Mesh vs extender

[axlrose]

So we recently added three echo dots to the house. In doing so, I also added three inline devices with range extenders as we have no phone, cable or ethernet wired in the house. When we moved in, we had to have an ethernet line run into the house. Since moving my pc away from the one hardline connection in the basement (I'm on the main floor now) internet speeds have been terrible. We paid to increase our speeds from 'up to 25mbps' to 'up to 50mbps' but I've never seen above about 15mbps and at night the family is typically struggling to share a connection which speed tests on my pc at around half an mbps and doesn't allow us to even watch netflix.

These are the devices I added (three of them in addition to an older range extender and an access point I made out of an old router).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0725LPTZR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My isp said they can't run another line to the main floor (I figured they could run one to the main floor just like they ran one to the basement when we moved in but they said that was not possible???) and to try range extenders or a mesh system. Obviously the range extenders and inline devices are barely working.

Would I have more luck with whatever a mesh system is? Finding it hard to believe it would help much as it's still trying to use a wifi signal instead of a hardline.

Can homes really only have one hardline into the house? If so, how do you wire a home with ethernet that is finished and not wired? I'm not afraid of some diy, but I don't know how I'd begin to do it through finished walls and ceilings?

Thanks.

 

[Barty1884]

While running ethernet from the router to locations throughout the house is possible, typically, it's not the ISPs responsibility.
Also, with more and more moving to wireless, there's not the demand for ethernet runs there once was. 'Professional' wiring (fishing cable etc) is not cheap either.


Depending on the layout of your home, it may be simpler to run a wired connection outside - opposed to through finishing walls/ceilings.
Can be hidden under siding/flashing.

 

[axlrose]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I just figured, if they could run one line from the street to the basement, they could run a line from the street to the main floor too. Probably doesn't make sense, but it did for my ease of having a hardline.

Any suggestions for how to information on running ethernet through wired walls? Half a Mbps just isn't cutting it for a family of four with multiple devices. Running anything outside in the upper midwest doesn't really feel like a good idea, and we just had the house painted this summer, so I really don't want to mess with the newly painted exterior.

Thanks.

 

[Barty1884]

Oh, you'd be talking an entirely different service. There are ways & means to make it work, but they're more professional-grade and not really viable for the average home network.

For running cables through finished walls, a lot of fishing. Assuming a developed basement?

If an undeveloped basement, you should be able to get a better feel for where the wiring will go (to the floor immediately above, at least), making it a bit easier.

If developed, try to utilize any existing natural channels - under stairs and up, maybe? Or potentially straight up one side, into the attic & work down from there?

Honestly, it's going to be time consuming, but possible.


As for the external route, it's really as simple as one hole 'out' from the router and one 'in' where you want a jack to be. It's a much, much easier way to go - but depends on the exterior of the home. If it's vinyl siding etc, it's easy enough to hide.
With a little bit of caulking to seal off the hole(s) there's no risk of weather related issues. Definitely a good plan to utilize outdoor rated cable though.

 

[axlrose]

Finished basement, so no easy exposed walls to go through. Basement is poured concrete, so even getting another hole out is a bit beyond me.

 

[Barty1884]

Honestly, it's going to be quite the process - and you might want to consider looking into a professional for the job.

Powerline adapters (power over ethernet) is an alternate you might want to consider - but depends heavily on the age/quality/length of your electrical circuits.

 

[axlrose]

Finished basement, so no easy exposed walls to go through. Basement is poured concrete, so even getting another hole out is a bit beyond me. Added three of these with the echo dots over the holidays.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0725LPTZR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Typically getting half of a Mbps download at night on my pc. Can hardly get the pc or tv to stream netflix. Apparently the house has over 40 switches in the fuse box and that likely means three phases and a no go on the powerlines. Might actually have to look into getting something added to my pc that allows wifi to see if that's faster than my best hardline option...yikes.

 

[axlrose]

Also just verified that I have 50mbps service coming into the house now.