[SOLVED] Which is a good access point and repeater/extender combination for a house with concrete walls?

Mar 7, 2019
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Currently I have a Linksys Wireless G router access point (the one that is like 10 years old). This access point is on the top floor of my house. The signal this router sends is weak. It does not cover the entire rooms near the top floor, it only reaches the part of the room closest to where the signal is coming from. Now I have baby an I want to put baby cams in those rooms. However, I need good signal to put the cams. So what I want to do is put extenders in those rooms. I need 2 extender for two different rooms. In addition, I think I could get a more modern access point with longer range to make sure that the signal reaches those room. Remember I have concrete walls.
Which is the best access point an extender combo for that? By the way, there are TV in those rooms, so It would also be good to watch Netflix.
 
Solution
You would not recommend a system like google mesh?
I personally do not. A mesh system, with a wired connection between the nodes (back haul) is OK. But a completely wireless back haul is not good, IMO. For not a whole lot of money you can start with a high quality WIFI source. Get a Ubiquiti WIFI access point. Disable the WIFI on your current router and connect the access point to the router. See what coverage you get. If that doesn't get you the coverage, then you need to look at getting some kind of wired network. Ethernet cable is the best. Then coax with a technology called MoCA. Finally there is powerline network adapters. Even powerline can be better than WIFI only.

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
Newer WIFI might improve your coverage or it might not. With concrete walls, you really need some kind of wired infrastructure to get network distributed. I would recommend getting a professional low voltage installer to give you a bid to get ethernet cable to the areas you need network.
 
Mar 7, 2019
20
0
10
Newer WIFI might improve your coverage or it might not. With concrete walls, you really need some kind of wired infrastructure to get network distributed. I would recommend getting a professional low voltage installer to give you a bid to get ethernet cable to the areas you need network.

What would happen if I put the repeater or extender exactly where the signal reaches in the room?
 

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
What would happen if I put the repeater or extender exactly where the signal reaches in the room?
Unknown. WIFI is not deterministicly predictable. Repeaters are generally a bad idea, especially with a streaming use such as cameras or Netflix. WIFI was not designed optimally for streaming and repeaters just make the technical problem (half duplex implementation) worse.
 
Mar 7, 2019
20
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Unknown. WIFI is not deterministicly predictable. Repeaters are generally a bad idea, especially with a streaming use such as cameras or Netflix. WIFI was not designed optimally for streaming and repeaters just make the technical problem (half duplex implementation) worse.

You would not recommend a system like google mesh?
 

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
You would not recommend a system like google mesh?
I personally do not. A mesh system, with a wired connection between the nodes (back haul) is OK. But a completely wireless back haul is not good, IMO. For not a whole lot of money you can start with a high quality WIFI source. Get a Ubiquiti WIFI access point. Disable the WIFI on your current router and connect the access point to the router. See what coverage you get. If that doesn't get you the coverage, then you need to look at getting some kind of wired network. Ethernet cable is the best. Then coax with a technology called MoCA. Finally there is powerline network adapters. Even powerline can be better than WIFI only.
 
Solution
Mar 7, 2019
20
0
10
I personally do not. A mesh system, with a wired connection between the nodes (back haul) is OK. But a completely wireless back haul is not good, IMO. For not a whole lot of money you can start with a high quality WIFI source. Get a Ubiquiti WIFI access point. Disable the WIFI on your current router and connect the access point to the router. See what coverage you get. If that doesn't get you the coverage, then you need to look at getting some kind of wired network. Ethernet cable is the best. Then coax with a technology called MoCA. Finally there is powerline network adapters. Even powerline can be better than WIFI only.

I would plug the access point with an ethernet cable to the LAN in my house. That would send the signal to the repeaters.
 

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
I would plug the access point with an ethernet cable to the LAN in my house. That would send the signal to the repeaters.
Maybe I didn't understand your original statement. I assumed the Linksys was your primary router. Since you just said "LAN in my house", that says you HAVE ethernet cabling in the house and that the Linksys is not your primary router.
Maybe starting with a better description of what the "LAN in your house" is, would help.
 
Mar 7, 2019
20
0
10
Maybe I didn't understand your original statement. I assumed the Linksys was your primary router. Since you just said "LAN in my house", that says you HAVE ethernet cabling in the house and that the Linksys is not your primary router.
Maybe starting with a better description of what the "LAN in your house" is, would help.

I have a modem on my floor downstairs. That modem is plugged to a router. The router has ethernet cables that connect to a:
  1. Desktop PC
  2. Network Switch. This switch connects to:
  1. My room
  2. Small Living room with the ACCESS POINT (this is the one I am talking about in this post)
  3. Router in a gaming room.
    1. Connects to video game consoles.
 

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
OK. My mistake. I would put an ethernet switch in the "Small Living Room". That would allow any TVs or other streaming media devices to have wired access. Then connect the WIFI access point to the small living room switch.
The "router" in the gaming room should should be configured as an access point or replaced by a switch/access point depending on the age of the router.
 
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Mar 7, 2019
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OK. My mistake. I would put an ethernet switch in the "Small Living Room". That would allow any TVs or other streaming media devices to have wired access. Then connect the WIFI access point to the small living room switch.
The "router" in the gaming room should should be configured as an access point or replaced by a switch/access point depending on the age of the router.

The main router and the router in the gaming room are both really old. I do not use them for wifi, I plug everything with ethernet cables (except the nintendo switch).
 
Mar 7, 2019
20
0
10
OK. My mistake. I would put an ethernet switch in the "Small Living Room". That would allow any TVs or other streaming media devices to have wired access. Then connect the WIFI access point to the small living room switch.
The "router" in the gaming room should should be configured as an access point or replaced by a switch/access point depending on the age of the router.

The age of the router affest the speed of the connection even if its wired?