Ground floor or first floor for wireless access point?

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Awrrr
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#2390255 11-Jan-2020 14:12

Router wi-fi is upstairs and slightly left of computer room. Signal in computer room is worse than anywhere else in the house, regardless of distance. No metal in the floor or ceiling, but the signal just doesn't travel down as well as it does horizontally. Don't know if this would apply to you.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

jonathan18

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#2390259 11-Jan-2020 14:34

Given the overall costs of building a house, I wouldn't think it worth putting too much energy in debating whether to purchase one or two - how much are we talking: $150-200? I suggest you just buy and install them in both places, for the reasons given earlier, and there's no worry about which is the best single location - you're far less likely to have any compromises this way and you'll know for sure you'll have decent reception everywhere.

sbiddle

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#2390349 11-Jan-2020 17:50

insane: The signal is typically formed like a donut, but just remember that every wall or joist etc will attenuate the signal, so get another cable and wire for both as you may end up needing or wanting another AP in future.

Antenna radiation patterns depend entirely on the antenna.

A standard omnidirectional dipole antenna does have a donut like radiation pattern so typically won't provide the best coverage above or below.

An AP designed to be ceiling mounted such as the Cambrium will send a signal outwards.

I see so many times where antennas are simply mounted incorrectly because people simply don't understand radiation patterns (which in fairness is complex).

nitro

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#2390461 11-Jan-2020 22:53

danepak: Thanks.
Yep, we already have a cable for each floor in the ceiling.
It’s not a big house (total of 146m2), so just over 70m per floor.

But if you had to pick one only, it would be in the ceiling downstairs, right?
(And then another one in ceiling upstairs, if it’s not adequate)

i would personally put it on the ceiling upstairs.

most of the access points (particularly those aimed at SOHO) i've seen do not radiate 'backwards' anywhere near as good as the other direction. also, it's never just "one wall" the type of wall and in some cases, what else is running in that wall also bear on this. i've also seen apartment type MDUs where the best AP location is the stairwell wall, for examplealso, because you're building, please follow bartender's advice and wire every room (2 to each) and (4) your main entertainment centre. buy him a beer (or whatever he drinks) later.

just because you get wifi signal does not mean you'll get the performance you're expecting. the devices you're using is half the equation.

congrats on your new house, and hopefully you get the data sorted!

1101

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#2398872 16-Jan-2020 11:24

danepak: The thing is that it’s not a big house.
Each floor is approx 10 x 7 metres.
So the very furthest you’ll be from the wireless access point is 5 metres, if it’s installed in the centre of the house.
I don’t think we need additional access points in rooms.

Dont assume :-)
Ive seen small single story homes with terrible wifi in bedrooms (including mine). You never know what the signal strength will be untill you try it.
Ive seen homes & offices with wifi thats saturated by neighbors blasting wifi at unacceptable power levels
Usually its not an issue , but when you come a cross a house with wifi signal issues in the other rooms .......

Why not just run network cable to each room now when its easy, rather than later when its harder .

danepak

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#2398933 16-Jan-2020 12:29

Thanks for all the inputs. Will let you know how it get on, when the house is ready

BarTender

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#2398948 16-Jan-2020 12:34

Having a look at the floorplan I have updated it to where I would put APs.

Two is a definite. I put a white X for the APs, and a white O for where I would put the ONT under the stairs. I would also cable to the living room and Bedroom 4/Office at a minimum, plus ideally also the master bedroom to behind the TV.

But two APs, one on each floor ceiling mounted using PoE going back to the comms cupboard under the stairs is a minimum IMHO.

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danepak

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#2398952 16-Jan-2020 12:36

Thanks BarTender! Much appreciated.
I wonder if I can ask Spark to install the ONT where you marked it or they decide themselves?

BarTender

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#2399006 16-Jan-2020 13:28

danepak: Thanks BarTender! Much appreciated.
I wonder if I can ask Spark to install the ONT where you marked it or they decide themselves?

When whoever is subcontracted via the LFC (Chorus) or whoever turn up to do the install they will put it wherever you tell them to put it.

If you are smart during the build you put in a duct from the street all the way to the comms cabinet. Or worst case from the side of your house. Chorus have this information that (hopefully) your Architect & Electrician / Cabling company knows about.

https://www.chorus.co.nz/blog/building-new-home-heres-how-get-your-new-place-set-fibre-broadband

Ideally getting the 20mm Green duct installed to the Chorus spec from the street to the entry point where the ONT will go will make the whole install process MUCH simpler. That is assuming you are living in a Chorus fibre area otherwise you should talk with Enable / UFF / Northpower as your local LFC for the specifications to follow.

hio77

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#2399008 16-Jan-2020 13:32

BarTender:

and a white O for where I would put the ONT under the stairs.

You must really like smacking your head on the roof when your RSP says "Can you confirm the lights on the ONT"

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#2399014 16-Jan-2020 13:38

hio77:

BarTender:

and a white O for where I would put the ONT under the stairs.

You must really like smacking your head on the roof when your RSP says "Can you confirm the lights on the ONT"

Like when it is sitting under some random desk in an office room / bedroom where someone is sleeping and they put duct tape over the ONT or switch it off because the lights are too bright. :)

cyril7

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#2399018 16-Jan-2020 13:43

New ONT has "lights off" mode

Cyril

danepak

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#2405636 24-Jan-2020 07:58

BarTender:
Having a look at the floorplan I have updated it to where I would put APs.

Two is a definite. I put a white X for the APs, and a white O for where I would put the ONT under the stairs. I would also cable to the living room and Bedroom 4/Office at a minimum, plus ideally also the master bedroom to behind the TV.

But two APs, one on each floor ceiling mounted using PoE going back to the comms cupboard under the stairs is a minimum IMHO.

In regards to ONT placement.
The comms board can’t be placed under the staircase.
It’s on the wall in the rumpus room (which on the plan is a garage - we changed it to a room from their standard plans). Marked it in green on the plan.

In hindsight, we should’ve asked for this to be under the staircase, I guess. Too late.
I’ve marked on the plan where the comms board is installed.
We could maybe have ONT and router installed on the other side of the wall (in the kitchen).
Then if we need to restart router, we don’t need to enter the room (and potentially wake someone up).

If there’s a better way, I’m very keen to hear.
Gib walls have gone in now, so no more cabling inside the wall is possible.

cyril7

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#2405650 24-Jan-2020 09:08

Hi, is that cabinet not large enough to install both the ONT and router, failing that you could consider having the ONT installed high up on the wall above the cabinet, and router etc inside the cabinet

Cyril

danepak

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#2405653 24-Jan-2020 09:16

Hi Cyril, the issue with that solution is that we’ll have to enter the room, if we need to restart router or ONT.
If we’ve got guests and it’s late, we would be waking them up.
We would need it located somewhere easily accessible.
Might be on the same wall, but dining room/kitchen side.

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