you guys have any recommendations on some good WiFi extender/repeaters? my router is buried in a media closet on the 1st floor and with plaster walls, i see massive signal drops on the second floor... couple that with an addition we just did on the far side of the house, i'm trying to see if there is a good extender/repeater...

i found this that got pretty good reviews...

https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ext...Bextender&th=1

 

i've been wanting to try out the "mesh" routers. but not keen on dropping $350 if my current router does an okay job

 

THis is the one i use at home but honestly, i hate wifi extenders, they don't work as well as I'd like. I'd much rather set up another Access Point and set up a Wireless distribution system with DD-WRT or the like. I find it much more reliable.

 

something like this?


or this?


i wanted to do the Ubi but i can't drop a CAT6 line in the ceiling very easily from my router... or is there a way to connect it wirelessly now?

 

Dang Ubiquity...

Basically any dd-wrt supported router has a mode where you can repeat the wireless signal :

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

 

Do the Ubiquiti. I'd been looking at this since earlier this year to get better wi-fi coverage, but I opted to get an Asus RT-AC3100 instead (~$60 price was too hard to resist) and use my older router as an access point.

No way to set it up wirelessly (that I'm aware of) since it's a PoE device. Your Cat cable goes into power injection unit which connects to a power outlet and another Cat cable goes out from injection unit to the Ubiquiti

I'm very likely going to get this to replace my older router (now AP) since it's outdated and manufacturer won't be releasing a firmware update for it to fix WPA2 KRACK exploit. Ubiquiti is already patched.

 

yea i saw that it was PoE so figured i'd need some sort of hardline. i knew i should of ran an extra CAT6 when the walls were open... dammit!!!

hmm... would powerline adapters work any better as a source to feed the signal to the AP?

 

It's not too late to run it now! I just did my fiance's house a few months ago, so worth it! Just need a long auger bit ( https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...3719/203872161), some fish tape ( or one of these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-To...6406/204178255) Some Cat 6 from monoprice and you'll be golden!


I personally have not had good luck with Powerline adapters. YMMV

 

i'm not about to cut holes into my new walls that i just painted... also, it's harder for me to fish because silly me trying to be ahead of the game also insulated the interior walls for sound... fail...

 

All I hear are excuses and poor internet connections


Insulation Explains the poor wireless connectivity in the house

 

Eero is a very solid system. We've deployed it in a few clients houses with no issues. Each unit has two ethernet ports that you can use like a bridge to a switch or directly to something that needs a hard line. We use Ubiquiti APs as well and have several dozen clients with them all operating with success. We've covered 6,000 sq ft houses with one AP when placed correctly (center of house on ceiling of the top floor). In most cases, we have coverage out in the yards as well with the one AP.

 

yea i figured the new parts of the house would be drywall and let through lots of sound through the bedroom walls... ... the original house is plaster over wallboards... so to keep it consistent, before they sheetrocked the addition, i paid extra to have roxul installed... i guess my OCD wasn't good enough to remember to run an extra CAT6 line... dammit!!!

but my issue now is that where i would have to fish the wire to get to the second floor would be on the old side of the house... so that would require cutting into the plaster... and i suck at patching plaster... hmm... maybe i just deal with a wifi extender like you have... i mean is it just terrible?

 

We use Uni-Fi's at work and they're great. The AP Pro is kinda lame, ended up having issues with those but their AC Pros are great. AC lite isn't bad either it just doesn't support the PoE standard.

I'm not a fan of wireless extenders

 

Use push rods instead of fish tape. Did you insulate the interior walls too?

 

OH SNAPP You got Roxul in there?! That stuff is DENSE but as hell. I was just watching videos about it's sound deadening qualities and fire proof-iness. I notice a latency issue when connecting to them. Plus the one I got has issues with having the same SSID so I have to use the same SSID but with _EXT extension on it. Overall a setup for the front office where I'm in now. I couldn't in good conscience recommend wireless extenders either. Just cut 1 properly sized 1 gang hole, install one of these low voltage brackets: https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-Gang-N...00RR/100160916, get a 1 keystone faceplate to cover it up: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerci...1-WH/206428112 and you won't need to patch anything... FFS, I have extras of all this I'll gladly send you. CMON Kam, do it right and be done with it


:

Oh Stunna...

 

LOL

 

Then get a set of push rods since one 6ft rod won't be enough. I've used push rods to run cable up a wall with insulation. As long as there aren't any cross beams it's doable. It can be frustrating and it's best to do it with two people, one in the attic and one down below to grab the rod from the hole.

 

If he put in Roxul, I'm sure they'll have some sort of fire blocks halfway down the ceiling. hence the suggestion for the extra long drill bit. Just be careful and don't drill into the walls like I did


Time to get your hands dirty Kam

 

The newer AC lite units support 802.3af/at now.

https://community.ubnt.com/t5/UniFi-...e/td-p/1999465

 

hmmm... i just remembered that i did run three CAT6 lines up to the attic from the basement for my IP Surveillance system... maybe i forgo one of the exterior cameras and repurpose one of the runs for the AP.... that would be the easiest...

think think think...

 

i highly recommend it. for a few extra bucks, it really cuts down the noise and during install, and it isn't itchy... it's my go to when i don't do spray foam... originally the thought was to only do the common wall between the bathroom and the hallway... to cut down on the noise of the water inside PVC pipes... then i said f' it just do all the walls...

 

Now you're thinking outside of the box!
Yeah, just let me know which one you plan on re-purposing for.... purposes. :thief:

 

You could put a 5 port POE switch in the attic and have 5 cameras up there on a single Cat6 line, use one other for the AP and leave one for the future...

 

Genius!!!

 

That's a first...

Here are some switches:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...90%20600052103

 

next question to the pros... what's the chances of the switch surviving in an attic???

 

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...9SIA2F84H62204Environmental

TemperatureOperating Temperature: 0 degree C ~ 40 degree C (32 degree C ~ 104 degree C)
Storage Temperature: -40 degree C ~ 70 degree C (-40 degree C ~ 158 degree C)HumidityOperating Humidity: 10% ~ 90%RH non-condensing
Storage Humidity: 5% ~ 95%RH non-condensing


Just read up on all the operating temp specs.

 

Also, if you have an access panel to the attic in the ceiling of a room, you could place the switch on top of/next to the access panel, as the panels are rarely insulated and heat from below would still get to the switch. Honestly, cold shouldn't be an issue for it, have you been in a data center? :freezing:

Now, if getting too hot is an issue, you could look for a switch with active cooling (fans). Avoid the ones advertised as "silent" as these are usually heat sink models instead of fans.

 

He's in NJ, I think he's more worried about cold than heat with winter coming up

 

Sheeeet, the colder you can get that switch the better IMO...

 

Why do you have to put the switch in the attic? Where do the cables terminate? If they run to your router then put the switch there next to your router.

 

again? you seriously don't read posts to the end do you?

 

0/2 stunna

 

Yeah I didn't read his. So if your other network equipment are in the basement why wouldn't you put the PoE switch there?

 

Are the cable runs to the attic straight runs? Would it be possible to use one of the existing cables to pull 2 more cables up to the attic? Or use an existing cable to pull a pull string to the attic, then use the pull string to pull one cable, then another cable...You'll need a couple hundred feet of pull string...

 

it wouldn't be possible... i used to have a wire chase in that wall next to the main stack, but when we added the bath, we had to take the chase out to make room for the 4" sewer line and the gas line for the second floor HVAC unit... so while the walls were open, i pulled the lines... it wouldn't be easy to use those lines to pull it because there are some turns and even with the walls open the wires snagged on a few of the pipes... it would be going up 2 stories...

i think stogie's idea of using a splitter for the cameras is the best idea... it leaves me one to use for an AP and another as a spare later down the road...

 

 

Because the limiting factor is the actual cable pulls

Stogies option looks like the best one for now to minimize pulling new cable. You have power in the attic right?

 

yep plenty of power in the attic i can tap... i had to run new lines for furnace and lights and plugs... so i have power options up there...

 

Also, scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see the other 4 mesh systems sold on amazon and their ratings.