Upgrade your home business network for better performance and reliability.
Upgrade your home business network for better performance and reliability.
I'm trying to fix my network issues. Previously, I used Eero 3 units for basic needs, but they didn't last long. Now I have a Netgear RAX120 and two EX8000s set up as a mesh. I returned the first RAX120 and had to restart it often to maintain speed. After upgrading, the RAX120 now consistently delivers around 980Mbps after a fresh reboot. Current problems: the extenders need separate SSIDs which isn't ideal, and I'm forced to restart them daily. My servers require constant uptime, so I considered moving to the cloud but found it too expensive. WiFi on the extenders is slow, especially for devices connected to them. New needs: dual WAN with failover, not load balancing. I have a 1Gbps connection and the Eeros only reach ~500Mbps. The RAX120 gives me about 980Mbps when restarted. Requirements: full use of 1GB bandwidth for servers, IoT devices, tablets, and phones. My home has limited space with hard surfaces, so I can't run cables on the floor. CATX isn't allowed because I rent and have kids. I plan to add 2-3 10GB servers soon. With these constraints, I want a solution under $1,000 total cost.
You could connect servers and desktops via wired connections, placing them in the basement near the modem. Alternatively, hide cables along the wall edges to improve Wi-Fi performance for devices that require it. Do you have any coaxial cables available for use? Options like Untangle or pfSense on a low-power x86 device could work as a router. Unified Wireless Interface (UWI) is also a good choice.
Desktops and servers use wired connections. My primary workstation runs Hyper-V via a wired link, while my regular station uses an 802.11ax Wi-Fi card. I’ve had coaxial cable installed in a few areas of the house. I’m not comfortable with MOCA and previously ran pfSense which caused problems with a VoiP server. I haven’t heard much about Untangle. I’ll explore both options. I have an old low-power Intel G-series laptop and a couple of Pis. Can the Unifi devices connect wirelessly without significant bandwidth loss? A clearer view would be that my detached garage houses all major equipment, while the main house uses Wi-Fi for everything inside. My workstation is in the garage, which serves as my office.
Allows you to transmit IP via coax at near full capacity. Consider using mesh if possible. Similar to pfSense, test it in a virtual machine to compare preferences; both systems offer comparable features. However, as with any Wi-Fi setup, a wired connection is preferable, and since you have coax available, try that first.
Cisco RV340 router paired with Ubiquiti UniFi AP AC Pro (3 or 4 units spaced apart). Avoid relying on Wi-Fi; consider running network cables to the APs. I haven’t experimented much with AX gear, but desktops and servers should use wired LAN while WiFi is better suited for slower tasks. AC appears sufficient in this setup.