Wi-Fi range suggestions.
Cableiscut
Newbie

Hey everyone. I live in a two story home and my router is downstairs. I bought one of the advanced dual band ones. The router itself is great, but unfortunately, the 5 GHZ channel does not have great range to my devices upstairs. My question is, what are my options to make the signal stronger upstairs? I'm trying to do some research but I just end up more confused. Verizon offers a Network Extender, but I've read extenders just cut network speeds in half. Is this true? If it is, I don't wanna do that. I've read MoCa is a thing, but I'm not clear on if that's differennt from an extender. I have coax cables just dangling around upstairs, but can't do anything because I'm not supposed to use more than one router/modem, right? I dunno, I'm very confused and would really appreciate if someone broke down my options into simple terms for me. I am admittedly a simpleton and apologize in advanced if there is a simple solution I'm just overlooking.

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
jonjones1
Legend

The simple solution if you don’t mind running cat6 ethernet is to either drill a small hole in the baseboard and thread it to the router, then connect it to an available LAN port on the back of the router (there are 4 of them) then connect the computer direct.

now solution number 2 is to take that same ethernet you connected to the lan port and plug in another router and use it as an access point and then you will have better WiFi on the upper part of the house.

wifi is normally around half of a direct connection and varies by device used and radios in the devices or even obstructions in your home.

another solution is investing in a orbi system. Do not buy the one Verizon offers. It’s locked to Verizon. Get the full version with updates pushed out by Netgear and not Verizon (see other thread on this)

Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Get an extender from Verizon. Its completely untrue that it cuts speeds in half. Plus chances are one of the coax wires upstairs will work with the fios network extender. And if theh dont just run a cat5/6 from router to one of the 2 ethernet ports on back of extender. 

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
jonjones1
Legend

@Edg1 wrote:

Get an extender from Verizon. Its completely untrue that it cuts speeds in half. Plus chances are one of the coax wires upstairs will work with the fios network extender. And if theh dont just run a cat5/6 from router to one of the 2 ethernet ports on back of extender. 


Look up your answer again. WiFi is neve going to achieve 100% of wired ethernet speeds. It is totally impossible. Visit the experts at DSL Reports and ask that question.

and you will be amazed.

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

I never said it would be a 100 percent. He asked about getting an fne upstairs to help his 5 ghz. Fios network extenders can reach wired speed up to 400 mbps via a moca 2.0 connection. Or if you wire them ethernet from the routers lan port to one of the 2 provided ethernet ports on back of fne then you will have a gig wired connection. Wifi speed are never guaranteed and always depend on the device. 

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
jonjones1
Legend

My reply was to your saying it’s UNTRUE the speed is cut in half.

it is a documented fact that it is half or even less than half.

that is why I directed you to the other site.

many who post here also post at DSL Reports, in fact one poster here is regarded highly at both sites for his expertise. (No it’s not me, I am no expert alas)

but I regard his posts very highly.

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

If its wire with coax you only have up to 400 mbps over moca 2.0 so if you have a gig then yes that would be about half. Yes. But if its wired router lan port to ethernet port on fne then you will get a gig connetion provide your equip can handle it. Wifi of course will vary. 

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
jonjones1
Legend

@Edg1 wrote:

If its wire with coax you only have up to 400 mbps over moca 2.0 so if you have a gig then yes that would be about half. Yes. But if its wired router lan port to ethernet port on fne then you will get a gig connetion provide your equip can handle it. Wifi of course will vary. 


Yes I agree with you again. It is what I said further down in the thread.

many customers will not have faster ethernet installed in their homes. A company I once worked for I had to run network cabling through the building. It was a long and tedious job. In our home most of our devices are on ethernet, but we use WiFi on Apple products through out and it works for us.

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

True running wire can be tedious thats why Im telling him to go with a fne because if coax is already upstairs he wont have yo run wire. And if his speeds will at least be up to 400 mbps over the coax and he will get better 5 ghz range upstairs since fne’s are dual band just like he fqg. 

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Re: Wi-Fi range suggestions.
jonjones1
Legend

@Edg1 wrote:

True running wire can be tedious thats why Im telling him to go with a fne because if coax is already upstairs he wont have yo run wire. And if his speeds will at least be up to 400 mbps over the coax and he will get better 5 ghz range upstairs since fne’s are dual band just like he fqg. 


The problem with many homes have the coaxial run throughout is that it’s older coaxial or it’s been terminated in areas or it has been corroded from being there so long. Also breakage from movement or rodents or other line pulls or additions. Then in certain installs there was excessive splitters used, and the misery can get worse.

When I had Fios internet installed I assisted the installer via not placing any Fios in areas I had set up with the cable we once used. A friend at old Time Warner and I ran perfect cabling to each part of our home. I did not remove it just in case Charter Spectrum can match the speeds of Fios in a cheaper situation.

at the same time I installed ethernet with the wall plates to match the coaxial wall plates. This way I can switch as I please and not be at the mercy of either technology.

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