Correct WiFi Repeater for our needs
July 20, 2020 9:06 AM Subscribe
We're currently holing up at my family's house in the mountains indefinitely, and my wife is going to be teaching her college courses online in the next few weeks. We've set up her "office" in the best possible place in the house, except that the WiFi isn't as reliable there as we need it.
The router here is a CenturyLink c1100t, and is downstairs in one of the bedrooms. The "office" is just up the stairs in the main kitchen/living room area. The internet access upstairs is fine for normal uses, streaming video, etc. (I can do all of my own work from up here, for instance) but has proven very shaky for Zoom meetings. We're pretty sure that a repeater is the right solution, but neither of us knows much about how to best address our needs here, and possible solutions vary wildly in cost, and we'd love to understand more before throwing a lot of money at this.
The TP-Link RE220 come highly recommended by the NYT article on this subject, but I don't understand if that will only be compatible with a TP-link router or not, for instance. I also don't know if there are special issues involving going from one story to another vs. just improving WiFi signal horizontally.
Thank you for any help. I'll be monitoring this so that I can provide additional information as needed.
The router here is a CenturyLink c1100t, and is downstairs in one of the bedrooms. The "office" is just up the stairs in the main kitchen/living room area. The internet access upstairs is fine for normal uses, streaming video, etc. (I can do all of my own work from up here, for instance) but has proven very shaky for Zoom meetings. We're pretty sure that a repeater is the right solution, but neither of us knows much about how to best address our needs here, and possible solutions vary wildly in cost, and we'd love to understand more before throwing a lot of money at this.
The TP-Link RE220 come highly recommended by the NYT article on this subject, but I don't understand if that will only be compatible with a TP-link router or not, for instance. I also don't know if there are special issues involving going from one story to another vs. just improving WiFi signal horizontally.
Thank you for any help. I'll be monitoring this so that I can provide additional information as needed.
Response by poster: Thank you! On a similar note, I see that CenturyLink has their own repeater as well, but it's ~$100 and doesn't seem to be recommended by anyone, so I don't necessarily want to go down that road.
posted by Navelgazer at 9:13 AM on July 20, 2020
posted by Navelgazer at 9:13 AM on July 20, 2020
If possible, I would strongly suggest running an ethernet cord from the router to give your wife a wired connection. It will be the cheapest option as well as the best option, as long as you can run a wire in such a way that it is unobtrusive.
posted by Betelgeuse at 9:14 AM on July 20, 2020 [19 favorites]
posted by Betelgeuse at 9:14 AM on July 20, 2020 [19 favorites]
I just purchased a Netgear Orbi base + satellite pair for this exact reason. Very impressed with the added signal strength and coverage. It's noted for having high power, and using a dedicated channel between base + satellites.
It's not the same as just adding a repeater, since you also replace your 'base' wifi by plugging the Orbi base into your router, so might not be exactly what you're looking for.
posted by so fucking future at 9:24 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
It's not the same as just adding a repeater, since you also replace your 'base' wifi by plugging the Orbi base into your router, so might not be exactly what you're looking for.
posted by so fucking future at 9:24 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
Use an ethernet cable directly attached to the router/cablemodem to check available speed (openspeedtest.com is good); then test over wifi. Betegeuse is right, wired ethernet will be more robust, and ethernet cable can be run for a fair distance. If there's an easy way to run an ethernet cable directly, that's the best speed; out a window and back in can be a overlooked option. See if a better router/cablemodem is possible; providers use specific models in specific areas, there may be a better option that will work. Can the router/cablemodem be moved to a better location?
posted by theora55 at 9:26 AM on July 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 9:26 AM on July 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
Strongly agree with Betelgeuse. Wired Ethernet is a simpler, more reliable, and less expensive solution to this problem. I’d even accept a moderately unsightly cable run to get all the other benefits, personally.
posted by Alterscape at 9:27 AM on July 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Alterscape at 9:27 AM on July 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
I'd suggest a powerline ethernet adapter over a wifi extender. Wifi extenders can be finicky and there can be subtle incompatibilities between the router and the extender that manifest in you having to unplug and replug the extender on a not infrequent basis. I've never seem them work very well long term.
The other thing to consider is buying a really nice router, using it as the wifi access point and disabling wifi on your Century Link modem. You'll certainly get better and more consistent coverage than a wifi extender, but it's going to cost more.
posted by Fidel Cashflow at 9:29 AM on July 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
The other thing to consider is buying a really nice router, using it as the wifi access point and disabling wifi on your Century Link modem. You'll certainly get better and more consistent coverage than a wifi extender, but it's going to cost more.
posted by Fidel Cashflow at 9:29 AM on July 20, 2020 [4 favorites]
The problem I had with extenders was that the remote module creates a second access point and SSID. Most devices can handle this but from time to time a device will try to connect (or stay connected) to the weaker of the two points when it's literally sitting on top of the stronger transmitter.
I got a basic Eero mesh setup working (not the pro), made everything one SSID, and it's been working out much much better.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:35 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
I got a basic Eero mesh setup working (not the pro), made everything one SSID, and it's been working out much much better.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:35 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
Just to add a bit of caution with powerline ethernet adapters: my experience with them has varied widely. In one house, they worked great and were a wonderful solution. In my current house, they are flakey and unreliable. You should definitely consider them, because when they work, they're great. However, I would recommend you think about buying them from a store with a good return policy.
Just to add: I think the reason they don't work in my current house is that one end is plugged into my main electrical panel and another is plugged into a subpanel. If you have a simple electrical setup, I think they tend to work better.
posted by Betelgeuse at 9:35 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
Just to add: I think the reason they don't work in my current house is that one end is plugged into my main electrical panel and another is plugged into a subpanel. If you have a simple electrical setup, I think they tend to work better.
posted by Betelgeuse at 9:35 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
We went down a similar path. We disabled wifi on the modem and added a TP-Link wifi router and a couple of TP-Link mesh extenders to create one mesh network. My wife now runs Zoom webinars from her basement studio with plenty of bandwidth, and as a bonus, the wifi throughout the house is better.
The TP-Link extender will work with other brands of routers as an extender, but if you have a compatible TP-Link router, it will form a single network, and you can add more than one extender to get a more robust network if, for example, you have an older house with plaster or brick walls that are less transparent to radio waves. We have a router and an extender upstairs and needed a second extender in the basement to get good performance hosting a Zoom session downstairs. The TP-Link extenders don't have to be the same model, either. I ordered the first one, but had to pick up a second one from the local office supply store at the last minute to get the network running in time.
An ethernet cable would probably have gotten her a better connection. but there was no good way to run a cable from our modem/router to the space we had available to set up for her. There was a slight learning curve in getting all the extenders connected as a mesh network, but on the whole it was relatively painless, and as JoeZydeco points out, having a single network can work better than having a second network for the extender.
posted by fogovonslack at 10:09 AM on July 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
The TP-Link extender will work with other brands of routers as an extender, but if you have a compatible TP-Link router, it will form a single network, and you can add more than one extender to get a more robust network if, for example, you have an older house with plaster or brick walls that are less transparent to radio waves. We have a router and an extender upstairs and needed a second extender in the basement to get good performance hosting a Zoom session downstairs. The TP-Link extenders don't have to be the same model, either. I ordered the first one, but had to pick up a second one from the local office supply store at the last minute to get the network running in time.
An ethernet cable would probably have gotten her a better connection. but there was no good way to run a cable from our modem/router to the space we had available to set up for her. There was a slight learning curve in getting all the extenders connected as a mesh network, but on the whole it was relatively painless, and as JoeZydeco points out, having a single network can work better than having a second network for the extender.
posted by fogovonslack at 10:09 AM on July 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
I had OK success with a TP-Link wifi extender - it basically got the wifi to the bedroom where it needed to be, but the signal wasn't good and would cut out now and then. Compatibility shouldn't be an issue, as others have noted. It's pretty cheap to give it a shot, I think mine was under $30.
If you envision this being at all permanent I'd do what I did and go whole hog with a mesh system like the Netgear Orbi mentioned above. I got a 3-piece one for under $200 and it provides absolutely perfect wifi in every room, with no network switching (like "networkname_EXT") or dead zones. It's a bit costly but it really does work. The Eero ones are supposed to be great too, but they're a bit more expensive and they're Amazon-owned so I decided against using them.
Running a cable is totally an option too but depends on how much you're willing to deal with the usual nonsense involved with running a cable between floors. If it's worth $200 to have that problem solved for you, go for the Orbi.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 10:36 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you envision this being at all permanent I'd do what I did and go whole hog with a mesh system like the Netgear Orbi mentioned above. I got a 3-piece one for under $200 and it provides absolutely perfect wifi in every room, with no network switching (like "networkname_EXT") or dead zones. It's a bit costly but it really does work. The Eero ones are supposed to be great too, but they're a bit more expensive and they're Amazon-owned so I decided against using them.
Running a cable is totally an option too but depends on how much you're willing to deal with the usual nonsense involved with running a cable between floors. If it's worth $200 to have that problem solved for you, go for the Orbi.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 10:36 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you want reliability and capacity Wired Ethernet > Powerline networking > WiFi generally.
It can all can work but buy better quality wifi gear and research compatibility if you go that way.
posted by jclarkin at 10:46 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
It can all can work but buy better quality wifi gear and research compatibility if you go that way.
posted by jclarkin at 10:46 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
I agree with everyone suggesting an ethernet connection. YMMV but my spouse has been teaching college classes from home via Zoom since March, and a wired connection is the only thing that has resulted in sufficient stability. We have a VERY long ethernet cable that we run from our router downstairs up to the second floor. It's only plugged in while class is in session - we store it in a big coil the rest of the time. The only tricky thing is keeping our dog from accidentally unplugging it during class.
posted by cimton at 11:26 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by cimton at 11:26 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I will say that given the home's topology, there's no way to run an ethernet cable that won't be obstructive, unfortunately.
posted by Navelgazer at 12:34 PM on July 20, 2020
posted by Navelgazer at 12:34 PM on July 20, 2020
From what you describe, a wireless extender might not help that much. A wireless extender is basically a small computer with a WiFi antenna or two, not different in principle from your own devices. There's no magic here. If they are struggling, an extender will struggle, and then you'll have the contention of the extender with your other devices on top of that. The extender is great if you can space them close enough that they can easily talk to each other, cutting the "span" that each individual transmission has to cross. Imagine the extenders are people playing a literal game of "Telephone". If they're close enough to each other to hear well, they can all talk quietly and everyone is happy. If they're already having to yell, not so good.
Is it possible to move the WiFi source physically higher, or away from a wall, etc? Houses also vary wildly in their suitability for WiFi, so if you're having trouble going between floors, you might need way more of a system than someone else like me who has a house whose main structural material appears to be compressed tissue paper.
But there's long term and there's short term. By the time you get the mesh network hooked up and shaken down and maybe it doesn't work and you have to order more/different extenders, this could be a major problem. When, let's face it, the platforms people are using for distance learning are going to be flaky themselves even if everything inside your house and with your ISP is perfect. This comic about debugging networking problems is no joke. Or you could buy a long Ethernet cable (up to 100 meters is allowed), run it through the house with masking tape, and work out any issues with the WiFi at your leisure. Maybe there's a crawspace or attic or you could run it on the exterior of the house? If you really want an extender, I personally like the Eero; they have one SSID and, this is key, full duplex radios and self-adjustment. Pricey, but anything with single radios is going to literally cut your signal in half right out of the gate. In the "Telephone" metaphor, Eeros can be listening and talking with different voices at the same time, and they gradually adjust their transmissions after they are installed. Be sure to read the specs carefully, though, you might need quite a few units if you have a long or tall house. But really, something wired is almost certainly going to be more reliable, even if it seems janky, like powerline Ethernet or coax Ethernet (haven't seen that mentioned yet, can be an excellent choice). In general, streaming video can cope with any reasonable amount of bandwidth, but what they don't like is latency and "dropped" packets. In theory, WiFi has a ton of bandwidth, but if you're getting intermittent interference from other people in the house, or neighbors, and you're using a signal extender on top of that, it can quickly become unusable. Good luck!
posted by wnissen at 3:23 PM on July 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
Is it possible to move the WiFi source physically higher, or away from a wall, etc? Houses also vary wildly in their suitability for WiFi, so if you're having trouble going between floors, you might need way more of a system than someone else like me who has a house whose main structural material appears to be compressed tissue paper.
But there's long term and there's short term. By the time you get the mesh network hooked up and shaken down and maybe it doesn't work and you have to order more/different extenders, this could be a major problem. When, let's face it, the platforms people are using for distance learning are going to be flaky themselves even if everything inside your house and with your ISP is perfect. This comic about debugging networking problems is no joke. Or you could buy a long Ethernet cable (up to 100 meters is allowed), run it through the house with masking tape, and work out any issues with the WiFi at your leisure. Maybe there's a crawspace or attic or you could run it on the exterior of the house? If you really want an extender, I personally like the Eero; they have one SSID and, this is key, full duplex radios and self-adjustment. Pricey, but anything with single radios is going to literally cut your signal in half right out of the gate. In the "Telephone" metaphor, Eeros can be listening and talking with different voices at the same time, and they gradually adjust their transmissions after they are installed. Be sure to read the specs carefully, though, you might need quite a few units if you have a long or tall house. But really, something wired is almost certainly going to be more reliable, even if it seems janky, like powerline Ethernet or coax Ethernet (haven't seen that mentioned yet, can be an excellent choice). In general, streaming video can cope with any reasonable amount of bandwidth, but what they don't like is latency and "dropped" packets. In theory, WiFi has a ton of bandwidth, but if you're getting intermittent interference from other people in the house, or neighbors, and you're using a signal extender on top of that, it can quickly become unusable. Good luck!
posted by wnissen at 3:23 PM on July 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
100% endorse the hardwired Ethernet cable.
By the way I have a pair of TP-link repeaters. And despite what the reviews say, they suck.
posted by spitbull at 7:09 PM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
By the way I have a pair of TP-link repeaters. And despite what the reviews say, they suck.
posted by spitbull at 7:09 PM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]
You might check out The Wirecutter's review of the best powerline networking kits. Among other things, it describes the technologies used and discusses why this would, or would not, be a good solution.
posted by blob at 7:06 AM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by blob at 7:06 AM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
Just to add: I think the reason they don't work in my current house is that one end is plugged into my main electrical panel and another is plugged into a subpanel. If you have a simple electrical setup, I think they tend to work better.
You may have the two sockets you have plugged the powerline adapters into sitting on separate phases. If that's the case and you can't move one of them so they're on the same phase, you may need to have a phase coupler installed.
posted by Stoneshop at 7:09 AM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
You may have the two sockets you have plugged the powerline adapters into sitting on separate phases. If that's the case and you can't move one of them so they're on the same phase, you may need to have a phase coupler installed.
posted by Stoneshop at 7:09 AM on July 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kdar at 9:09 AM on July 20, 2020 [1 favorite]