Idea for linking a 4-story residence.
Idea for linking a 4-story residence.
legoman210
07-31-2016, 01:03 AM #1You already have a solid mesh setup. A wired backbone between floors works well for APs. Several brands like Google, Amazon, TP-Link, Netgear, and others offer ready-made mesh gear for over $150. If budget allows, an Ubiquiti system is ideal but requires more DIY effort.
Regarding Wi-Fi, consider switching to a mesh network solution that supports mesh technology, such as Ubiquiti or Engenius. These systems are more suited for small businesses and require more setup. Alternatively, you could standardize the SSID and password across all devices, allowing them to connect seamlessly to any router. This approach is often referred to as a "basic" mesh network. However, keep in mind that performance may drop when moving between floors due to signal strength variations.
In some cases, leaving Wi-Fi settings unchanged on each device can help maintain connectivity to the nearest router until you reach it, but this can lead to inconsistent performance and dropped connections. Disabling the 2.4 GHz band might improve range but could also reduce speed and reliability, especially in thick walls.
I would turn off all router features on the three Nighthawk RAX50 devices, keeping only one connected to the ISP as the main gateway. Set each AP to operate as a client, disabling DHCP and assigning them the same IP range (e.g., 192.168.0.1). Assign specific IPs to each floor—store room 192.168.0.1, third floor 192.168.0.2, second floor 192.168.0.3, first floor 192.168.0.4. Verify DHCP status on the store room router and ensure it starts at a higher address than the others. For networking consistency, avoid using any WAN ports on these devices; only the store room router should connect to the ISP.
Regarding Wi-Fi, consider switching to a mesh network solution that supports mesh technology, such as Ubiquiti or Engenius. These systems are more suited for small businesses and require more setup. Alternatively, you could standardize the SSID and password across all devices, allowing them to connect seamlessly to any router. This approach is often referred to as a "basic" mesh network. However, keep in mind that performance may drop when moving between floors due to signal strength variations.
In some cases, leaving Wi-Fi settings unchanged on each device can help maintain connectivity to the nearest router until you reach it, but this can lead to inconsistent performance and dropped connections. Disabling the 2.4 GHz band might improve range but could also reduce speed and reliability, especially in thick walls.
Quietvenom
07-31-2016, 08:26 AM #3I’m nearly out of money after buying the house and all the extra gadgets. I managed to snag four routers from someone on the marketplace at a slightly lower price. Mesh isn’t in my budget right now, and it seems like it will stay that way for a while
Thank you for your feedback. You're right to question the setup. Connecting the routers as described means using the WAN ports on each device for internet access. If you switch all routers to the same subnet (192.168.0.X), they'll share a single gateway, which could affect performance. For smoother streaming, consider assigning each router a unique subnet or ensuring proper NAT configuration. Your current method works for now, but optimizing the network layout might help long-term.
Uncheck “Use Router as DHCP Server” on all Nighthawks. Also, configure Store room DHCP so that its starting IP is higher than .4 (e.g., .5). This ensures one router stays static at 192.168.0.4 while others get dynamic addresses. Save the changes and log out.
On Floor 3, perform these steps:
1. Check if Nighthawks need a factory reset.
2. Log into the Store room router and confirm that 192.168.0.2–4 isn’t in its DHCP pool (starting IP should be above .4). Change it to .5 or higher.
3. Save the changes and log out.
4. On Floor 3 Router:
- Disconnect WAN port, leave cable unplugged.
- Connect to Floor 3 using Floor 3 router’s IP (192.168.3.1).
- Turn off DHCP, save configuration.
5. Disable DHCP on Floor 3 Router and save.
6. Change Floor 3 router’s IP to 192.168.0.2 and save.
7. Unplug WAN port from Floor 3 Router, then plug in LAN port.
8. Remove device from Floor 3 Router, reconnect.
9. If successful, devices should get internet access and an IP from the Store room router (192.168.0.X).
10. You can also enter Floor 3 router settings using its new IP (192.168.0.2).
11. Power cycle Floor 3 Router to refresh IP assignments.
12. After powering on, all devices should reconnect and obtain their new IPs.
13. Repeat steps 4–12 for the lower floor routers and their IPs.
14. Once complete, your four networks should merge into one unified network on the 192.168.0.X range.
Set up the Store room LAN to link with Nighthawks LAN. This approach avoids routing local traffic and focuses on switching locally, making it quicker and more efficient from a network perspective. You don’t need multiple routers creating separate networks; instead, use one router plus switches to broaden the single network. Linking everything through the LAN port unites them into one large network. Currently you have four small networks. As I suggest, stop viewing the three Nighthawks as routers—they won’t function that way. Treat them more like Wi-Fi switches. Keep the Store room router’s DHCP settings unchanged and turn off DHCP on all other routers. Any device connected via WiFi or a LAN port will send a DHCP request for network settings. The Store room router will be the only one responding, since the others are disabled. This will broadcast an IP address in the 192.168.0.XXX range across the whole network, allowing all devices to communicate without routers.
Uncheck “Use Router as DHCP Server” on all Nighthawks. Also, configure Store room DHCP so that its starting IP is higher than .4 (e.g., .5). This ensures one router stays static at 192.168.0.4 while others get dynamic addresses. Save the changes and log out.
On Floor 3, perform these steps:
1. Check if Nighthawks need a factory reset.
2. Log into the Store room router and confirm that 192.168.0.2–4 isn’t in its DHCP pool (starting IP should be above .4). Change it to .5 or higher.
3. Save the changes and log out.
4. On Floor 3 Router:
- Disconnect WAN port, leave cable unplugged.
- Connect to Floor 3 using Floor 3 router’s IP (192.168.3.1).
- Turn off DHCP, save configuration.
5. Disable DHCP on Floor 3 Router and save.
6. Change Floor 3 router’s IP to 192.168.0.2 and save.
7. Unplug WAN port from Floor 3 Router, then plug in LAN port.
8. Remove device from Floor 3 Router, reconnect.
9. If successful, devices should get internet access and an IP from the Store room router (192.168.0.X).
10. You can also enter Floor 3 router settings using its new IP (192.168.0.2).
11. Power cycle Floor 3 Router to refresh IP assignments.
12. After powering on, all devices should reconnect and obtain their new IPs.
13. Repeat steps 4–12 for the lower floor routers and their IPs.
14. Once complete, your four networks should merge into one unified network on the 192.168.0.X range.
blunoblunzer
08-03-2016, 02:01 AM #6Thank you for your feedback. Your explanation is clear and makes perfect sense now. I value all the assistance you provided. I plan to implement the procedure you described and await your results. One point to confirm: when you mentioned switching local traffic instead of routing it, that aligns exactly with my expectations. Just to ensure clarity, if I’m on floor 1, connected to WiFi via my phone and a PC connected to the LAN port on the Netgear, then copying a file from my PC to my phone would route through the Netgear unit only. This way, the main router isn’t involved in the connection path. Please let me know if this understanding is accurate. Thank you!
Colefusion
08-03-2016, 10:42 AM #7Switches perform exceptionally well in managing network traffic. Traffic moves through the store room router only when it needs to reach another level or connect to the internet.