Create a home Wi-Fi network by utilizing the second router as an extender.
Create a home Wi-Fi network by utilizing the second router as an extender.
You've been working remotely for a month and are facing Wi-Fi challenges between floors. Your home setup includes a work laptop, a gaming PC with a powerline adapter, and an old Zyxel router acting as a Wi-Fi extender. You're trying to connect your gaming PC directly to the second router, which is helping but not providing full speeds. You're seeing 40-50 Mbps, which is better than the 15 Mbps you got from downstairs, but still limited. You're considering turning off DHCP settings, though this causes a complete loss of connection. Your current setup seems functional for now, but you're concerned about long-term reliability and cost.
Ensure the cable is connected to a LAN port on the downstairs device, avoiding the WAN connection.
Check the Ethernet cable from your powerline adapter—ensure it's connected to WAN and that your gaming PC is linked to port 1. Verify the SSID and encryption settings are correct. It looks like everything seems functional, but you might have overlooked something. DHCP remains enabled, yet performance appears smooth.
Your router may be directing traffic in a way that affects certain games or applications. If your router allows changing between router and access point settings, choose access point. Otherwise, turn off DHCP and connect the device directly to a LAN port.
You're describing a network setup where the router assigns IPs in a specific way. To avoid conflicts, consider connecting your devices as follows: use an Ethernet cable from the powerline adapter to the LAN port on your second router, then connect your gaming PC and work laptop via Wi-Fi. This should prevent interference and ensure proper routing.