Need a new router (200-300$ price range)

[ch33zw1z]

What do you mean?

If you buy a standard home router with the WAP built in, then yes....the basement positioning is limiting.

If you buy a separate WAP, you can put it anywhere you can run a cable to.

 

[mnewsham]

The router has to be in the basement and same thing with the AP if I get one. Is there limitation in the AP positionning?

The problem is, I don't want to pass cables through the walls up to the first floor. I think buying a new router and using my old one has an extender would be the best and easiest way, but I'm am still thinking about the APs, I want it so bad...but don't want to mess with RJ45 cables in the walls.

If you have Coaxial already running you can use MoCA adapters. Unbonded MoCA 2.0 gets you ~400mbps.

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-MoCA-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6000S02/dp/B013J7L6BW/?th=1

 

[JackMDS]

Extender cuts the Signal bandwidth into half at its point of installation.

Each day while on this forum and a Wireless issue comes up I can not avoid thinking if people in a Fiat 500 forum ask for advise of how to turn it into a construction grade Bulldozer? - .

 

[KaRLiToS]

Extender cuts the Signal bandwidth into half at its point of installation.

Each day while on this forum and a Wireless issue comes up I can not avoid thinking if people in a Fiat 500 forum ask for advise of how to turn it into a construction grade Bulldozer? - .

Sorry but when I ask questions it's because I don't know the answer. Mnewsham and some others had been extremely helpful and I learnt a lot the last 24 hours and I have been reading the whole day about the subject. Ask me to watercool a PC and I'll be able to do it with my eyes closed. But networking... I just know the basic. Yesterday I disnt know what APs were, didnt know about powerlines, extender...now I know.

 

[KaRLiToS]

So 2 x TP-Link Archer C1900 is the way to go? With a 50feet RJ45 cable?

 

[mnewsham]

So 2 x TP-Link Archer C1900 is the way to go? With a 50feet RJ45 cable?

That will work, just set them with the same SSID and password, and make sure they're on non-overlapping channels that aren't already congested in your environment.

 

[KaRLiToS]

Okay, thanks for the info.Is it a bad thing that the signal will be cut in half with an extender or it will still be better than my DIR-655 at the far end of the house?

My shed will be like 100feet from extender router. If I use this to the shed, will it work ? they won't be on the same circuit but I heard it will work as long as they are on the same phase. And if they are not, I will switch the breakers.

Thanks for all the help, learned a lot today and if I build a new house one day, it will have access points at 3-4 different areas.

 

[mnewsham]

Power line is hit or miss, So it's hard to say if it will work or not until you give it a shot.

 

[s44]

The router has to be in the basement and same thing with the AP if I get one.

Why? The UniFi APs are power over ethernet, so you can just run the ether cable up to at least the basement door so you don't need to penetrate a floor.

 

[KaRLiToS]

Why? The UniFi APs are power over ethernet, so you can just run the ether cable up to at least the basement door so you don't need to penetrate a floor.

The AP will have to be mounted vertically If I install it in the basement? Will it cause any issue? Coverage?

 

[mnewsham]

The AP will have to be mounted vertically If I install it in the basement? Will it cause any issue? Coverage?

Depends on the AP. If it has directional attenna just orient them accordingly. However if they're internal antenna you'll want to mount the AP in an optimal location and with the optimum orientation in relation to RF propogation and your environment.

 

[KaRLiToS]

I bought the TP Link Archer C1900 with 100ft of Cat6A cable and will use my old DIR-655 as an accesspoint. Do you guys think it is a good start or I should have bought 2 x Archer 1900?

 

[mnewsham]

It's a good starting point, you can always replace the DIR-655 with another C1900 or something else down the line.

 

[KaRLiToS]

Made a test with my actual setup with the DIR 655, in the basement beside my PC, it is at 32mbps and in the main bedroom, it's 5mbps. In my son room it is 1-2 or none.

By the way this is my PC.

http://i64.tinypic.com/11v2u0l.jpg

http://cdn.overclock.net/8/87/8701a755_IMG_20170417_2256553961.jpeg

 

[sdifox]

any reason why you cannot run a cat6 cable up to the main floor?

 

[KaRLiToS]

I will find out how. Dont want the router to be visible on the main floor. Will put it in my closet probably and will pass a 120v cable from a light swith located in the basement and make a plug in the closet. I will receive the new router and the 100ft cable probably by friday.

 

[sdifox]

I will find out how. Dont want the router to be visible on the main floor. Will put it in my closet probably and will pass a 120v cable from a light swith located in the basement and make a plug in the closet. I will receive the new router and the 100ft cable probably by friday.

I just ran an ethernet cable up through the same hole the vaucum line runs. Then to router which sits on a wire shelf, just above PS4.

PS your PC is blinding me and I am not even there.

 

[mnewsham]

PS your PC is blinding me and I am not even there.

Mine can get pretty blinding as well

 

[sdifox]

Mine can get pretty blinding as well

That belongs in a black box.

I like my computers beige. Especially if it is aged beige.

How can I make my PC's power even dirtier than it is already? Simple, add LED lights. Lots of them.

 

[simas]

"Yesterday I disnt know what APs were, didnt know about powerlines, extender...now I know."

OP, You are on the right path.

a) Forget the "consumer router" junk, it is neither a good router or a wifi device.
b) keep reading and learning , routers _connect_ networks (likes your network(s) with internet), wifi devices (access points ,etc) allow things which are too small/mobile/stupid to have real network connection to connect to your network. Wifi router is like refrigerator frying pan, WTF is that?
c) Get a real router or build one with something like pfsense. you will learn a lot, it will give you way more than anything you can ever buy in the store on the consumer side. I run pfsense for few years and then went for Miktorik hardware ($60 for 750Gr3), Edgerouters were also mentioned if you want to stay with ubiquiti, any other major equipment manufacturer builds routers.
d) Get one or few access points , I use and like Unifi line but there are others if you don't want UniFi.
e) if you can (i.e. if you own the place), bite the bullet and run the wire. I repeat run the wire. it is simple, relatively cheap, done once , and will be 1000% better than any hack solutions of powerline or eithernet over coax. any wire would be better than Wifi. Wifi is a shared bandwidth interference prone convenience tech for (very) mobile devices. again - run the wire.

Buy once, cry once, and enjoy it for the long run vs some junk off the online or retail shelf selling you AC 9999X device.

 

[aigomorla]

sigh.. for 300 dollars, i would of gone full ubiquiti.

Edgerouter + Access point

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Edg...TF8&qid=1497671290&sr=8-1&keywords=edgerouter

+

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Net...rd_wg=4IvQh&psc=1&refRID=E5K5MAH49E983VBVCX1E


There are tons of youtube videos on how to setup that edge router.

But MEH... consumer grade is always consumer grade...

However if you want something rock solid, and can take hits like a truck, you go enterprise.
Which basically means, a customized PC running a firewall software like Pfsense + a smart/managed switch + Access Points scattered out every 50-100ft..

 

[KaRLiToS]

sigh.. for 300 dollars, i would of gone full ubiquiti.

Good for you, get it.

I paid 160$ CAD (120$US) for the router and cable 100ft. Got an access point with old router. Got max speed all accross the house and even 30 ft in the backyard, thinking of getting an outdoor access point

However if you want something rock solid, and can take hits like a truck, you go enterprise.

I'm not an enterprise. Family of four.

_______________________________________________________________

So thank you all for your help, especially mnewsham

Put a RJ45 accross the basement ceiling (no wires are visible not even under the desk) from the host router to the AP router. Installed a new breaker, installed a new 14awg/2 wire from the breaker panel to the AP router location and installed a 120v outlet just beside the AP router inside the ceiling of the basement. I then configured my AP router (DIR-655) accordingly so it acts as an access point.

The coverage is amazing, same speed accross the whole house at each corners of it. Same speed than on my main PC plugged via RJ45 (not wireless). I even get good signal like 30 feet deep into my backyard, but not all the way to the back of it. That is

The red part is where we are loosing connection.