Home network Upgrade

mkelbie

mkelbie

mkelbie

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24 Jan 2012
Posts
231
I have been having some issues with my network lately so think it’s time to do some upgrades but not sure where to take things.

Wifi is used quite a lot and I do have some dead spots but I’ve also got home plugs being used that probably need replacing and maybe a better switch.

Current kit is a Sky Q Hub router on which I’ve disabled DHCP and I use my AirPort Extreme AC. This was fine but then as we got more wired and wireless devices things started to fail. I purchased a 2nd Apple router which I was using with a home plug to provide wifi down stairs but this strangely performed better just extending the wifi wirelessly.

I have a NAS and couple of home servers in the garage, the plan is to run a cable from the office to there to replace the home plug which is about the only upgrade I am sure of.

What I am not sure of is my existing 3 routers and if I should either invest in a mesh network or could I purchase a better extender and/or make use of existing Hardware. I only live in an average size 3 bed detached and would like to also reach the back garden (office is back of house) but I’ve seen well priced outdoor access points.

Wireless the performance is required in the living room for the nvidia shield, consoles and Xbox and this where I have issues. I would also like a good signal for my MacBook and iPad but anything else like phones will just be browsing and very little streaming. The garden doesn’t need streaming either, probably just for browsing and maybe streaming locally (Plex).

Anyone got any upgrade suggestions or configuration of existing kit. I am planning to run cables in the loft for the IP cameras I’ve not installed so would consider doing a drop from the loft down to the living room if a hard wired access point is required but ideally I want to get away with providing better wifi wireless.
 
Since you're running cables anyway I'd go down the dedicated AP route, with Ubiquiti being a great solution as suggested. Put one at the top of your house and one perhaps in the garage to serve the garden? You can keep just one of your routers to route and provide DHCP. Sell off the other two to fund the APs.

Mesh would also work but it is new technology and is better for solving the problem of not wanting to run wires. Since you're prepared to do that then dedicated APs will be cheaper and better proven.
 
I have looked at Ubiquiti a couple of times now, will give them another look now.

I’ve bought a reel of CAT6 so will probably have a go, I was thinking up to the loft to my PoE Switch and then come out the side of the house down the to lounge for AP1. The garage is at the front so it will just be another switch in there for NAS and server. Garden I will hopefully reach from the office.

Will this be a better option than upgrading my Router to one of the newer models? Otherwise I will sell both Apple routers and just use my Sky Q hub for DHCP.
 
Thanks to you both for the input, I think a mesh setup is £300+ and without selling my Apple routers I could get 2 x APs for almost half so I like this idea better.

Funds left as well should I really need a garden AP.

Do they all need different SSID names? This was one of the reasons why I looked at mesh because my MacBook would see one Airport but didn’t switch when going down stairs so had to disable wifi and let it pick again otherwise it just played up.
 
1. Apple abandoned its router business a while back, sell them now and get something better.

2. Run cable(s) to each room, anything that can be wired gets wired. Wifi (for devices that can't be wired) should be in the form of an Unifi AP deployed centrally, two if required.

The reason I say 'cable(s)' is always pull more than you need - one fails and you have spares - you can always put a switch on the end of one for multiple devices if required. AP wise I get away with 2.4Ghz as the range is better and as above it's mobiles/tablets and the odd laptop/kids console that uses wifi. I have 2 Unifi AP's, but realistically only one is required to cover our house, gardens and a decent chunk of the street.
 
I am sold on Ubiquiti now, always been tempted by this kit.

It will be a few weeks before I can do the cabling so might just buy the one for now and then a 2nd when I can patch it in.

Do you think one on the loft above the bedroom with poor coverage would work? The only block would be the plaster board. I don’t think the Mrs will let me mount one in the bedroom ceiling.

Apple routers will be advertised today and going to try the LR model, pro looks quite a nit morre expensive and probably don’t have any 4x4 devices.
 
I have one on the wall in a 4 bed detached house and it covers the whole house without issue. Plus my garage, garden, most of the street. Really is a good piece of kit.
 
Even pointing up in the air on the top floor when testing I could get a signal out in the street through brick and breeze block walls. As far as ceiling mounts go, it's quite minimal and the LED can be turned off - no more intrusive than a smoke alarm.
 
As has been said. Wire anything that's remotely possible (litteraly find ways to lay cable) . One decent Ubiquiti wifi access point and your sorted. Any decent router will handle all you need.
 
mkelbie said:
Do you think one on the loft above the bedroom with poor coverage would work? The only block would be the plaster board. I don’t think the Mrs will let me mount one in the bedroom ceiling.
Click to expand...

I have two LRs, each in a separate loft. One covers about 200sqm of house, half on the same floor as the loft (It's above a single storey extension so much of the coverage required is on the same upstarirs floor) and half the floor below it. Lowest signal, but still perfectly usable, is 20m away on the same floor through four walls. The other AP-LR covers 100sqm of the floor below it and well out into the garden to a distance of about 40m, but it's only got a set of roof tiles to go through to get out there.

Given you're putting a PoE switch up there (check it is compatible with the UAPs or else you'll need to inject some power somewhere along the line) then it's fairly low risk to get one and put it up there when doing the work and see how you go.

I'd sell the Apple routers (unless you're using them for airplay or something unique to them) and get the Sky Q back on routing duties. Soon enough if you get on with the Ubiquiti kit then you'll be lusting after an Edgerouter or USG to replace it.
 
I am going to end up kitting my whole house out now with all Ubiquiti gear..... I get an OCD bug with Hardware and have to match it so no doubt my TP-Link switches will be replaced soon.

I just wish I could replace the Sky router.
 
ChrisD. said:
You can. Personally, I tried the Edgerouter-L and wasn't a fan. I've since switched to pfSense which works much better and is less 'beta'.
Click to expand...

I thought you couldn’t with sky? I read previously about getting your login details (which I have from wireshaek) but still didn’t work for me even trying to use an open 4each modem.
 
You can easily get the login details with minimal effort using wireshark. I've also read that Sky don't need them anymore or will hand them out over the phone.
 
I have the login details already, didn’t know I could actually use them though.

What are you running pfSense on? I have got more than enough Hardware to spin up a VM for that but would still need a modem.

UAP-PRO ordered :)

Another addiction now I’ve probably just got hooked on.
 
mkelbie said:
I have the login details already, didn’t know I could actually use them though.

What are you running pfSense on? I have got more than enough Hardware to spin up a VM for that but would still need a modem.

UAP-PRO ordered :)

Another addiction now I’ve probably just got hooked on.
Click to expand...
I bought an SG-2220 because I couldn't be bothered building my own box and having any potential issues. Overkill for most but I've been pleased with it.

You just have to put the log in details in the DHCP request, 61 I think it is. Google will help.
 
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