I understand you're having trouble with router setup. Let me know how I can assist you further.
I understand you're having trouble with router setup. Let me know how I can assist you further.
I own Xfinity Voice, meaning my main modem is a combo device. It’s an ARRIS SURFboard SVG2482AC DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem paired with an AC2350 Wi-Fi Router, operating on a 1 gig Xfinity plan. Upstairs, there’s an access point using a TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Router (Archer A54)—a dual-band model. My residence spans approximately 2500 square feet.
I recently added another access point: a TP-Link AXE5400 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Router (Archer AXE75), situated about 25 feet away in the rear of the house. This is near a detached workshop/shed, where I struggle to achieve strong Wi-Fi coverage.
I was advised to upgrade to DOCSIS 3.1. Therefore, my current plan involves switching to this new modem. In the future, I might consider adding an Orbi RBK752 (two units) and possibly another node. Does this seem like a reasonable approach? I’m concerned about managing a full new installation.
Appreciate any advice you can offer.
The question asks for clarification on distances: 25 feet away in the back of the house, the distance between the detached workshop/shed and the main house, and a simple diagram showing the house, shed, and devices with lines indicating Ethernet and wireless connections, including distances where applicable.
All are on the same end of the house. Main Arris modem/router is in a front room of the house. The AXE5400 is in a back room on the same end of the house. 25 ft separates these routers.
Then a detached shed that is another 25 ft away from the back room axe5400 AP. Not sure if my drawing will show up.
Thanks
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m0dcCm0...sp=sharing
Can't see the picture, mentions access requirements.
Just upload the image to imgur.com and share the (BBCode) link, no account needed.
Or simply type the BBcode in the post so everyone can view it.
Also, what is the wall material for the workshop or shed? Does it have a window facing the house?
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EAP225-Outdoor seems suitable for your shed needs. It could be indoor or outdoor depending on whether you have a window, wall, or door that lets signals pass through.
From the primary router, the one behind is 25 feet away. The one above is roughly 40 feet from the main router.
The core of the issue lies with the exterior walls of the house and the shed, which are capturing the signals. It’s also possible that interference from nearby neighbors is further diminishing this already weak signal.
There are no special devices that can fix this problem. Typically, routers operate within their legal power limits. Moreover, the router/ap only handles half of the connection load; the end device must be capable of sending a response, and most Wi-Fi problems stem from small antennas or reduced transmit power on portable gadgets.
The best initial step would be to install an outdoor directional AP. This could potentially strengthen the signal. If that doesn’t suffice, consider placing an outdoor AP on both sides of the building and using a point-to-point bridge. You’d also run an additional AP inside the shed to communicate with the devices.
Be cautious about falling for "mesh" networks. You might end up spending a lot for the Orbi brand, but using it in this way isn’t the intended purpose—it’s meant for wireless repeaters. A mesh system is essentially a repeater setup. Using an AP with a wired backhaul is considered the standard for improving Wi-Fi coverage. The remote units are simply Wi-Fi radio chips connected to a basic switch. Paying extra for a "mesh" label doesn’t add much value. The network has always been a single network, and switching it to AP mode is usually the most economical choice. Real APs often run on PoE, which slightly raises costs. For outdoor use, a genuine AP with PoE is worth the investment instead of trying to fit a waterproof case into a router.
I’m not entirely convinced you need Docsis 3.1. The cable provider might be pressuring you to lower their rates because they must support both 3.0 and 3.1 on shared coaxial cables with your neighbors. Generally, most homes don’t require more than 1 Gbps. A speed of 100 Mbps is more than sufficient, though there’s little incentive to drop to that unless you’re constantly uploading or downloading large amounts of data each hour. Faster internet doesn’t necessarily improve performance for streaming, gaming, or web browsing—these applications are limited by other factors.
Thank you once more for your assistance. After spending a lot of time online, your responses are providing the most useful information. There is much discussion about mesh systems; they seem to suggest they could be the solution for everything. I changed my plan last year to a 1 GB package, hoping it would improve performance. That didn’t work out.
Like the neighbors’ signal, it can interfere with my own. Often I see a stronger signal from them when I’m in my shed compared to what I’m showing for my router.
A few more notes: When signing into my Xfinity account, there’s a box that indicates my equipment is outdated. I believe I’ve had my modem/router for about 7 or 8 years.
I wanted to confirm whether you think this plan would be suitable. I plan to buy a new Netgear CM2050V modem, as it’s the only one recommended by Xfinity for my current plan. I’ll also try using my TP-Link AXE5400 Router as the main router. It gives me a good signal throughout the first floor of my house and at least three bars in the shed. Adding a TP-Link EAP110-Outdoor V3 AP pointed toward the shed from 25 feet would be cost-effective and simple. I’ll still keep the AP upstairs with the TP-Link AC1200 Router.
The AXE5400 manual doesn’t mention auto-switching between 2.4G and 5G (which I don’t use). It seems I might have configured it incorrectly. Currently, if I connect to Wi-Fi, I switch between my main router, the ACTS 5400 on the 2.4G network, or the 5G network, and then separately sign into the upstairs network. I share the same password, but I suspect I made a mistake when setting up the APs.
I read somewhere that I can configure everything to connect to just one network instead of managing four options. At the end of the year, I’ll have some work installing a subpanel in my shed. While I have a trench open, I intend to run a Cat 6 cable there for a wired connection in the future.
Any advice or would this sound good?
Unfortunately with wifi even though your plan sounds good every house and installation is different. You never really know until you try it. Wifi is easily blocked. Your microwave oven runs on the same 2.4ghz as wifi. It runs at 1000 times the power but is legally allowed to only leak a tiny fraction of what your router can transmit. You can still see though the front glass.
I have no experience with that AP. What you might do before you buy something is on a nice day run ethernet cable though a window and put one of your routers outside. You should get a good indication if the this works or you need a actual direction AP. A direction AP concentrates the radio power in one direction. BUT it is still important to remember that the end device is still not directional.
What SSID you run all depends on your personal preference. The common method used is you set the SSID the same for all radios and hope your end device is smart enough to figure it out. I tend to follow the reverse I set a different SSID on every radio on every device. That way I am in full control and not some dumb software. Mostly this does not matter but you have people thinking they need seamless roaming (which doesn't really exist). Nobody really walks from room to room watching netflix all day expecting no small drops as it switches. Then again people walk into traffic staring at their cell phone.
No matter what name ie SSID you give things it is all one single network in your house. All devices can talk to each other no matter what radio bands or what device the are connected to. I will assume you do not get fancy and use vlans and differnt subnets.
On the modem you might want to consider canceling your voice which will give you many more options. There are many VoIP vendors that are much cheaper than xfinity plan. Although cable modems are not actually using voip it is very similar. Unlike a true phone line you must have power in your house to use it. Even if you have a UPS from what I have seen the cable company only lasts about a hour when their cabenet loses power. ATT fiber seem different, my UPS I have just on the router will hold almost 12 hours. ATT was still working when the UPS ran out of battery.