Wifi Issue Sticky??
Discussion
Mr E said:
seveb said:
You can start with mesh is a last resort not a valid first solution.
Done properly, I disagree. I wasted a huge amount of time attempting to expand my Wifi coverage and although I'm fairly proficient in the area of RF & mobile data comms, I eventually gave up and shelled out for a mesh.
Best thing I ever did.
M
camel_landy said:
I wasted a huge amount of time attempting to expand my Wifi coverage and although I'm fairly proficient in the area of RF & mobile data comms, I eventually gave up and shelled out for a mesh.
What did you try that didn't work? I get roped in to deal with broken WiFi often enough that it'd be good to have a better feel for bad ideas.xeny said:
What did you try that didn't work? I get roped in to deal with broken WiFi often enough that it'd be good to have a better feel for bad ideas.
Due to the thickness and type of materials used in the walls here, pretty much any of the 'Repeater' type setups are doomed to failure as it requires multiple hops.I ended up plumping for the Netgear Orbi. It's an absolute piece of piss to setup, pretty much plug & play and solved all my problems with a stroke. Granted, it's significantly more expensive but well worth every penny.
M
seveb said:
You can start with mesh is a last resort not a valid first solution.
I also disagree. Mesh systems now come at all price points, are pretty easy to set up with app's and If positioned and set up correctly are probably the best Wifi repeater tech currently available. I think everyone needs to first remember that a ISP's provided Wifi via the modem will be a cheap unit due to the volume of units supplied.
Edited by Chuffedmonkey on Thursday 11th February 18:33
Mr E said:
I reckon there’s a small business here to be honest.
There is, but it's a tedious business and difficult to scale up. No profit in the kit (often easier to get the customer to buy direct) Customers just don't get the time it can take to set all this kit up and support it, they don't want spend. Support, constant calls about issues outside of your remit, then friction over extra charges and fees. "Whilst you're here", "can you take a look at my TV as it won't connect to Netflix" , "Can you look at my daughter's iPad as it won't connect" etc etc.
megaphone said:
Wireless mesh has its uses, but is no substitute for a cabled, managed network. If you can't get cables in then it can be a solution.
Agreed. But for the home with 100Mbps coming in and a desire to ‘just work’ without running cables everywhere, it’s a perfectly sensible solution. For people having problems with Wifi, it is worth at least skimming https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/02/the-ars-te... to see if it gives any ideas for obvious easy ways to improve matters.
Mr E said:
megaphone said:
Wireless mesh has its uses, but is no substitute for a cabled, managed network. If you can't get cables in then it can be a solution.
Agreed. But for the home with 100Mbps coming in and a desire to ‘just work’ without running cables everywhere, it’s a perfectly sensible solution. megaphone said:
Yes, for general domestic use, by someone who just wants to plug and play, a wireless mesh system can work very well, but can also be a PITA as can be seen on many threads.
Don't confuse wifi extenders with a proper mesh... Most of the problem threads relate to extenders (hence the suggestion of starting a "Common Problems & Solutions" type sticky).M
camel_landy said:
megaphone said:
Yes, for general domestic use, by someone who just wants to plug and play, a wireless mesh system can work very well, but can also be a PITA as can be seen on many threads.
Don't confuse wifi extenders with a proper mesh... Most of the problem threads relate to extenders (hence the suggestion of starting a "Common Problems & Solutions" type sticky).M
dmsims said:
seveb said:
You can start with mesh is a last resort not a valid first solution.
Said someone who has little actual experienceAs I said, if you're happy with Halfords rattle can finish then that's fine, but if you are a gamer, or do a lot of 4k streaming or have a large family with lots of devices, mesh offers a limited experience.
Two or three Cisco/Aruba/Unifi APs properly located and cabled into a switch will give high bandwidth, stable and consistent performance. You can even try using Netgear or Asus or even TP Link APs properly located and wired.
Mesh with ethernet might be OK for some but it's still a consumer, built to a budget product, and it will behave as such. Once you've experienced the difference you'll not be so keen on mesh.
seveb said:
You have no idea of my experience. You're a chancer who's jumped on the mesh band wagon. If you looked at how to survey and install APs properly you'd not be so keen on mesh.
As I said, if you're happy with Halfords rattle can finish then that's fine, but if you are a gamer, or do a lot of 4k streaming or have a large family with lots of devices, mesh offers a limited experience.
Two or three Cisco/Aruba/Unifi APs properly located and cabled into a switch will give high bandwidth, stable and consistent performance. You can even try using Netgear or Asus or even TP Link APs properly located and wired.
Mesh with ethernet might be OK for some but it's still a consumer, built to a budget product, and it will behave as such. Once you've experienced the difference you'll not be so keen on mesh.
However, the context of most of these conversations relate to the domestic market and people with limited knowledge in these areas. Additionally, unless it is already there, most people will balk at the idea of running structured cabling through their house.As I said, if you're happy with Halfords rattle can finish then that's fine, but if you are a gamer, or do a lot of 4k streaming or have a large family with lots of devices, mesh offers a limited experience.
Two or three Cisco/Aruba/Unifi APs properly located and cabled into a switch will give high bandwidth, stable and consistent performance. You can even try using Netgear or Asus or even TP Link APs properly located and wired.
Mesh with ethernet might be OK for some but it's still a consumer, built to a budget product, and it will behave as such. Once you've experienced the difference you'll not be so keen on mesh.
Both types of systems have their place and a good quality mesh (with a separate back-haul) fits nicely into the domestic market.
(FWIW - Mine is working quite nicely for a household with gamers, streamers and a significant number of devices.)
M
camel_landy said:
With the number of Wifi / Mesh / Crap signal threads kicking around, is it worth starting up a sticky to cover common solutions?
Just a thought.
M
I thought it was a good idea as well. Just a thought.
M
In order of options:
For free:
Download a free wifi analyser for you phone. Check to see if the Channels you are using are congested (a lot of ISPs default to channel 6 on the 2.4GHz band) - change to clearer channel in your router settings.
Position - mounting your router a little higher up or towards the centre of the house can make a lot of difference.
Inexpensive (<£200):
Get your own router and don't use the kit supplied by your ISP (normally equivalent to the £30-£40 consumer grade routers you can buy) - except to put it in modem mode if required.
Check your devices - older equipment can only negotiate at lower bandwidths - an external wifi stick can be better and operate on dual or triple channel.
Wifi repeater - for mid-sized newer homes only - should be fine to extend the signal to the spare room (older houses with thicker walls will require something a little better).
Expensive (>£200):
Business grade equipment and cabling - how important is wifi everywhere to you?
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