Whole home WiFi systems

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cyinne

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About a year ago I upgraded my wifi router to a Linksys AC1200. It sucks! Only works well about 25% of the time. The router is located in the basement right below some HVAC ductwork where the connections enter the house. Bad layout I know, but it's an older home and it's just the way it is.

I have seen that there are new whole home wifi systems with dedicated tri-band connection that talks between the router and "pods"- it's not like a range extender that eats up bandwidth. I know that there is Netgear Orbi that has rave reviews. I am looking at the AC3000 model. I also have seen a system by Google but as I understand it has to have a google account connected to it at all times which I'm not really keen on.

Just wondering if anybody has had any experience with these systems?
 

Deanster

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Mar 3, 2012
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I use a $50 dollar Netgear router from wal-mart, and it works great. I can mow my lawn and stay on Wi-Fi the whole time. Floats around 50-70mbps. Router is also located in the basement.
 
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bos

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About a year ago I upgraded my wifi router to a Linksys AC1200. It sucks! Only works well about 25% of the time. The router is located in the basement right below some HVAC ductwork where the connections enter the house. Bad layout I know, but it's an older home and it's just the way it is.

I have seen that there are new whole home wifi systems with dedicated tri-band connection that talks between the router and "pods"- it's not like a range extender that eats up bandwidth. I know that there is Netgear Orbi that has rave reviews. I am looking at the AC3000 model. I also have seen a system by Google but as I understand it has to have a google account connected to it at all times which I'm not really keen on.

Just wondering if anybody has had any experience with these systems?

Do you already have google accounts tied to other aspects of your life? Its not much of a further stretch. This is how most cloud based hardware is trending. I have a netgear nighthawk and it works good enough, but the mesh systems like google wifi are probably my future when it dies. I like the ease of use when it comes to limiting kids time on the internet with less cumbersome steps than traditional routers.
 
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cyinne

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You can't just move your router/ap to the main floor?
I could, but it would be costly and it would probably cost more than just buying one of these better systems. No buying extra cord, cutting holes in floors/walls, yeah, just not ideal....
 

cyinne

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I use a $50 dollar Netgear router from wal-mart, and it works great. I can mow my lawn and stay on Wi-Fi the whole time. Floats around 50-70mbps. Router is also located in the basement.
It just isn't working for me. My phone will not even connect to the home wifi it is that that weak. As I said in another post it would be just as costly to relocate the current router as it would to buy an upgraded system and leave it as it is.
 

cyinne

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Do you already have google accounts tied to other aspects of your life? Its not much of a further stretch. This is how most cloud based hardware is trending. I have a netgear nighthawk and it works good enough, but the mesh systems like google wifi are probably my future when it dies. I like the ease of use when it comes to limiting kids time on the internet with less cumbersome steps than traditional routers.
I do have a google account, I just didn't want to have it connected to absolutely everything I do since it will probably be spying on me and collecting data on absolutely everything I am doing..... if it isn't already doing that already.....
 
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3GenClone

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Jun 28, 2009
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I used this site to convert one of my older Linksys wireless routers to serve as an AP to get WiFi on the second floor of my house:

https://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

It's a firmware push that is compatible on certain/older models of routers. You can check on the list. I found this option works really well and it has prolonged the life of my routers. It works wirelessly and piggy-backs off the router on the first floor - the only wiring it requires is power. My phone and tablets seamlessly transition between both routers when I move upstairs/downstairs.
 
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BoxsterCy

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I'll be interested in what you are asking about since I am thinking some about my own.

I have an older Zoom modem and wifi router in the back bedroom that has been my computer den for years with the old desktop there. Pretty heavy plaster in that older area of house and if outside on the deck the stucco with wire mesh also screens the signal some (I think). Didn't use to matter so much but with more and more streaming as opposed to just surfin' on the laptop I am thinking of moving the modem/router into the front room and then wiring back to the desktop/printer/scanner room or staying with the current location and wiring direct to the TV. I am getting like 12Mbps in the front room but 30+ Mpbs direct. Only 1.5 Mbps out on the deck (that stucco mesh!). I am guess that old modem/router combo unit might not be the best but it has done okay so far and the Comcast speed bump to 70Mbps has helped although no one is actually getting the speed they promote here.
 

MrTippet

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I bought the Google WiFi 3 pack and the setup was easy. I could probably get by with 2 of the 3 but I probably get better lawn coverage with how I have it setup. It couldn't have been easier to install and the only issue I've had was when it got factory reset remotely (with most of them) and I had to do the really easy setup a second time.

No complaints.

https://madeby.google.com/wifi/
 
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DeftOne

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Dec 30, 2014
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Des Moines, IA
I bought the Netgear Orbi AC3000 (router + satellite) about 6 months ago, and while the price was a bit hard to swallow, I couldn't be more happy with it. Works great.

I've tried wi-fi extenders in the past (Netgear N300) but have never been happy with the results (spotty at best; terrible most of the time), so decided to bite the bullet and try the Orbi.

The router is in my basement with the rest of my computer gear, and the satellite is on the 2nd (main) floor. The Wi-fi signal is stellar everywhere now, including the upstairs (3rd level). I've never been able to get a solid, reliable signal upstairs with wi-fi extenders. Now the signal actually doesn't drop out completely until about 400 feet from my house.
 

cyinne

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I bought the Netgear Orbi AC3000 (router + satellite) about 6 months ago, and while the price was a bit hard to swallow, I couldn't be more happy with it. Works great.

I've tried wi-fi extenders in the past (Netgear N300) but have never been happy with the results (spotty at best; terrible most of the time), so decided to bite the bullet and try the Orbi.

The router is in my basement with the rest of my computer gear, and the satellite is on the 2nd (main) floor. The Wi-fi signal is stellar everywhere now, including the upstairs (3rd level). I've never been able to get a solid, reliable signal upstairs with wi-fi extenders. Now the signal actually doesn't drop out completely until about 400 feet from my house.
In your basement where the "base" is located is there hvac ductwork in the way of your satellite?

How far apart are your 2 units?
 

blizzisu

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Nov 4, 2009
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Polk City, IA
In your basement where the "base" is located is there hvac ductwork in the way of your satellite?

How far apart are your 2 units?

It's possible the combination of the HVAC ductwork, floor joists, subfloor, and flooring are weakening your signal. Download a Wifi Analyzer app for your phone and compare the signal when standing in the same room as your router to the signal you get on the main floor above it.

You could always leave your cable modem or DSL modem in the basement and then run a CAT6 ethernet cable up into a wall cavity, terminate the connection with a wall plate, and then place your wifi router on your main level. That would cost less than $50 to do yourself.
 
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BoxsterCy

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Sep 14, 2009
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It's possible the combination of the HVAC ductwork, floor joists, subfloor, and flooring are weakening your signal. Download a Wifi Analyzer app for your phone and compare the signal when standing in the same room as your router to the signal you get on the main floor above it.

You could always leave your cable modem or DSL modem in the basement and then run a CAT6 ethernet cable up into a wall cavity, terminate the connection with a wall plate, and then place your wifi router on your main level. That would cost less than $50 to do yourself.

I blame the OP for this ;) but I have been spending time measuring on my floor plans and doing real floor measures to calc a CAT6 run. Also internet shopping for a nice floor hole grommet (won't see it anyway, it's behind TV stand and such). And cable raceways to run along garage ceiling. Cannot fish it through since the joist all run perpendicular to the wire run.

My 2000 remodel and addition wired up for cable all over the place but everything got finished off before I was thinking ahead to CAT wires, networks and wifi and such. Back when I even pulled phone wire to rooms that will never be used! :rolleyes:
 

Chad

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Sep 10, 2007
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Ankeny, IA
I have my Mediacom router in the lower level and can't easily get it higher - sounds like your situation. I tried Eero but wasn't impressed, now have Orbi running in AP mode off a Netgear router. Base unit next to modem and 3 satellites around the rest of the house. I have the 200mb service from mediacom and get 175-200 wirelessly all around my home. I did upgrade to 500mb but signal noise issues made me drop back to the old modem for now. Orbi is fast and can handle lots of traffic. Some people complain that it doesn't play nice with nest cameras and drips iOS device connections and IMPLicit Beamforming needs to be disabled to get it to play nice. It works with adt pulse, sonos, ring, DIRECTV, wifi thermostats etc for me so far. I do wish it could separate the 2.4 from 5 ghz bands to tell each device what to connect to, some devices only connect to 2.4 and with a single SSID they refuse to connect. Another gripe is the iOS app for Orbi. Don't waste time downloading it. For how well the router system works the app is a joke.
 

blizzisu

Active Member
Nov 4, 2009
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Polk City, IA
I blame the OP for this ;) but I have been spending time measuring on my floor plans and doing real floor measures to calc a CAT6 run. Also internet shopping for a nice floor hole grommet (won't see it anyway, it's behind TV stand and such). And cable raceways to run along garage ceiling. Cannot fish it through since the joist all run perpendicular to the wire run.

My 2000 remodel and addition wired up for cable all over the place but everything got finished off before I was thinking ahead to CAT wires, networks and wifi and such. Back when I even pulled phone wire to rooms that will never be used! :rolleyes:

Have you looked into power line networking? I've never used it, but have heard others have success with it. You could use it to locate a router pretty much anywhere you have power then. http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-powerline-networking-kit/
 

DeftOne

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Dec 30, 2014
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Des Moines, IA
In your basement where the "base" is located is there hvac ductwork in the way of your satellite?

How far apart are your 2 units?
I would say there is some HVAC ductwork that is partially in the way. My basement is finished, but I believe the router base unit in the basement sits directly under the main trunk line of HVAC. I say the HVAC is partially in the way because the satellite is not directly above the base unit on the main floor of the house -- it's offset laterally, so to speak -- so the HVAC is not directly between the two.

The two units are one level apart and about 30-40 feet laterally spaced.

I have checked upload & download speeds with network utilities in about every corner of my house on all levels, and the signal is basically the same everywhere and just as good as if I were standing right next to the router base unit.
 

DeftOne

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2014
790
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Des Moines, IA
Have you looked into power line networking? I've never used it, but have heard others have success with it. You could use it to locate a router pretty much anywhere you have power then. http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-powerline-networking-kit/
Powerline networking and its reliability are highly dependent on how your house is wired...or it used to be anyway. I haven't kept up with the technology over the years. Just something to be aware of and check in to if you consider going that route.
 

jcyclonee

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Apr 12, 2006
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Minneapolis
I do have a google account, I just didn't want to have it connected to absolutely everything I do since it will probably be spying on me and collecting data on absolutely everything I am doing..... if it isn't already doing that already.....
I understand. I prefer to be unknowingly spied upon by Russian and Chinese hackers than knowingly spied upon by Google.