WiFi boosters?

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deepcdvr
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WiFi boosters?

Post by deepcdvr » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:51 pm

Nerds

I have a big house made of bricks and my modem doesn’t carry that sweet Fios 5G WiFi signal from one end, around corners and up floors, to the other end.

I bought some cheap boosters a few years ago that work kind of ok, but looking to upgrade. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
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nweash
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by nweash » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:58 pm

Eero or google Wifi.

Mesh routers. No boosting or losing half your bandwidth for range boosters.

Main router is plugged into modem. Each additional router can be placed around the house as needed.

Google has an easy app that can test and make sure you’re getting enough coverage.

It also has a sweet family feature where you can pause any device you want after a certain time.

So for instance my fiancé’s 13yo gets his phone, computer, and iPad paused from 9pm to 10am on weekdays and 10pm to 10am on weekends.


Only drawback I can see is if you need additional Ethernet slots on the main modem. It offers one additional connection only. For my folks I had to buy them a splitter because their solar and security system require additional slots.

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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by gwells » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:03 pm

a hub/switch is an easy add to get more ethernet ports.

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deepcdvr
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by deepcdvr » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:07 pm

nweash wrote:
Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:58 pm
Eero or google Wifi.

Mesh routers. No boosting or losing half your bandwidth for range boosters.

Main router is plugged into modem. Each additional router can be placed around the house as needed.

Google has an easy app that can test and make sure you’re getting enough coverage.

It also has a sweet family feature where you can pause any device you want after a certain time.

So for instance my fiancé’s 13yo gets his phone, computer, and iPad paused from 9pm to 10am on weekdays and 10pm to 10am on weekends.


Only drawback I can see is if you need additional Ethernet slots on the main modem. It offers one additional connection only. For my folks I had to buy them a splitter because their solar and security system require additional slots.
Hmmm sounds really cool, but expensive, no? Buying several extra routers... unless I missed something? (I’m not even a good watch nerd, never mind my tech skills..). The little boosters I plugged in around the house were like 10 bucks each.. They work ok most of the time, but I thought there would be an updated “cheap” fix :scratch:
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WiFi boosters?

Post by Nellipj » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:28 pm

+1 with what Nick said. I switched to Google mesh 1.5 years ago. Bought the 3 module pack. Coverage is light years better in a 3500 sq. Ft. Brick house. I have 1 module on the first floor, 1 in the basement and 1 on the second floor. Works perfectly. Definitely the way to go and reasonable cost wise.


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nweash
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WiFi boosters?

Post by nweash » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:55 pm

deepcdvr wrote:
nweash wrote:
Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:58 pm
Eero or google Wifi.

Mesh routers. No boosting or losing half your bandwidth for range boosters.

Main router is plugged into modem. Each additional router can be placed around the house as needed.

Google has an easy app that can test and make sure you’re getting enough coverage.

It also has a sweet family feature where you can pause any device you want after a certain time.

So for instance my fiancé’s 13yo gets his phone, computer, and iPad paused from 9pm to 10am on weekdays and 10pm to 10am on weekends.


Only drawback I can see is if you need additional Ethernet slots on the main modem. It offers one additional connection only. For my folks I had to buy them a splitter because their solar and security system require additional slots.
Hmmm sounds really cool, but expensive, no? Buying several extra routers... unless I missed something? (I’m not even a good watch nerd, never mind my tech skills..). The little boosters I plugged in around the house were like 10 bucks each.. They work ok most of the time, but I thought there would be an updated “cheap” fix :scratch:

The 3 pack is 50 bucks off right now on google. 249.


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nweash
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by nweash » Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:01 pm

gwells wrote:a hub/switch is an easy add to get more ethernet ports.

I meant to say switch but the word escaped me so I said splitter. ImageImage

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deepcdvr
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by deepcdvr » Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:21 pm

nweash wrote:
Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:55 pm
deepcdvr wrote:
nweash wrote:
Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:58 pm
Eero or google Wifi.

Mesh routers. No boosting or losing half your bandwidth for range boosters.

Main router is plugged into modem. Each additional router can be placed around the house as needed.

Google has an easy app that can test and make sure you’re getting enough coverage.

It also has a sweet family feature where you can pause any device you want after a certain time.

So for instance my fiancé’s 13yo gets his phone, computer, and iPad paused from 9pm to 10am on weekdays and 10pm to 10am on weekends.


Only drawback I can see is if you need additional Ethernet slots on the main modem. It offers one additional connection only. For my folks I had to buy them a splitter because their solar and security system require additional slots.
Hmmm sounds really cool, but expensive, no? Buying several extra routers... unless I missed something? (I’m not even a good watch nerd, never mind my tech skills..). The little boosters I plugged in around the house were like 10 bucks each.. They work ok most of the time, but I thought there would be an updated “cheap” fix :scratch:

The 3 pack is 50 bucks off right now on google. 249.


Image
Sweet! I may check it out - appreciate the info :cheers:
VR/
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aikiman44
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by aikiman44 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:10 pm

I could use this too, thanks.
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by BacoNoir » Thu Jan 10, 2019 4:50 pm

We use the Orbi (pseudo) mesh routers and they rock. Full bars in basement, upstairs and backyard.

Easy setup and easy to add a guest network too.
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by toxicavenger » Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:03 pm

I use a Orbi. I was going to go with google but I had privacy concerns. Glad I didn't use them.

Here is a list of mesh wifi mesh networks https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/350795/th ... rk-systems

Like Nick said range booster splits your speeds in half.

Only issue i have encounter with the mesh wifi system from Orbi is I can't dedicate it to only use 5ghz. It has a auto mode that goes from 2.4 to 5 ghz. Most people don't care about that but in my location the 2.4 has a ton of interference.

Oh on the Orbi systems they tell you how many satellite's you need per square feet. The others might say this also but I am not sure. If you have a Costco they have the cheapest prices.

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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by gamecock111 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:16 pm

If your are technically savvy, UniFi is commercial grade.
I do use Orbi as well but seeing some stability issues.


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raf42
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by raf42 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:51 pm

FWIW, I dumped my Orbi, way too many issues (and I used to do enterprise networking for a living, inducing campus wifi deployments). Awesome specs and speed, but too many connectivity issues with many devices (and well documented that many others have had similar issues). I do have a rather complicated home network, but the issues for many are well know and have been for a long time (e.g. Nest thermostats would just come and go as would many other things - extremely unreliable). If you have an Orbi and it works, great, it does for some people and when it works it's great.

Switched to EERO and have had zero issues and excellent coverage for many months now.

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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by toxicavenger » Thu Jan 10, 2019 6:06 pm

raf42 wrote:
Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:51 pm
FWIW, I dumped my Orbi, way too many issues (and I used to do enterprise networking for a living, inducing campus wifi deployments). Awesome specs and speed, but too many connectivity issues with many devices (and well documented that many others have had similar issues). I do have a rather complicated home network, but the issues for many are well know and have been for a long time (e.g. Nest thermostats would just come and go as would many other things - extremely unreliable). If you have an Orbi and it works, great, it does for some people and when it works it's great.

Switched to EERO and have had zero issues and excellent coverage for many months now.
I bet if the channel management was better on the Orbi it would fix this situation.

Luckily at home all we have is 3 devices. Otherwise I probably would have went with something else. :salute:

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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by hobbit712 » Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:55 am

I went with a 3 pack of Orbi lately. It was between the Orbi and the Google. I chose the Orbi because the main unit has a few Ethernet ports. Each satellite has one as well. I liked that option. Costco had a sale on the 3 pack just before the holidays for $299. Great deal.
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by BacoNoir » Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:30 am

hobbit712 wrote:I went with a 3 pack of Orbi lately. It was between the Orbi and the Google. I chose the Orbi because the main unit has a few Ethernet ports. Each satellite has one as well. I liked that option. Costco had a sale on the 3 pack just before the holidays for $299. Great deal.
Yeah I use the ethernet ports on bother the main and satellite (Arlo base station and TV) and have Nest Smoke Detectors, Ring, 2 PCs, MacBook, 2 iPads, 2 iPhones and an ereader connected. Never had any connection issues and hope it stays that way.
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by Grahamcombat » Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:00 am

I run Google mesh with five pods - four inside and one exterior to cover the dock - and they’ve worked great.

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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by Axelay2003 » Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:11 am

Lots of options. :think:
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deepcdvr
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Re: WiFi boosters?

Post by deepcdvr » Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:57 am

Thanks gents! Lots of good info here. I need the extra ports as well to get wired connectivity for my gov laptop (doesn’t do encrypted well on WiFi)
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