Help making full/best use of my gigabit internet at home

[rbf1138]

I have Xfinity gigabit ethernet. I have pretty good coverage over all of my house, but with more smart home devices being added each year (some outside) and 4k streaming, torrenting, etc. being part of my weekly usage, I'd like to utilize my fire hose as well as I possibly can.

Some details on the devices: the core of my setup is an Xfinity provided Technicolor TC4400-CMT Rev. 3.3. Never had an issue with it. On the back it has what appear to be 2 ethernet/internet out ports. I've only ever had one thing connected to it, which is the Netgear Nighthawk X6 router that came from Xfinity free when I signed up (not rented, actually given free!). It's also generally worked really well.

Connected to the Nighthawk via it's 4 LAN ports are: my PC (gets close to a gigabit down), a Netgear Arlo hub, a Hue lights hub, and a TP-Link AV2000 Powerline Adapter Kit. The Nighthawk throws a 2.4ghz network and a 5ghz network.

These things generally have worked well. The Powerline kit has just been used to just get a more reliable connection to my smart TV downstairs and a PS4 Pro.

The smart home devices making use of my 2.4ghz wi-fi network are as follows: a Nest thermostat, several Hue lightbulbs, an Arlo indoor camera, a few TP-Link Kasa dimmer switches, 3 Sonos speakers, an LG smart TV (streaming 4K) and (most newly added) a Ring Spotlight camera that's outside. The Ring gets an ok connection but it could be better.

The other devices are an Apple TV 4K, a 2012 Macbook Air (torrenting, streaming), two iPhones and the occasional tablet, etc.

At this point, I've realized that's a lot of devices, and the bandwidth is probably getting spread thin, not optimally, not reaching everything well enough, etc. Additionally, having both the 2.4ghz network and 5ghz can get a little confusing and wonky at times.

Yesterday, on a whim, I decided that a mesh network would solve all of my problems. Did some googling, decided the Netgear Orbi seemed like what I needed, went to Best Buy, did the quick setup and...was disappointed and frustrated. I quickly realized this probably was not the right solution for a gigabit connection I want to make as full use of as possible, and it wasn't even as seamless and simple as I thought it might be regarding things just working. Speeds were slower than before, devices were confused, etc.

More research seemed to point to using an ethernet cable to setup an Access Point somewhere else in my house as the best solution (without fully wiring ethernet all over my house).

So: What can I do to just spread that bandwidth more uniformly and allow the devices that need the bandwidth to make best use of it? From the small amount of research I’ve done, it seems like an access point setup downstairs, closer to my media devices and my cameras (and several hue and kasa lights) is the best option without doing a ton of hardwiring.

How to properly do this is where I need a bit of help. I’ve ordered this Access Point: TP-Link AC1750 Wireless Wi-Fi Access Point (Supports 802.3AT PoE+, Dual Band, 802.11AC)

Once I get that, my plan is to do as follows: plug the Access Point into a LAN port on my router (doesn't matter which one, right?) using my 100ft CAT6 cable (for now, until I decide this is worth running an ethernet wire through the cieling/walls) and set it up in my media cabinet downstairs. Then...I configure the Access Point to be an access point. That's the part I don't really know how to do. For example, some of my questions are:

Does it have to be ceiling mounted, or is that just what businesses typically do?

After I hook up the Access Point downstairs, what are the vital configuration settings (stuff involving SSID, DHCP, DNS, static IP, etc.) in the router and AP I need to have matched to make this work correctly?

How will I know it's actually working? Will my devices still connect to the same network names as they used to, "Network 2.4" and "Network 5" or will the AP create even more network names? I want to keep it to just the two (or even one, if that makes more sense).

Other related question that seem to involve Access Points:

Does a PoE switcher just provide additional lan ports for a router and also power PoE-enabled devices to just not have to deal with ac adapters or electrical wiring?

Anything I'm missing here? Is this probably going to get the job done? Any and all help and opinions is very much appreciated, thank you!

 

[kanewolf]

I would do a few things... Set up MULTIPLE WIFI sources connected back to your primary router via ethernet. I would get a cheap router or AP for the IOT devices. Get them off the primary 2.4Ghz channel and off to their own WIFI channel. Next move as many devices to 5Ghz as possible. All new phones, tablets, etc. Use wired for as much streaming as possible. TVs don't move, get a wire to them. Same for desktop PCs.

Yes a POE switch provides standard ethernet ports and can power devices.

 

[rbf1138]

I would do a few things... Set up MULTIPLE WIFI sources connected back to your primary router via ethernet. I would get a cheap router or AP for the IOT devices. Get them off the primary 2.4Ghz channel and off to their own WIFI channel. Next move as many devices to 5Ghz as possible. All new phones, tablets, etc. Use wired for as much streaming as possible. TVs don't move, get a wire to them. Same for desktop PCs.

Yes a POE switch provides standard ethernet ports and can power devices.

Ok, some of that makes sense. The TV is actually limited to 100mbps via ethernet so I get better speeds over Wi-fi for that, actually. Again, the major thing is I don't want to have to have someone run ethernet all over my house...which is why I was hoping I could just try doing the single AP. Can you elaborate on how I'd get the IoT devices on their own WiFi channel? Can I do this already with just my Nighthawk or does it require an additional router? Does that router connect to my Nighthawk and sit by it, too?

 

[kanewolf]

It doesn't matter if the TV is limited to 100Mbit, the key is getting that traffic OFF WIFI. Streaming commercial 4K only requires 30Mbit, so 100Mbit is fine. You get poor WIFI performance when a single device monopolizes it. That is what streaming does.

Getting the IOT to their own WIFI -- Create a WIFI signal with a unique SSID for the IOT. Ethernet cable that WIFI source (AP or converted router) back to the primary router. Change the SSID the IOT devices are associated with to the new unique SSID. So lets say that all three 2.4Ghz channels are uniformly used in your area. Create a WIFI source on channel 1, SSID "my IOT" and associate all the IOT devices with that SSID. All tablets and phones are on a second WIFI source channel 6 SSID "my handhelds" and a third WIFI source on channel 11 is for streaming.

But WIRED is still the best answer for utilizing a huge WAN pipe.

The Orbi system could be good for you IF you did the backhaul (connection back to primary router) via an ethernet cable.

 

[rbf1138]

Thanks for all of that advice!

So I've actually gotten in touch with someone who does home networking professionally and he gave me about 20 minutes of his time over the phone to talk about options and what his recommendation was. To have him come out and actually assess how much the labor would be to run cable from my modem/internet access point to my media center downstairs along with what other equipment might be needed is a flat $130.

If the cost of the install is $500 or more, that $130 gets subtracted from it.

His recommendation, after me talking him through my wants/needs (offload the streaming 4K devices in my media area, so an LG TV, an Apple TV 4K, a PS4 Pro, likely a receiver in the future to a wired connection, freeing up bandwidth for the wifi networks, potentially an AP if it's even necessary after this, etc.) was to have however many CAT6 cables coming out behind my media console as I want (each addditional is only like $10)- for a gigabit switch that's enterprise level, which he provides for $90 and he said is as small as a deck of cards and handles the wired connections well, and the additional cables just to future proof things. He said the total cost would depend on the difficulty of running the wire, of course. The room I need the wires to run to is directly below the room with the modem and router, so I've crossed my fingers that it is not too painful. He said depending on the wall between the attic and basement, he may not have to do all that much but if not, it could be a decent amount of work. His rough estimate was $250-300 for labor if it's not some real bad scenario, but could be closer to $500 if we want/need the holes and for them to be painted and spackled and look professional.

Does that sound reasonable? I figure for that price, rather than driving myself crazy buying various products like eeros, Orbis, access points I don't know how to setup and optimize on my own, it's probably reasonable? That solution is simple and makes sense to me but tell me if I'm leaving something out of the puzzle, please!

 

[kanewolf]

The $90 "enterprise" switch that is as small as a deck of cards sounds like BS. His bidding philosophy is bogus IMO. I would offer him $100 for travel and up to 1 hour of on-site consulting. The cost for bidding the job should not be charged to you. That is part of his cost of doing business. If those terms aren't acceptable, I would look for another installer.

Pulling ethernet cable requires special tools and skills. It is a job that should be paid well. You are probably paying $100+ per month for internet service, $500 to fully utilize that monthly fee doesn't seem bad to me.

The other thing I would say is just because gigabit WAN service is available, doesn't mean it is a good value for you. You may be better served with a 200Mbit plan and cutting the monthly fee. It is VERY difficult to utilize a gigabit connection. You may end up with a lot of unused WAN bandwidth.

 

[kanewolf]

But now on to the real discovery. There's always been a little end of a coax cable poking up through the floor in the corner of my living room, a few feet from the media stuff (tv, apple tv, etc.) where I wanted this CAT6 cable run. I just brought my modem and router downstairs, connected them with that unused coax line, ran my 100ft. CAT6 to my PC upstairs, and...gigabit. So, as it turns out, I already have a wire serving gigabit to the two rooms I wanted wired ethernet!

Here's where I still need some help. It seems like MoCA is the solution, correct? Do I buy a two-pack of the Actiontec Bonded MoCA 2.0 adapters, or do I only need one? Do I connect my modem and router the way it used to be upstairs, and then one MoCA to the coax cable downstairs? What piece of equipment needs to be connected to the MoCA downstairs to allow for several wired connections and also serve as a repeater/access point? Is there any special setup required here, or should this be reeeally simple?

If you are using the "unused" coax to feed your modem, then you may not be able to use it for MOCA also. Usually you would use a pair of adapters with one connected via ethernet to your router and the other to a switch or AP. Generally MOCA is just a coax replacement for an ethernet cable.

 

[rbf1138]

But now on to the real discovery. There's always been a little end of a coax cable poking up through the floor in the corner of my living room, a few feet from the media stuff (tv, apple tv, etc.) where I wanted this CAT6 cable run. I just brought my modem and router downstairs, connected them with that unused coax line, ran my 100ft. CAT6 to my PC upstairs, and...gigabit. So, as it turns out, I already have a wire serving gigabit to the two rooms I wanted wired ethernet!

Here's where I still need some help. It seems like MoCA is the solution, correct? Do I buy a two-pack of the Actiontec Bonded MoCA 2.0 adapters, or do I only need one? Do I connect my modem and router the way it used to be upstairs, and then one MoCA to the coax cable downstairs? What piece of equipment needs to be connected to the MoCA downstairs to allow for several wired connections and also serve as a repeater/access point? Is there any special setup required here, or should this be reeeally simple?

If you are using the "unused" coax to feed your modem, then you may not be able to use it for MOCA also. Usually you would use a pair of adapters with one connected via ethernet to your router and the other to a switch or AP. Generally MOCA is just a coax replacement for an ethernet cable.

So you're implying this may not work out at all, or just that the modem may just be taken out of the equation, as the MoCA adapter acts as the modem? I guess, what's the worst case scenario here?

 

[kanewolf]

I dont' have Xfinitiy so I don't know if MOCA and the incoming Xfinity signal will coexist or interfere with each other.

Worst case -- You buy MOCA adapters and can't use them because they conflict with the Xfinity incoming signals.