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Drill holes and lay Ethernet cable properly.
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May 9, 2018 08:53
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El Laucha posted:I need a wifi pci-e card recommendation please! For a stationary box, cable is the correct answer if it is at all possible, as the poster above says. I'm in a similar situation, except I'm in a rented apartment where I'm not allowed to do modifications because of reasons, so I do run wifi. On the router end I have an Asus RT-AC68U (AC1300, I think?) and on the computer end I'm using the (also Asus) motherboard's builtin WiFi adapter - just some generic Realtek chip. Before I upgraded to this motherboard I had an Asus PCE-AC56 which would also do AC1300. I'm running on 5GHz with maybe 6 or 7 meters between the computer and the router, and there's essentially free line of sight between the two. Most of the time the only other device on the wifi net is my phone and there are no other 5GHz SSID's visible. Under these close-to-ideal conditions, it'll do around 500 mbps most of the time, which is actually better than I expected (I can send files to my NAS over the wifi at like 40 MB/s on a good day), but god drat wifi is just so loving broken. For example, there's a very long-standing Windows wifi service bug that occasionally starts causing 1-2 second ping spikes every 30 seconds or so unless you disable wireless autoconfig (has to be redone every time you reboot). Just run some cat6, wifi is absolute garbage. If you do insist on Wifi, get a card with a wired external antenna mount - it helps a lot. The Asus cards come with a magnetic mount and about a meter of wiring so you can just put the antennas on the side or top of the computer case. Also note that for these multi-stream high speed connections the antennas do software beam forming so the antenna array effectively becomes directional, and to facilitate that you'll want some angle between the individual antennas. IIRC you want a 90 degree angle between them or something like that. Wifi is a great example of attempting to solve a physical engineering problem (comically underpowered transmitters and a horribly congested frequency spectrum) by throwing software complexity at it, and it shows. TheFluff fucked around with this message at 10:41 on May 9, 2018 |
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May 9, 2018 10:34
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El Laucha posted:I need a wifi pci-e card recommendation please! If you can't lay cable then you should really look into using a wireless bridge instead of a wifi card. That will give you the best possible connection and will be way more stable than trying to connect directly from your computer. The easiest way to do this would be to get another C7 w/OpenWrt and set it up in bridge mode.
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May 9, 2018 19:28
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Hey thread. I'd just like to thank Devian666 for the OP. The TP-LINK Archer C5 I got off Amazon for $48 was quick and easy to setup and has been working very smoothly.
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May 10, 2018 04:39
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OhFunny posted:Hey thread. I can't take all the credit as a lot of other people have contributed recently and in the past. Good to hear that your series of tubes is operating smoothly.
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May 10, 2018 05:40
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Recently upgraded our home internet to a 75 Mbps down plan. When running speed tests on computers connected via ethernet, I see around that speed. However, on WiFi devices (e.g. 2011 MBP, Pixel) I'm generally only seeing 10-20 Mbps down. Is that typical for WiFi, or something upgrading to a new router would address? Current router is an Asus RT-N16 running Tomato. I believe this does wireless N, but not AC, but in theory N shouldn't be a bottleneck at those speeds, right? Also it only does 2.4 GHz, not 5. I have 2 roommates in a small, single floor single family home, so interference from neighbors is minimal, as is distance from router. There's generally 3 laptops and 5 phones connected via WiFi, and the speed tests are done at times when there is minimal network activity.
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May 10, 2018 05:50
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The router is probably operating at the limit the cpu can cope with. The results in the link show higher speeds. When you run custom firmware they tend not to use the hardware acceleration for wireless encryption so the performance is generally lower than the stock firmware. So this is probably the right time to look at an upgrade. https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-reviews/31058-asus-rt-n16-gigabit-n-router-reviewed?start=4
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May 10, 2018 05:57
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Splinter posted:Recently upgraded our home internet to a 75 Mbps down plan. When running speed tests on computers connected via ethernet, I see around that speed. However, on WiFi devices (e.g. 2011 MBP, Pixel) I'm generally only seeing 10-20 Mbps down. Is that typical for WiFi, or something upgrading to a new router would address? I have this exact router, I recently upgraded to a nighthawk R7000. You are correct, it does N but not AC, hence why I recently upgraded, I don't use that much wireless, I hardwire everything I absolutely can. But the cpu in the RT-N16 can get bogged down, I have had that router crash under heavy load. Again, why I upgraded to the R7000. I got my R7000 for 90 bucks on Amazon, refurbished, not sure what was refurbed on it, but when it came packaged, it seemed brand spanking new to me. Been running flawlessly since! The RT-N16 was a solid router for many years, I had it for about 10 years. I have a 150/150 package and the RT-N16 was really showing its limitations with that package. I paid almost 200 bucks for that RT-N16 years ago fwiw
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May 10, 2018 14:52
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Any thoughts on these? https://www.newegg.com/Product/Comb....3801078&cm_sp= I have some smart devices that are pretty far from my router and access point and these seem like a pretty good deal since I can't run eithernet extensively in my house. I have an ER-X already so I should be able to power one of them off the POE and just use the included adapter for the other one.
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May 10, 2018 16:13
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Devian666 posted:The router is probably operating at the limit the cpu can cope with. The results in the link show higher speeds. When you run custom firmware they tend not to use the hardware acceleration for wireless encryption so the performance is generally lower than the stock firmware. So this is probably the right time to look at an upgrade. I guess I'll try throwing the latest stock firmware back on it and see how it goes. If I'm reading that link right, it should be able to handle double or triple the speeds I'm seeing, but I imagine that's wishful thinking. derk posted:I have this exact router, I recently upgraded to a nighthawk R7000. You are correct, it does N but not AC, hence why I recently upgraded, I don't use that much wireless, I hardwire everything I absolutely can. But the cpu in the RT-N16 can get bogged down, I have had that router crash under heavy load. Again, why I upgraded to the R7000. I got my R7000 for 90 bucks on Amazon, refurbished, not sure what was refurbed on it, but when it came packaged, it seemed brand spanking new to me. Been running flawlessly since! Yeah, the RT-N16 has been solid for me. Haven't really had any issues with it crashing or getting bogged down under heavy load (e.g. tons of connections from torrents), but like you most of the heavy traffic is over ethernet rather than wireless. If I do end up upgrading, are the C5 or C7 from the OP fine for a 75/16 connection, lots of torrents, multiple devices streaming simultaneously and occasionally lots of devices connected via WiFI (when we have people over), or should I be looking at something like the R7000? The Wirecutter's router guide (which recommends the Nighthawk) says the C7 can struggle when there's a lot going on, and that the C9 actually performed worse than the C7 in many cases. That referb Nighthawk deal on Amazon seems pretty good.
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May 10, 2018 23:24
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I can still see the speedtest results from when I had an RT-N16, the max I ever got was 28.4 mbps down. But usually around 20 down/12 up. With my C7, 521 down/416 up is the fastest. That's all on gigabit fiber. I only use mine as an access point though and I don't really have a lot of wireless stuff.
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May 10, 2018 23:53
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Armacham posted:Any thoughts on these? Are you utilising the mesh network functionality? In other news I've been running TP Link powerline adapters for 4 years and they're still going strong. The performance is a bit limited with 100 mbps ethernet and the best performance one way is about 10-11 MB/s (close to the theoretical limit). I've been thinking about an upgrade a checked the actual AV500 speed and they are connected at 337 mbps. So I've decided to pick up a couple of D-Link AV2000 adapters for the two always on adapters. Hoping for higher speeds for NAS access and better ping for PUBG.
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May 11, 2018 00:50
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I have a Linksys E3200 (or EA3500 I can’t remember) that’s sort of working. Since I’ve moved the 5Ghz signal is maybe 1 bar unless your in the same room as the the router and it’s incredibly warm even for electronic equipment. I’ve connected on 2.4Ghz which works much better but I’m missing multitasking between Chrome Tabs while gaming along with using my phone plus the family watching Netflix. My pings spike to 300+ and occasionally I’m disconnected. Eventually, it will settle down but my pings are around 120-150 which is about 60-80 higher than my neighbors and friends with the same internet provider. 1. Is it true 5Ghz is just weaker than 2.4ghz? The walls in the current twin home are super thin which doesn’t make sense. 2. Unless the neighbors also have WiFi Points which they do but I haven’t used and survey programs yet. If I did they’re and they’re also putting out on 5Ghz do I just select the least used channel? Shouldn’t my router do that by default? 3. There’s a printer, a DVR Device and maybe a tablet on the network that might be doing bad things. I can’t use custom firmware to see whats active - not supported for this model. I guess my only option to see if these are the culprit is unplug and test? 4. Anything to look at on my cable modem? It’s a SB6141 that seems to be working fine. 5. Should I just upgrade to something newer? I used to be the only user on the router - maybe it just can’t support multi-users? What sucks is it can’t see from the UI if it’s actually low on resources.
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May 11, 2018 04:27
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5. Get a newer router the Linksys ones were removed long ago. They were never great but they were cheap. 4. The cable modem is most likely fine. The only way to improve it if you have administrative access would be to put it in pass through mode (which may already be the case). 3. Yes the unplug test is still highly effective but your router is almost certainly the issue. 2. 5 GHz has a lot of channels, even with an area with lots of apartments I never had issues with 5 GHz. 1. Yes 5 GHz does not have the range of 2.4 GHz which is purely because of physics. Shorter wavelengths have problems getting around objects. If you get a newer router they typically have better antennae than anything Linksys ever made. If you get a newer router it will have a faster SoC processor and hardware, better quality build. Every Linksys was built for low production cost rather than quality or performance.
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May 11, 2018 06:14
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I have a tp-link archer router. My building has decent free wifi, I'm routinely getting 20 Mbps down from my laptop. What would be the best permanent solution to use this wireless network as a wan for the wired network attached to the router? I'm perfectly willing to buy equipment to do this.
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May 11, 2018 15:59
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Does anyone have a pdf or guide for best practices for running and wiring cat6a or cat6 drops?
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May 11, 2018 16:08
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Chuu posted:I have a tp-link archer router. My building has decent free wifi, I'm routinely getting 20 Mbps down from my laptop. What would be the best permanent solution to use this wireless network as a wan for the wired network attached to the router? I'm perfectly willing to buy equipment to do this. You want a router that supports Client/AP Client mode (exact phrasing varies based on manufacturer). Sometimes they're also called wired gaming adapters. edit: gaming, not caming H2SO4 fucked around with this message at 10:55 on May 12, 2018 |
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May 11, 2018 16:41
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Chuu posted:I have a tp-link archer router. My building has decent free wifi, I'm routinely getting 20 Mbps down from my laptop. What would be the best permanent solution to use this wireless network as a wan for the wired network attached to the router? I'm perfectly willing to buy equipment to do this. I do not know the answer to this question. Steakandchips fucked around with this message at 20:08 on May 11, 2018 |
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May 11, 2018 17:44
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Steakandchips posted:You want an AP. I recommend a Unifi AP, also found in the OP. Can UniFi APs be configured in client mode? I don’t think that’s possible. He’s asking to use a wireless network as WAN.
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May 11, 2018 19:42
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You are right. I am an idiot. I do not know the answer to this.
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May 11, 2018 20:07
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I doubt this bit does it, but it's the closest I could find in the unifi controller UI...
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May 11, 2018 20:15
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I've done it before with Asus routers and DD-WRT. Won't work if the wireless security is Enterprise, probably will also have issues if when you login with a device it takes you to a intranet site where you have to agree to terms of service, but I can't say for sure. An ethernet gaming adapter might be simpler.
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May 11, 2018 20:22
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THF13 posted:An ethernet gaming adapter might be simpler. Yeah, this is generally the way to go. Travel routers tend to have this built in now but in my experience the gaming adapters are a little more well built.
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May 11, 2018 20:57
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H2SO4 posted:You want a router that supports Client/AP Client mode (exact phrasing varies based on manufacturer). Sometimes they're also called wired caming adapters. Thanks for the advice. Now that I know the right search terms something like this looks good. Any chance someone knows if one that might support POE to save a cable?
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May 12, 2018 07:39
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Krailor posted:If you can't lay cable then you should really look into using a wireless bridge instead of a wifi card. That will give you the best possible connection and will be way more stable than trying to connect directly from your computer. Edit: bought another c7, bridged both routers and am getting 230mbps out of possible 250. Will be toying around with the channels to see if I can get those last mbps, but for now it works and looks good enough! El Laucha fucked around with this message at 00:38 on May 13, 2018 |
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May 12, 2018 14:49
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In case anyone need just a 5Ghz A/N/AC AP that will work perfectly: https://www.amazon.com/Mikrotik-RB9...mikrotik+netbox External antenna mounts too.
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May 13, 2018 14:50
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I went ahead and picked up the Archer C7. Is it worthwhile to flash this to DDWRT? What do I miss out on?
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May 13, 2018 23:18
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I posted a few pages back with how hosed off I was with my Archer C9 - unreliable wifi, crappy UI and someone responded I should just get standalone devices. I'm thinking of a Mikrotik Hex PoE + Netgear GS108PEv3 + two UniFi nanoHDs and maaaaybe a cloudkey to go with. I'll be a basic user just after solid wifi and performance. One slightly 'pro' use I'd like, is the ability to route some of my devices through a VPN (e.g. to get around for netflix geoblocking for smart-tv etc). Although not sure if the mikrotik can acheive this. Is the above ok or should I try to get all the same brand to ensure compatibility?
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May 15, 2018 15:01
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Although that is a perfectly fine setup, why not just get a Mikrotik HAP AC? You can certainly do VPN stuff with the Mikrotik (and a lot more). I've said this before but if you want the fastest wifi, the Unifi's are designed to spread bandwidth around to many clients, like in a Hotel. They do not have the peak wifi performance of a $100 bux Netgear. The HAP AC is a nice middle point, if there is one thing I wish it had, it would be external antenna mounts. To be fair I wouldn't use a Netgear as a router, just a WIFI AP. [edit] Try and figure out if your devices/computers have any more than 2 chain AC. It's pretty rare which means 866 tends to be the top negotiated rate. redeyes fucked around with this message at 15:26 on May 15, 2018 |
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May 15, 2018 15:15
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I think I need two standalones as our apartment has thick concrete walls meaning that we need an AP at each end to get coverage at all. The router itself is in a cupboard behind a sofa. The place is rented so I can't drill holes or mount things properly but I was going to try to neatly tack an ethernet cable from the living room to the bedrooms along the skirting board/around door frame and put the AP on the end. PoE seems like the neatest solution. Powerline was my previous idea but the circuits are old or don't carry signal well enough so it negotiates at something like 20mbs which isn't enough to support the 5 or 6 devices connected at that end. People on the thread seem to rate about Unifis so was expecting that as the go to, but usage is really going to be typical iphones/tablets connecting (streaming netflix sometimes, so reasonable bandwidth use). Probably about 8-10 devices connected at any one time. The internet connection is gigabit fibre so speed issues definitely seem internal.
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May 15, 2018 15:57
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redeyes posted:I've said this before but if you want the fastest wifi, the Unifi's are designed to spread bandwidth around to many clients, like in a Hotel. That's not really true for the Gen2 and Gen3 lines. And if you're buying today, you should probably get the Gen3 UAP-nanoHD hardware which has 4x4 MU-MIMO for only a few bucks more than the gen2 UAP-AC-Pro. This is a test on my cell phone with WiFi on gigabit fiber internet:  headlight posted:People on the thread seem to rate about Unifis so was expecting that as the go to, but usage is really going to be typical iphones/tablets connecting (streaming netflix sometimes, so reasonable bandwidth use). Probably about 8-10 devices connected at any one time. UniFi access points get lots of recommendations because it's "enterprise" hardware with a very low price point. Cisco, Meraki, Aruba, Ruckus, Siklu, Aerohive are all competitors in the enterprise space that carry price tags 50-500% more than comparable Ubiquiti hardware. The problem with WiFi is that people don't get enough radios to serve the number of client devices that are connecting, or they don't put enough radios close to the client devices to ensure a strong signal. Home WiFi is no exception to that rule. If you want fast, you need a radio that's close to you, with as little interference as possible. So you can cut yourself short by purchasing one $300 CRAB router that you've tucked away behind the TV, or take that money and get 2-3 access points. You'll get more mileage out of multiple APs. Mikrotik is good too. Just their configuration and management systems (winbox / thedude / Mikrotik's unicorn command line syntax) are more annoying than the UniFi controller or mobile app config for Ubiquiti. CrazyLittle fucked around with this message at 18:42 on May 15, 2018 |
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May 15, 2018 18:29
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CrazyLittle posted:And if you're buying today, you should probably get the Gen3 UAP-nanoHD hardware which has 4x4 MU-MIMO On a sidenote: 4x4 MIMO (quad chain) is largely pointless through 2019 since there's roughly ZERO client devices that support it (laptops, phones, network cards), and 160mhz wide channel bands would be useless beyond a few feet due to interference. MU-MIMO just allows the radio to talk to multiple MU-MIMO devices at the same time. Just don't break the bank chasing after 4x4 hardware. *edit sidenote2: 802.11ac is basically a dead end now, and will continue on its current state now for backwards compatibility with existing network infrastructure. Devices that need more speed beyond the current state of 802.11ac will be built with support for 802.11ad 60ghz wifi, or potentially 802.11ax 5ghz stacked-frequency wifi CrazyLittle fucked around with this message at 19:07 on May 15, 2018 |
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May 15, 2018 18:58
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CrazyLittle posted:On a sidenote: 4x4 MIMO (quad chain) is largely pointless through 2019 since there's roughly ZERO client devices that support it (laptops, phones, network cards), and 160mhz wide channel bands would be useless beyond a few feet due to interference. MU-MIMO just allows the radio to talk to multiple MU-MIMO devices at the same time. Just don't break the bank chasing after 4x4 hardware. isn't the issue with 60ghz that you basically need line of sight for connectivity?
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May 15, 2018 19:29
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wargames posted:isn't the issue with 60ghz that you basically need line of sight for connectivity? Yeah, 60ghz is really only for wireless docking stations and wireless VR headsets. 802.11ax is the next big WiFi standard that we'll get.
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May 15, 2018 20:10
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headlight posted:I posted a few pages back with how hosed off I was with my Archer C9 - unreliable wifi, crappy UI and someone responded I should just get standalone devices. I currently run a Mikrotik router in combination with a Meraki switch and AP and an Apple Airport Extreme. In the coming weeks I'll be ripping all of that out and replacing it with Ubiquiti gear (USG, POE switch, cloud key and AP). Make of that what you will.
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May 15, 2018 20:20
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Mr. Clark2 posted:I currently run a Mikrotik router in combination with a Meraki switch and AP and an Apple Airport Extreme. In the coming weeks I'll be ripping all of that out and replacing it with Ubiquiti gear (USG, POE switch, cloud key and AP). Make of that what you will. I used to run all Ubiquiti gear but I got rid of the Edgerouter POE and replaced it with a Mikrotik hex POE.
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May 15, 2018 20:24
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Krailor posted:I used to run all Ubiquiti gear but I got rid of the Edgerouter POE and replaced it with a Mikrotik hex POE. I manage Unifi gear at work so I'm used to making config changes using their controller software. With Winbox, I have to google it every time I need to make a change and after I commit it I cross my fingers hoping that I didn't muck it up. The UI is (for me at least) extremely non-intuitive and difficult to use. Your mileage may vary.
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May 15, 2018 21:47
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wargames posted:isn't the issue with 60ghz that you basically need line of sight for connectivity? Pretty much the same story with 5.8ghz 802.11ac WiFi - no line of sight means you're not getting full signal. Krailor posted:Yeah, 60ghz is really only for wireless docking stations and wireless VR headsets. 802.11ax is the next big WiFi standard that we'll get. 60ghz is already here. Netgear makes a 802.11ad router, and Dell offers a 802.11ad NIC (likely for Alienware or whatever). But you're correct that it's fairly impractical from the way we're using WiFi currently. https://www.pcper.com/reviews/Networking/80211ad-WiGig-Tested-ASUS-Prime-X299-Deluxe-and-Netgear-NightHawk-X10
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May 15, 2018 22:46
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I rent and I have a dual band router at one end of the house that unfortunately cant be relocated as thats where the coax comes in for my cable internet. I run my PC/NAS into the router at that end of the house with the direct path running through the kitchen wall, the fridge, the cupboards and another wall to the loungeroom. I run Powerline AV to the loungeroom for Xbox/AppleTV. I think its gigabit, maybe, probably 500mbps. the loungeroom gets bad wifi. This is where we are using the wireless devices most of the time, in addition to the yard which has poor cell coverage (which is also 1 storey below the lounge) is there any powerline endpoints that function like wifi APs that I should be looking at? Ideally one that uses the powerline as the backbone but uses the same SSID so its seamless.
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May 16, 2018 06:16
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Laserface posted:I rent and I have a dual band router at one end of the house that unfortunately cant be relocated as thats where the coax comes in for my cable internet. I run my PC/NAS into the router at that end of the house with the direct path running through the kitchen wall, the fridge, the cupboards and another wall to the loungeroom. You could easily just plug a router or access point into your powerline endpoint. Setup will depend on exactly what you purchase. I can't seem to find any of just the endpoints not in a set, but something like this should work : https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-AC17...ender+powerline Armacham fucked around with this message at 06:59 on May 16, 2018 |
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May 16, 2018 06:47
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