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PLP2000 + Wireless access point to cover dead zone
I have to explain my environment a bit. I'm in an apartment where the Internet access point is near the entrance at one end of the apartment, but my office (where I really need it) is in a bedroom at...
The orbi devices do support both wired and wireless backhaul connections. And they can use both at the same time. I have some using wireless and some using the wired backhaul.
Thanks, michaelkenward. The fridge is physically directly in line between the router and the office, so I'm assuming the provider tech was referring to the metal of the fridge blocking the wifi signal, but maybe it creates other interference, as well. It's just kind of weird that the wifi is so dead in that one room, while being exceptional everywhere else. As I mentioned in my other reply, I'm trying out a mesh network, as it kind of tests out the access point concept.
JaggedMac wrote:
Thanks, michaelkenward. The fridge is physically directly in line between the router and the office, so I'm assuming the provider tech was referring to the metal of the fridge blocking the wifi signal, but maybe it creates other interference, as well. It's just kind of weird that the wifi is so dead in that one room, while being exceptional everywhere else. As I mentioned in my other reply, I'm trying out a mesh network, as it kind of tests out the access point concept.
I can't tell from your first message if it is the wifi that is slow in the office, or the Powerline, or both.
If it is a wifi thing, and if it is the fridge – Americans buy fridges that are bigger than some kitchens in other countries – you could investigate using Powerline to deliver wired Ethernet to devices in that room.
As this is an office, you probably have a wired PC. Powerline LAN might cut through wifi interference.
michaelkenward and plemans , thanks for your advice. To answer the one question, BOTH wifi and powerline adapter are very slow in the office. BOTH powerlline and wifi are very good in the master bedroom, which is between and on the other side of the hallway. I tried a TP-Link (that was all they had at the time) mesh network with a base and two satellites. I got a bit better wifi signal, but not spectacular. However, I discovered that the satellites don't piggy back on each other, so both were going back to the main source, making it no better than the way I started. I checked with TP-Link and they confirmed that the satellites won't talk to each other... just to the base. Kind of a dumb setup, if you ask me. I returned that unit and am back to the long cable. i still think an access point in the bedroom, or a mesh system where the units can connect to each other might be a possibility. Anyone know if the Netgear mesh units work that way? I don't really need mesh, as I only need internet in that one room, but the advantage of the mesh system is that I only have one network to connect to, so everything can be on the same network. If I go to an access point, I believe I'm going to end up with a new IP address to connect to, which is a pain, as I have multiple computers, several Amazon Alexa units, a wireless Sonos sound system, two nVidia Shield android TV boxes, and a bunch of wifi smart light bulbs that wouldn't all be able to talk to each other, nor would I be able to connect to all of them with my mobile devices. Is there any way to extend a wifi signal without changing the network address?
JaggedMac wrote:
I tried a TP-Link (that was all they had at the time) mesh network with a base and two satellites. I got a bit better wifi signal, but not spectacular. However, I discovered that the satellites don't piggy back on each other, so both were going back to the main source, making it no better than the way I started.
I'm not sure what you mean by "piggy back". If the idea is to have one satellite talk to the router and pass the wifi on to a second satellite, that is usually known as "daisy chain" configuration.
This is possible with Orbi satellites.
These offer both daisy chain and "star" configurations.
JaggedMac wrote:
I don't really need mesh, as I only need internet in that one room, but the advantage of the mesh system is that I only have one network to connect to, so everything can be on the same network. If I go to an access point, I believe I'm going to end up with a new IP address to connect to....
Again, I'm not clear on this bit. Regardless of the IP address, an access point can have whatever SSID and password you like. It can be the same as the router.
In effect, it is one network, although wifi clients have to switch between wifi sources as you move around. In my experience there is no inconvenience involved as the clients make the move without me even noticing, with or without the same SSID.
The idea that two Mesh satellites can't talk to one another seems to break the whole idea of Mesh. But maybe we are talking about two different things. Handing wifi clients over from one to the other rather than talking to one another as links in a chain.
By the way, Mesh satellites also have separate IP addresses. They have to if the router is to do its thing.
The whole point of Mesh is that the wifi sources cooperate and as you move from one to another providing a seamless handover.
You may not need Mesh for devices that don't move around because they will always talk to the same wifi source, but you won't see anything happening and I don't see how that can be "a pain".
I wonder if you are over thinking this.
michaelkenward , you are correct that Daisy Chaining is what I want. I want the bedroom to use the base as it's source, and I want the office to use the bedroom as it's source. If the office uses the base as it's source, I'm no better off than I was with just the router, as the office still gets a crappy signal. The TP-link won't do that, although they say it may in a future firmware.
Sorry, I definitely am not a network specialist. Just know enough to be dangerous. The guy at the store told me an access point would be useless due to the network id being different. However, based on your message, it sounds like it would work fine. Here was the major problem I had when I installed the TP-link mesh. I have a smart TV, Sonos Arc, and nVidia Shield connected (hard wired) by ethernet to the main (ISP) router. When I set up the TP-link, my iPhone could no longer communicate with these devices to control them, as it was on the new wifi network and couldn't see them. I solved it by running a hard wire from the TP-link router to those devices. My assumption was that I would have the same problem with an access point. The wifi devices would be on one network, and the hard wired devices would be on another. Are you saying that there is a way to have them all connected to each other?
If the Orbi system can daisy chain, then that would likely work very well. However, if an access point can have the same SSID as the main router, that would be just as good. Basically, I have good speed (in the bedroom) half way to the office. I would somehow like to have the office connect to that (the bedroom) as it's wifi source instead of the main router. The wifi signal from the main router will just barely reach the office at 5ghz and is very slow.
So, am I correct that:
1) I could use the Orbi mesh system and just use wifi everywhere, along with the ethernet connections running from the Orbi base?
2) I could put an accesspoint in the bedroom, where the signal is strong, and then broadcast it so that the office could pick it up. I could make the SSID on the accesspoint the same as the main (ISP) router so that all devices could communicate?