Upgrade your network this holiday season.
Upgrade your network this holiday season.
You're planning to improve your wireless network at your dad's house for Christmas. Right now, you're trying to figure out the best hardware. His existing AT&T router isn't working well because it's in the basement and the walls are plastered upstairs. You're thinking about whether to upgrade to a new router or use the current one as a modem and get a stronger one in the right spot. Any advice or ideas would be great!
You're referring to setting up multiple ASUS routers in an "AI Mesh" configuration? That's a common setup for expanding coverage at home. I understand you're looking for a more streamlined approach since the built-in router isn't quite up to your standards. Using an ASUS AC1900 as a router and adjusting its settings can definitely work well, but exploring other options like dedicated mesh systems or advanced configurations might offer better performance or flexibility.
I completely disagree with this now more than ever. Last year, tired of repeated failures with basic consumer networking equipment, I chose to invest in a UniFi network within the Ubiquiti ecosystem. It has performed reliably once installed, with only minor issues from the ISP side. If you're prepared to spend time configuring your setup and grasping what your controller does, this ecosystem offers immense power. Should problems arise, Ubiquiti provides 24/7 support, and their service quality is also impressive.
Without understanding your home layout, it's challenging to judge. With this router, if coverage remains limited, one of the Ubiquiti devices will work well upstairs—where the signal is weaker, isn't it? It provides extensive area coverage and the controller is very user-friendly.
I have coverage throughout my garage up to the walls, though it’s not ideal. Inside the house, signal strength is strong everywhere except near the basement where the router is placed. My dad’s problem stems from his router being in the back corner; it works well in his office but suffers from poor speed and weak connection. We’re considering adding a Cat6 cable to improve placement, possibly upstairs or down depending on how we install it. I don’t like working with plaster. If we switch to an Ubiquiti AP, will it be limited by the old AT router? I’m confident either Ubiquiti or ASUS should provide solid coverage once moved, though it’s hard to say for sure. Both options should cost similarly and function effectively. One is a new router, the other an AT router with an AP.
All my equipment operates within the UniFi network, allowing unified management through a single controller. The USG Switch 8 UAP-AC-LR A Cloud Key can be integrated if needed (most experts advise the Gen 2 model for several reasons, especially its smooth shutdown feature during power outages). I operate the controller directly from one of my hardwired clients (my machine running Windows 10), choosing to cut costs but accepting some limitations (notably, rebuilding the controller upon hardware changes or a full system reset, and potential access issues if the setup goes down).