[SOLVED] 2 router solution

[lebrownjames]

Hey all,

First off, been a part of this site for a long time and you are all awesome, thanks in advance for those who reply to my question.

So let my situation is that in my house, I have Ethernet wired throughout my entire house, meaning that each room has glorious Ethernet speeds as long as they have the hardware to take advantage of it. Yet, the modem/wireless router combo that came from my ISP is located on the ground floor and even though they provided us with some pod like (connect directly to your outlet) wifi-extender, the speeds are laughable when it stays connected, which it rarely does for long.

The family is getting testy about the crappy wifi speeds/connection we have in the house and I need your help before they go Lord of the Flies on my ass.

1. Could I just buy a router, connect it to one of the many free ethernet ports I have in the house and increase both the speed and wifi signal strength?

2. Could I make it an extension of the wifi that is already coming from the modem?

3. Can I just make a new network that is specifically for upstairs wifi users? (what are the disadvantages of this? I presume interference with the modem downstairs, please let me know)

Hope this wasn't too much of a read and that I didn't ask too many questions, I tried to keep it concise. Hope to hear from you all soon, happy Halloween and stay spooky.

 

[alexoiu]

Hi,
Here's an option: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-AC1200-Wireless-Access-WAC104-100NAS/dp/B01LFSDZCU/
You'd connect it to one of the ethernet ports, in a convenient spot in the house, for best coverage.

 

[kanewolf]

Since you have a good wired ethernet infrastructure, I would recommend you look at Ubiquiti access points. You buy as many as you need to get the WIFI coverage you need. They have a single management interface. You woudl DISABLE the ISP WIFI and replace all your WIFI with the Ubiquiti APs. The "In Wall" units would just replace the wall plates you have today. But they would be WIFI and ethernet ports.

 

[lebrownjames]

Since you have a good wired ethernet infrastructure, I would recommend you look at Ubiquiti access points. You buy as many as you need to get the WIFI coverage you need. They have a single management interface. You woudl DISABLE the ISP WIFI and replace all your WIFI with the Ubiquiti APs. The "In Wall" units would just replace the wall plates you have today. But they would be WIFI and ethernet ports.

So I am familiar with these and you are right, they look like the perfect solution. Do you have any resources you would recommend to help me get them setup? I am pretty tech savvy but networking and routers aren't my strong point. Thanks for the great idea.

 

[kanewolf]

So I am familiar with these and you are right, they look like the perfect solution. Do you have any resources you would recommend to help me get them setup? I am pretty tech savvy but networking and routers aren't my strong point. Thanks for the great idea.

Ubiquiti has a very good forum and WIKI -- https://community.ui.com/questions
I converted my entire network to Ubiquiti. I have been happy with the performance. I have three APs, several switches and the USG Pro router.

 

[lebrownjames]

Ubiquiti has a very good forum and WIKI -- https://community.ui.com/questions
I converted my entire network to Ubiquiti. I have been happy with the performance. I have three APs, several switches and the USG Pro router.

Thank you Can't wait to set this up.

 

[kanewolf]

Thank you Can't wait to set this up.

To configure Ubiquiti hardware you have to use either their phone app or their controller software. The controller does not have to be available 24/7 for Ubiquiti hardware to work. But if you want to collect statistics and things like that you do want a controller running 24/7. You can run the controller on a Windows PC, a Linux host (even a RaspberryPI) or on Ubiquiti dedicated CloudKey hardware. I started with a laptop running as-needed, then got a used CloudKey and finally moved to a RaspberryPI when the 4GB model 4 came out.