How to get great WiFi signal all over house?

the_worrier · 1 Jun 2019 at 14:57

Hey folks. I live in a standard semi-detached house which has been extended behind the garage to make a large kitchen and 4 upstairs bedrooms. Also the integral garage has been converted to a shower/WC room and a large utility room.

The 2 storey extension behind what was the garage receives poor WiFi upstairs. Is there a way I can add a hub on the landing that will transmit my WiFi signal instead of people upstairs relying on signal from the BT HH5/6 (?) downstairs?

I have Plusnet unlimited fibre 70/20.

bremen1874 · 1 Jun 2019 at 15:17

Are you willing to run Ethernet from the router to where you'd like to situate the additional wireless? Running wires isn't the only option, but if you aren't willing to install them you'll rule out some solutions.

Extensions can be a problem because there's often an exterior (now interior) wall you need to get a signal through.

the_worrier · 1 Jun 2019 at 17:51

Wife say’s ‘No!’ to wires!

bremen1874 · 1 Jun 2019 at 20:48

You could try a range extender, but they're generally pretty ****!

If cables are a problem (done properly they wouldn't necessarily even be visible), I'd look at one of the mesh systems (e.g. Google WiFi).

MissChief · 1 Jun 2019 at 20:50

Powerline with wireless access point at one end?

DIABLO · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:07

pattojones said:
Wife say’s ‘No!’ to wires!

You ain't getting "great" WiFi then. You could take the Pepsi challenge with a Powerline adapter but that's up to you.

bledd · 2 Jun 2019 at 08:27

Get a quote from an electrician to run cables, they can often run them externally to the required points.

For testing before installing, make up some cables and run them around the house to the points you think you want, then test access points at those locations for coverage.

Do it when the wife isn't home.

Unifi access points look kind of like smoke alarms.

Any other choice is a lesser one.

Mesh WiFi might be worth a try. Powerlines will just cause grief.

the_worrier · 2 Jun 2019 at 10:22

Can these Unifi access points be ceiling mounted? Link for purchase?

Sparx · 2 Jun 2019 at 10:24

pattojones said:
Can these Unifi access points be ceiling mounted?

Yes that is generally their purpose to be ceiling mounted.

StevieP · 2 Jun 2019 at 10:32

I've never understood the hatred for powerline adapters to be honest!

I live in a 3 storey house and have always used powerline adapters to connect my PC on the top floor with nothing but great results!

I've lived there 10 years and I think I've had to reboot them a grand total of once - otherwise they have been rock solid and are capable of streaming full HD content to the main TV!

I appreciate that people in older houses could have wiring issues but I've yet to meet someone where this has been a problem to be honest!

Avalon · 2 Jun 2019 at 11:55

StevieP said:
I've never understood the hatred for powerline adapters to be honest!

I live in a 3 storey house and have always used powerline adapters to connect my PC on the top floor with nothing but great results!

I've lived there 10 years and I think I've had to reboot them a grand total of once - otherwise they have been rock solid and are capable of streaming full HD content to the main TV!

I appreciate that people in older houses could have wiring issues but I've yet to meet someone where this has been a problem to be honest!

Powerline is a compromise, it’s marketing speeds are misleading (quoting symmetrical speeds as a headline is laughable), it’s subject to interference on the circuit (big fridge/freezer or compressor? yep, if the suppressor goes you’re in trouble), separate ring mains on an extension? Yep, you’re in trouble. Jumping circuits over multiple flaws? Yep that’s a problem. Using spur sockets and/or extensions? Yep, you’re knocking off a good proportion of that speed. Once you step out of your one house ‘it works for me!’ example and do some basic testing, it’s really not so clear cut and the reasons why it will have issues is a lot longer than that. Also contrary to what you infer, copper cable doesn’t really degrade and anything cable/fuse wise that is likely to cause a problem will likely have been re-wired by now, exceptions exist, but most mortgage companies would make it a condition to lending and commercial premises require testing certificates which insurers request copies of.

Powerline has it’s place, but to assume that the only time it will have issues is in older houses is somewhat naive. It’s very easy to assume the rest of the world operates as your home does, but realistically it doesn’t unfortunately.

Old thread where I tested AV500’s:
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/posts/30833400/

Ignoring that two adapters running the latest firmware in sockets next to each other couldn’t get much over 2/3 of the claimed link speed (remember to halve it as that’s full duplex), adding an extension lowered that by roughly 1/4, adding another did the same again. Powerline is no substitute for a physical cable.

andy_mk3 · 2 Jun 2019 at 12:02

pattojones said:
Can these Unifi access points be ceiling mounted? Link for purchase?

Yes, that's their intention. Mine is mounted on the ceiling of the landing, covers the entire 4 bed house and the garden without an issue.

StevieP · 2 Jun 2019 at 12:59

Avalon said:
Powerline is no substitute for a physical cable.

Yeah I got a bit bored reading all that but I don't remember saying that powerline adapters were as good as a physical cable - but I do remember reading the OP's comments and it saying that running wires wasn't a viable option!

In my experience (and not just in my own house!) powerline adapters have been great!

All I'm saying is they are worth a try!

Hades · 2 Jun 2019 at 13:22

I've recently moved to mesh WiFi (with my son main PC still running on powerline as my son uses it for gaming). I am really happy with it. I went for the budget option of a refurbished BT Whole Home and three discs saturate my three storey, five bedroom, Edwardian house with thick walls. It's so much better that before with a single WiFi router downstairs. No more dead spots and most rooms have an excellent signal. I have also checked the speed is consistent throughout the house with a speed tester. So it's not just a good signal with poor speed.

They may not be quite as good as the Unifi models which have an ethernet connection back to the router. But they simply need a power supply so are simple to install.

Wired ethernet will always be better. But these are a good solution to stop the kids moaning that their iPads lose connection at the top of the house.

neil_g · 2 Jun 2019 at 14:02

I'll echo the above, I've got a 3 node TPLink Deco mesh but 2 are backed by powerline due to placement constraints and I can easily max my 80/20 FTTC throughout the house.

That's not to say they'll work in every property.