[SOLVED] How to best optimize shared internet with multiple routers?

[clik4clak]

I live in a student house with 7 others. Our house is supplied by our ISP (KPN) with an Experia Box v10 which can output a maximum of 300 mbps on 2.4 GHz wifi and 1300 mbps on 5 GHz wifi, as well as 1 Gigabit over LAN (However I am not sure what plan our house is serviced with so we may be supplied with less). We have this modem installed in our entrance and from there an ethernet cable is connected single TP Link TL-SF1008D (not sure the version) which is a 8-port 10/100 Mbps desktop switch. Our modem feeds this switch which sends a different ethernet connection to each of our rooms. From there we have 3 different routers with each having its own wifi network respectively. I am looking to best optimize this to maximize our speeds coming from our modem.

Solutions I am thinking:
-Get another Desktop switch/upgrade current switch to a TL-SG1008D a 8-port gigabit desktop switch to prevent congestion of a single modem->switch->rooms connection.

-Create a master router from the modem and then extend this router with access points around the house.

Which method would allow best for maximizing internet usage and still allowing us some degree of private internet usage?

Thank you in advance for the help

 

[kanewolf]

I live in a student house with 7 others. Our house is supplied by our ISP (KPN) with an Experia Box v10 which can output a maximum of 300 mbps on 2.4 GHz wifi and 1300 mbps on 5 GHz wifi, as well as 1 Gigabit over LAN (However I am not sure what plan our house is serviced with so we may be supplied with less). We have this modem installed in our entrance and from there an ethernet cable is connected single TP Link TL-SF1008D (not sure the version) which is a 8-port 10/100 Mbps desktop switch. Our modem feeds this switch which sends a different ethernet connection to each of our rooms. From there we have 3 different routers with each having its own wifi network respectively. I am looking to best optimize this to maximize our speeds coming from our modem.

Solutions I am thinking:
-Get another Desktop switch/upgrade current switch to a TL-SG1008D a 8-port gigabit desktop switch to prevent congestion of a single modem->switch->rooms connection.

-Create a master router from the modem and then extend this router with access points around the house.

Which method would allow best for maximizing internet usage and still allowing us some degree of private internet usage?

Thank you in advance for the help

Replace the 100Mbit switch with gigabit. Connect ALL stationary devices -- TV, PC, game console, etc to WIRED only. Save WIFI for handhelds. Don't have a bunch of IOT devices clogging the WIFI.
What do you believe you need to secure against?

 

[clik4clak]

Replace the 100Mbit switch with gigabit. Connect ALL stationary devices -- TV, PC, game console, etc to WIRED only. Save WIFI for handhelds. Don't have a bunch of IOT devices clogging the WIFI.
What do you believe you need to secure against?

Not all smarthome/IoT devices allow for direct wired connection (Fire TV, Alexa, Google home, LEDs, etc). Would it be better to dedicate one of the house routers as the "smart devices" router, then from here have 2 other routers (possibly a MESH network?) that enable personal device usage to maximize coverage (we live in a 3 story house with the modem at the ground entrance so having a router down there would severely limit coverage) ? Then past this everyone's personal laptops connected by ethernet if they are capable (a few would have to be plugged in by ethernet through these routers and not directly from the wall).

 

[kanewolf]

Not all smarthome/IoT devices allow for direct wired connection (Fire TV, Alexa, Google home, LEDs, etc). Would it be better to dedicate one of the house routers as the "smart devices" router, then from here have 2 other routers (possibly a MESH network?) that enable personal device usage to maximize coverage (we live in a 3 story house with the modem at the ground entrance so having a router down there would severely limit coverage) ? Then past this everyone's personal laptops connected by ethernet if they are capable (a few would have to be plugged in by ethernet through these routers and not directly from the wall).

Yes, moving all the IOT (smart home) devices to a specific WIFI source would be best.
Since you have ethernet cabling, you don't have to buy "mesh" -- Mesh systems are designed to simplify wireless connectivity between nodes. You do want distributed WIFI signal. A mesh system with wired connection between nodes is one way to do that. Getting some "room" switches to allow multiple devices to have wired connectivity would help. You can have a switch connected to a switch without problems. I will stress again, getting as many devices onto WIRED is what makes your network "just work".

 

[clik4clak]

Yes, moving all the IOT (smart home) devices to a specific WIFI source would be best.
Since you have ethernet cabling, you don't have to buy "mesh" -- Mesh systems are designed to simplify wireless connectivity between nodes. You do want distributed WIFI signal. A mesh system with wired connection between nodes is one way to do that. Getting some "room" switches to allow multiple devices to have wired connectivity would help. You can have a switch connected to a switch without problems. I will stress again, getting as many devices onto WIRED is what makes your network "just work".

Ok, thank you! We will try this out!

 

[failboat]

Guest isolation would prevent any local devices from connecting to other local devices. Your router, switch, and wireless AP would all have to support this or use an all-in-one if it has enough switch ports for you.

With that many sharing the connection the 100Mbs switch isn't really bad. downloads from one person won't saturate your line and lag another, assuming your speeds are well over 100Mbs. If people are playing games or watching media you might start getting issues you didn't have if people are downloading heavily.

You would need to go into more detail on what speed or latency issues you are having, have an idea of what others are doing on the network when this is happening, and also know your ISP speeds.