Question How do I fix my network on top floor?

[KonaWA]

I have been reading many articles on home networking and trying to solve this issue but it is something I just don't grasp so hoping one of you would be able help.

I have a 3 story house that is primarily concrete build so dense walls. The main hub/router is in a room on the ground floor. The second floor is an open mezzanine level so I am able to get a fluctuating signal and a limited signal on top floor. I originally put a wifi-extender on the mezzanine level which worked great in last house but this still could not pick-up the signal from the main very well. I now have a second TPLink router on the top floor (uses a different wifi access name) because each room in the house is hardwired for ethernet. The wi-fi extender now extends the second router. However, after a couple of months the secondary router is constantly in and out of signal. I am able to stream Netflix because of the buffering with no issues but if I wanted to visit sites on my phone or pull up a youtube video, I have long loading delays because the data stream works 1 sec and then is gone 10 sec later. I have run continuous speed tests, which is how I noticed that the data stream is going in and out. How do I fix this, would it be more efficient if the secondary router was under the same network name as the main? Thanks for any guidance.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sounds like you either need some Ubiquity AP gear (with hand-off), or a Mesh product (Orbi, Google, AiMesh, etc.).

It could be your wireless device is latching onto one of your APs, and not "letting go", as consumer gear often "holds on" to a signal, even when a better signal on a different SSID is within range. You need a network of APs with the "handoff" feature, which the Ubiquity, being pro-sumer gear, has.

Or just get a Mesh network kit.

 

[SamirD]

We had problems like this in our apartment where we had a lot of other signals in the airwaves. If you've got a lot of that type of 'noise', you need to set the ap channels to 'auto' if they are not already set to auto. And even then you will have to put up with the issues.

What I don't understand is why you don't have more things wired if you have the jacks since that will take a big load off your wireless.

 

[KonaWA]

Sounds like you either need some Ubiquity AP gear (with hand-off), or a Mesh product (Orbi, Google, AiMesh, etc.).

It could be your wireless device is latching onto one of your APs, and not "letting go", as consumer gear often "holds on" to a signal, even when a better signal on a different SSID is within range. You need a network of APs with the "handoff" feature, which the Ubiquity, being pro-sumer gear, has.

Or just get a Mesh network kit.

Thanks - even when I manually switch the network on my phone and connect I have full wifi connection but in & out data transmission. Maybe mesh is the answer but was trying to avoid having to buy more kit. The router worked fine at first so maybe there is something wrong with my phone.

 

[KonaWA]

We had problems like this in our apartment where we had a lot of other signals in the airwaves. If you've got a lot of that type of 'noise', you need to set the ap channels to 'auto' if they are not already set to auto. And even then you will have to put up with the issues.

What I don't understand is why you don't have more things wired if you have the jacks since that will take a big load off your wireless.

The only gear to be wired is the computer and it is. Would be inconvenient to wire mobile phones and iPads (if this is even possible, wires would be all over the place). I will doublecheck if they are on Auto, I believe they are. Thanks

 

[Eric Fazekas]

You'll probably be chasing your tail until you bite the bullet and go to a mesh network. Since you have Ethernet througout the house you'll be able to take advantage of one of the mesh systems with a wired backhaul. For this reason, and others I went with Linksys Velop. It's been a couple of years so if I researched it today my choice may be different.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Refurb TP-Link DECO M4 Mesh network, AC1200, three nodes (identical units), 2x GigE on all, can be used with wired back-haul (see some of the YT review videos). Pretty decent for the money. No web setup, MUST BE DONE USING SMARTPHONE APP.

Anyways, Refurb for $109.99 today at @ Newegg, on ShellShocker. Normal retail is $170-$180 MSRP.

 

[SamirD]

Ubiquiti > consumer mesh (and probably cheaper too)

 

[SamirD]

The only gear to be wired is the computer and it is. Would be inconvenient to wire mobile phones and iPads (if this is even possible, wires would be all over the place). I will doublecheck if they are on Auto, I believe they are. Thanks

If it's possible to wire your access points, that will give you a nice wired backbone and solve the issues. Wifi repeaters aren't great unless they have their own wireless backhaul.

 

[KonaWA]

If it's possible to wire your access points, that will give you a nice wired backbone and solve the issues. Wifi repeaters aren't great unless they have their own wireless backhaul.

Thanks - thats really the problem with my question. Every room is wired and connected back to the main router. I plug in the secondary wireless router and have set as just as an AP with same SSID, different SSID, as a stand alone router (tried all 3) and the data transmission I am getting is rubbish.

 

[SamirD]

Thanks - thats really the problem with my question. Every room is wired and connected back to the main router. I plug in the secondary wireless router and have set as just as an AP with same SSID, different SSID, as a stand alone router (tried all 3) and the data transmission I am getting is rubbish.

You need to turn down the transmission power on both routers until they just overlap. And also set both of them to auto channel selection. See if that helps.

 

[DaaQ]

Thanks - thats really the problem with my question. Every room is wired and connected back to the main router. I plug in the secondary wireless router and have set as just as an AP with same SSID, different SSID, as a stand alone router (tried all 3) and the data transmission I am getting is rubbish.

Are all wireless devices off this AP behaving the same? It maybe the AP wifi is going out. If it is specific to a device then maybe device.

 

[KonaWA]

Thanks everyone. I ended up having the provider come out and they installed one of their APs. Works much better because it appears to hand-off better between the main.