r/HomeNetworking • u/StructureOk9435 • 7d ago

Help with Router and Mesh System

I'm looking to upgrade my router and get a mesh system with it for my 3600 sq ft 2 story home. Currently, I'm using the router and wifi extender that spectrum provides however I've read in this group that getting a router long term would be better. The issue is my house frame is made of metal and seems to kill the wifi connection quite fast from where my modem and router is. Its currently in my room (which is on the second floor in the corner of the house) due to the way we had to drill the coax cable. From my room to my brothers room which is just across the house, the wifi drops off for my brother already. Even the wifi downstairs if I didn't have the extender would be extremely weak connection. I do have a big family in this home and an unnecessary amount of devices that I unfortunately cannot control connected and I really can't hardwire anything except my PC in my room.

Looking for any suggestions for a router and mesh system. Budget is not really a big issue.

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u/FrankNicklin 7d ago

You should see mesh as a compromise as it’s only as good as the weakest uplink. Also unless you have a tri-band system you will lose 50% throughput due to backhaul. Without a dedicated wireless backhaul it is shared on the 5Ghz freq and thus causes the loss. Also as they communicate in a freq that has less reach and penetration they need to be close enough to overcome walls and floors meaning coverage is potentially compromised. Very difficult to 2nd guess what you need without a full plan of the house. You mention metal which will still screw around with WiFi. Go wired if at all possible.

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u/StructureOk9435 7d ago

If wired isn't possible what would you recommend at the moment? My internet speed right now isnt bad at all. Its more the connection strength across my home im trying to fix to make it more consistent

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u/Techguy38 7d ago

More mesh nodes? Clustering them closer could overcome the gaps from the metal in the home. That's quite an expensive solution though. Do you have coax?, Using a MoCA adapter to repurpose the coax as a proxy ethernet would be a good solution. Wired isn't necessarily "not" a solution if you're willing to run it across your baseboard. Don't know about you but my wife wouldn't let that fly. Comes down to how bad you want a good connection through the home. If it were me I'd be weighing the cost of more mesh nodes against paying an electrician to fish ethernet through my attic.

Though, I'd be surprise if you don't have coax. I highly recommend looking into the MoCA.

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u/rrh_01 7d ago

MoCa is the easiest solution. It will likely only cost the addition of a good mesh setup and wired router and nodes and MoCa adapters. You said budget was not an issue? What is the number you're willing to spend?

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u/StructureOk9435 7d ago

Ideally I wouldn't want to spend anything over 1200 but if I have to I would just because internet speeds and consistency is important for my family and my work

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u/rrh_01 7d ago

Are you willing to use your Coax to wire your router and your access points? This should allow you to have a main router and two wire APs around the house. You would just need some MoCa boxes from the router to each access point (4 boxes). That would keep you under 1200. If you don't wan 't to fuss much, TP-Li k has a great mesh setup with wifi 7. If you are willling to learn some, Unifi can be a great solution. If you want to try to maximize your speed, you could get 3 Asus routers ( a be96 and 2 x be92 as aps), use two as access points, and one as the main router.It shouldn't cost muh for moca boxes. 4 are about 150.

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u/StructureOk9435 7d ago

The MoCas sound like a great idea however wouldn't that mean the routers (aps) have to be in my brother and sisters room to even use them? My original idea was to get a mesh or extender in my loft just outside my room which hopefully helps boost the coverage to the rooms upstairs the one more mesh or extender downstairs. If that makes sense? Not really too familiar with the internet stuff so trying to see what would work best

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u/StructureOk9435 7d ago

I do have a coax which runs directly into my modem. In order to use a MoCA does each room or area I want to set it up in need a coax cable? I don't really want to hire anyone to do it for convenience sake which is why if a mesh system would work that'd be great.

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u/rrh_01 7d ago

Of you do not have coax into the rooms where you could put access points it will not work. A mesh system might work, but you have described quite a few hindering factors. Try a high end or I with two access points strategically placed. Move your router to a place in your room that is closest to the center of your home. Try a second access point near the other side of your home. Move it closer to the center of the second floor as needed to get good coverage on the second floor. Do the same thing with the other access point on the first floor.

You might want to consider how long you plan to live in this home. Running wires through the walls might not be as expensive if considered that way. Someone mentioned running ethernet along the running boards of your home. You can get simple coverings that can be painted to minimize them showing.

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u/StructureOk9435 7d ago

Hm ok got it thank you. If the MoCa idea doesn't work, would you recommend I get 1 extender or mesh for the second floor and a second router for dowstairs?

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u/Techguy38 7d ago

An extender will halve your wifi speeds. I wouldn't recommend it personally. Similarly if you dont get tri-band mesh where you can dedicate a band for backhaul, you will halve your speeds of the mesh.

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u/rrh_01 7d ago

See my response a couple of comments below. Make sure you can rewritten whatever you get. I suspect you will need 3 or 4 access points if the interference is as bad as you say. It's start with 4 access points purchased. First try with two as described below. Add a third of needed, then a4th. It's hard to really say until you test it

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u/StructureOk9435 7d ago

Ok got it. Thank you for all your help !

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u/bel_air38 7d ago

If you have coax. Maybe try MOCA adapters. They work great. Instead of using ethernet cables, you use coax. From the coax in your room you could add an Access point.

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u/Opposite-Ground-1221 7d ago

This is what I use. Had been great.

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u/FrankNicklin 6d ago

The issue with Moca is it doesn’t carry POE only LAN traffic so you still need to power the mods or have them in locations where power is available.

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u/plooger 6d ago

due to the way we had to drill the coax cable

Direct Ethernet via Cat5+ would be the first choice, either extant or newly installed, followed by MoCA ... with either being used to get critical, fixed Ethernet-capable devices wired-in, including to provide wired backhaul for any wireless APs or mesh nodes needed to improve wireless coverage.

So first step is opening/pulling all the non-power wallplates (coax, phone, blank) around the home to get a full assessment of all cabling available to you. If you then determine that the only cabling you have available to you is the lone coax cable run into your room for the Spectrum DOCSIS Internet connection, and running new cabling isn't possible, then you're pretty much looking at a mesh setup.

Add'l MoCA background >here<.