How do I pick the best home network?
How do I pick the best home network?
I need a good way to set up my new home network so it is fast and stable. To start, I have a Motorola MB8600 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem with 4 ports running Comcast (Spectrum) advertised at 1 GB. Also, I have 3 Deco XE75 Pros. And give or take, I also have an Archer C1900 (High Speed MU-MIMEO Wireless Mesh Router) and 2 Archer AC1750 Mesh Routers. Plus, maybe, I have a Travel Extender/Router/Access Point named AC750. Right now, I run 4 Streaming TVs, 3 Laptops, 4 Security Cameras, and lots of smart devices. Currently, the cable goes from the coax to the BM8600 port 1 to Deco XE75 Pro via the 2.5 GB port. Wireless from there to the other two Deco XE75 Pros as access points. The other routers & extender are not currently used. I have both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz on, and the 6E as well. I use the same network SSID and password for everything. The guest setting is off. The only real issue that I have had is with some of the smart devices that need 2.4 GHz. Some apps recognize that my phone is connected to 5 GHz and require 2.4 GHz. Others still will not connect even though I temporally change the band on the Deco to 2.4GHz only then set them up, then turn the 5GHz back on. This problem is why I am considering adding the older router(s) back in the mix.
The main issue with using one password (SSID) for all devices is that your phone or speaker just wants to find the strongest signal, no matter what. It's not always clear which band works best. 2.4g signals go through walls easily, while 5g and especially 6g don't. These newer bands have more data capacity but also less power, so they can be faster even if the signal is a bit weaker. You never really know how much traffic other devices are using on any specific band inside your house or outside it.
Another problem is that your router might pick up signals from 5g bands that your device doesn't support. Even though you have 5g, your phone can't connect to those channels because of this mismatch. This happens mostly because people install these things and plug them in thinking they are magic boxes without needing any setup, but they don't know what's actually happening inside the router. Most users aren't smart enough to realize their mesh system isn't configured perfectly. They also try to tell all their friends that their house has a "seamless" roaming system, which is just a lie because your phone doesn't control where it connects anyway.
It is usually better to change the names for each band so they are different from one another. If you have a choice, manually assign different radio channels if your router allows it. I do this too by setting up different SSIDs on my 5g bands. This stops "seamless" roaming from working, even though that is just a myth because the phone doesn't decide where to connect. The more control you have over these things, the better it is for you. If your mesh system lets you do this, I would change the name for my 2.4g band at least.