Question Wired access point to wireless ?

[NY0424]

Hello,

I'll be going into a new apartment where the builder ensured each room had wired access point to the main modem. I don't want my devices connected wirelessly, how can I use one of the rooms access point to extend the wireless coverage.

would the Asus ZenWifi XT8 be the best option since this router mesh network both have Lan setting connection?

I'm thinking if I connect the modem to this router, and I connect the router to its access point where the modem typically would have been plugged in and in the other room, take the other router and plug it to the access point, it will help provided to give full coverage?

 

[bill001g]

Likely the cheapest way is to just use a simple switch.

You would unplug the AP from the wall insert a switch inbetween to give you more ethernet ports and plug the AP back into the switch.

The only snag would be if the AP was getting power over the ethernet. You likely then would need a slightly more expensive switch that could provide POE. Note you need to check the AP to determine if it runs a standard or propirtary form of POE. If the AP plugs into a wall for power then a cheap switch will work.

You can use a cheap router as a AP but it is pretty much just a AP that has a switch built in no need for mesh garbage

 

[NY0424]

I was thinking just getting a regular mesh router network system and getting the second router plugged into the power plug, but I remembered he wired the entire house so each room had wired internet access point from the main switch, but I'd like to use one of those access point to give wireless connection to the room surrounding it

 

[bill001g]

Yes just plug a switch in between it should work fine. A simple 5 port gbit switch is well under $20.

Mesh is all marketing. You have a single network using AP. The end device not the network really controls the roaming....and roaming is not really needed unless you want to fall down your stairs staring at netflix.

Large business does not use any mesh it is all wired AP. Other than not enough ethernet ports it sounds like your place has the optimum wifi setup.

 

[NY0424]

can you explain to me how the setup would be with the switch, the modem/router combo and the seperate router I would buy

 

[bill001g]

Currently I assume you have.

---internet--current router-----in wall wires---AP.

All you do is

---internet--current router----in wall wires---switch--AP. You can plug other devices into the switch.

You have the option of replacing any of this with your own equipment but the connections would be the same. The only difference on the far end would be is you use a router as a AP that has a switch built in. There really is no reason to do that unless the AP is some how defective. Unless it is very old it will have the same wifi radios as a router.

 

[NY0424]

The moden has built in router, but I plan to get my own router and connect it to the modem.

so your recommending in the other rooms I plug in a switch? And that will provide wireless connection to the surface near it? Do you have a link to a specific switch?

the other rooms have Ethernet jacks built in, those would be the AP’s?

 

[bill001g]

So do you have AP in the remote rooms or just a jack.

The switch is just a stupid device that allows you to plug multiple devices into a single port it does not provide wifi. You would use the existing AP to provide the Wifi.

This one is very popular but you can find them for 3 or 4 dollars less if you buy lessor known brands. I like devices that have metal cases but it doesn't really matter.
https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG105/dp/B00A128S24

You likely will get no real benefit replacing the router. I would try it with the current router and see if you have problems. Unless you have very special needs it is likely the modem/router device will work fine. Don't buy into all the marketing hype most the features on high end routers are not supported by most wifi devices. The router for example might be able to do 4x4 mimo but the vast majority of end devices only have 2 antenna and can only run 2x2. The fancy router will just drop back to 2x2 like a cheaper router.

 

[NY0424]

So do you have AP in the remote rooms or just a jack.

The switch is just a stupid device that allows you to plug multiple devices into a single port it does not provide wifi. You would use the existing AP to provide the Wifi.

This one is very popular but you can find them for 3 or 4 dollars less if you buy lessor known brands. I like devices that have metal cases but it doesn't really matter.
https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG105/dp/B00A128S24

You likely will get no real benefit replacing the router. I would try it with the current router and see if you have problems. Unless you have very special needs it is likely the modem/router device will work fine. Don't buy into all the marketing hype most the features on high end routers are not supported by most wifi devices. The router for example might be able to do 4x4 mimo but the vast majority of end devices only have 2 antenna and can only run 2x2. The fancy router will just drop back to 2x2 like a cheaper router.

its a Ethernet jack in the other rooms

 

[bill001g]

I see I was thinking you already had a AP.

Your best option is to buy a inexpensive router and use it as a AP. You will get the extra lan ports and the wifi in one box.

Any router can be used as a AP but most have AP modes now days. I would look for a router with a 1200-1750 number unless you want wifi6. I would not really recommend wifi6 since few devices have full 160mhz support. You could look at wifi6e but that is still rather expensive. Your average home devices is the same as a router with a 1200 number on it. Most the other feature like mesh/nas/vpn etc just cost extra money. A very simple router is all you need when you are using it as a AP.

You will likely get 300mbps or so in the same room with a 1200 number router/ap

The only thing that might change this is if the ethernet jack is in the ceiling. This is actually a optimum place for AP but since there are no power plugs in the ceiling in most houses you must power the AP via the ethernet cable.

 

[NY0424]

sorry it was me that misspoke.

its ethernet jacks that are in the other rooms.... I was thinking if I get the Asus ZenWifi XT8 , i connect the the first router to the modem and the second router I connect it to one of the other ethernet jacks in the other rooms, would it extend the wifi that way as if it was connected directly to the modem?

 

[bill001g]

Yes you can do it that way but it is rather expensive. You are paying for a lot of marketing garbage about mesh when you don't need it. Mesh is mostly a fancy wireless repeater technology but you are using a ethernet cable to connect them.
Next even though these devices support 160mhz wifi6 most end devices do not and never will. You are paying for technology that likely will never be used.

Do you need 2 boxes. Is your current modem just a modem or is it a modem/router. If the modem already has a router function you are pretty much wasting money buying a different router.....unless you have a very clear reason why replacing it will help you.

 

[NY0424]

the internet provider will provide a modem with built in router... so is my best option getting a wifi extender? tp link re605x ?

 

[bill001g]

No all extender/repeater/mesh systems use wifi to talk between the router and the "extender". You want a AP and these devices can run as AP but you are paying extra because they can run as a repeater.

You will save lots of money to just use a inexpensive router as a AP. This TPLINK router has the same specs as the re605x but cost less than 1/2 the price.

https://www.amazon.com/WiFi-6-Router-Gigabit-Wireless/dp/B08H8ZLKKK/

This router can be set to AP mode....I think it can be also be set to repeater mode so it would be the same as the re605x but tplink has so many models. In any case you only need simple AP mode, any of the extra wifi repeater stuff will degrade your wifi performance

 

[gggplaya]

Your terminology is incorrect which is causing confusion.

What you're calling an access point is actually not, it's just a LAN port or ethernet port, nothing more.

Ethernet Port or Wall Jack, or LAN port = Wired access from a room to a centralized network switch.

Access point = a device that creates a wireless connection to the LAN port.

Router = a device that uses NAT(network address translation) to split and route your internet connection to various devices in your house.

Modem = a device that creates a connection to your ISP. Your landlord more be interchanging this term with router, because ISP provided device are combo modem/routers.


That said, many wifi routers, but not all, will have an access point mode. It will disable to router function and simply allow wifi access to the network. You can buy any products you like, as long as it has an access point mode. Because you do not want to stack a router downstream from another router, that will cause a double NAT situation which can cause problems. https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/3608/

My main concern is if the landlord is connecting all the tenants to the same network, then there's a security concern.

 

[NY0424]

Your terminology is incorrect which is causing confusion.

What you're calling an access point is actually not, it's just a LAN port or ethernet port, nothing more.

Ethernet Port or Wall Jack, or LAN port = Wired access from a room to a centralized network switch.

Access point = a device that creates a wireless connection to the LAN port.

Router = a device that uses NAT(network address translation) to split and route your internet connection to various devices in your house.

Modem = a device that creates a connection to your ISP. Your landlord more be interchanging this term with router, because ISP provided device are combo modem/routers.


That said, many wifi routers, but not all, will have an access point mode. It will disable to router function and simply allow wifi access to the network. You can buy any products you like, as long as it has an access point mode. Because you do not want to stack a router downstream from another router, that will cause a double NAT situation which can cause problems. https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/3608/

My main concern is if the landlord is connecting all the tenants to the same network, then there's a security concern.

Each apartment has its own internet service.

so from what your saying:
I should get a router with access point mode
connect it to the ethernet port in the room that I want
it will get the internet service from where the main modem/router is installed
and provide the additional range to the rooms near it?

 

[bill001g]

That is correct.

A AP is a pretty stupid unit it basically wifi radios on the end of a ethernet cable.

Almost all routers have AP mode but even if it doesn't you can use any router by cabling to the lan port instead of the wan port. You need to disable the DHCP function and make sure the LAN ip does not conflict with your main router. The only real difference with a router that has AP mode is it takes care of some of this for you and gets you a extra lan port.

 

[NY0424]

That is correct.

A AP is a pretty stupid unit it basically wifi radios on the end of a ethernet cable.

Almost all routers have AP mode but even if it doesn't you can use any router by cabling to the lan port instead of the wan port. You need to disable the DHCP function and make sure the LAN ip does not conflict with your main router. The only real difference with a router that has AP mode is it takes care of some of this for you and gets you a extra lan port.

the router I had back home was Amplifi ALien Router, that should have access point mode if not mistaken.

so when I plug the cable into the ethernet jack in the other room, i need to plug it into the WAN or LAN port in the router?

 

[gggplaya]

Amplifi calls it "Bridge mode" but yes, that is access point mode. and you wire it to the WAN port of the Amplifi router. Here are the instructions: https://help.amplifi.com/hc/en-us/articles/220979347-Enabling-Bridge-Mode

This ASSUMES that your apartment complex is using a router/modem combo unit provided by the ISP. If it's just a modem, you can just use a normal router in router mode.