Improving home WiFi for 4k HDR local streaming

[Corbula]

I've currently got a router with only 2.4ghz WiFi and I believe due to where it is the WiFi strength is limited. I would also like faster WiFi just in one area for as I would like to start 4k hdr streaming (local bit Internet based) on my new TV. I currently get about 50mbps on WiFi.

I know it gets recommended a lot but please don't suggest running ethernet, I know it's better but I don't want to do that for various reasons.

I've tried getting an EAP225 access point but that wasn't really any better than the normal WiFi for strength due to walls and obstacles so that went back.

So the layout of the house to give you an idea is the router which is already connected to an old 200mbps Tp-link powerline with the other powerline up to a bedroom, these aren't gigabit and not WiFi either. So I'm thinking of replacing these with the WPA7510 kit to give hopefully fast enough WiFi in the bedroom (my TV Xf9005 is only 100mbps ethernet). Then get a single WPA4220 for the back room down stairs, this doesn't need the same speeds as its just general Internet browsing and phones and tablet.

With the WPA4220 only being homeplug AV and not AV2 would that slow everything down or just the WiFi from the WPA4220?

Sorry this is a long post but wanted to give as full a picture as possible. Any other recommendations instead of this would be much appreciated also, but again without running ethernet through the house.

Thanks for reading.

 

[MissChief]

Certainly 2.4Ghz is holding you back but while 5GHz is faster it also suffers from shorter range. A replacement Router and a set of WiFi extenders might do the job.

Regarding not installing cables, someone will be along shortly to tell you to, regardless of your wish not to.

 

[Corbula]

Certainly 2.4Ghz is holding you back but while 5GHz is faster it also suffers from shorter range. A replacement Router and a set of WiFi extenders might do the job.

Regarding not installing cables, someone will be along shortly to tell you to, regardless of your wish not to.

Thank you. I know the 5ghz has shorter range that's why I was looking at powerline to get it in the room. I don't want to replace the router as I love the software, that's why I originally got a access point to attach to it.

Wouldn't the WiFi extenders cut the bandwidth in half though? I've heard they aren't very good.

I know about running ethernet, it's the same on reddit, that's all everyone recommends even when you are looking for other solutions.

Would a 100mbps stable wired connection be better for 4k Hdr local streaming or too slow? Some movies can have a bit rate of 50-60+ mb

 

[labcoattech]

100Mbps should be plenty for 4k streaming, the Ethernet socket on your TV is also going to be 100 megabits and not gigabit.

According to Netflix the following are recommended,

3.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for SD quality
5.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for HD quality
25 Megabits per second - Recommended for Ultra HD quality

I think your best option is going to be to invest in better powerline adapters, a mesh Wi-Fi network won't be cheap.

 

[Corbula]

100Mbps should be plenty for 4k streaming, the Ethernet socket on your TV is also going to be 100 megabits and not gigabit.

According to Netflix the following are recommended,

3.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for SD quality
5.0 Megabits per second - Recommended for HD quality
25 Megabits per second - Recommended for Ultra HD quality

I think your best option is going to be to invest in better powerline adapters, a mesh Wi-Fi network won't be cheap.

Thank you. I've just thought I already have a 100mbps powerline going to my Ps4 so I can just connect that cable to my TV and try to find a sample somewhere to download.

As for the Netflix requirements they are far below normal local 4k streaming as they do a lot of compression. I don't have Netflix, I'm talking about local play of 4k hdr which can be well above 50mbps bitrate at times.

 

[labcoattech]

Do you know roughly how big the files are that you intend to playback? If they are 20GB+ then 100Mbps may not be enough.

Will the files be stored on your local NAS?

Will you be using the TV's built in player to playback the videos?

 

[Corbula]

Do you know roughly how big the files are that you intend to playback? If they are 20GB+ then 100Mbps may not be enough.

Will the files be stored on your local NAS?

Will you be using the TV's built in player to playback the videos?

They will roughly be around 40-50gb in size.

Yes they will be stored on a local machine running plex but using direct play with the built in plex app on the TV.

 

[labcoattech]

Give it a try and let us know how you get on.

 

[Corbula]

Give it a try and let us know how you get on.

Will do, I think I've found some samples I can use, the jellyfish videos that come in various bitrates. Be interesting to see how they play.

 

[pepp77]

When I discovered that my 4K TV couldnt even do 70mbps over the LAN port I too had to look into wireless. Thankfully I was able to take the LAN cable I did have plugged into the TV and plug an AP into that. I then set it up with a new SSID on 5Ghz only and placed it about 0.6m from my TV. I then connected the TV only to that. I can now stream 4K content from my server to my TV without any issues.

Edit - I try to keep my 4K rips under 30GB to aid with the fact I have to use Wifi.

 

[Corbula]

When I discovered that my 4K TV couldnt even do 70mbps over the LAN port I too had to look into wireless. Thankfully I was able to take the LAN cable I did have plugged into the TV and plug an AP into that. I then set it up with a new SSID on 5Ghz only and placed it about 0.6m from my TV. I then connected the TV only to that. I can now stream 4K content from my server to my TV without any issues.

Edit - I try to keep my 4K rips under 30GB to aid with the fact I have to use Wifi.

What's the access point you have?
When you say about the lan cable plugged into the TV which is now going to the access point, is this a straight ethernet run from the router?

Im going to try with a cable from the homeplug I already have but then if that doesn't work I'm not sure what the next step could be yet but I think I'm going to struggle.

 

[pepp77]

It's just a TP-Link AC router. And yes I have structured cabling through the house, but this AP connects to a little switch that in turn connects to the router.

 

[Corbula]

It's just a TP-Link AC router. And yes I have structured cabling through the house, but this AP connects to a little switch that in turn connects to the router.

Ah right OK, that's where my problem is, I don't have ethernet cable running through the house.

 

[Corbula]

OK, so I've doing a little bit of testing. At 60mbps it plays fine, at 90mbps it starts to buffer and again the same at 120mbps.

Looking at plex it's topping out at around 85mbps which I don't know if that's a limitation of the TV ethernet port being 100mbps or the powerline. I'm going to borrow a laptop to test the throughput of the powerline and see.

Either way the TV is still going to be limiting at max 100mbps so I'm going to have to use WiFi for it I think. What would you recommend?

 

[BigT]

You have a few choices, two of which you’ve considered.

1. Do as @pepp77 has done. Run an Ethernet cable from your router to close to your TV (externally if doing it inside is a no go) and hang an inexpensive 5ghz AP off it. This will probably be the cheapest and most robust solution. Downsides are of course you don’t want to do this.

2. Same as 1. but instead of an Ethernet cable use the highest spec power lines you can get I.e. some 2Gbps rated ones (you’ll not get near that but probably enough for what you want if you’re lucky). This is what you’re leaning towards I sense. Downsides are that people get varying degrees of success with powerline speed.

3. Introduce mesh WiFi that doesn’t need an Ethernet backhaul to your router but will bring 5ghz WiFi close to your TV

I’d recommend 1 but I know you don’t want to do this. I’ve had much better and consistent results with 3 than 2, which would have the added benefit of better WiFi throughout your house too, however it’s likely going to be the most expensive option unless you go for kit from the likes of Tenda.

So actually, if you can buy somewhere where returns are easy then try 2 and see how you get on. If it doesn’t work then return it and know that mesh will be the way to go.

The 7510 kit you suggest (which is sort of point 2), from reading reviews online, is right on the cusp of performance that may or may not work. Real world it seems to get 90-120mbps depending on environmental factors. That’s why you may need to consider 2Gbps adapters and an AP to give you headroom if you stick with powerline. If you like TP-link then that would be the TL-PA2090 kit and any old AC compatible access point I think.

 

[labcoattech]

Mesh will be the most expensive option but as stated will benefit the whole house, the starter kit should be enough for your TV but if you find dead spots in other areas of your house you can always add another satellite extender.

Have a look at the NETGEAR Orbi as seems to be the most recommended model.

 

[Corbula]

Mesh will be the most expensive option but as stated will benefit the whole house, the starter kit should be enough for your TV but if you find dead spots in other areas of your house you can always add another satellite extender.

Have a look at the NETGEAR Orbi as seems to be the most recommended model.

Thank you.
Mesh is definitely the most expensive and perhaps a little over the top for me. I'm only looking to get fast WiFi in the bedroom for streaming to the TV. The only other place is one room at the back of the house which is where mobiles and tablets get used, this only needs to be my Internet speed, around 65-70mbps as there's no streaming going on there. The rest of the house is OK being served by the router.

This is why I was looking at a faster WiFi powerline for the bedroom and just a simple WiFi powerline for the back room. I didn't want to mix and match if the slower one was going to slow everything down including the faster one upstairs.

 

[Avalon]

Ignoring Reddit and here already providing the obvious correct answer, why can’t stop extracting your media as a remux and encode it in a more suitable format that will lower your requirements considerably.

 

[Corbula]

Ignoring Reddit and here already providing the obvious correct answer, why can’t stop extracting your media as a remux and encode it in a more suitable format that will lower your requirements considerably.

Um, I'm not ignoring anything? I've taken it on board and I'm looking into it. I will be encoding so it's all direct play but it can still push 100mbps bitrate with 4k hdr even on direct play.

As suggested I'm looking into a mesh like netgear orbi but also at WiFi powerline and returning if they aren't great.

 

[Avalon]

Um, I'm not ignoring anything? I've taken it on board and I'm looking into it. I will be encoding so it's all direct play but it can still push 100mbps bitrate with 4k hdr even on direct play.

As suggested I'm looking into a mesh like netgear orbi but also at WiFi powerline and returning if they aren't great.

Read it again, I prefaced my comment with a statement to explain why I hadn’t gone with ‘run a cable’. If you have properly encoded content that spikes over 100Mbit that you haven't specifically generated for test purposes, then it’s usually because you are doing something wrong on the encode side, a remux will spike over 100Mbit, encoded media shouldn’t.