and to give better coverage over the house (even reaches down to the pool which was a nice bonus :) )
Only reqs a single cable run.
http://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/

+1 By far the best solution

Sideface

ToPGuNZ

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1191835 8-Dec-2014 21:46

Thanks everyone excellent responses. I think xpd's idea looks most suited so will head in that direction.

TLD

902 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1191863 8-Dec-2014 22:44

I can't find it now, but I read an article a few days ago along the lines of 'Why WiFi Boosters are a bad idea'. The argument was that if you are receiving and retransmitting on the same channel, you lose 50% right from the get-go. There were other arguments, but I am afraid it is not something I know anything about, so the advice above might well circumvent that problem.

However one thing it did say was the first step might be to get a better router, and I can attest to the worth of that, because the HG630b I recently replaced my old D-Link 604T with, gives a way better signal from one end of the house to the other.

I'll hunt round for the article and post the link if I can find it. [EDIT] Here you go:

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-extender/

Trevor Dennis
Rapaura (near Blenheim)

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

ToPGuNZ

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1210175 7-Jan-2015 21:25

So I purchased a UniFi AP yesterday. It arrived today and just took me 15min to set up. All good and much better reception around the house so I am very pleased. I highly recommend as it is a very easy solution. Now how do I remember my log in to current router to turn the old wifi off, or even change the password, and it is not admin/password :)

MickeyD

97 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1210865 8-Jan-2015 23:29

This thread also prompted me to buy a UniFi UAP-AC access point to fix my wireless issues at home, which were the same as the OPs. Got mine just before Christmas. Like ToPGuNZ I found it very easy to set up and use. No longer need two APs in the house, and when our new house is built I'll just buy another couple to cover the whole house.

Thanks for the advice xpd.

webwat

2036 posts

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#1211994 11-Jan-2015 18:13

Do not get the ADSL modem/router, its designed for use as a modem in your cabinet. Its possible to use as an access point but only if you are happy to do some less than ideal technical adjustments.

Usually the solution would be an access point, not a router. A router gives you problems with "double NAT" since your existing router is already doing that function. Some of them have an options to configure as an access point, but make sure you enable the same SSID and security settings as your existing wireless so your devices can roam. Putting it in the cabled room is definitely the solution.

Time to find a new industry!

eXDee

4032 posts

Uber Geek

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#1217497 19-Jan-2015 12:08

For anyone else looking at this, i highly recommend UAP-Pro or UAP AC. The regular UAP is 2.4ghz only, which can be particularly unreliable and lower performance than 5ghz models.