Router and Range Extension Advice for Spark MaxFibre

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Router and Range Extension Advice for Spark MaxFibre

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142 posts

Master Geek

#1860345 7-Sep-2017 14:40

michaelmurfy:

You're never going to get Gigabit over wireless. The speeds quoted are very good and nothing is wrong with your setup. The Huawei HG659 is an incredibly good router.

router side is good for sure, but the hg659 wifi implementation is poor at best - both range and speed are terrible.

I put an amplifi afi-r in front of it in AP mode, and can now reliably hit 450-480mbs testing on the 5ghz band with a decent AC client, was expecting to have to go to a full amplifi mesh setup but the range on the afi-r is good enough even at the far end of the house (with the hg659b the signal there was marginal to non-existent)

OVER

109 posts

Master Geek

#1860350 7-Sep-2017 14:53

bignose:

michaelmurfy:

You're never going to get Gigabit over wireless. The speeds quoted are very good and nothing is wrong with your setup. The Huawei HG659 is an incredibly good router.

router side is good for sure, but the hg659 wifi implementation is poor at best - both range and speed are terrible.

I put an amplifi afi-r in front of it in AP mode, and can now reliably hit 450-480mbs testing on the 5ghz band with a decent AC client, was expecting to have to go to a full amplifi mesh setup but the range on the afi-r is good enough even at the far end of the house (with the hg659b the signal there was marginal to non-existent)

Interested to hear what speeds you manage at the far end of your house with the AFi-R. Also, why did you choose to use it in AP mode rather than replace the HG659 altogether? I assume you would have tested it both ways?

bignose

142 posts

Master Geek

#1860352 7-Sep-2017 14:58

Interested to hear what speeds you manage at the far end of your house with the AFi-R. Also, why did you choose to use it in AP mode rather than replace the HG659 altogether? I assume you would have tested it both ways?

current afi-r firmware can't keep up with a 900/400 ufb connection in full router mode - I live in hope they'll sort it in a coming update (presumably either pppoe or vlan tagging is currently not hardware accelerated, as people running non-tagged ipoe seem unaffected)

speed wise, at the far end of the house testing using an ipad pro (same device that hits high 400s in the same room as the AP) speed drops to low to mid 300s - which isn't bad given the number of walls the signal is going thru.

michaelmurfy

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#1860353 7-Sep-2017 14:58

OVER:

Interested to hear what speeds you manage at the far end of your house with the AFi-R. Also, why did you choose to use it in AP mode rather than replace the HG659 altogether? I assume you would have tested it both ways

I've tested the Amplifi and still think going towards an access point is the better option for you. The Amplifi also seems to have issues right at the moment with PPPoE so you won't get full line speed. Trust me on this, I test a tonne of networking gear.

There is a review coming out shortly written by myself and another Geekzoner about the Amplifi. Generally it is good, but for you it isn't the option given you're on Gigabit.

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michaelmurfy

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#1860358 7-Sep-2017 15:01

phrozenpenguin:

michaelmurfy:

Honestly for the price you can't go wrong with the Grandstream GWN7610 - just attach it to your HG659 and disable WiFi on it. In the future you can look at getting the Grandstream GWN7000 router which pairs very nicely with this AP. No need for a controller and I got far better performance than any other WiFi router and access point I have tested so far.

Would you choose the Grandstream over a Unifi AC Lite - and if so why? I have an ER-X SFP and was looking to get a couple of Unifi AC Lite's for wifi, but not committed yet. Interested in your thoughts and know you are familiar with Ubiquiti gear :-)

I still run Ubiquiti gear personally - got to review some new Grandstream gear and think it is excellent. The Grandstream is faster and offers better range from my testing for around the same price and also you don't need a controller to use it (it is self contained) making it excellent for people who just want to improve their WiFi without spending much. I'll have a review coming out shortly on the Grandstream gear (plan to finish my review this weekend).

bignose

142 posts

Master Geek

#1860359 7-Sep-2017 15:03

I've tested the Amplifi and still think going towards an access point is the better option for you.

the amplifi used as an AP is still a good option - both price wise ($270 for an afi-r vs $242 for a uap-ac-pro, and if they fix the pppoe/vlan issue the afi-r can then totally replace the huawei) - and more importantly in terms of WAF (a discrete white cube that doubles as a clock is an easier sell than an ugly flying saucer )

michaelmurfy

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#1860362 7-Sep-2017 15:09

bignose:

I've tested the Amplifi and still think going towards an access point is the better option for you.

the amplifi used as an AP is still a good option - both price wise ($270 for an afi-r vs $242 for a uap-ac-pro, and if they fix the pppoe/vlan issue the afi-r can then totally replace the huawei) - and more importantly in terms of WAF (a discrete white cube that doubles as a clock is an easier sell than an ugly flying saucer )

That is still around $100 more than the Grandstream that offers better wireless :) But yes I do understand what you're saying about the WAF. The AmpliFi is a darn nice looking unit where the Grandstream is manly but you pay a pretty penny for it. I don't think the main router unit will be enough to cover the OP's house though so it was more $200 vs $600 for potentially the same performance in this case.

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bignose

142 posts

Master Geek

#1860364 7-Sep-2017 15:15

michaelmurfy:

The AmpliFi is a darn nice looking unit where the Grandstream is manly but you pay a pretty penny for it.

I reckon AP designers and smoke detector designers are trying to out-do each other on the 'who can come up with the ugliest device' stakes.

Sadly the amplifi mesh nodes go the other way too far - sure they're a lovely looking piece of design, but seem to have been designed on a planet whether neither pets no kids exist, that magnet ball mount won't last

OVER

109 posts

Master Geek

#1860366 7-Sep-2017 15:22

michaelmurfy:

phrozenpenguin:

michaelmurfy:

Honestly for the price you can't go wrong with the Grandstream GWN7610 - just attach it to your HG659 and disable WiFi on it. In the future you can look at getting the Grandstream GWN7000 router which pairs very nicely with this AP. No need for a controller and I got far better performance than any other WiFi router and access point I have tested so far.

Would you choose the Grandstream over a Unifi AC Lite - and if so why? I have an ER-X SFP and was looking to get a couple of Unifi AC Lite's for wifi, but not committed yet. Interested in your thoughts and know you are familiar with Ubiquiti gear :-)

I still run Ubiquiti gear personally - got to review some new Grandstream gear and think it is excellent. The Grandstream is faster and offers better range from my testing for around the same price and also you don't need a controller to use it (it is self contained) making it excellent for people who just want to improve their WiFi without spending much. I'll have a review coming out shortly on the Grandstream gear (plan to finish my review this weekend).

I am leaning towards the Grandstream GWN7610 thanks to your advice so will probably give it a go. My store credit from returning the Netgear could net me a Grandstream GWN7000 router as well so I may consider that too if the GWN7610 gives us promising results.

phrozenpenguin

840 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1860390 7-Sep-2017 16:05

michaelmurfy:

phrozenpenguin:

michaelmurfy:

Honestly for the price you can't go wrong with the Grandstream GWN7610 - just attach it to your HG659 and disable WiFi on it. In the future you can look at getting the Grandstream GWN7000 router which pairs very nicely with this AP. No need for a controller and I got far better performance than any other WiFi router and access point I have tested so far.

Would you choose the Grandstream over a Unifi AC Lite - and if so why? I have an ER-X SFP and was looking to get a couple of Unifi AC Lite's for wifi, but not committed yet. Interested in your thoughts and know you are familiar with Ubiquiti gear :-)

I still run Ubiquiti gear personally - got to review some new Grandstream gear and think it is excellent. The Grandstream is faster and offers better range from my testing for around the same price and also you don't need a controller to use it (it is self contained) making it excellent for people who just want to improve their WiFi without spending much. I'll have a review coming out shortly on the Grandstream gear (plan to finish my review this weekend).

Look forward to the review @michaelmurfy :-)

darylblake

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#1860528 7-Sep-2017 19:39

Those speeds off your HG659b seem pretty fair. Considering you probably have a fair few WIFI devices connected.

I would be really happy with that.

The range on those units is a bit meh though. If you want more range add some access points.

I mean i just downloaded a few 400Meg files, and my machine got about 40mbit, (VDSL) it didn't take long at all. If you are getting 300+ you are doing very well.

Its like the old argument, drive a car in cruse control at 100kmh from Auckland to Hamilton, and drive another car at 90Kmh in CC. The one going 90Kmh will arrive about 45 seconds later. So once you go over 100meg(ish) for most people, its pretty pointless having more speed, its just a number on the speedtest.

webwat

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#1861401 9-Sep-2017 17:47

OVER:

Hey all,

Really appreciate all the replies, it has been pretty helpful.

One thing I probably should have made clearer is that I am not expecting gigabit speeds from WiFi. I wouldn't have made the topic if that were the case because there are many other topics on here that explain it well.

I am happy with the 338mbps down and 156mbps up that I am able to achieve with the Huawei HG659B in our main living area on 5Ghz, but transferring that speed across our relatively small house is more the issue I was hoping to solve. From most of your responses, I can tell this will be tough or not achievable at all.

There are a few spots in our house which are pretty much dead spots for WiFi so I wonder whether you guys think products like Ubiquiti Unifi AP, Ubiquiti AmpliFi, D-Link Powerline might make a difference there? I know someone above was pretty opposed to Mesh WiFi for "eating up all the available wireless spectrum" but what if it were just two access points? Would it be that noticeable?

Sounds like you need to find a way of having a wifi AP in a more central part of the house, or moving your current router to a spot that can cover the house without having to transmit through so many walls/obstacles. An AP means an Access Point rather than a router (ie turn off the unit's routing functions) to prevent problems caused by "double NAT".

Time to find a new industry!

OVER

109 posts

Master Geek

#1868219 18-Sep-2017 20:09

Hey all, so the Grandstream 7610 arrived today. Annoyingly though, it seems it doesn't come with a power adapter and can't be powered by the HG659b. If anyone else reads this and wants to go a similar route, make sure you research a power adapter.

Jase2985

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#1868235 18-Sep-2017 20:53

did you buy if from gowifi? if so its clear on their website "Power Supply Not Included - Sold Separately"

they sell the PoE power adapters for 29+gst

OVER

109 posts

Master Geek

#1868256 18-Sep-2017 21:12

Nah bought it from PB as we had an account credit.

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