Full home coverage with 2 routers and a mesh network - best practices

[tami]

So, my home is big enough that I used to have 3 different connections I could tap into at any given time. There was the Home network, the Bedroom network, and the Mesh network. But seeing how my local ISP does it, the network name is the same regardless of location. I am trying to replicate that at home.

What are best practices for doing so? Basically, I want one network, Home24 (2.4 GHz) and Home5 (5 GHz). Right now, I have all of the routers renamed to the same network but I keep dropping connectivity. Should they all be on the same channel, subnet, etc?

Any tips on getting this right? My home is more than 100 years old and I think there's a lot of interference in different rooms, so I have to rely on different routers all coupled together to act as a single network.

 

[JackMDS]

You keep talking about Routers?

To have one cohesive Network only one Router should work as a Router, the rest should be configured as an Access Point with a switch. and connect with a CAT6 cables to the main Router.

Using Wireless Routers (or Modem/Wireless Router) as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

To do real mesh type Network you need Mesh type Capable hardware.

Example - https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-NBE...pID=519o00fqodL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[tami]

They are configured as APs but it looks like they conflict with each other a lot as I still drop connectivity.

 

[XavierMace]

Yes, because as Jack stated to run a true mesh, you need mesh capable access points.

 

[tami]

Maybe I'm not using the right terminology. I have Lumas running throughout the house in addition to two routers.

 

[mv2devnull]

Should they all be on the same channel, subnet, etc?

Subnet is a logical concept. Members of subnet are in the same IP address subrange and when they broadcast, all devices of that subrange do see the packets. That is ok.
Router is a device that is connected to more than one subnet and is set to forward traffic between subnets. A "gateway".
Router is between your home subnet and the ISP's subnet.
You want all your devices to be on the same subnet.

Channel is about physical connection. All devices on the same channel hear each other and thus add noise. That is not ok.
You want AP's to be on non-overlapping channels, if possible. There are about three usable 2.4GHz channels.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

You shouldn't be using 2 Routers.
If you're choosing to go Mesh, you need to leave it to the Mesh. the Routers can't talk to the Lumas to work on beam forming, channel aggregation, or any of the helpful things that make sure the APs aren't doing more harm to each other than good.
Make 1 Router the entry point of your Internet. It's Access Point function should be off. Take the second router out of the equation. Use as many Lumas as is necessary to get the coverage desired. The Luma more than likely has a utility to determine if Range is an issue. Combining proprietary Mesh technologies with random other-company APs spotted around is not a good idea.

 

[mv2devnull]

Indeed.

Take the second router out of the equation.

If the second router is there now to connect multiple wires (of same subnet), then use a switch in its place.