Improving my wireless local network

tdsmithj · 23 May 2022 at 10:18

Currently I have a SKY Q 2 Router and a TP-LINK 450 extender. My router has two separate bands for 2.4ghz and 5ghz which connects to the extender which also sends out 2.4 and 5ghz with the EXT naming convention.
The problem I am having that I think the 5ghz band keeps dropping from the extender probably due to distance from the modem router (the app says it is in the perfect distance). Once the connection drops or the extender plays up, it has trouble connecting back up to the router. This means that pretty much every night I need to reboot my extender just to get my google home mini and other smart appliances to work upstairs.

I do have a lot of wireless applications connected to the router and extender. xbox, pc, google mini's, google tv etc.

Ideally I would want the one router which has the wifi 5ghz or event 6ghz band to cover the whole house because the whole thing is becoming a bit of a pain.

Any help would be great.

Avalon · 23 May 2022 at 11:12

Stop and think about this. You have a router that broadcasts at the maximum permissible power level, but it’s inadequate so you have had to use an extender. You now want to replace the router and extender with another router, that can still only broadcast at the same power level and expect it to do a job that two devices couldn’t? Wifi6 has even worse penetration than 5Ghz.

If it can be cabled, it should be cabled. If you have to run wireless, run a cable to an AP that is centrally located on the top floor (landings generally), this is generally going to give you the best coverage. From here, things generally get worse in terms of performance, wired mesh where you run a cable to each node and use a wired backhaul, followed by wireless mesh with dedicated radio backhaul, then you have wireless mesh with shared radio which is just technically horrible.

Robbo · 23 May 2022 at 11:16

I'd look into a wifi mesh solution if you don't want cables.

I was planning to install cables as I'm not a wifi fan, but I tried out a fairly cheap wifi mesh system (Deco S4), and it's been absolutely rock solid. Can't fault it.

tdsmithj · 23 May 2022 at 12:34

Hi, i will look at the mesh. I wanted to avoid due to costs but looking at this one seems quite a lot cheaper than the rest.

tdsmithj · 23 May 2022 at 13:32

Avalon said:
Stop and think about this. You have a router that broadcasts at the maximum permissible power level, but it’s inadequate so you have had to use an extender. You now want to replace the router and extender with another router, that can still only broadcast at the same power level and expect it to do a job that two devices couldn’t? Wifi6 has even worse penetration than 5Ghz.

If it can be cabled, it should be cabled. If you have to run wireless, run a cable to an AP that is centrally located on the top floor (landings generally), this is generally going to give you the best coverage. From here, things generally get worse in terms of performance, wired mesh where you run a cable to each node and use a wired backhaul, followed by wireless mesh with dedicated radio backhaul, then you have wireless mesh with shared radio which is just technically horrible.

Hi, cable is not a solution sorry. I was thinking of just getting a better performing 5ghz router and get rid of the extender. The distance between the router and the extender is around 6 metres. I am assuming it is the 5ghz dropping because my google home mini's used to stutter when my 5ghz and 2.4ghz used to share the same network name. I think Mesh is the way to go. Each base would be around 5 metres apart (pack of 3). May be a bit overkill for the size of the house (uk). But at least I will have full coverage and get rid of the extender.

radderfire · 23 May 2022 at 13:54

Was the current extender recommended for your router? If not, it just looks as though the extender doesn't talk very well with your router. If you buy a mesh system where everything is made to work together, you will probably get much better results.

Firegod · 23 May 2022 at 16:29

tdsmithj said:
Hi, cable is not a solution sorry. I was thinking of just getting a better performing 5ghz router and get rid of the extender. The distance between the router and the extender is around 6 metres. I am assuming it is the 5ghz dropping because my google home mini's used to stutter when my 5ghz and 2.4ghz used to share the same network name. I think Mesh is the way to go. Each base would be around 5 metres apart (pack of 3). May be a bit overkill for the size of the house (uk). But at least I will have full coverage and get rid of the extender.

Please don't stick mesh nodes 5 meters apart, that it isn't enough distance and you could end up just flapping around all 3 nodes. If it helps for comparison, I have 2 nodes which are 12m apart (about 40ft). I think Netgear recommend where possible 40-45ft for their Orbi devices. I have my 5Ghz power turned down on these new Asus ZenWiFi XT12 units, to get a nice overlap and handoff and this is between some pretty thick stone walls (not a new build home with thinner interior walls). As mentioned, WiFi 6E (6Ghz) is useless unles you're in the same room as the device as it just cannot travel through obstacles. And not all mesh units are equal, check the specs for how many antenna and streams they support and also the power / transmit levels. But everyones needs are different. Hope this helps.

WJA96 · 23 May 2022 at 20:54

tdsmithj said:
Hi, cable is not a solution sorry. I was thinking of just getting a better performing 5ghz router and get rid of the extender. The distance between the router and the extender is around 6 metres. I am assuming it is the 5ghz dropping because my google home mini's used to stutter when my 5ghz and 2.4ghz used to share the same network name. I think Mesh is the way to go. Each base would be around 5 metres apart (pack of 3). May be a bit overkill for the size of the house (uk). But at least I will have full coverage and get rid of the extender.

I love threads like these. Someone asks for advice. They are given basically a perfect solution to their problem and they completely ignore the good advice and do something easy. Because, well, it’s easy. And then they come back in a few days or weeks and ask the same question then they try something easy again. Because it’s still easier than doing it right. After about 5 or 6 rounds of this they eventually spend the money right and do the job properly.

There is no better performing wireless router. They all basically use the same chipsets and they’re legally locked down in terms of transmit power and even if they weren’t they still wouldn’t work because the wireless devices they’re talking to can hear the wireless router blasting out signal but they don‘t have the power to transmit back. It’s like you’re addressing a crowd with a megaphone. The ones at the back can still hear you but you can’t hear them at all.

And then you’re going to stuff a multi-node mesh system in there. Imagine three or four people with megaphones all shouting away.

You almost certainly just need one access point, mounted high up so you get the biggest orb of coverage and for that, realistically, you need a cable. One cable and you can pick from a range of access points - £70 will get you a decent one. £100 will get you a great one. A TV aerial installer will probably charge you £150-ish to run a cable neatly anywhere you like. £250 to get nailed-on great WiFi throughout your home vs. a bodge that will just annoy you.

Sorry to be preachy but @Avalon gave you the right answer.