New WAP via a switch?

[nil_defect_found]

Router downstairs. BT HomeHub5. Netgear N300 extender upstairs. I also have an ethernet cable running via a switch, upstairs to a pc.

The N300 recently stopped working. No amount of factory resets/messing with channels/router resets will get it working again, it refuses to connect to the router. It's really annoying me now, I just want to replace it with better hardware for a faster connection, no more messing about with stupid extenders.

Is it possible to connect that ethernet cable running upstairs to a new, second, switch...one cable goes out from it to the pc....one cable goes out to a new wifi access point device?

Is it possible to 1) Link two switches in a row without problems 2) Have a WAP ethernet connected to that second switch? That should be really fast because it's got an ethernet connection to the router? And use that WAP for wifi upstairs?

Router > ethernet > Switch 1 > ethernet> Switch 2 > ethernet > new WAP hardware.

If so, what would be a good future proofed high performance bit of kit?
ASUS RT-AC53 any good? Would it need to be a separate SSID or as a secondary WAP would it be the same as the router downstairs for seamless transitions as you walk around?

On some Asus AP guides it says the routers need to be connected WAN/WAN. This wouldn't work for me as the ethernet running upstairs goes from a LAN port from the primary router to the downstairs switch to the ethernet cable running upstairs?

Thanks

 

[jarrod52]

Hello! You can certainly do what you are describing and that should work well. I would make sure the switches are both gig switches. Something like this would be fine: https://amzn.to/2NIttLL

You can use almost any wireless router as a WAP with a few minor changes to the settings. The quick glance setup would be change the LAN IP to be on the same subnet as your first router, then disable DHCP, and connect your Ethernet into a LAN port. You do not need to make the SSID the same but you can if you want. If you make it the same, then your devices should jump to the strongest signal on their own. If you make is different, you can troubleshoot more easily and you can manually make your devices connect to the signal you want to connect to in case they aren't making the decision on their own quick enough.

A good router would be one with gig ports and AC1200 wifi at a minimum. The ASUS you suggested would be fine but it's AC750. I would step up to ACRH13 https://amzn.to/2yOdhDt

Also keep in mind, some routers allow you to connect to WAN port and it will still make the router on the same network. In other words, the WAN port turns into a LAN port in the WAP setup.

Hope this helps!

 

[nigelivey]

I would mindful of expecting any client device to jump to the "strongest" signal. Client devices will hang on to the wireless network as long as they can, roaming would requires a wireless control which would then pass you from one base station to the next. Client devices just are not capable of roaming on their own. Turning your wifi off and on again would force the client to join the strongest signal.