Extending Wi-Fi network throughout the house

[shyam09]

So recently my internet seems to have been bogged down throughout the house (it's a fairly large house). I have ATT UVerse Internet, so the modem is in my room (connected to my computer). The way things have been arranged, I can't move the modem outside my room.

So this leaves me with either boosters, extenders, or homeplugs...

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to networking, so any help would be wonderful.

To give an example, upstairs (where the modem is), my laptop gets 5 bars, downstairs in almost the opposite side of the house, I get 1-3 bars. With the latter case, the internet is unbearably slow.

Again, thanks in advance for any help.

 

[RIZZO124]

Get yourself a wifi access point from ubiquiti called unifi. It looks like a flying saucer but is incredible. I have a 5000 sq ft house over three floors and I get full signal everywhere top to bottom and outside around the house. They have two versions that look the same but you want the one that is LR for,long range. They boost the output signal to something like 27 dBm which iis relatively high power for linger range reception.

 

[Coleman2010]

I use 1 Apple Airport Extreme and 2 Time Capsules set at 5GHz. The first Time Capsule is attached to the cable modem and the 2nd Time Capsule and Airport Extreme are setup to extend the WiFi Network. I can access my network from outside almost two blocks away.

 

[Consultant]

I use one Airport Extreme with router, and another one in "Extend a wireless network" mode.

 

[mmomega]

IMHO to get the best performance.

1. Get a 2nd AEBS or Airport Express.

2. Run an ethernet cable from Router #1 to wherever you decide to place the 2nd new router.

3. Extend network bridged.

4. Enjoy your full speed internet across your home.


In my experience, because I have done this both ways and I took the time to do it right and hardwire my routers together, you want to get full bandwidth throughout your home not just have a good signal with low bandwidth.

Ex. Let's say you are in your bedroom, you go to your living room and your laptop shows you have "0.5Mbps of download speed out of 15Mbps". Well if you place a wifi extender in your living room, you are still only receiving that same "0.5Mbps" from your main router, you are just boosting further out how far that "0.5Mbps" reaches.
If you hardwire the 2 routers(or more) together. You are sending that full bandwidth 15Mbps out to the living room as well as your bedroom.

I tried 1 Airport, then an Airport Extreme + an Airport Express wirelessly extending, then 2 Airport Extremes Wirelessly extending and in some rooms or outside on the back patio I was receiving almost 1/2 of my bandwidth. So I was never happy with the result, although it is more convenient.
I ended up with 3 Airport Extremes hardwired in a triangular layout throughout my home and now no matter where I am I can receive 95-100% of my bandwidth.

CAT5e or CAT6 cable really is not expensive (1,000' for $80 - 115 depending on CAT5 or 6) and you will be happy you did just that little extra work.

 

[adam9c1]

I have two Airport Extremes (one as extended).
Both are the models prior to N.

First in basement next to router, the other in garage.
I get very weak signal on second floor. Unable to stream video or audio in two of the bedrooms.
The garage unit signal gets blocked well I think by the door.

I want to run another line from basement to attic and install third AE there.
Is there a way to turn off A and B spectrums and only run G?

 

[dimme]

IMHO to get the best performance.

1. Get a 2nd AEBS or Airport Express.

2. Run an ethernet cable from Router #1 to wherever you decide to place the 2nd new router.

3. Extend network bridged.

4. Enjoy your full speed internet across your home.


In my experience, because I have done this both ways and I took the time to do it right and hardwire my routers together, you want to get full bandwidth throughout your home not just have a good signal with low bandwidth.

Ex. Let's say you are in your bedroom, you go to your living room and your laptop shows you have "0.5Mbps of download speed out of 15Mbps". Well if you place a wifi extender in your living room, you are still only receiving that same "0.5Mbps" from your main router, you are just boosting further out how far that "0.5Mbps" reaches.
If you hardwire the 2 routers(or more) together. You are sending that full bandwidth 15Mbps out to the living room as well as your bedroom.

I tried 1 Airport, then an Airport Extreme + an Airport Express wirelessly extending, then 2 Airport Extremes Wirelessly extending and in some rooms or outside on the back patio I was receiving almost 1/2 of my bandwidth. So I was never happy with the result, although it is more convenient.
I ended up with 3 Airport Extremes hardwired in a triangular layout throughout my home and now no matter where I am I can receive 95-100% of my bandwidth.

CAT5e or CAT6 cable really is not expensive (1,000' for $80 - 115 depending on CAT5 or 6) and you will be happy you did just that little extra work.

I also tried it both ways but with net gear products and I agree if you want full bandwidth the second router should be hard wired.

 

[Altemose]

I also tried it both ways but with net gear products and I agree if you want full bandwidth the second router should be hard wired.

Any time you want to setup a roaming network it should be wired in.

 

[shyam09]

used a powerline adapter and set up the AP to be a bridge. Everything worked out smoothly! Thanks all!

 

[Altemose]

used a powerline adapter and set up the AP to be a bridge. Everything worked out smoothly! Thanks all!

Glad you got it working!