2 floor network with 1 WiFi router

[Matt7777777]

I have a lot of wired devices in the second floor of my house and none on the first floor. The internet comes in through the first floor and currently goes upstairs to my router which supplies the wired connections.

I have a Steam Link that needs a wired connection downstairs but have only one ethernet cord between floors. I considered moving the router downstairs and having a switch upstairs but then the WiFi signal is too weak upstairs.

I had the switch downstairs before the router (and after the modem) but the Steam Link couldn't connect my desktop upstairs because it was not connected through the router.

Any solutions that could get this to work would be appreciated.

EDIT: Would I be able to have my old router (wireless turned off) be the initial router and then have my new one upstairs? quick brainstorm with MS Paint (im sorry) -> https://image.ibb.co/hmfoa5/toms.png

 

[boosted1g]

You cant have a switch installed before the router as the router is what allows more than one device to have internet connection.

You dont want to put the old router as first router if the old router is slower hardware wise then the primary router, you always want the fastest most capable router as the primary.

What you need to do is have modem to router to steam downstairs, router connect to switch (on second floor) with cable going between floors.
Then configure old router as an access point and turn wireless on, but turn down the power output a little (if possible).

Then you will have connections and wifi on both floors.

 

[Matt7777777]

You cant have a switch installed before the router as the router is what allows more than one device to have internet connection.

You dont want to put the old router as first router if the old router is slower hardware wise then the primary router, you always want the fastest most capable router as the primary.

What you need to do is have modem to router to steam downstairs, router connect to switch (on second floor) with cable going between floors.
Then configure old router as an access point and turn wireless on, but turn down the power output a little (if possible).

Then you will have connections and wifi on both floors.

That makes sense. Would I have two different APs or would I be able to mesh both wifi signals so that they appear as one SSID? And how would the WiFi and wired speeds be affected by most traffic going through 1 cable?

 

[boosted1g]

You CAN use 1 SSID but it is not desired.
You are then at the mercy of the device to negotiate which signal is stronger and connect to that one. At opposite ends it does fine, when right in the middle between routers some devices could easily spend more time hopping back in forth then actually having a connection.

In regards to speeds. Your routers either have 100mbps or 1000mbps LAN ports, speed will be that of the slowest one.
If your speed between routers is 1000mbps (so 1gbps) then all of the devices connected to the switch upstairs has a shared 1gbps connection to anything on the downstairs router and the internet. If your not doing large file transfers and your internet connection is say 100mbps then you have nothing to worry about. Now if you have a 1gbps fiber internet connection AND you will have local traffic between devices then that single cable will be a bottleneck.

If your 2 story home is less then 2000 sq ft and you can put router in a centralized location then you might just be able to get 1 good powerfull router and have signal throughout the house (router downstairs near modem). Newer AC routers have better range then the older N and G routers