(Part 2) Best products from r/HomeNetworking

TL/DR: a bit of background and personal experience ultimately suggesting that you run some network cable, and look into a full Ubiquiti setup with USG router, PoE switch & NanoHD Wi-Fi AP’s for around $400 including cabling, provided you’re not planning on upgrading your internet to faster than 1Gbps soon.


I’m not familiar with coax cable internet, but assume you can get some sort of Ethernet handoff from your modem?


Either way, make the effort and run some CAT6 cabling for Wi-Fi AP’s, and key devices too if possible.


My network setup in my 1150 square foot apartment, works perfectly on my 200Mbps fibre connection and would cost you around $483 for the following:

• Router: MikroTik RB3011 ($150) - https://www.amazon.com/Mikrotik-RB3011UIAS-RM-RouterBOARD-10xGigabit-Ethernet/dp/B01EL7TF9E
  
  
  
• Wi-Fi: 2x Ubiquiti NanoHD’s ($149 each)- https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Compact-802-11ac-Enterprise-UAP-NanoHD-US/dp/B07DWW3P6K
  
  
  
• Switch: Netgear 5-Port gigabit unmanaged Switch ($35) - https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Protection-GS105NA/dp/B0000BVYT3
  
  
  I host the Ubiquiti Controller on a Windows PC acting as my home storage & media server and keep this running as a service (not necessary I know, but I like the stats).
  
  
  My network serves a mixture of around 30 devices, consisting of phones, tablets, computers, my home storage & media server, IoT devices, home theatre & TV’s all whilst doing some online gaming myself in the mix without hiccup. Hiccups are generally self-induced by my fiddling on the network. But from a stability and capability aspect, it’s perfect for me.
  
  
  I’ve previously used the “cheaper” MikroTik RB2011 ($102), which could also work for you - https://www.amazon.com/MikroTik-RB2011UiAS-RM-Routerboard-Rackmount-5xGbit/dp/B00DYWE2Z0
  
  
  However, if you you were already considering Ubiquiti Wi-Fi AP’s, then possibly consider going with a full Ubiquiti setup, by getting one of their routers & Wi-Fi AP’s? Ubiquiti’s UniFi range is quite impressive and I too like the commercial appeal of their products, so I’m slowly shifting my network over to a full Ubiquiti one (don’t tell my wife). A Ubiquiti setup could cost you between $384 with 1 AP and $533 with 2 AP’s... (although I feel you may need at least 2 AP’s)... excluding the cost of the cabling needed.
  
  
  But if I were you, I’d look into a setup like:
  
  
  
• Router: UniFi Security Gateway USG (+/- $128) - https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Security-Gateway-USG/dp/B00LV8YZLK
  
  
  
• Switch: UniFi 8-Port PoE Switch (+/- $107) -
  https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UniFi-Switch-60W-US-8-60W/dp/B01MU3WUX1
  
  
  
• And at least 1 Wi-Fi AP: UniFi NanoHD ($149) - https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Compact-802-11ac-Enterprise-UAP-NanoHD-US/dp/B07DWW3P6K
  
  
  If you could, the more robust UniFi USG-Pro 4 (tad bit expensive) would be a great router as I’ve read that the standard USG can cause speed issues with speeds above 500Mbps, when enabling nice-to-have features like its Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS). These features are not necessary, but nice if you’re like me and like the stats and functionality they bring.
  
  
  
• USG-Pro 4 ($379) - https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Security-Gateway-USG-PRO-4/dp/B019PBEI5W
  
  
  Good luck and enjoy the setup once you decide and get the kit. Always fun setting up a new network gear.
  
  
  edit:
  
  
• fixed typos and sentence structure.
  
  
• forgot I had a 5-port Netgear switch. Added that info & updated prices.
  
  
• fixed link for RB3011.

Ubiquiti UniFi is the way to go here. It's a whole business-grade system that's managed from a controller, which makes managing any number of devices similar to managing a single wireless router like you're probably used to.

First you'll need the router. It's a router only, without a switch or AP built in, so just connect the WAN1 port to your modem/ONT and the LAN1 port to your main switch.

Second, you'll need access points (APs). There are three main choices here, each with its own pros and cons:

AP Lite: Small and cheap, but still fast, supports two 2.4 GHz streams and two 5 GHz streams (AC1200). This is the best choice if you'll be getting several APs, which will probably be necessary for you because of all the concrete. If you don't have any devices that support three or four 5 GHz streams, you'll get no benefit from faster APs.

AP Pro: Faster, more expensive, and physically larger than the Lite. Has three streams each of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz (AC1750). This is the thing to get if you have lots of 2.4 GHz only devices, as nothing else has this many 2.4 GHz streams.

NanoHD AP: The 5 GHz heavy hitter. Four 5 GHz streams with MU-MIMO, plus two 2.4 GHz streams (AC2030). Slightly more expensive than the Pro, and the same size as the Lite. Supports skins, which allow it to blend in with most common decor. If you have lots of 5 GHz devices that support 3-4 streams, this is the thing to get.

All those APs are intended for ceiling mounting. If you've got any rooms where you have an Ethernet wall jack, but can't really ceiling mount an AP, there's a perfect solution: The In-wall AP. It converts an Ethernet wall jack to an AP with two Ethernet ports on the bottom. Its speeds are equivalent to the Lite. It also comes in a Pro version, with speeds equivalent to the ceiling-mount Pro.

All these APs are powered by PoE (Power over Ethernet) so they don't need power run to them. They include a PoE injector, or you can power them with a PoE switch.

Lastly, you'll need a switch. There are quite a few options here, it depends on your budget and the number of cables you have. The cheapest option is a basic, unmanaged gigabit switch with at least enough ports for everything. These are commonly available with anywhere from from 5 ports to 24 ports. You'll need to use PoE injectors to power your APs with such a switch. The second option is to still use a large unmanaged switch for wall jacks and such, and connect it to a smaller PoE switch that'll power your APs. Prices of PoE switches increase RAPIDLY with the number of PoE ports they have, so try not to get more than you need. The third and most expensive option is a single big PoE switch that has enough ports for everything... something like this.

There's actually one more thing you need... the controller. You can install this on basically anything that has an Ethernet connection to the network, and it doesn't need to run all the time. You only need to run it for initial setup, and for firmware upgrades and configuration changes down the line. A few features, such as traffic monitoring and the Wi-Fi guest portal, require it to always be online. If you do want it to run all the time, it's best to install it on a dedicated, low-power device. The cheapest solution for this is a Raspberry Pi, but it takes some time and know-how to get it set up and running. Ubiquiti makes their own dedicated device for this as well, the Cloud Key. That's the original one, they also have a newer one with a backup battery, which prevents data corruption in a power outage.

Hello! Thank you for your quick and detailed answer!

From what I've learned here and also in another (german) forum I posted this, it seems like Powerline "does the trick" but is far from being optimal. So I'll try to avoid that. MoCA seems to be a very good alternative but I cant find a way to buy it here in Austria(Germany would also work) and it also seems to be pretty expensive (lets say 3 adapters each 99$/80€ + an AP for each one).

However, the AP you posted seems to be very strong. I've read a few of the comments/reviews on Amazon and there where quiet a lot of people saying how strong the signal is and how well it works.

Some background to my "situation": The basement is where my father will live and he is not very demanding in terms of WiFi speed. Its important for him to have access but his needs are very simple (no online gaming or HD-Movie-Streaming). Ground and top floor are "my area" this is where I need very good connection. I also though about the layout of the house and appearently my dads "office" and his bedroom are right underneath my living room.

Lets for a moment overthrow all of the setup mentioned in the OP and try a different and much simpler thing:

As far as I know the Modem on the top floor gets its "Internet" (sorry if I sound dumb) from an Coax Plug. So it should be possible to just move the whole thing to a different plug on the base floor. (Is it that simple?).

If that would work I could just try to buy one of the Ubiquiti AP-AC-LITE you mentioned, connect it to the modem and place it in a relatively central position.

Since the signal output of the AP seems to be very good it might actually work well enough for my dad in the basement, while providing excellent speed for the base and top floor.

So given that it is that easy to move the modem, would that be an option? Or am I overseeing something here? Because that would be WAY cheaper and take way less effort.

Hey, I'm glad I can talk about this with someone who is interested! No worries of annoying me with your question, networking is my passion.

An unmanaged gigabit switch would be fine for 99% of normal setups. Having a managed switch that supports VLANs will allow more flexibility in how you decide to connect devices logically but in a normal house, it's not necessary. If you start having a lab to play with, security camera you want on a different network, or a guest wifi with users that shouldn't be able to see your other devices, the managed switch becomes a necessity. Honestly, switching hardware for unmanaged switches are probably all made in the same Broadcom factory in China, so any brand will do. When you go for a managed switch, then software quality matters and spending a little more can avoid large frustrations later on.

For a 1Gbps internet link, there are two kinds of setup possible. If you have a larger house, or can't place the router centrally, I would recommend a "separate devices setup" with the Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite, a switch like the Netgear Prosafe GS116E if VLANs are needed or the TP-Link TL-SG108 if they aren't needed and on the AP side, one or two of the Ubiquiti AP AC Lite, or if you want more speed the AP AC Pro. This would allow you to make use of the 1Gbps you get.

You could also go for an integrated unit like the Nighthawk R7000 or the Asus RT-AC68U. If you have a smaller house or apartment and the router can be placed centrally, this is probably the most cost-effective setup.

For something not Ubiquiti, I would suggest Mikrotik, as they will have something that supports 1Gbps routing. They also have nice APs. They have a lot of models though, so I can't say which one would work best.

There are so many choices it's hard to be able to say "this is the best device for you". There are combinations that I know they will work well, but there are so many options I don't know them all.

> CAT 6 "ends" (jacks? plugs?)

In ITU nomenclature, the male end of a cable is a plug, and the female receptacle in the wall is a jack.

> We just purchased a new house and it has 3 runs of CAT 6 cable, but no "ends." I only need 6 ends, where is the best place to order them from?

Slow down. You need to determine what type of cable you have in your house first. 95% it will be solid-core cable. Solid-core can be identified from the cut end as each of the eight wires will be a single copper wire. Solid-core will also be stiffer, and tend to hold a bend.

If you have stranded-core, things change and you do need to spend a bit more on tools.

If you have solid-core (which you should, and is better in this case) you need to terminate to female jacks. Jacks can be found in any home-improvement store, as well as online. Keystone-style jacks are the most convenient especially for new installers. If you're in the US you want something like this.

If you also need to mount these in the wall, you want to ad a low-voltage, old-work box (which are open in the back and usually black or orange) and a keystone face-plate. All of these are available in multi-gang, and multiple ports-per-gang, as well as decora-style if you're nitpicky like me.

For just a few drops, I would look at your local big-box home improvement store first. They will be a little more expensive per-drop, but probably cheaper for the entire project. They will also accept returns when you buy the wrong part and can help you find compatible products.

> Also, are the ends tricky to install or could a person with no experience figure it out pretty easily?

You can do it yourself pretty easily. The jacks should come with instructions and a small plastic tool. If you have trouble, there are dozens of posts in this sub with advice. Also, you probably know someone who can help you out for the cost of a 6-pack. Most IT professionals can do this.

When punching down (connecting the cable to the jack) there will be two different "orders" you can put the individual wires in. It doesn't matter which one you use as long as both ends are the same. However, in the US, order "B" is the most common.

The following are the tools I used to add a new cable line for MoCA to an old room on my land:

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*NOTE: THIS SETUP DOES NOT APPLY TO A FIOS SERVICE PROVIDER.*

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(optional) MoCA POE Filter for Cable TV Coaxial Networking - This goes onto the incoming COAX Cable. Sometimes your provider does use the same frequency as the MoCA signal to manage with its devices. So This makes sure that your signal is safe to use, and doesn't interfere with your providers own management. This is optional because it depends on your layout. If you live in an apartment complex or area with multiple houses connected (wall to wall) , I HIGHLY recommend you purchase this to prevent your neighbors from receiving and possibly connecting to your network. You should connect this as follows: |Incoming COAX > MoCA POE Filter|

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2-Way Coax Cable Splitter Bi-Directional MoCA - This allowed me to split my incoming cable so that I can reuse the same line leading to the outside of my house. You can also use it if all your lines are internal, but I digress. It allows you to split and connect multiple rooms (while being safe for MoCA signals). Ideally it goes: | Incoming COAX > MoCA POE Filter > MoCA Cable Splitter > Every room you want connected (including router) |

​

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MOTOROLA MOCA Adapter for Ethernet Over Coax, 1,000 Mbps Bonded 2.0 - This is what you use to connect both ( or more) ends of the MoCA network. At the end of it all, this is how your network should look:

The internet comes into your house via | Incoming Coax > MoCA POE Filter > MoCA Cable Splitter > COAX Cable leading to MoCA Adapter > MoCA Adapter > Modem > Router (WAN port). |

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At this point your router is connected to the internet. The connection to the rest of your house is a follows: | Router via LAN port > MoCA Adapter that's connecting to your Modem > MoCA signal travels down your internet Coax > returns to the MoCA Cable Splitter > Coax split from cable splitter, leading to other section of house > MoCA Adapter > Device or switch |

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(optional) QUAD SHIELD SOLID COPPER 3GHZ RG-6 Coax Cable - I needed to order cable because the room I connected had no coax leading to it. If you need to buy cable, make sure you measure the distance away from the splitter, BASED ON the path you plan to lay the COAX cable on. Then add a few feet "just in case". If you don't need to run new cable, this is a non issue, and can be safely not purchased. Also, this particular cable was not pre-terminated, so I had to terminate and crimp the ends myself which may not be for everyone. Pre-made cables are available, albeit a bit more expensive.

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(optional) Waterproof Connectors Crimping Tool - This is the tool I used to crimp my COAX cable. If you don't need to terminate your own cables, you don't need to buy this tool.

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(optional) Rotary Drill Bit - I only needed this because I had to drill in from the outside (old house). You may also need to use this if you have to add a new hole in your wall, for a brand new coax connection. Needless to say, this is optional.

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(optional) Coaxial Wall Plate - I used this to add the coax cable to my wall. It makes it look nice but isn't "technically" necessary. Use it as you see fit.

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(optional) 3ft BLACK QUAD SHIELD SOLID COPPER 3GHZ RG-6 Coaxial Cable - This connects the coax wall plate to the branched off network (and devices) Use as you see fit.

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*NOTE: THIS SETUP DOES NOT APPLY TO A FIOS SERVICE PROVIDER.*

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If you have any questions, let me know. all the items I listed above can be swapped out for cheaper or more locally accessible items at will. Just be sure yo do your research first.

You seem to be confused by marketing nonsense started at Linksys after Bill Gates suggested the phrase. There are two main integrated components here. One is the router (really a router + switch) and the other is the wifi access point.

You should return the model that you purchased. The best quality router that I could suggest would be the Ubiquiti ER-X, $50 and it has no integrated wifi access point. The reason why it is he best is due to the smart queue, which helps with bufferbloat. That does not solve your actual problem, but it makes as much sense as talking about stronger routers and makes my point that your wifi AP is a separate function that should be treated separately. Before I address that m, I should say that you will not regret getting the ER-X if you decide to do it. Its smart queue will fix the issue of web pages being slow when you are downloading things that you probably blamed on your ISP.

As for fixing your wifi, you will probably want multiple access points configured to use the same SSID and encryption. Then place them at strategic locations on your property and configure them to use non-overlapping channels. That will allow roaming between APs and allow your Netflix streams to go over the nearest one without causing one to step on another. Multiple Unifi AC Lite APs at $70 each would work nicely.

If for some reason you do not want to do that, you could try buying a used Ruckus Zoneflex 7982 off eBay. They get far better range than other access points due to their antenna array that does advanced beamforming and custom radio that had higher RX sensitivity than other radios. I have been testing one and I can get 140Mbps on 5GHz from about 40ft away with 4 to 5 ft of (drywall) walls in between my laptop and the AP. If you buy one, you will need to purchase a power supply separately because they do not come with them. They are mostly meant to be powered by 802.11af PoE and there are cheap adapters that you can buy to provide that. For example:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Injector-TL-PoE150S/dp/B001PS9E5I

You could be looking at ~$110 for the AP and a power supply. Note that those APs are EOL, despite being the best in the world 5 years ago. That is why you can purchase them used off eBay for between $90 to $120 rather than their original MSRP of $1099. They still work well. I gave one to my uncle for Christmas and set it up for him. A few days later, I asked him how he liked it and he replied it was the best Christmas present ever. He went across the street from his house and had a weak, but usable 2.4GHz signal on his phone. At 2.4GHz, it covers his entire property and likely his next door neighbor's entire property too. If I had to guess, his property is something between 150ft by 150ft and 200ft by 200ft. The Ruckus is located on top of a tall piece of furniture on the second floor to try to minimize obstructions.

That said, your mileage can vary, but either of the APs I suggested work nicely (especially if you go with multiple ones). In my experience, one centrally placed Ruckus zoneflex 7982 will cover the same area as two Unifi AC Lite APs, although top speeds are lower near the AP because the zoneflex 7982 is 802.11n while the Unifi APs are 802.11ac. I would expect the Unifi AP speeds to fall below the Ruckus unit at 25 ft with a couple feet of wall in between, although I did not verify it. I just know that they only do 110Mbps at about 30ft with 3 to 4 ft of wall and the Ruckus does 140Mbps at about 40ft with 4 to 5ft of wall. I did not explicitly measure distance and thickness, so those numbers are approximate and more accurate taken relatively than absolutely.

Personally, i'd opt for this instead of that tp-link plastic one. It's a few bucks more, but has a great track record.

http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-GS105NA-Prosafe-5-Port-Gigabit/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1459347764&sr=1-3&keywords=5+port+gigabit

The CMR looks good, though monoprice wire is cheaper for the same quality (spend some of that difference on the metal 5 port gige switch I pointed out above):

http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-1000-Feet-500Mhz-Copper-Ethernet/dp/B008I8AJIY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459347852&sr=1-1&keywords=monoprice+cat+6+cmr

I would also recommend against crimping your own cables. Solid core is not meant for crimping. Patch cables are super cheap, are certified for the speed, and in most cases save you time and money vs crimping your own.

Get this punchdown tool, it has both 110 and krohn. A lot of punchdowns are universal, and with those, the krohn works better.

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Punch-Krone-Blade-TC-PDT/dp/B0000AZK4D/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459348192&sr=1-1&keywords=trendnet+punch+down+tool

Source: I built this and wired my house to 1GigE

https://imgur.com/9vhZYS1

I have that ASUS RT-N66U and it's been more than capable of all of my demands. I usually have around 13 devices on the network and it does well. Granted all of those devices aren't using the network at all times but the only issues I've had with any performance issues is due to poor signal (from basement to upstairs bedroom) so not really a problem in the sense that it's bad router, just my implementation. It also has a ton of features so if you want to delve deeper into networking it has a good range of extra stuff you can do if you're into that sort of thing.

I've got 100 Mbps from Comcast and whenever I have strong connection I get my full bandwidth (and then some) according to Speedtest. Looks like you'll have around 10 devices and depending on what your connection is the Asus router should be more than capable of serving all your needs. I've mine for a couple of years now and as I said earlier, no issues.

I might recommend spending a little extra and getting one that has wireless AC on it. That way whenever you upgrade devices that have AC capability you can use it and you'll be a little more "future proof."

Here's a link to basically the same router, but with AC: RT-AC66U

Another suggestion I have would be to go ahead and buy your own cable modem. This is modem I have. Since I own it I can take it with me. I don't get charged monthly to rent the modem/router combo from Comcast. You don't have to do this, but for a lot of people (including myself), it's nice being able to control your own hardware. I know that I received a new unit and not some refurbished unit that who knows how many people have used before me (this applies to routers as well).

Buying your own stuff and getting it set up is easy enough. Usually just have to call customer support or something and give what numbers they ask for. Then you're not paying extra per month to rent a modem.

Just my 2 cents on the matter. This response turned out a little longer that I thought it would, sorry 'bout that. Hope it helps.

Hi,

yes, Separate modem + Router is always better than Combo devices but it also depends on your needs and use-cases

read this link and see where you land:
http://pickmymodem.com/cable-modem-wi-fi-modem-router-combo-one-buy/

for Suggestions om Combo devices:

1. C7000 AC1900 is pretty good http://amzn.to/2nbGF21
   
2. Motorola MG7550 is good as well and I have seen many good reviews http://amzn.to/2nB50PR
   
   Both of these are Broadcom based and dont have latency issue which has plagued Puma6. Dont buy Low power WIFI Combos as you will regret later.
   
   If you have high budget, I suggest you go separate modem + Separate Router
   
   Modems:
   http://pickmymodem.com/approved-modems-for-xfinity-internet-service/
   
   SB6183 (http://amzn.to/2minyUV) OR CM600 (http://amzn.to/2mG4zPi) are good choices
   
   
   Routers:
   NETGEAR R7000 AC1900 (http://amzn.to/2qnhZG2) OR TPLink Archer C9 (http://amzn.to/2pRApP3)
   
   Mesh??:
   Do you want Best WIFI range and have budget? then go for MESH WIFI systems:
   
3. NETGEAR Orbi RBK50 Kit http://amzn.to/2pq1ojA
   
4. Google MESH WIFI system http://amzn.to/2qmYqO7
   
   
   
   

So it looks like there are two active coax connections from the corner where the modem is to the open space in the living room (and the other rooms as well. One is for TV and one for telephone, they tell me. Can you recommend some good MoCA adapters considering price to quality ratio and then what some decent options for APs might be? Are both of the cables in the wall usable with the MoCA adapters? Thanks for the suggestion.

Edit: I saw it mentioned here yesterday and am looking at Ubiquiti Networks UAP-AC-LITE WLAN access point right now. Seems commercial grade and maybe a bit of overkill but it's not prohibitively expensive. I won't be able to ceiling mount it though so I am not sure if something like this is the best option. Would another configurable router along the lines of the AC68U be good to make an access point with?

The MoCA adapters seem to be surprisingly expensive though ...

Edit2: So it looks like what might be my cheapest viable option to start is buying a pair of MoCA adapters and then use my AC68U as a wired access point set up in the living room (main open space) using my ISP modem/router as the gateway. It seems I could either leave the wireless access from the ISP modem on or turn it off. From what I am reading, having the second access point with redundant SSID and password information should allow for hand-off from one device to another?

>Personally, i'd opt for this instead of that tp-link plastic one. It's a few bucks more, but has a great track record.
http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-GS105NA-Prosafe-5-Port-Gigabit/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1459347764&sr=1-3&keywords=5+port+gigabit

Same guts? I picked the plastic... cus Im cheap but mostly because I think the front ports look sloppy in a HT cabinet or on a desk.

>The CMR looks good, though monoprice wire is cheaper for the same quality (spend some of that difference on the metal 5 port gige switch I pointed out above):
http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-1000-Feet-500Mhz-Copper-Ethernet/dp/B008I8AJIY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459347852&sr=1-1&keywords=monoprice+cat+6+cmr

Thanks! swapped for monoprice

>I would also recommend against crimping your own cables. Solid core is not meant for crimping.

ok then, I really wasn't looking forward to crimping a dozen cable but I felt like Ill have so much cat6 it would be a waste not to make my own.

>Get this punchdown tool, it has both 110 and krohn. A lot of punchdowns are universal, and with those, the krohn works better.
http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Punch-Krone-Blade-TC-PDT/dp/B0000AZK4D/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459348192&sr=1-1&keywords=trendnet+punch+down+tool

So what your saying is most of these keytones labeled 110 will except a krohn style punch? Id like minimize my cost and the 110/66 punch I linked is basically in my hands, its still worth going with this other tool?

So should I bother with the crimper/rj45 ends at all? Just buy a pack of 3ft patch cables and be done with it?

>Source: I built this and wired my house to 1GigE
https://imgur.com/9vhZYS1

nice rack (giggity)

I personally would buy another router. You can easily do what /u/michrech said but it seems like you don't like the prices (which I understand).

So yes searching "wireless routers" is a good term because 9 times out of 10 wireless routers have at least 4 ports on them. If I was in your position I would buy this router, or even this one. I linked these two because I have personally used them and i haven't had any issues with them.

Configuration wise, these routers should have a "Wireless AP" mode. Which will turn off the routers DHCP and just work off your main one, if you said you're running Cat5 cable (hopefully Cat5e).

The other configuration option you can do is to login into whichever router you get and turn off the DHCP server and then only plug ethernet cables into the 1-4 ports and NOT the WAN port. This will simply extend your existing router DHCP range to this new one. So you have options.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: Both configuration options I listed do the exact same thing...just different ways of doing them.

EDIT 2: I just now saw the second option /u/michrech listed and that does seem like a very viable option. Especially if you don't have a basic understanding of how to access a router's login page. It's probably a more plug and play option.

You're right. I've never actually used an adapter, as I've always just had PoE switches available. It's nice working for a company with good available resources and funding for dev/prod upgrades often. Makes more sense to put the injector on the switch side. Still, makes no sense to use them over a PoE switch, though.

Why are you assuming I'm using Ubiquiti throughout the whole network? I have an ER-X, that's my only Ubiquiti product at home. I see tons of people recommend other brands, for instance like a TP-Link AC1750 as a decent cheaper alternative to Ubiquiti APs. And look, it doesn't ship with a PoE adapter!! Dang! https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Supports-Technology-EAP245/dp/B01N0XZ1TU/ Only ~$80, instead of ~$130 for a UAP-AC-PRO (Which on Amazon it says it doesn't come with a PoE adapter either! https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-UAP-AC-PRO-Access-Included/dp/B079DSW6XX/ ). So here's an one adapter for $20 https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PoE150S-Injector-Adapter-compliant/dp/B001PS9E5I/ but wait, it can only push 15W! My Aruba APs can draw up to 25W. So less flexible, gotta get adapters for every AP, gotta power them near the switch, what a hassle.

It'd almost be awesome if there are affordable PoE switches available! Oh, look at this 8-port Gigabit PoE Managed switch for only ~$65! https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Lifetime-compliant-TL-SG108PE/dp/B01BW0AD1W/ whereas a Unifi Switch 8 PoE is ~$110 https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UniFi-Switch-60W-US-8-60W/dp/B01MU3WUX1/ Plus, you'll probably need the cloudkey if you're gonna use UAPs, so there's another $80. And might as well throw in a USG while you're at it for another $120, since OP needs a router anyways.

So, we could do your Ubiquiti stack:

• UAP-AC-PRO - $130
  
• PoE Injector - $20
  
• USG - $130
  
• Cloudkey - $80
  
• Still will likely need some switch, unless OP has one already. USG doesn't have enough ports. Could get a good ole' Netgear GS108 for $50, only $15 cheaper than the TP-Link PoE version above, which if you're paying $20 to get an injector (and more if you need multiple injectors) that doesn't make much sense does it?
  
  And we'd see that setting up your Ubiquiti network will cost somewhere around $400.
  
  If we do the other brands:
  
  
• TP-Link 1750 - $80
  
• TP-Link SG108PE - $65
  
• We can use an ER-X as our gateway since it's relatively cheap - $60
  
  Wow, look how much simpler that is! And it only cost around $205!
  
  So, remind me again in which section it's cheaper to use the PoE injectors? OP (likely) needs a switch anyways. PoE switch is $15 more expensive than non. But you're paying $20 for one injector anyways (PoE switch is like getting (Edit: 4, not 8) injectors for only $15). Did I miss anything here?

Wiring 101. Most of this other have covered.

1. Get a plan. Where is your head in, where do you want the jacks. Plan extra now. Need 1 either net, pull 2 wires, need 2, pull four, need four, pull six. 1 big switch is better than a bunch of little switches.
   
   
2. Pull at least cat-6. Cat 6a, or cat 7 is overkill.
   
   
3. The most expensive wire you will ever pull is the one that is 1 inch too short.
   
   
4. Inside walls are your friend, outside walls hate you. Stay away from stairs( lots of wood) Bath rooms, and kitchens will have extra pipes, be careful. Don't be afraid of cutting and patching dry wall, or oyu can be like me, and pay some one else to patch the drywall.
   
   
5. Running wires in the attic, great, use zip ties with a hole, and mount them at the peak. All the AC wire is on top of the rafters so you get separation; and the next guy up their will not stand on your cables.
   
   
6. Zip ties are great. Think gentle hug, not strangulation.
   
   
7. From the attic, you can see the top plate or drywall nailer. You will be going through 3 to 4.5" of wood, make sure your drill bit is that long.
   
   
8. For the device location cut in a Orange retro ring. See the four small holes on the corners. Hold the ring face to the wall, level it, make it even with the outlet, mark the four holes. Draw a line between the four little marks and cut. You did check for a stud before hand RIGHT. Single gang can fit 6 network connections, a double gang can fit 12.
   
   9)Use Keystone jacks, and a insert, and face plates in the field. 110 punch down in the closet. I would not recommend putting male ends on( BTW they are called 8P8C), use the jacks, face plates, and 110 punch down.
   
   
9. After the hole for the jack is cut, have some one lightly tap on the ceiling. You will be close, and you have plus or minus 14.5" to be in the same stud bay. Get a small thing of Pull string, Glow rods, and some electrical tape( go cheap, as cheap as you can find.
   
   
10. Some options for getting down the wall. No insulation, you can try to drop the wire straight down, tape the end of the wire onto a glow rod, put that end into the hole and push it down. Tie some small weights to the pull string and drop it down the hole. At the bottom, use a metal coat hanger, grid ceiling wire, or thicker steel wire to form hooks. Put a small hook on one end, and a 15 to 20 degree bend about 3 to 4 inch from the end. Don't be afraid to twist the hook arround to keep tension on the wire as you guiding it out.
    
    
11. Get a good punch down tool. Pick a or b, and stick with it.
    
    
12. Buy patch cables unless you need over 20 feet.
    
    
13. I would test with a laptop with a network port, go around and plug into each jack, just make sure you turn off the wifi first.
    
    
    
    
    
    

Some general thoughts.

You included a map. AMAZING.

1. You should be able to "convert" coax to ethernet. MoCA 2.0 Bonded Adapters work wonders and basically give full ethernet speed(~16x as fast as your internet). They work so long as the coax is not being used by satellite TV. If you're using satellite TV along that run, the DECA is the next best thing. DECA is 1/8th the speed but cheap kits can be had on amazon for $20 (still ~2x as fast as your internet). If you aren't doing network transfers either works. For 90% of people it's pretty much plug two adapters in and you're done. It's almost like magic. For the remaining 10%... MoCA filters, maybe fiddling with the 500 splits some cable-guy rushed into place 20 years ago, etc. Let me emphasize, it's pretty awesome, there's a reason why the reviews on the products are so awesome.
   https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Adapter-Ethernet-Bonded-MM1000/dp/B077Y3SQXR/ (you'll likely need 2)
   https://www.amazon.com/PACK-Broadband-Ethernet-Generation-Supplies/dp/B01AYMGPIO/ (this is a paired kit)
   latency associated with MoCA is ~3ms; latency from Wifi is 3-100ms. MoCA tends to be VERY consistent.
   
   
   
2. A switch is a switch to some extent. I generally buy whatever is cheap from TP-Link or netgear. As long as it's gigabit.
   
3. The best way to improve your wifi is to probably add on another access point (or router repurposes as an AP) and set it with the same network name(SSID) and password
   https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-EAP225-V3-Wireless-Supports/dp/B0781YXFBT/
   
4. Flat ethernet cable is worse. At the same price, go for full, round ethernet... with that said, if being flat allows you to "get away" with it, it'll often work. I personally have used flat cables without issue and it often goes a long way with getting others to "approve". If your walls are white or you already have an existing cable... it disappears.
   

I have one of these in my basement right now. The depth is adjustable, so if you don't need it deep, it can be as shallow as 12in, and at 8u, its not that much space. Mounts to the wall really easily, though make sure its in a stud, because its not light. Here is what mine looks like.

It is a square hole rack, you would also need cage nuts with screw, just buy as many as you need, no need to spend the huge bucks on a full set when you don't need them.

The shelf that you see in mine is a basic 2U shelf.

I also recommend using a keystone based system, as it allows easy expansion and change. The patch panel you see in my rack is just a generic keystone patch panel, and it is filled with a bunch of cat6 keystones, which also go in the wall plates on the other end. They are punchdowns, but they make it really easy to put more in, or move them around.

The switch is a used HP procurve 1400-24g that I picked up locally with the rack.

The thing on the very bottom of the rack is a Power Distribution Unit, and its switched. I have the Modem, switch, and Samknows whitebox(that is not my router, the router is the R210ii running PFsense, the bottom server) all on the PDU so that I can shut them all off and on with ease. Even if you don't get a switched PDU, I do recommend you get a PDU, so that you can at least just run a single plug to the rack, and then have everything bundled in in the rack neatly without power cords all over the place. The specific one in my rack is here, but there are bunches of options.

What you don't see, and the other part I recommend is you get a small UPS for all your networking gear. My entire rack is all plugged into a Cyberpower 1350AVR, and while this is total overkill for just network equipment, I recommend at least a small UPS so that in the event of a power outage, your network remains up. The UPS will also keep your devices incoming power "clean", and make their inverters run cooler and last longer. Back when all I had was a router, modem, and switch on the UPS, I had a small UPS like this, and it would keep all my gear running for about 30 minutes during outages.

If you have any questions, ask away.

Looking at the spec sheet for the router, it support 802.11b/g/n in both , just not ac (as you noted). Is it a Titanium 24 or 48? If it's the 48, it also supports dual-band operation. In this case, a dual-band booster/extender may help, but remember that it'd be using your current wireless network to send its data. These devices are good for extending coverage to uncovered or poorly covered areas, not increasing wireless performance in an already covered area.

Anyways, the company is right in that getting a dual-band 802.11ac wireless access point would indeed improve your wireless performance. The one they recommended isn't a bad pick. It's not just an access point (which is all you need), but also a router and switch. For about the same cost, you could get a dedicated access point that will probably perform better than the Archer C7. The community around here is generally fans of Ubiquiti equipment like this $80 USD access point. Keep in mind it will probably require a bit more work and research than the Archer to set up.

If you're already here asking the right questions I'm confident you can get through it.

I was expecting to have to spend a couple of hours getting the AP working the way I wanted, but the whole thing literally took five minutes. It was literally, make a user account and password, assign a vlan, click next a couple of times and that was it. There would be a little more to it if you're setting up a firewall and a switch as well, but it's pretty much as easy as it can be.

You will need something to run the Ubiquiti web interface on. They sell something called a cloud key for this, but you could also use a Raspberry Pi3, since they're cheaper and do the same thing. You could also run the Ubiquiti controller software on any Linux system that you have laying around.

As for the wiring itself, what I did was get a small wall-mounted rack, like this one. Then I ran the cables to a Cat 6 patch panel, like this. From the patch panel, I ran connections to my rackmount router and switches. I've basically only ever followed the bundle of snakes cabling model in the past, so it's satisfying to have everything nice and professional looking.

I used Cable Matters stuff for wall plates and keystone jacks, etc. You'll also need a spool of CAT6 Ethernet cable, and a punchdown tool. I have a 4-way wall plate near my workstation and another 2-way near my printers.

If you do run your own connections you will want to get a cable tester. I did create one bad punchdown and this tester found it no problem. There are lots of other testers out there and I'm sure nearly all would do the job.

Good luck!

First, don't go by the antenna bars, they aren't 100% accurate. Download a speed test app, and test the speed strength when you're in your room compared to being next to the router.

I can't imagine losing that much signal strength from being down the hall. You can try moving your router closer to the middle part of your place.

Your current router isn't the latest and greatest, but it is dual band, so I would definitely setup the 5ghz network as well. 5ghz is stronger and usually has less traffic on the frequency, but it doesn't do well with distance. If you have newer phones (iPhone 5 and better), they should have an antenna for 5ghz and might improve your speed. You can easily google if your devices are compatible. Most should now be.

If that doesn't work you can look into getting a MoCa or a Powerline adapter. Don't get a wifi extender, those are crap. Also, I wouldn't bother with any new "mesh network".

If you really need to strengthen your wifi signal, it's always the best bet to run an ethernet cable and setup an Access Point (AP). This is usually the least preferred option for most people because they don't want a cable running down their hallway, or don't want to deal with the hassle of running it through the walls.

Do yourself a favor and invest in some proper equipment. For $200 you can get yourself a decent router and maybe even an AP.

The very first thing I recommend however, is determining the source of your wireless issues. Is your router simply weak? Or do you have some interferance nearby?

To find out, check out this post. There are several 3rd party utilities that accomplish the same. Determine if there are several other signals on the same channel as yours. If so, it is recommended that you use either channel 1, 6 or 11 as these do not overlap. As explained here in the wireless section.

Changing the location of the router may also improve your signal coverage. There are many factors that impact wireless and it's difficult to determine what by a reddit post.

Ok so you've identified the problem, tried to switch channels and still not content with the results. Here's what I recommend:

Get yourself a AC66U. It's dual band and AC compatible for some future proofness. I can attest to it's performance and range. User friendly and reliable. Not once have I had to reboot the thing other then to apply new settings. It supports tons of advanced features as well. More on that if you'd like.

Or get yourself a router and an AP for better coverage. An AP and a N66U.

Came here to suggest something similar. Assuming OP has decent enough bandwidth at home, you could set up a little RaspberryPi as a Wireguard (or OpenVPN/PiVPN Server) and work around network restrictions that way.

As others have mentioned, you'll need a way to route traffic within your dorm room. This could be anything from your PC with multiple NICs and network sharing enabled, to an old/unused PC running OPNsense/pfSense, or an unused router flashed with DDWRT.

I don't know what your budget is for this project, but I'm a really big fan of these little Edgerouters, which could do everything you want, and more. They have a built in switch chip, so the ER-X can be used in multiple configurations. Some combination of the aforementioned should work wonders. If nothing else, it'll give you tons of stuff to research and learn, and the ER-X would still be valuable after college, either as a router upgrade, or even a (managed) switch.

Good luck this semester, study hard. Holler if you get stuck with anything. You got this. This sounds like the Great Firewall you find yourself behind.

I'm not really sure what you mean by lackluster. My AC Pros have all been wonderful and perfectly stable. Looking at my Unifi controller, I have pushed 1.57 TB of data through one of them just this week alone. I do have a high degree of control over the wireless network through the Unifi controller. Also in Unifi, there is really granular visibility about clients, interference, stats, etc...I have tried using various consumer grade wireless routers I have and put them into AP mode and my Ubiquiti AP's blow them out of the water in regards to stability, performance, and range.

If you are looking to have consumer grade ease of use with Ubiquiti, you will want to go with the Unifi product line and not get the EdgeRouter. So instead of the EdgeRouter, you would get the USG for $110. They are the same hardware, but the USG runs a different firmware than the EdgeRouter. You dont HAVE to use all unifi products...but if you use only unifi AP's only the AP's can be configured from Unifi, and the EdgeRouter can be configured via EdgeOS in the WebUI. Unifi...well...unifies everything in the same UI.


Take a look at this vid explaining the difference between EdgeRouter and USG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvWOx3PvYFM


Adding 2 AP's for $80 (Lite) to $130 (Pro) for a total of $270-370...

Within that range is another option, the AmpliFi HD (By Ubiquiti as well) for $325:

https://www.amazon.com/AmpliFi-High-Density-Home-Wi-Fi-System/dp/B01L9O08PW

You also can get single mesh points for coverage to be used with your existing router, for $125 each.

I have not tried these myself...but with how dead simple they seem to be from YouTube vids...I am feeling pretty comfortable dropping this in my parents network and not having to worry about stability. There are tons of YouTube videos explaining the Amplifi product, pros and cons. It is really consumer friendly and the mesh technology is very flexible and you can change its physical configuration easily.

Get two Amplifi HD Routers or Google WiFi Pucks wired together using two MOCA Ethernet Adapters. Those would serve you well for your apartment. I say this because I’m guessing you have cable outlets in your computer room for the cable modem and outlets in the living room for a TV.

With a MOCA adapter and Amplifi HD or Google WiFi Puck setup in each of those locations you would see 450mbps speeds near the routers, and good WiFi signal throughout the apartment with gigabit wired Ethernet available in the Computer Room and Living Room.

I’ve had great luck with my Amplifi HD system (3 routers) and with Google WiFi.

Both are easy setup and give you great WiFi speeds but realize that no system aside from unreleased 802.11AX routers will give you gigabit speeds wirelessly.

Ethernet wired Google WiFi pucks and Amplifi HD routers give me around 450mbps max. That’s about the best you can get until the 802.11AX stuff comes to market and even then your devices won’t be able to use it.

If you choose to setup Google WiFi or Amplifi systems using the wireless mesh, speeds will be further reduced (220mbps or less depending on signal). Nevertheless that should be more than adequate for what you listed for your uses.

Amplifi is running a special right now for $100 off for switching from a competitive system. You might try that.

This TP Link model beats the Ubiquiti in testing:

>The first thing I noticed about the EAP-225 was how complete, functional, and usable its standalone web interface is. I'm most familiar with Ubiquiti's UAP line—and with those, you really need to set up their Unifi controller to access more than a tiny fraction of the functionality of the access points. Not so with the EAP-225. Logging into a single EAP's web UI presents you with everything from multiple SSIDs to VLANs (with rudimentary QoS!) to working captive portal—all with no controller required. All the functionality was well laid-out and easy to find, and the UI was quite responsive.

>The EAP-225 did a flawless job on 2.4 GHz. Spoiler alert, this is as good as it gets for this round-up; do not expect to find a better set of 2.4 GHz curves for any other kit.

> Its 5 GHz maximum throughput scores were middling, roughly on par with Ubiquiti's UAP-AC-Lite. Environments that expect to actively use the 2.4 GHz band as well as 5 GHz would have a tough time finding a better-suited AP.

https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-reviews/33191-2x2-ac-access-point-roundup-part-2?showall=&start=6

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LLAK1UG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=small0c-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B076FZ7VJ2&linkId=4e15b03c9269738c292fff3aed0565cf

Several AC lite versions on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-LITE-802-11ac-Gigabit-Dual-Radio/dp/B01DRM6MLI?crid=32ASJLA25JN0R&keywords=ubiquiti+access+point&qid=1540590671&s=Electronics&sprefix=ubiquiti+%2Celectronics%2C247&sr=1-5&ref=sr_1_5

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY?crid=32ASJLA25JN0R&keywords=ubiquiti+access+point&qid=1540590671&s=Electronics&sprefix=ubiquiti+%2Celectronics%2C247&sr=1-6&ref=sr_1_6

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Dual-Band-passive-UAP-AC-LITE/dp/B016K4GQVG?crid=32ASJLA25JN0R&keywords=ubiquiti+access+point&qid=1540590671&s=Electronics&sprefix=ubiquiti+%2Celectronics%2C247&sr=1-21&ref=sr_1_21

I got you. I have a similar setup. So here’s what you need.


Wilson Electronics Wideband Directional Antenna 700-2700 MHz, 50 Ohm (314411) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J14YEHQ/

Buy two of these. Place on a pole as high as you can get it. Mount them 45° and -45°. That’s how LTE is polarized.

Example: https://www.solwise.co.uk/images/images3g/4g-ren6702709-lpda-5.png


Heavy Duty Weather Proof Multi... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4FSKZM

Put the M1 in this on the pole too.

Use this to send power up the Outdoor cat6 cable:


TP-LINK TL-PoE150S PoE Injector Adapter, IEEE 802.3af Compliant, up to 100 Meters (325 Feet) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PS9E5I/

And this to pull the power out of the Cat6


ANVISION Gigabit PoE Splitter,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PW9FJNT

Then convert the mini to USB C:


ARKTEK USB-C Adapter, USB Type C (Male) to Micro USB (Female) Syncing Data Transfer and Charging Converter for Chromebook Galaxy S10 Note 9, Pixel 3 and More (Black/White, Pack of 4) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I0ZAJXO/

Ok.

That’ll get you where you want. Don’t get a booster or anything else. It’ll make your signal slower.

Put the whole thing on the pole because if you leave it inside you’ll get a lot of signal loss along those long cables.

———

Now the M1 is a 4x4 MIMO which claims it can get you gigabit speeds. But once you plug in the external antennas you’ll get 2x2 MIMO. the only way to solve this is a bit hacky.

You’ll need this:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F183651187710

(This isn’t me but it’s the only guy I’ve seen selling these wires)

Then you’ll need two of these:

weBoost Outdoor Directional Yagi Antenna with N Female Connector 301111 for 700/800/900 MHz Band https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006H4FVM/

These will be you MAIN antennas. While the other covered ones will be your additional.

To explain. LTE towers send out 45° 800mhz, -45° 800mhz, 45° 2700 MHz, and -45° 2700 MHz You need an antenna for each. This will get you the fastest speed and best reliability. But this is hacky. I haven’t done this, YET. I’ve just planned it all out. I’m using a LB1211 with two covered yagis. I’ve gotten up to 70mbps with just that 2x2 setup (in a valley).

I plan on getting an M1 with 4 antennas soon, but right now my pole situation sucks. I need to figure out a better solution first. Then I’ll be comfortable spending that much more money. But just getting those two covered yagis and putting you M1 up until the pole, you’ll get a much better issue

You don't need a router to have wifi, there are stand alone wireless access points (APs), like the Ubiquiti Unifi ones and many others.

If the Desktop needs to have speed and reliability, ethernet is the only way you want to go. Wifi is very convenient, but slow and iffy, and making it better is a PITA.

Powerline Adapters can potentially be the cheapest solution to your issues, but you will have to test them out, as they rely on your home's wiring and how well they work depends on that and how much draw there is on the circuit. They could be great, they could be meh. Buy them from an easy place to return them just in case.

 

The alternative is to move the modem and router to your Desktop, and then get another AP for the rest of the house.

Here things get complicated, as there are many ways to go about this and they differ based on the size of your house and how it is laid out.

I'll go by increasing PITA to do:

 

1. You are at one end of the house and the house can be covered from your location with a tight 60 degree beam. If so, you are in luck, get a NanoStation Loco M2 or M5, point it the right way, and get wifi throughout the house.
   
   Basically the above devices (M2 = 2.4 Ghz, M5 = 5Ghz) are high power directional wireless emitters. Over the air and pointed at each other, they can go up to 15 Km (naturally distance degrades signal and weather and other stuff affects them a ton), so you should be able to cover your house and then some.
   
   I have the M2 version (2.4 Ghz goes through walls better than 5Ghz) and I could get a good enough signal to browse imgur on my phone at 100 meters ... through 2 large houses. Yup, AP --> House --> House --100m--> Me happily browsing imgur.
   
   So if you are at one end of the house, you can just move everything into the Desktop room. Remember that it is a 60 degree beam, so it might not be the best thing
   
   
    
   
   
2. Get a Unifi access point. Their range is good, but they are omni-directional, so they will only go so far. Thus you need to place the device in a more central location. The good news is that the device only needs an ethernet cable (power is provided over ethernet), but the bad news is that you will need a cable from your Desktop room to the AP.
   
    
   
   
3. A wireless repeater. I dislike these so much I will be brief. The advantages are that you don't need a cable between it and the main router, the disadvantages are that you are repeating a signal, thus interference, halving of bandwidth, and general signal problems could be had (ask if you want a more detailed description of why).
   
    
   
   
4. A better wireless card for your PC. Just don't, you have too much going on on that device for it to be a smart choice to run such intensive things over wifi twice (from PC to tablet or phone). It can be done, but it is not the best of ways to do it.

Dude you can get almost any router on the market and it will be far too good for your shorty speeds.

I've had a lot of luck with this ASUS RT-ARCH13 deployed in other people's houses that did not want any fuss at all. It does not support third party firmware, and that is the reason I think it is so cheap, but it is solid with stock firmware. I never hear cries for help from anyone I set up with this unit. It's selling for $60 right now, and has 5GHz wireless and gigabit LAN ports, and can work with far higher speeds if you get some in the future:

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Band-Super-Fast-Gigabit-MU-MIMO-RT-ACRH13/dp/B01LXL1AR8

If you want to go really cheap, but with a model that has stood the test of time and DOES support third party firmware (you might not care), here is the old ASUS N-12, which only has the 2.4 GHz wireless network, but should still be more than enough for your trickle down Internet speed. It's $30 new, but honestly you can probably find one of these for <$10 if you look around at used equipment places:

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-N300-Technology-streaming-performing-RT-N12/dp/B00DWFPDNO

You might just want to ask around your social group for any used router they have and don't use, like any "N" class router. Your speed just needs any semi-modern wireless equipment.

By gig blast I assume you mean fiber maybe? Here is the fiber version of the router. Ubiquiti Edgerouter X SFP - Router - Desktop - Black (ER-X-SFP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012X45WH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-C7sDbRNTZ9DC

Access points: Ubiquiti Networks Unifi 802.11ac Dual-Radio PRO Access Point (UAP-AC-PRO-US) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eE7sDbCT7FFQT

The access points will act purely as a bridge from wireless to wired (aka not a router, just wifi) with your home's size I'd recommend probably 3 or possibly 4 of them depending on how well you want the wifi to reach. This type of wifi will be mesh meaning you'll only have one ssid and your phone will connect to whichever AP is closer automatically. (Youd need to download a controller software to a PC)

Again, this is just the most optimal setup and required a little bit knowledge of the devices and general networking to setup.

If you're strictly looking for good but plug and play this would be the best route: AmpliFi HD WiFi System by Ubiquiti Labs, Seamless Whole Home Wireless Internet Coverage, HD WiFi Router, 2 Mesh Points, 4 Gigabit Ethernet, 1 WAN Port, Ethernet Cable, Replaces Router & WiFi Extenders https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L9O08PW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oH7sDbKR37G0G

Hope this helps clear things up!

You want to get a processor that supports aes-ni. That will allow SSL acceleration (opnvpn) and is also being required as of pfSense 2.5 and up.

I would choose this machine and purchase an unmanaged switch for your devices.

Hope that helps!

2nd edit; I was am an idiot... OK, Here you go. Under budget and should do what you need....

You can use this Zotac Barebones PC w/ the Celeron N3150 processor that supports AES-NI. Add some RAM and a SSD. Finally a Managed 8 Port Switch.

1st edit; Did not realize that I linked a celeron ( thanks u/suziesamantha ) as I thought it was a j1900 processor and then realized that the bay trail's also don't have aes-ni support. Sorry for the wrong information. The router I built is based on the Atom Rangley chip. You can use this link to help find aes-ni support.

Yes, that helps greatly.

First, being unable to acquire additional IPv4 address is unfortunate. The additional address would have greatly simplified the overall headache involved and allowed each residence to essentially have their own standalone internet connection with whatever portion of the fibre bandwidth you allocated to them. Without them you can still do it, you're just looking at NATing your single IP to all the devices which complicates things such as port forwarding, introduces the possibility of dual-NAT configurations, and increases the likely hood of that shared IP being abused and potentially blacklisted on a service because of the actions of one user affecting the rest of the users.

I would suggest a pfSense (or OPNsense) gateway hooked up to your modem or ONT, this will handle the NAT, VLANs, DHCP and traffic shaping. If you don't buy or build a pfSense box with at least 8 ports, hook this up to a managed switch. One line run from this to each of the wire-able units on your attached building plus one to the roof for a wireless AP.

Because the distance across the road is short and looks to be mostly clear LOS with sparse trees - you can approach the wireless AP a couple of ways. If you plan on only offering a 100Mbit/s or so to each "customer", you could get away with 3 Ubiquiti AirMax NanoStation Loco M5 units. One on your roof to act as the AP and broadcast the signal across the road and 2 on the other building across the road for each unit. Just easier to put up a receiving station at each unit that wants to join vs sharing a single one - I can get into the reasons why if you'd like.

If you're planning on providing more than a 100Mbit/s to each person than you can consider the same setup but substitue for the newer Ubiquiti NanoBeam AC units for a slightly increased cost.

It is also possible to do this all under the Unifi umbrella if you so choose. It is slightly more costly but is definitely more user-friendly and easier to manage under one interface. Here I would suggest you replace the broadcast AP with a Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-M-Pro and each receiving station with a Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-M. Note these are omni-directional antennas now, they lose the benefits that come from directional APs but at the distances we are looking at here that should be a negligible difference.

A real rough hierarchy layout here: https://i.imgur.com/QV0qfq6.png

Each individual unit is isolated from each other and you by being on their own VLAN, to which you will configure only gateway access on each VLAN with no cross VLAN routes.

When it comes to what is happening on each units internal network, you can do one of a few things. You could still allow them to use any ol' router they choose, hook up to the WAN port on said router and NAT their own internal network. This will work fine, albeit behind double NAT, it will take a good portion of the internal routing load off your pfSense box and only involve it when the client needs to get out to the net. Or you could handle all the internal routing and just have them use a switch and AP (if they want wifi in their unit) - you could get real fancy with this way but it adds a lot more potential for trouble on your part, the other option is likely the easier one.

Lastly, regarding authentication, you could take it one step further and utilize the PPPoE server on pfSense to give each unit their own PPPoE username and password they need to use to authenticate against your router. No username and password = no IP = no internet. Useful for revoking access to one user who doesn't pay their portion without having to physically go over and unplug them.

Sorry for the wall of text. These kind of setups are fun and I've dealt with a lot of similar setups for different applications.

Let me see if I can suss out your details:

1. You have a single onHub router, wired into your cable modem (or Fios or whatever)
   
   
2. You're unhappy with its wifi performance
   
   
3. You want to run an ethernet cable from your router to your TV but the Onhub doesn't have an extra port
   
   
   If everything I said is correct, you can solve #3 for $20 and keep your Onhub with a simple switch like this one.
   
   If you also want to "fix" #2, the Nighthawk is fine. My quick google's make me horrified to think that you can't even manually select Wifi channels on the Google Wifi products, so you might actually need a new router for this (even if the hardware on the Onhub is fine). You'll need to be clearer about what exactly is bothering you for your wifi performance to be sure what you would be best served with, it's possible even the ac2300 is more expensive than you want. You certainly don't need Ubiquiti (I say that as a person that jumped from a Nighthawk to UBNT last year and absolutely love UBNT, but my use cases are more complex than yours).

You're sorta on the right track, but there is definitely room for some tweaks in your setup. First off, you dont need 3 actual routers. to achieve wifi like youre talking about, you need APs, or access points. These simply put out wifi, whereas a router has much more functionality. Secondly, dont buy powerline adapters that have passthough power as the more "noise" on the circuit the worse the performance will be. Id suggest something like the NETGEAR PL1000 In fact, you should avoid having anything else plugged into the wall outlet with the powerline. I did a lot of testing in a previous house where I was forced to use powerline adapters to get internet into my room.

As far as APs, check out the Ubiquiti AP-AC-LITE It's dual band, meaning newer devices will benefit from the 5ghz band, while any older devices you have will still have access to the 2.4ghz band.

You may only need 2 of these. Hang one in a central location on the first floor, and check wifi connection and do a speed test in every room. Depending on results, you could move the AP to the top floor and add a second in the basement. Hard to give perfect advise, as this kinda stuff is all very situational.


Onto the bad.. This setup is much less than ideal, especially if you intend to do any gaming on this setup. Powerline is very susceptible to interference, and sometimes an appliance turning on can cause a momentary connection drop. But not only that, you've now got the entire wifi network tied to this. A drop over the powerline will not disrupt your entire network.To avoid this whole mess, you could potentially use MoCa adapters, which is basically the same concept as powerline, but goes on the homes coax wiring instead of power wires. This of course requires coax already wired into the home to work. If you already have the coax in your house, id definitely use MoCa over powerline. You will be much more satisfied with the experience

I think they meant something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Mount-24-Port-Keystone/dp/B0072JVT02/

"Keystone patch panel" is the search term you want. And don't buy your keystone jacks individually, buy them in bulk. They'll be much cheaper:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-25-Pack-Keystone-Punch-Down/dp/B004D5PFGW/

If you look throughout your house where the ethernet ports are, there's a good chance they're also keystone jacks. Picture these, with those keystone jacks slotted in to them:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Plate-2-Port-Keystone/dp/B0072JVU8S/

Also, if you've never used it before, https://www.monoprice.com/ is your new best friend. I'd recommend always comparing prices between them and Amazon before buying something.

Okay then I would stay away from the proprietary Verizon routers and go either with the Archer C7 or the Asus AC-1750.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1LKnyb9HYGH71

You will want to use the Ethernet jack that is coming out of your Fios ONT for the routers that I am recommending and if they only set up coaxial, it is an easy phone call to frontier to change it to Ethernet.

I can't speak about much on the TP-Link router but everyone in this community seems to recommend it a lot. I have a Asus router at home and it was really easy to set up as a router with frontier. And when you move the ASUS router can be easily turned into an access point that can extend your wireless easily.

While I agree it's crap, I got it for free, so no bilkin lol. I have thought it might be case. Is there a router under 100 bucks that might be suggested? I have 3 pc's, two xbox's, a few phones/tablets and maybe 10 pieces of HA equipment running. We don't have them all running at the same time. I looked at TP-Link Gigabit VPN Router (TL-R600VPN) and Ubiquiti-Networks-ER-X-Router Will either one of these fit the bill and is there something with better performance with plex media server and my server?

Thanks again for any insight.

thanks for your reply..

what does your 20Mbit refer to? download speed or...?

So further range, and faster so basically N is superior to G..got it!

Based on my conditions, 1700sq ft house, majority of use is browsing and mobile devices, ps3 use here and there and VPN connection 2 days a month for work from home...

What router would you recommend?


I was lookin at the Asus RT-N12


Cheap and seems well received and great reviews..but would appreciate your suggestions?



oNe

Well just so your up on the lingo, there are Mesh setups and then there are Extender devices and though you might think they are the same; they are different.

Extenders might be ok if all your doing is social media; email and general web browsing. They will not be acceptable for any sort of video streaming or online game playing, etc.

A Mesh setup would be ok if you were to get a quality brand/model.

Your best option is to have a hardline connection from your room to the Wifi router.

The direct way that this can be done is with and Ethernet cable run. Then should you need a Wifi connection in your room, you would simply use a Wifi Access Point such as:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07NMZR3F1/?coliid=I19S0DCTFAWK8M&colid=139Z48SE1DVVQ&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

The next best option is MoCa, which requires a TV Coax cable run between the two locations and to the Coax cable you would connect a MoCa adapter at both ends, they make Wifi MoCa adapters as well.

https://www.actiontec.com/wifihelp/guide-to-moca/

I think staying with 6 is fine. Most people will say if you are wiring now to go with 6a because the cost is similar but I find it is thicker and harder to bend. If you really want to future proof then you could go with 6a but right know 10Gbps is a little excessive.


AP wise you call Ubiquity expensive but the newest UAP-AC-PRO is the same price as the Linksys and will be much better, it is hard to find now because of limited supply. Sorry Its actually $20 more



I would spend a little extra for the Edgerouter Lite over the X but they are similar.



Unless I missed it I don't think you mentioned how many wall jacks you will have. So I will assume 24 drops. A good 24 port non POE switch is This normally $160 is on sale for $100
And This for POE only 8 ports though

EDIT

Sorry didn't release the netgear switch wasn't all POE you might be better off with a cheap 8-10 Port switch and POE Injectors


Like /u/topcat5 said you can get UAP-AC-LITE for $90.

First question, have you connected a computer directly through the Ethernet before? The WiFi can be forcing the authentication every time you connect but it could also be at the router level, meaning if the Ethernet jack is connected to the same router it is possible that it is configured to still prompt for sign in. If you know that's not the case and an Ethernet connection is directly connected with a live connection then you're good to go this route. If your internet is provided, you don't actually need a router. You simply need an access point. It has no routing capabilities and only broadcasts a WiFi network that runs back through the network. Here's a great inexpensive option for what you are looking for.

TP-Link Wireless N300 2T2R Access Point, 2.4Ghz 300Mbps, 802.11b/g/n, AP/Client/Bridge/Repeater, 2x 4dBi, Passive POE (TL-WA801ND) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UBU8IE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TE-RBbJN4BZ41

Setting it up as an access point will assure you don't have to do any more advanced network configuration due to double NAT or relaying DHCP servers.

First, I would suggest this MoCA adapter. Cheaper and Motorola generally makes reliable equipment.

Motorola MOCA Adapter for Ethernet over Coax, 1,000 Mbps Bonded 2.0 MoCA (Model MM1000) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077Y3SQXR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8lL4AbTZQGZ04

Second, you just need to make sure the coax line your modem is hooked up to is split somewhere and also connected to the room you want the other adapter to be. You'll also want to purchase a MoCa filter to keep your MoCa in and block any other outside MoCa that others may not have blocked on their own.

Filter, MoCA "POE" Filter for Cable TV Coaxial Networking ONLY https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DC8IEE6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qoL4AbWDKZV5D

You'll just need one on the input cable to your home. Best outside where the exterior cable line meets your interior cable line.

I work for a cable company that uses MoCa extensively and I'm a huge fan of it. I've seen MoCa give 200-300 mb consistently using MoCa 2.0. Next best thing to straight Ethernet.

This is probably closer to what I'd like to spend right now on access points: https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-3-In-1-Wireless-Router-RT-N12/dp/B00DWFPDNO/ref=sr_1_9?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1498754596&sr=1-9&keywords=access+point

It's not AC of course, but for watching youtube and netflix on my 15Mbit time warner connection I don't think they'll be the weakest link.

edit: In light of being downvoted, I didn't mean to criticize your recommendation, they seem like high quality and popular products. I just feel it might be overkill for what I need unless somebody has a specific reason I should definitely steer clear of something like the asus access points.

For $30, the TPlink TL-SG108E is a pretty good value. It's built fairly well, and has a 5 year warranty.

For $15 more ($45) you can get the Netgear GS108 I've used this switch, and the smaller 5 port version in a ton of places, and have never had 1 fail on me. These things are tanks, and should be perfect. But if you're on a budget, go for the TP link.

So if you don't have Ethernet on multiple floors I would look at something like the Amplifi HD. There may be cheaper options but Ubiquiti makes a good product and it should be pretty easy to configure.

​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L9O08PW/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_a3hnDbVEJB9EC

> Are there any solutions to improve powerline until a better one is established?

Nope. Such is the life of powerline. Erratic behavior is expected.

> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> I read about MoCA, and it sounds like a good, but expensive option (though the coax wiring is even more of a mess the the regual wiring is).

Cable lines are at least designed to carry data while powerlines are not. All you need is a cable connection between two places. It can be split as long as the splitters are of good quality and don't interfere with the MoCA.

This set is an affordable option: https://smile.amazon.com/Motorola-Adapter-Ethernet-2-Pack-MM1002/dp/B078HMDDVS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=motorola+moca&qid=1562258609&s=gateway&sa-no-redirect=1&sr=8-3&x=0&y=0

Basically anything is going to be better than powerline.

If you use 5 Ghz, you should be able to get full speeds like I do. I get the same speed on WiFi, as I get if I connected via ethernet. You just need a good strong router (such as a TP-Link AC1900 (I use this one) or NETGEAR AC1900) and a good wireless adapter OR a good Wireless Bridge and connect via ethernet (I use a bridge so that I don't have to deal with Wireless Adapter drivers)

> These are a type of media bridge. They transmit over your power lines.

I didn't understand or trust the power line adapters about a year ago but took the plunge and bought a pair. Was previously using wireless in my living room to my upstairs ( far away ) office and everything would buffer - wasn't happy wife times.

After purchasing these my speed was almost like being straight hard wired to the router. What a difference. It was night and day.

At the end of the day , this was cheaper than buying a new router, trying to 'extend' wifi or running cables.

Good luck :)

> So to make sure I understand, I'd buy something like this: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-GS105NA-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged/dp/B0000BVYT3

Yep that would work fine. Just make sure you have enough ports. I count at least 6 cables so you might want an 8 port switch.

> The router in my living room would then plug into one of the CAT5E wall jacks, which I'd then patch to the switch in the connection panel. Then all of the rooms I want active will also plug into the switch. Is that right?

Yes, exactly.

I've had the Netgear switches and love them. You could just get the 5 port one that would give you a total of 8 free ports between it and your current router or spend a little bit more for the 8 port version giving you plenty of room for future expansion. I own both and my 5 port GS105 has been running pretty much non-stop for 10 years.

I don't have TWC, but my sister does. She was provided a basic Cisco 2100 modem for her install and chose not to rent a router from them. I bought her an ASUS RT-N12 D1 ($40) she uses to stream Netflix to her Roku 3 and laptop sometimes, and browse the web on her phone. She hasn't complained about it.

If you want something with a bit more power if you have multiple people streaming, there is the ASUS RT-N16 ($80), which is what I use with a local FiOS service. I haven't had any trouble with it, either.

If you can get a basic modem from TWC (I don't know if they charge for one), that should give you the freedom to use any router you like.

> I was hoping just to get a router for no more than $125.

That's a REALLY tight budget to adequately cover a 2500sq ft house. You are likely to be disappointed with a single device.

If you can stretch that a bit, this would be a FAR more ideal setup:

2x of https://smile.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/

1x of https://smile.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-ER-X-Router/dp/B0144R449W/

That's just a bit over $200. You aren't going to have beamforming but I'm not convinced you need it anyway. Those APs do support MIMO.

You will also get far, FAR better QOS on that router. QOS on most consumer grade stuff is absolute garbage.

If you truly cannot go over that budget, go with the Archer C9. It's a solid choice and will serve you well. Avoid Netgear and Linksys.

EDIT: Fixed the links

A dedicated AP will be better but will it be ~£80 better + config time? For me, yes. For you, probably. I have lost count of how many UAP-AC-xxx I have installed. They are rather good. If you mount a UAP-AC-LITE (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ubiquiti-Networks-UAP-AC-LITE-Access-Point/dp/B016K4GQVG) on the ceiling it will cover quite a decent range and be usable through at least one brick wall or a plasterboard and wood ceiling/floor or a "drywall" in the US and others.

I have never heard of an iphone doing what you describe but we all live and learn.

Get a long ethernet cable (http://www.cabling4less.co.uk/category.php?cat_id=158 - say £3) and some plastic stick on trunking (https://www.screwfix.com/p/tower-self-adhesive-mini-trunking-12mm-x-8mm-x-2m/73354 about £2 for 2m/6+') and you will be able to do a decent job of mounting the AP on the ceiling unless your place is a bit large in which case I will need a lot more detail and you might need a different or more APs.

For a simple setup there is an app for your phone to get it running, for a more complex setup you'll need the Unifi controller which is a bit beyond r/homenetworking

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

I was heavily considering the EdgeRouter X, but wasn't sure what would compliment it well.

Do you know if the EAP245 has to be hard-wired?

Seems pretty affordable for a proper at-home setup.

I was considering the Ubiquiti AmpliFi, but I see mixed feelings on it.(Not the system though)

That's a switch you're using, so everything will be easy. Considering your internet speed of 150 Mbps, any router or access point from the last ~10 years will be fine, unless you need wireless coverage far away from your room. So no need for anything expensive, especially if you just need it for school work. Just buy one and plug it in. Most models generally default to router. One of the first questions you will be asked when setting it up the first time, is the operating mode. Just pick "Access Point" or "AP Mode" and you should be good. Then pick a network name and a safe password, and you will be online.

If you specifically want an access point instead of a router, I would personally recommend this TP-Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004UBU8IE/

I've installed many, and I found them to work great, in addition to being extremely cheap. Also, being an access point, it will come already configured for that, so you can just plug it in and use the password on the back to connect: literally no need for configuration.

I mean, don't unmanaged ports literally run off like 12V DC? can you just find a different plug for it that'll convert 240VAC to 12VDC? Nothing with 8 ports is going to have a C13/14


https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Lifetime-Protection/dp/B00MPVR50A


Then get a different adapter for it? Eh?


https://www.sfcable.com/1ft-18-awg-nema-5-15r-to-c14-monitor-power-adapter-cord.html?gdffi=afde19f4670e4f608861514cfe93a30d&gdfms=3911580D2AF64F7E9F9D8DA1401FB3B3&gclid=CjwKCAiAt8TUBRAKEiwAOI9pAEwbffy65JZVipI6zhab6xB8xX33EeadnmLVKAB0_EDMEJzO87GgLRoCQ1IQAvD_BwE


(I guess this cord says 125VAC, but come on, it won't struggle with 6W being pulled through it)



https://www.amazon.com/Five-Star-Cable-100-240V-Switching/dp/B00PZ8OT9K


So you got yourself a C14 plug (that's what the PDU you link has) to a 5-15R plug (meh) and then an adapter that is good for 240V (hell, the one that comes with it might even say 240VAC on the side of it, I'll check mine when I get home later)


This was 5 minutes of Google, if you go this route do your own homework and buy only what you feel comfortable using

This is a very good router.

Edit: Asus make very good, very reliable routers. If you want a good router, spend more. If you try and save and get a cheaper one, you will be disappointed, and end up in the "Save now, pay later" scenario. The RT-N66U will last you a few years.

I cannot comment on the router you linked.

I have Amplifi HD and am very happy with it.

​

I am an IT manager and have done a lot of testing of different AP's and routers and I have to say that the Amplifi HD is rock solid. I have never had an issue with it (over 1 year since install).

​

My house (approx. 2,000 sqft w/ three levels) is a smart home to some extent with A LOT of devices connected to the wireless network. We have 3 laptops, 4 rokus (which are constantly streaming from my Plex server), 4 iPhones, two iPads, thermostat, Playstation 4, Wii U, two desktops, multiple Alexa devices, etc, etc.

​

My wife does a lot of video editing and uploading to the web over the wireless is quick and not affected by other devices on the network, we are also gamers (COD, WoW, Sims) and the latency hasn't been noticeable.

I've had great success using a pair of these. They were actually pretty easy to set up, and once set up, they haven't given me a single problem.

Yeah, I'm starting to see that as i consider this.

What I have done to help solve part of the issue is I got a pair of these, and plugged it into the upstairs wall plug on the third floor, and the other on the first floor in my office. I'm getting 25mb on a 100mb circuit, which for that distance and what may be going through the breaker isn't bad overall;

I know that these can also be used in several places on the same network, so I'll likely get a couple more and put them on the 2nd floor along with another wifi router down there so the signal is better for our other wireless devices.

I really don't want to have wires running everywhere if I can help it, and since it's an apt, we can't cut open and run wires inside the place (if I could i would).

Asus RT-N66U with Advanced Tomato firmware is pretty awesome. Everything just works. The coverage is mediocre tho, about 2 normal sized room coverage.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY

Advanced Tomato: https://advancedtomato.com/

It is the [TP-Link AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit.] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_2)

I got them a little less than 3 years ago. It looks like they have a newer version of the same kit now. Some things I've noticed is certain outlets work better than others so experiment with different ones then test the speed with the utility program. They work best when they don't share the outlet with anything else and don't use them on power strips because that really hurts performance. Also I'm not sure about this but because of their placement I had to use my own better quality ethernet cables which seem to help with speeds a bit. By far it's finding the right outlets on the same circuit that seemed to make the most difference.

If you can't run a line from the Ethernet cable in the basement to your game room, a separate router would be the best bet. Any dual band ac router will work. You can pick one up for about $60.

If you can, the best solution would be to use a mini switch to connect to the line in the basement and then run a line to the game room.

NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch, Desktop, Internet Splitter, Sturdy Metal, Fanless, Plug-and-Play (GS305) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QR6XFHQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zTY6AbSQT52MW

Or

TP-Link 5 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Life Time Warranty| Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG105) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A128S24/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JUY6AbFBF1RXR

Netgears do have good reputation, I have that same model I believe, that runs 24/7 and has been for the past couple of years, 3 maybe

Edit:
Sorry I didn’t see where you needed an 8 porter. But nonetheless, these are great switches that I’m sure you can find in 5,8,10,24 ports

Here is a post I found about what you're trying to do. Apparently it shouldn't ruin anything, but it may or may not work.

I'd say your best option would be to pick up something like this. As long as it's 802.3af or 802.3at compliant it will work with the AP.

If the patch panel you have says anything about 802.3af/at then it should be able to be used.

For comcast gigabit you'll be needing a DOCSIS 3.1 capable modem such as the Arris SB8200.

For a router, for all in ones you can look at the typical Netgear R7000 or the Asus AC1900 if you want to keep it simple.

If you want something super reliable then...

Edgerouter X

or

Edgerouter Lite

or

Unifi Security Gateway

• 
  
  Ubiquiti AC Lite
  
  or
  
  Ubiquiti AC Pro
  
  (also wire in as many things as possible with quality Cat5e/6/6a cables)

I assume that you have a coax splitter wherever the cable reaches your house. That might be in a box outside or somewhere inside the house. From this splitter, coax cables run to the various outlets in your house.

It looks like there is only one coax port on the TG1682G: https://fccid.io/UIDTG1682-3/External-Photos/External-Photos-2853842

This means that the MoCA communication signal is sent back out through the same coax wire that the DOCSIS signal providing your internet access comes in. MoCA would then travel back to the splitter and out to all coax outlets attached to that splitter. Hopefully the splitter doesn't block MoCA signals. If so, you'd need to replace it with one that allows them through. Ideally you'd add a MoCA filter to the coax coming into the house before it gets to the first splitter in order to prevent your internal MoCA data from leaving your home.

You would then use a single MoCA 2.0 adapter like the Motorola MM1000 in your home-office with the incoming coax connected to its Network coax plug and your ethernet devices (via a switch or wireless access point) connected to its ethernet plug.

Thanks! So to make sure I understand, I'd buy something like this: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-GS105NA-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged/dp/B0000BVYT3

The router in my living room would then plug into one of the CAT5E wall jacks, which I'd then patch to the switch in the connection panel. Then all of the rooms I want active will also plug into the switch. Is that right?

This is more than you asked for, but I have this Asus router and I can't recommend it enough. The speed is great, and the admin UI is very easy to use. I'm actually buying 2 more to replace very old DLink access point and bridge, as this router can act as router, access point and bridge.

Yes, that's what Gilly was suggesting. If you're going to go down the ERX path, you need to get a switch, or you won't have enough ports to work with.

But even if you get an all-in-one, a switch is a simple way to get more ports.

In fact, that's all a switch is (in simple setups like yours). It's nothing more than a cheap little device that gives your router more ports to work with.

Here's a perfectly fine one: https://smile.amazon.com/NETGEAR-GS105NA-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1491598413&sr=8-4&keywords=5+port+switch

I would recommend the ubiquiti amplify router and mesh points. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L9O08PW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_46aYzbDF94GHV). If they don’t want to spend the money for the router and 2 mesh points the router and single mesh point would work fine. I have recommend the amplify rougher by itself for medium size houses (2500 ft^2) and 30 Mbps and they had great results.

Sounds good!

I believe you're talking about this Motorola MoCA adapter?

One review suggested the Actiontek brand instead, due to some issues with the Motorola. There's about a $32 difference, so I'll have to see if that's justified.

Funny that Moto just went up in price by about $20 just a couple months ago after being at the $118 price point for almost a year!

Now I just need to figure out how and when to use the MoCA filters. If it's required that I plug one on the outside of the house (where the cable box is), that's not something I can do. If it's inside the home, I can do that.

It costs a little more than some of the other options listed but I'm a fan of the GS108 from Netgear. It's a really great little switch.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MPVR50A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_QhlZCbSCQ77MB

These bonded 2.0 adapters give close to gigabit. Ethernet is still better since it is true full duplex VS TDD(Time Division Duplex). As long as you do not mind the 3.5 ms latency introduced by Moca 2, best option after Ethernet.

I'd look into using powerline network devices. I've had good luck with these before.

If using those to create a connection from where your router is to somewhere else in your home works, you're probably going to get better speed and reliability overall by doing that and putting up an AP or two.

Will this Netgear switch be okay?

Also, since I plan to connect my MBP through my AC's wifi when it's finally setup, where should I be connecting my PS4 Pro? Should it connect through the switch as well? Or through the eth2 port? I just don't want to lose out on speed/be throttled. Thank you for your help!

With Uverse I have to use their router/modem. And in my experience, they're trash and I can't ever figure out how to do what I want. I guess I could always get a router and wire their modem into it, and have the router connected to the access points. I don't know how that works, would each access point give it's own signal that's not controlled?

Also, 5 port switch like this? https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Internet-Splitter/dp/B00QR6XFHQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524744877&sr=8-3&keywords=5+port+switch

And are there any good ones that receive a wireless signal and have data output connections?

Thanks!

TP-Link EAP245 V3 looks like the best combo of price and performance. $96.99 right now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NMZR3F1

It's significantly better than the EAP225.

You can do it that way, but it isn't recommended. Putting on your own male networking connectors has become bad form, sort of, over the last few years. They just aren't very reliable when using solid conductor cable and they are extremely difficult to install on stranded cable without the $50k machine they use in the factory... Someday your home terminated cable will fail for no apparent reason and it will ruin your life.

If I were doing it, I would run the cable and put a box in the wall. The cable is fine. I would pickup some old work low voltage boxes, and install a wall plate and use some keystone jacks and whatever jumpers you like.

If you are open to buying somewhere other than monoprice, I really like the Cable Matters keystone jacks nowadays. I like this punch tool but this knockoff works ok as well and if you are just doing a few than you could probably get away with the plastic thing that comes with each keystone jack... they eventually will work it might just take longer and you might have to dick with it a bit.

It looks like the stuff you have picked out will work, but it just might not be super reliable or aesthetically pleasing. Plus, what do you do if you move something? Now you just have a hole in the wall with some wires flopping around... If you put jacks on the wall they just blend in with all the other jacks on the wall if you remove the jumpers...

I have been really pleased with everything from Cable Matters lately. We terminated 1200 cables for a huge IP HD video system a few weeks ago using their stuff and only had 2 or 3 that had to be repunched and we had one cable run that didn't check and that was probably our fault pulling too hard and getting a kink in it. It's pretty reasonably priced all things considered.

Also, the cable you have picked out is great. It's pure copper and not copper clad aluminum (CCA). Never use CCA it's absolute garbage and won't ever work for anything. CCA will ruin your life.

EDIT: I just wanted to correct myself, we have been buying Honeywell Genesis cat6 cable lately... not monoprice. We have been getting a better deal through ADI global on the Honeywell stuff and it is very nice cable. The reel in a box is so much better than the usual mess... no more kinks so you don't need to pay someone $25 an hour to babysit some boxes and pay out cable and yell "stop!" over the radio all day when they have to sort a kink...

I would recommend you get a nice med range router maybe a high end one if you ever decide to get a faster connection. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008ABOJKS/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1451121920&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=asus+rt&dpPl=1&dpID=41KWJcCkZcL&ref=plSrch I suggest this as a baseline router only because I know that you can put custom firmware on it which expands the capability of the router and you can also put higher gain antennas on it such as theses one. /ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1451122112&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=9dbi+antenna&dpPl=1&dpID=41AVPgZSeHL&ref=plSrch I have 3 on my current access point and I am looking at getting 4 more for my Asus RT AC87U such covers the other half of my house/property.

Well you can use the defective cat5e cable as a fish to pull a new cable run. You need to detach/destaple it, and redo the job. Depending on the run, it might be difficult, but it's the only way to get gigabit.

​

If you have 100mbps internet or less, you won't see a difference as long as you're not copying files across the devices. Use your cable tester on your cat5e cable, if you have at least 4 good pins, rewire those to pins 1,2,3,6 (from left to right on the connector).

If you don't have 4 good wires, well you need to rerun anyway.

There's always powerline adapters, but those are hit or miss. Make sure you have a good return policy (Walmart).

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Rather than getting a booster, get an access point and plug it into the ethernet port, then you'll have much better WiFi in your room

The APs I like are kinda advanced for configuring, so I probably wouldn't recommend it.

I would only buy something name brand, the knock-offs may work but often are junk.


This isn't newest tech and I wouldn't recommend it for a lot of other situations, but if you want a good ants cheap way to increase your spends significantly it will work:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UBU8IE

Something like this:
NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS305) - Desktop, Sturdy Metal Fanless Housing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QR6XFHQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dlEpDbDJ70CRA

And something like this:
TP-Link EAP245 V3 Wireless AC1750 MU-MIMO Gigabit Ceiling Mount Access Point, seamless roaming, Supports 802.3af PoE and Passive PoE(Injector Included) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NMZR3F1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dmEpDbWSY0PHE

You can go cheaper on this for sure but that would let devices take most advantage of the speed if you have new devices and fast wifi


But yeah, just a router in AP mode would work too.

Antennas aren’t your issue, your issue is that the router is quite dated.

It’s using 802.11n wireless technology, many many devices (most likely yours) are and have been using the new tech 802.11ac wireless. Which is much faster/reliable/etc.
Also your router only has one band, 2.4GHz which is often congested and slower older devices use this band. Newer devices use the 5GHz band which is faster, and new routers have dual band technology, which allows simultaneous use.

I highly recommend an upgrade. You and your wireless devices will appreciate the investment.

Edit: for $100 you can invest in this and that baby is sure to last you.
If that’s too much I can try to recommend something cheaper but you get what you pay for and I think that’s reasonable.

Any questions feel free to ask!

asus makes a great 3 in 1 router/AP/ wifi bridge that is only 30 bucks. the throughput on it is great. here is the link. it can connect to your LTE device via wifi then also broadcast an SSID and pass the traffic through (wifi bridge mode)

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-3-In-1-Wireless-Router-RT-N12/dp/B00DWFPDNO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510553833&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+3+in+1+router

While burying cable or fiber optic is the ideal solution, I agree with you that this would be a great place to use a simple wireless bridge. The bridge units you linked would be great for their distance, but I would add that the Access Point you linked is overkill if they're trying to keep a low budget, any half-decent $30 router (like this one) can be put in AP mode and easily cover a small cottage.

I have a ethernet passive hub that I made in my network bag. I use it as a manual port mirror. It works very well. I have one side as RX only for sniffing and the other side for sharing (RX and TX)

(Total of four ports/keystones, 1. Orig path in 2. Orig path out. 3. Tap RX 4. Tap RX/TX)

Very easy to make one yourself:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-25-Pack-Keystone-Punch-Down/dp/B004D5PFGW

Just remember to keep the wiring as short as possible between the keystones.

​

Or you can just buy a pre-made one.

Yeah then your best bet is definitely to invest in the runs. We were on 200Mbps down, and as mentioned, I was seeing 60-70Mbps, and that was with this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUICG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Either of these would work.

​

You can buy just the "meshpoint" from amplifi and set it up easily with a phone. It's an easy fast setup process. https://www.amplifi.com/

​

https://www.amazon.com/AmpliFi-Ubiquiti-Seamless-Wireless-Extenders/dp/B01L9O08PW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540510584&sr=8-1&keywords=amplifi+mesh+node

​

​

​

Synology just released a new mesh node as well. It runs about $130 on amazon. In fact I think they pushed new firmware that lets any synology router run as a mesh node. https://www.synology.com/en-global/company/news/article/PR_router_MR2200ac

​

https://www.amazon.com/Synology-MR2200ac-Mesh-Wi-Fi-Router/dp/B07HPSQZKN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540510620&sr=8-1&keywords=synology+mesh&dpID=318CC53a0SL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

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Great, thanks!

What is the point of the 5 dangling coax cables in the panel?

​

So, I'm thinking of.. having one of the coax cables run into a modem.

And the ethernet from the modem goes to this router:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0144R449W/

And from that router, I have wires that connect to each of those black ethernet plugs (refer to panel in original post) corresponding to the outlets in each of the different rooms I have.

Then, from the living room media center room, I can have a switch from that port:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6

Which will then connect to all my devices and a wireless access point.

​

Would that work? The router and switch part is a bit confusing to me, so I might be thinking of this totally wrong.

1. The AC LR and the other Unifi access points come with a poe injector in the box. The manual tells you how to set it up.
   
2. The switch is what take the internet from the USG and gives it to your wired devices. Even if you have no wired devices its recommended you have a switch since you can connect into the AP if it has issues wired. The switch I use. My setup is like this: Modem --> USG --> Switch --> AC LR --> wifi devices etc
   
   
3. Yes the access point is what gives wifi to your house.
   
   
4. The ERX has more features, but the USG is on the Unifi product line meaning it uses the same piece of software to manage as the LR. Unifi Controller . I can managed my whole network from the single software and not have to log directly in like the ERX. The controller software is how you setup and manage your network. So make sure you have it on one of your computers preferably a desktop or laptop with ethernet just in case you gotta go in hardwired.
   
   Here is a video showing a setup: https://youtu.be/HcfIpTso_Ys
   
   The cloud key is optional but if you have the money then go for it.

Something like a er-x router and one of the eap245's on sale right now would probably work well. The nice thing is if you move to AX for your main router you still can use the AP later for the opposite corner of your house for better coverage. To start you can put the AP in the center and since its POE, the cable is way easier to run. No need to be limited to where you have a power outlet for your AP.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NMZR3F1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

thanks, guess I'm ordering more cable (used it to run the first line) and a switch. thanks for the help

I am by no means an expert on what suits your situation best but I purchased this router a few years ago and I love it.

Thanks for the info AC-Lite is what I was planning to get.

If you don't mind is there a significant difference between the older and newer AC-Lites? I want to save a couple of bucks.

old: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&srs=8938872011&ie=UTF8&qid=1543453761&sr=1-3

mid?: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DRM6MLI/ref=psdc_1194486_t2_B015PR20GY

Newest: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Dual-Band-passive-UAP-AC-LITE/dp/B016K4GQVG/ref=dp_ob_title_def

Thanks a lot for your help so far.
My cable modem/wireless router is Netgear C6220.
I am planning on buying a NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX3700.
Also, a NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS305)
Would you call that the right gear.
It'd be amazing if I could figure out the way to have a single SSID and password across the house.

E: I already saw on Amazon comments that EX3700 isn't a mesh mode AP and thus can't be used with the same SSID. Will continue searching for a better alternative and appreciate recommendations (I know about Google WiFi but I'll rather something from Netgear , Linksys, etc.)

Thanks for the super direct input here. A couple questions:

1. Would you recommend the following for a wireless access point and MoCA adapters? https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Dual-Band-Wireless-Extender-Ethernet/dp/B00FKTMWDE/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=moca+wireless+access+point&qid=1564767061&s=electronics&sr=1-3 ; https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Adapter-Ethernet-2-Pack-MM1002/dp/B078HMDDVS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=moca+adapter&qid=1564767196&s=electronics&sr=1-3
   
   
2. If I wanted to install the splitters would that just be at the point of the coax cable entering the wall? Or is there a separate central location to install them? I would be hesitant to take this step just because I'm in an apartment so I doubt I'd be able to fiddle around with a central coax area.
   
   
3. Would there be any issues with having the WAP in the basement (i.e., would the wifi not be as effective down there)? Or since the WAP is connected to the router through the coax system, the location doesn't really matter?

wow 50 bucks huh? not sure if your going to get anything reliable at that price. if you need 5ghz only you could always get one of these and mount it to a rafter facing down. at 65 bucks its a little over your budget.

one of these though is a lot more suited to home wifi. you can turn the 2.4ghz channel off if you really dont want it too. yes its a hundred bucks but you would be hard pressed to find another solution that would work as well in this price range.

thanks that's cool but i guess the more i think about it the less i want to drop so much on a wifi router. it's really not going to have heavy use, just web browsing, streaming and such.

would either of these work well (i.e. good reliable connections)?

This TP

Or perhaps this ASUS

I agree, you may be better off with Powerline, or even better, Moca if you have a coax port in that basement. See links below:

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-powerline-networking-kit/

https://smile.amazon.com/Motorola-Adapter-Ethernet-2-Pack-MM1002/dp/B078HMDDVS/

I don't use consumer bridges often, but you will want to find something along the lines of this. Essentially, you want a device that can connect wired devices to a wireless station (router) hence "wireless bridge." Some of these wireless bridges can also be used as an Access Point (AP) should you want to extend coverage in your home better than what your repeater can do.

Edit: Do note that some bridges only have one port on it. To add more devices, you will need a network switch.

Before I bought my house, I used a set in an old apartment building. Worked well for me. I was able to get 120mbps down using it. It should be used as a last resort, but I PERSONALLY had great results.

I used this: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537210426&sr=8-3&keywords=tp+link+powerline+adapter&dpID=41SIVgLUmaL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Check the specs on your router. If it has only 100 Mbps ethernet ports it'll probably help to upgrade, even if your internet service is 100 Mbps down. You could get something inexpensive like a Ubiquiti ER-X that will be good for up to 500 Mbps.

I'm going to upgrade my wireless in my house come fall (when it cools off below 110 in the attic) and I'm looking at the TP-Link EAP225 for about $65 as it should suite my needs. If I can get the EAP245 on sale for about the same price I'll go for that. I only have about 5 total active wireless devices (at the most) at any time, so the throughput of the EAP225 should be plenty for me, but your situation may be different.

(Oh, and I'm sure people will recommend the Ubiquiti Access Points too. They are on my watchlist for a sale, too...so whichever is cheaper is what I'll end up with).

Thanks for the help. The switch I went with was http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QR6XFHQ/ref=cm_sw_su_dp from some others that I talked to they said it would would very well for what I need it for.

MoCA works absolutely fantastic in my experience. I use these boxes from Motorola. Gigabit speeds no issue. Just be sure any coax splitters are bi-directional.

Mesh Wi-Fi, where an AP gets an uplink from another AP, is bery questionable at best. If you are going to have multiple APs (reasonable), they should all have their own wire. Which can be MoCA.

Okay, that makes more sense lol. Thank you.

I think I've got all the info I need. At this point I'm just comparing three similar routers:

The one you recommended

This Asus one that's a dollar less

And this Asus one that looks to be the same as the other Asus but is $ cheaper and has 300 less max speed

All three are dual-band so it's just a matter of picking one. The TP-Link one says it has a 2 year warranty and 24/7 customer service so that might be worthwhile. It also has the highest max speed but that doesn't really make a huge difference to me since my internet is capped at 25 anyway. The TP-Link is the most expensive, $17 more than the cheapest Asus one. Hmmm.

For starters I would get a basic tester just to test the cable drops and make sure all is well, if it's really been about 15 years there is a decent chance of some breaks / cabling issues. Sounds like a simple Unmanaged 8-port Gigabit Switch can be installed in the attic with all of the Ethernet cables plugged into it.

These things are awesome for cases like this!

You do not need the Edgerouter-x if you are also using the Netgear AC2600 Wireless router. Only one router is needed per LAN. You will run into issues if you introduce a second router without very specific configurations.

If you are using the Netgear AC2600 as your router, you will need (instead of the Edgerouter-x) an inexpensive unmanaged Gigabit switch. Netgear also makes reliable switches (https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Lifetime-Protection/dp/B0000BVYT3). Keep in mind that one of the Ethernet ports will have to be connected to the Netgear wireless router, so if you buy the 5 port switch, you will only be able to connect 4 devices. I recommend getting the 8 port switch (7 devices attached), as it's not much more expensive, and you'll have extra ports in case you add devices in the future.

The modem you linked should be more than enough for your internet connection. Double check with your ISP to make sure that they allow you to provide your own modem (Charter/Spectrum, Comcast/Xfinity, and most other cable ISP should allow you to bring your own modem)

1. Get this modem: https://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6183-Docsis-Packaging/dp/B00MA5U1FW
   
2. Get this router: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-R6700-Nighthawk-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00R2AZLD2
   
3. Or this router: https://www.amazon.com/R7000-100PAS-Nighthawk-Parental-Controls-Compatible/dp/B00F0DD0I6
   
4. Profit
   
   Make sure you verify with your ISP that the modem is supported before purchasing.

Don't strip the individual wires, but do remove the outer blue sheath. There's more room in the jack before it's crimped, and you can fit the wires all the way in with their individual coating still on.

Patch panels are not necessary. All you need is something along these lines: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-ProSAFE-Gigabit-Desktop-GS108-400NAS/dp/B00MPVR50A

Make sure you get one with enough ports for all the plugs!

I would be worried about congestion and crosstalk. When I first got my dedicated WiFi router to supposidly make things better things got worse. Turned out my cable modem still had it's wifi enabled so was wreaking all kinds of havok. After turning the wifi on my cable modem off things drastically improved.

Depending on your situation, at the same time if everything's working well enough why fix what ain't broke?

If you are having issues or feel like being extra conservative just for a weekend project here's what I'd do:

Get the Wifi Analyzer app. This has a mode where it will show you signal congestion on different channels.

• Get a dual band router such as the ASUS-RT66U. Have devices that can use 5Ghz do that freeing up the 2Ghz space for just those devices that really need it.
  
• Configure your devices to be spread across less crowded channels. Keep in mind you could be getting some bleeding from neighbors you have no control over.
  
• Use hardwire for devices that can be (Smart TVs, gaming consoles, media centers, Desktop computers, basically anything that isn't going to be moving around). If you don't want to have cables running all through your house or tear up your walls to run cables look into some Ethernet over power adapters. These let you use the electrical wiring in your house to transmit data. You could put one in your media room hooked up to a switch that houses your tv, gaming consoles, etc, and the other near where ever your router is. Do you have a laptop but find yourself sitting with it in one location such as an office for extended periods of time? Consider dropping a hardline near there for those periods.
  
• If your house is really big try positioning the router centrally if possible. Use the wifi analyzer to look for deadzones as you move it around. If you have extra money burning a whole in your wallet, get a second wifi router to place on a different floor or the other end of the house and figure it as an AccessPoint. This will be the same SSID and network but requires you connecting the routers together via a hardline (EoP adapters might be handy here again).

Okay so heres my new plans for the design:

250FT Stranded UTP Cat6 - $45

Cat6 Connectors for UTP Stranded - $11

12 Port Vertical Mini Patch Panel for Cat6 - $20

8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch - $29

10 Pack Wall Plate 2-Port Keystone Jack - $10

10 Pack Keystone Jack Cat6 - $14

Total: $129, but previously $131 (100ft cat6 + connectors + wall jacks) and this does much more. Would that be good?

excellent advice on the edge router. What about a cheap access point for me? My crappy tplink is mostly sufficient, but interested in your recommendations

Thanks for the advice! Do keystones need to be rated exactly for Cat6a, or are they interchangable? I saw this 25-pack on Amazon for 29USD but they say they're for Cat6.

This is the punchdown tool I've got so I think I'm set there. I have ordinary wire strippers (very similar to these), would those work or would I have to buy something like this instead?

Edgerouter X: $54.95

Unifi AP AC Lite: $86.24

Total = $141.19

D-Link Dir-880L: $137.99

It's 4 bucks more for a better router that is easily expandable with another AP if needed.

Buy a better router and you should have no issues. Also try to set the router closer to the bedroom area so the coverage will be better in the back. If it is only you then you wdon't need that much band with. Something like the R7000 would be sufficient.

Thank you for helping me. Base on my understanding, I need to buy a Powerline adapter kit. Plug in one to the wall an connect it with the primary router from Xfiniti.

And the Poweline adapter will transfer "internet signal" via electrical outlet from the primary router to the wall outlet in my room.

And then plug in the second powerline adapter to the outlet in my room and connect the ethernet cable the the second powerline to my Xbox to play game.

Do you think this kit will get the job done ? TP-LINK TL-PA4026 KIT AV500 2-port Powerline Starter Kit, Up to 500Mbps
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1453085733&sr=1-1&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

If not, please give me some advice.

You didn't say how many network drops you've got, so we can't get too specific, but I can tell you I have an older revision of this switch (the 8 port version) and it's worked flawlessly for somewhere around 7 years now. I've always used D-Link or Netgear switches. TP-Link is another good brand that I've installed for other folks.

interesting product, i have https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Y3SQXR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and has helped me with getting 1GB (actual about 850-950mb/s which is fine). I have fios gigabit and the router they supply was moca 1.0 and i was getting 480 mb/s as you know is max through coax.

what do you mean by your devices aren't communicating?

Not sure why you need a splitter at all. the moca 2.0/2.5 devices are attached after the router at the "main end" in order to double the max coax internet speed which is 400-500 mb/s.

Think of your internet via ethernet giving you max gigabit speed, and the moment you connect it to your coax wall, it immediately goes half speed. So even though I have fios gigabit, its the same thing.

so in my basement my internet comes into the house via ethernet and I connect it to my fios modem/router (which stupidly is moca 1.0, i.e. where my issues begin with the half speeds!)

• you then connect the moca 2.0/2.5 adapter from one of your router lan ports
  
• other end of moca adapter is coax which then goes into your wall
  
• in every other room, you will need another moca adapter which will change the coax connection into an ethernet port for your 2nd router like you have in your diagram
  
  Summed up:
  
  MODEM > ROUTER > LAN CABLE > MOCA 2.0/2.5 adapter > coax cable > Coax wall = internet now running through your house via coax behind your walls
  
  THEN in your other rooms
  
  WALL > coax cable > moca adapter > lan cable > switch > devices (i am unsure if you need another router before your switch)
  
  Only difference between cox and fios is how the internet comes into your house so this diagram should work, no need for splitters unless you need TV which in your adapter manual, will tell you how to do.
  
  TIP THAT I USE:
  
  For every room that gets spotty WIFI, instead of using a moca adapter, just buy a moca 2.0 range extender! It's the same thing except it also gives you wifi!
  
  WALL > coax cable > range extender (moca 2.0) > LAN line > my office PC. Since my office is on the 2nd floor and the bedrooms get spotty internet the extender gives strong wifi signals to the upper floor since my internet comes into my house in the basement.
  
  some resources:
  
  https://forums.verizon.com/t5/Fios-Internet/Why-does-the-Fios-extender-half-gig-speeds-and-is-there-a-way-I/td-p/865802
  
  This diagram from your Goax product website made me think you don't need another router before your switch
  
  https://www.howtogeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/x2011-11-29_132204.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.YkB_VGVq0I.jpg

I'm going to confirm my understanding -
Your set up is:
Modem+wireless router at one end of the house

wireless extender set up at another end of the house to receive a signal

powerline adapter at the other end, connected to the wireless extender


netgear powerline kit with wifi in your detached house


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I'm going to assume you're open to spending a little cash, have some time and are willing to get dirty. This should be MUCH higher performance/reliability but it's not as beginner friendly. The general idea is to wire as much as possible and to use point to point antennas instead of powerline (powerline is basically a big antenna that picks out interference from things like TV channels, people turning on vacuums, etc.)



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point to point wireless bridge:

https://www.amazon.com/Mikrotik-Wireless-RBwAPG-60ad-wireless-duplex/dp/B077992GG3


OR two MoCA adapters (works if you have coaxial cables run to the other house) https://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Adapter-Ethernet-2-Pack-MM1002/dp/B078HMDDVS/


A few ethernet cables (cat6 - if you have anything that's going outdoors, get outdoor rated). I'd probably buy preterminated and go longer than you need.


a wireless access point - Ubquiti AC lite works


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general idea - set up two units, while connected with wires to the main network, get an ethernet cable to an edge of your house (might require running in an attic or under the house, drilling a hole in the roof of a closet and then down from a soffit in usually works well); set up an AC lite while in the house; get one bridge unit and the AC lite mounted at the guest house. If you have coaxial cables already run, use MoCA units instead of a wireless bridge.


Net result should be GOOD wifi to the guest house.

After reading your comments and taking that knowledge to Amazon and reading reviews and questions over there, as well as the Ubiquiti website, I pulled the trigger tonight on 2 Unifi nanoHD units.


This is the Amazon sku: Ubiquiti UniFi nanoHD Compact 802.11ac Wave2 MU-MIMO Enterprise Access Point (UAP-NANOHD-US)


Thank you for your input on these units.