Question Need to extend signal from AT&T Gateway

[Ketchup]

I have a friend who only has AT&T DSL internet service available. For that service, they use a Gateway. They had given (or leant him) an Arris NVG 589 at some point. I didn't look too hard into this thing one I found that it was fairly old and somewhat limited in the wireless technology it supported. Since his internet speed was much slower than it should be, (based on a speed test compared with the plan he had)
I recommended he call ATT to check on his service and see if they could get him a better unit. So he now has an Arris bgw210-700 which seems to be a better unit as far as wireless technology supported.

The problem is, he is reporting that wireless hasn't improved much, if any. The main concern is a workshop just outside the house (maybe 10 feet), but I think wireless in the house is pretty slow as well (I haven't been out since the "upgrade"). I am looking for recommendations for extending this wireless network. With this DSL Modem/Gateway, would I be best off with a couple range extenders? Would a mesh work with this? He bought a couple cheap ones a year or so ago, and I helped him set the in initially, but I don't think they are doing much of anything now, as they show full signal and Internet connection on the laptop right next to one of them, but web pages load very slowly, if at all. Now that he is consulting me before buying, I want to get him something that works well. I just don't know enough about these gateways.

 

[Tech Junky]

@Ketchup
First thing you need to do is test wired from the DSL gateway and see what the throughput is compared to the plan speed.

If it's acceptable within ~80% of the plan speed you can go from there. If it's not then you need to push ATT to fix their crap and check the line path from the DSLAM to the CPE and make sure there are no loads / coils on the line path. If everything checks out and the speeds are still slow then it's time to find a better provider.

My location for ATT offers something stupid like 45mbps for $50/mo. I always preferred cable to ATT anyway because for $100 I can get gigabit speeds. Well, recently I got curious about 5G FWA and got T-Mobile for $50/mo w/o any caps. Since I'm not in the best position for the signals I tend to sit at ~200mbps / 70mbps but, if I take the gateway outside and about 50 feet from the building I can hit 600/100 speeds.

For the raping for DSL prices / speeds it might be worthwhile to look into TM / VZW for wireless internet for the same price and 3-10X the speed.

As to the Mesh / extenders.... they're usually junk / band aid options. If he really needs internet in the workshop extend an Ethernet cable w/ an AP. An AP will cover more area ~1500sq ft for ~$150. I can be in any corner of my place (1300sq ft) and still get top speeds with a single AP.

 

[Ketchup]

Hey folks. Wasn't sure if anyone would reply. We tried a powerline ethernet adapter, as he felt power was going straight from the house to the workshop, but there must have been some interfere between the two because this did not work. So I re-positioned the wireless gateway (they had it sitting on the floor under a desk) and moved the second extender just outside the workshop, inside a weather-protected outlet. He can now access the internet at his workshop. Not perfect, but much better than it was.

 

[Tech Junky]

Yeah, under a desk won't get you much distance or speed.

Should still look into the other options though for something as bit more permanent. The 5G option would be really valuable for the same price as DSL. It would open the door to much more content w/o waiting.