Creating Mesh with ISP router
Creating Mesh with ISP router
Other choices include powerline Wi-Fi adapters. They tend to be a bit slower, but I’ve noticed they offer quite stable connections as long as your home’s wiring is fairly recent. Please verify with someone if you’re unsure, but I think you’re right about using the same SSID.
Thanks everyone for your assistance! I already have wired powerline, which is excellent. I also connected the house via Ethernet, so I was considering using an AP. If I place it in a low-signal area with the same SSID, should it automatically switch to the stronger signal? (For example, one ISP and one TP-Link router, and if either causes problems, would you recommend getting another TP-Link AP?)
Ensure the SSID, password, and encryption type match—WPA or WPA2. Once aligned, devices should transition smoothly between your ISP router and AP. You can later introduce additional APs and turn off the ISP router’s built-in network if no clients are present there; this reduces interference without affecting performance.
Did you consider replacing your router with a strong TP-Link like the AX21? Could that fix the issue without worrying about coverage gaps? Your space is about 1,100 square feet.
Client devices should switch automatically if the newly-detected signal is stronger than the previous, whether they share the same or different SSIDs. But some devices don't like to "let go" unless the signal strength falls to a certain threshold. For this reason, you have to tune the power output of your APs so that, as the signal from the AP behind you falls off, the device starts to detect the signal from the AP ahead and switches over. Doing all of this is not much of a concern with SOHO/enterprise WiFi systems because the network hardware/controller does this in the background. Agreed. I'd just add that the wireless channel should be different and non-overlapping with the other AP to avoid wireless interference. Although, if the signal of one AP is low enough (e.g. say less than -80dBm), that should be fine. You're hoping that a new wireless router will produce a stronger signal. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Most wireless routers are tuned out of the box to stay within regulatory limits for the country they're in. And this regulatory limit applies to all wireless routers/APs no matter the generation. So you can imagine, that unless you're jumping by maybe 2 generations of WiFi, hoping to see an improvement in coverage by upgrading your single wireless router is less likely to occur. You're more likely to see an improvement if you eliminated all of the internal walls in your home and placed the router/AP at the center of it. That should tell you how much the environment plays on signal quality. Now, some manufacturers employ additional technologies to allow for better reception even with the limited antenna power output. But even with these additional features, it's a 50/50 chance it will be a significant improvement in the large modern homes we live in today and the client devices with so many different wireless chipsets. Using multiple APs at well-planned-out locations will provide better coverage and more reliable speeds.
2.4ghz performs well about 99% of the time in our 1500 sq ft residence. The 5g connection tends to be unreliable, particularly across different floors. I've found success using pl adapters for my remote work setup. Speeds drop noticeably (downstairs wifi slows from 400 mbps to just 50-60 mbps via pl), but it still works fine for calls and tasks. The main challenge comes with my employer's VPN—my connection is limited to around 10 mbps.