F5F Stay Refreshed Power Users Networks Network Setup Overview Explore Home Mesh and Router Options for seamless connectivity.

Network Setup Overview Explore Home Mesh and Router Options for seamless connectivity.

Network Setup Overview Explore Home Mesh and Router Options for seamless connectivity.

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JayCraft621
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09-16-2019, 07:01 PM
#1
Hi all, I'm experiencing some Wi-Fi problems at home where the connection would intermittently lose during the day. We suspect the modem/router from our ISP is the issue. A few months back, we had a power outage and surge that disabled our Netgear Nighthawk X6 R800. Now, three of us work remotely due to a work-from-home requirement. Mostly I and my dad handle conference calls, while the others stream or play games at home. Around 50 devices are connected, mostly wireless. The only wired ones are: my gaming PC on the top floor, a work laptop next to it, a printer, a sibling's laptop, a NAS on the bottom floor, and an Apple TV (occasionally used for Switch). We tried the Google Nest WiFi months ago but only tested with one device at a time, and we didn't get additional nodes because of budget limits. Eventually, we returned the unit since speeds on the second floor were slower than our ISP's equipment. I wasn't impressed with it either—we couldn't hide the network name and couldn't reserve IP addresses.

Currently, we use a repeater on the second floor near the entrance. We have a Nest Camera and Nest Hello Doorbell that sometimes lose connection. My dad bought another repeater to help the two smart devices connect.

We're considering a mesh WiFi setup given our many smart gadgets. I've heard mixed things about it—some friends use mesh networks and get better control, while others find it less reliable. My coworker recommends Netgear Orbi or Eero, but I'm not sure if they're suitable for our setup. I also worry that some smart devices like TP-Link might not work well with the latest tech if we switch to mesh.

WiFi 6 isn't widely adopted yet, and I'd be paying more for it if I wanted future-proofing. I also have concerns about compatibility with smart devices such as TP-Link. Would anyone recommend a router or a mesh system? If we choose a router, I'd place it on the ground floor for better central access. Budget-wise, I probably wouldn't exceed $800 CAD unless it meets all my needs.

Thanks, Vincent. Apologies for the rough drawing—I'm just using MS Paint.
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J
JayCraft621
09-16-2019, 07:01 PM #1

Hi all, I'm experiencing some Wi-Fi problems at home where the connection would intermittently lose during the day. We suspect the modem/router from our ISP is the issue. A few months back, we had a power outage and surge that disabled our Netgear Nighthawk X6 R800. Now, three of us work remotely due to a work-from-home requirement. Mostly I and my dad handle conference calls, while the others stream or play games at home. Around 50 devices are connected, mostly wireless. The only wired ones are: my gaming PC on the top floor, a work laptop next to it, a printer, a sibling's laptop, a NAS on the bottom floor, and an Apple TV (occasionally used for Switch). We tried the Google Nest WiFi months ago but only tested with one device at a time, and we didn't get additional nodes because of budget limits. Eventually, we returned the unit since speeds on the second floor were slower than our ISP's equipment. I wasn't impressed with it either—we couldn't hide the network name and couldn't reserve IP addresses.

Currently, we use a repeater on the second floor near the entrance. We have a Nest Camera and Nest Hello Doorbell that sometimes lose connection. My dad bought another repeater to help the two smart devices connect.

We're considering a mesh WiFi setup given our many smart gadgets. I've heard mixed things about it—some friends use mesh networks and get better control, while others find it less reliable. My coworker recommends Netgear Orbi or Eero, but I'm not sure if they're suitable for our setup. I also worry that some smart devices like TP-Link might not work well with the latest tech if we switch to mesh.

WiFi 6 isn't widely adopted yet, and I'd be paying more for it if I wanted future-proofing. I also have concerns about compatibility with smart devices such as TP-Link. Would anyone recommend a router or a mesh system? If we choose a router, I'd place it on the ground floor for better central access. Budget-wise, I probably wouldn't exceed $800 CAD unless it meets all my needs.

Thanks, Vincent. Apologies for the rough drawing—I'm just using MS Paint.

Reply
Reply