Top ways to boost your poor ISP connection from your room.
Top ways to boost your poor ISP connection from your room.
I'm using BT's Full Fibre 900 Halo 3 package. The router is in the basement, and my PC is upstairs in a corner.
Ethernet to PC: consistent 900–920 Mbps
Wi-Fi: averages 80–100 Mbps
I've experimented with mesh systems, but they reduced speeds to about 30-50mbps. Recently, I used TP-Link PG2400P powerline adapters. They prevent packet loss in games, though they cap at around 100–120 Mbps. Notably, Wi-Fi performance improves slightly when the adapters are plugged in but Ethernet isn't connected to my PC.
I think the main issue stems from the wiring in my home, but it seems installing a dedicated Ethernet port professionally would be the best way to achieve speeds closer to what I'm paying for.
Are there any other factors I should consider or alternative solutions I could try before committing?
In short, you've mostly addressed the available choices. What's the main purpose of your PC? Are you playing games or streaming? Both should work well even with current Wi-Fi connections.
It's true beyond just streaming. The main problem was packet loss during games, but fixing the powerline should have resolved that concern
Running ethernet is actually quite straightforward. The difficulty varies based on location and home setup. You might want to try it yourself.
From the perspective of concealing the cable, I wouldn't have much idea where to start. I think you're referring to the skirting boards. I worry I might create a mess, hehe.
Or via the walls (similar to your current electrical wiring).
Do you have coax cables available in both rooms, which you might consider MoCA?
Why is 120mbps insufficient? I understand you may desire full bandwidth, but what exactly it impacts is unclear. You noticed that powerline performs better than Wi-Fi for gaming. Games require less than 1mbps during play. Nearly all other applications also don’t need even 100mbps. For example, streaming 4k Netflix only uses about 30mbps.
High bandwidth mainly benefits very large file downloads. The real value lies in how much your time is worth. How much would the money and effort you save from downloading each month or week be. If you occasionally need something substantial, could you afford to run a cable for a short period?
Choose MoCA coaxial adapters if there is a cable outlet in the room and near the router, otherwise conceal the Ethernet cables if drilling isn't an option. As recommended by @bill001g, you only require 30Mbps for 4K video per person or device; do you really need such high speed in your space or from your ISP?