Networking / WiFi...

Hi! So wanted to check if anyone on here is a networking / wifi expert? Forgive me now because I'm probably not going to explain this correctly.

I'm looking to "cut the cord" and go streaming only. So in order to do so, i wanted to beef up my wifi and just not really sure what all I might need to do.

Currently have 250mbps fiber plan, which I will probably upgrade to 500mps. I also have an older Netgear Nighthawk wifi router, has to be at least 7/8 years old, maybe older, ha.

When I'm on the 5G signal on my phone, I can do speed tests and get near the full strength, but when I'm on the 2G, I maybe get 60mbps.

If I get a newer wifi 6 router, upgrade my fiber plan, will it make a huge difference? Or is the cost more then what I'll get out of it? Router is going to run near $300.

 

it sounds like youre using wifi and wireless synonymously. they are two different things and methods of delivery.

your phone uses a mobile network and your home wifi uses fiber, correct? lets just focus on home internet and wifi.

who is your internet service provider? have you spoken with them about a wireless router?

how big is your house? is it made of wood or concrete or steel?

for streaming to your TVs you dont need much of a connection to the internet. to give you an example, i live in the sticks and get my internet through microwave which is about 40 Mbps. i can easily stream netflix to my two TVs in 4k at the same time.

 

On the phone wireless stuff.. I mean on my wifi 2.4ghz vs 5ghz signal. Trying to get the most out of my service provider plan as I can for everything in my home. I worry going streaming on at least 2 tvs at once usually, couple phones, PC, laptop, gaming console, etc all connected to the wifi, that what I have now might start to bog down a little. So upgrading to 500mbps fiber and a new wifi 6 router, could really help out with all that.

But that's where I'm not as knowledgeable, with it comes to wifi signals and yadda yadda.

 

Get a new wifi router. Since your current one is so old you will see a night and day performance. Doesn't have to be wifi 6 either. You do not need to upgrade your service to 500mbps either that'll be a waste of money.

2.4Ghz sucks but a lot of older wifi equipped equipment still use it. If all of your equipment has 5Ghz, then don't even bother bringing up the 2.4Ghz signal, stick with 5G. 2.4Ghz really only has 3 useable separate channels (1,5,9) everything else between overlaps and will cause packet loss. 2.4Ghz penetrates through walls better so your shithead neighbors' 2.4Ghz signal will interfere with yours. So like I said, drop it completely if you can.

 

Check out google mesh or net gear Orbi for “mesh” network. You may be able to keep your router and the just use either of those for wireless

 

ok so ill need to ask some questions to help.

how big is your house? example: i have a full mesh orbi setup at home (2200 sq ft) but i live on 20 acres and provide wifi to about 3 of those acres.

do you have any smart devices? like a nest, wifi enabled lighting, fans, etc? how many devices connect to the internet in your home? example: i have about 30 devices connected to the wifi, phones, tablets, lights, fans, nest thermo, nest smoke/co2 sensors, door deadbolt, refrigerator, cooktop, oven, washer and dryer, wireless cameras, TVs, gaming systems, computers, etc. i have all of this on a 40 Mbps internet connection. my work computer is on a separate network and has a different wifi and internet connection.

the amount of real estate you want to service would call for different solutions.

the amount of devices you have would call for different solutions.

whats your budget?

are all your devices able to connect to a 6 Ghz wireless router? do any of them have the capability?

it depends on how much bandwidth youre currently using. imho, you likely arent a super consumer of bandwidth so you likely are perfectly fine with a 250 Mbps connection. where a new wifi would be beneficial is if you had a ton of IoT devices and moved a lot of data around your wifi network. like if you had a wireless server streaming 4k movies to your TVs, etc.

wifi 6e is really for super users and is priced as such. people who have up to a 10 Gbps connection to the internet.

i use my wifi 6e network for my security cameras primarily. each are 4k 8MP cameras recording to a server in my house. this doesnt help with internet speed but with network throughput.

 

I have a 2700 square foot house on a .30 acre lot. I have Cox Gigabit internet that is actually "up to 1Gb down 35Mb up" Wired I see about 950/36, wirelessly from my 6 TP-Link Deco X60 modules I have all over the house/garage/back of the house to get the backyard I get 300/30 everywhere which is more than enough to stream 4k anywhere I need.

https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/tp-link-deco-x60-mesh-wifi-6-review/

Good luck.

 

I've been insanely happy with my Unifi stuff...but it's more along the lines of prosumer/small business. With that said, it's definitely worth it. Regardless of the router I used, I never saw more than 40Mbps down (I can get up to 65-70Mbps down where I live). Soon as I got/implemented the Unifi system, I actually saw 65Mbps or so down. Only time I've ever had to reboot it is for updates.

 

ubiquiti is really good stuff.

 

This takes a bit more work, but it would be best to run ethernet cables from your router to the heavy bandwidth users in static locations. For instance, I ran ethernet to my entertainment system and two other locations where I have NAS, printer, etc. The limit of your wifi is going to be around 250 Mbs unless you have all newer hardware that runs beyond the N standard. The limit of the wired connections is more like 1,000 Mbs.

 

Agreed 100%. We ran a line from my wife's office to our entertainment center wall; and from there to our bedroom (as all 3 of those rooms are in a line). Router is in my wife's office; an 8-port switch is behind our entertainment center, with one of the 8 ports feeding a NanoAP; and the bedroom has an in-wall AP, with those two APs doing a mesh network. But the important stuff (TV, our work computers, etc.) are hardwired. It helps immensely.

The other thing that has helped immensely is something that most routers won't do, which is for me to have 'walled off' some stuff from other stuff, so to speak. E.g., son has his own WiFi network, but it's filtered, has time limits, and the like.

 

I've been happy. The one criticism I've had in the past is that in general, if you wanted technical support...tough. LOL I would not have suggested it for complete newbies in the past; if you got stuck, you'd better have hoped you had an IT buddy. However, I believe they've gotten a bit better on that.

I have noticed one very interesting side effect. In the past, prior to owning my Ubiquiti stuff, our ISP's technical support would *ALWAYS* blame sh*t on the router. "Oh, you have the ISP router bridged and an aftermarket router doing stuff? Well, that's your issue."

Now? I've not heard them say that once, not once. Literally as soon as I tell them how it's set up, you can almost hear them thinking "Oh....it's prosumer/small business stuff." Long as "I've rebooted the ISP router," that's it...their assumption is that the issue is on their end - which it has ALWAYS been, if it wasn't the ISP router.

 

As far as mesh networks go, I have found that the Netgear Orbi's are the best. Their wireless backhaul has some sort of voodoo magic in it.

I would also try your existing speed from your fiber first before upgrading. 250 should be plenty unless you have 15kids streaming at the same time