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Forum Discussion
Most cost effective way to increase wifi coverage with my Netgear Nighthawk X4s R7800?
Hi, I currently have this router and that's wired to another network switch in my living room. My fiance recently moved her desk into a bedroom farthest away from the router. I'd love to replace the switch with either a netgear extender or an orbi? I want the most seamless wifi experience. No 2nd network, no network interference and I have the ethernet cable already setup so I think something like this is doable.
I'm just trying not to break the bank on brand-new orbi mesh system, especially since my nighthawk has been fantastic, up until I needed the wifi to go through my ancient brick home with lathe and plaster walls.
suggestions?
FYI, I also have $150 best buy card I'm planning to use.
17 Replies
- You can get some extenders, or if you can pull cable, access points.
For the most seamless experience, you can't go around Orbi. That's designed with it in mind and is a true Mesh system.Can I add 1 Orbi to my Nighthawk router to get the same experience?
- No, your router is not Mesh capable so you don't get the same experience.
Tom629 wrote:
I want the most seamless wifi experience. No 2nd network, no network interference and I have the ethernet cable already setup so I think something like this is doable.
Not with the R7800. But while an extender, as microchip8 suggested, might not give a "seamless wifi experience" it shouldn't be that painful. Modern wifi clients are good at switching between wifi sources. You might not even notice the handover.
For years I constantly moved between two routers – R7000P in the house and R7800 in the shed – and it seemed pretty seamless to me.
But for real Mesh, then, as plemans says, the MK range is good. I recently went MK and I prefer it to Orbi, mostly because it doesn't look as ugly.
You haven't mentioned the wifi clients involved. While the R7800 was good in its day, depending on which MK or Orbi you buy it will come with newer wifi technology. If you want to use the spiffy new 6 GHz stuff, you'll need something newer,
Tom629 wrote:Hi, I currently have this router and that's wired to another network switch in my living room. My fiance recently moved her desk into a bedroom farthest away from the router. I'd love to replace the switch with either a netgear extender or an orbi? I want the most seamless wifi experience. No 2nd network, no network interference and I have the ethernet cable already setup so I think something like this is doable.
I'm just trying not to break the bank on brand-new orbi mesh system, especially since my nighthawk has been fantastic, up until I needed the wifi to go through my ancient brick home with lathe and plaster walls.suggestions?
FYI, I also have $150 best buy card I'm planning to use.
You might have to provide more details on your "no 2nd network" requirement.
The most straightforward solution is to add a wired access point in the distant room. This Wi-Fi access could use the same SSID and password as your R7800 on different channels (both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands).
Benefit of also having additional Ethernet connections in the distant room.
Purchase a dedicated access point device or reconfigure a new/refurbished Wi-Fi router from Amazon. Maybe even add Wi-Fi 6 to the mix.
- Ok, after much deliberation I bought the EX-6150 extender.
I have my nighthawk router > 4-port switch > EX-6150 extender.
Do I need to be in access point mode or extender mode? Because it’s currently not working- After a quick google search, my answer is “access point”
Hoping that switch is in extender mode when I get homeJust an fyi, if hardwired in and running in AP mode, the EX6150 isn't a "mesh" device. You can set it with the same ssid as the primary router, but devices will tend to be sticky and not roam as efficiently as a full mesh system.
Netgears line of mesh extenders only have their smart roaming features enabled if they're running in extender mode. Its a bit of a disappointment but my bet is its netgear not wanting to encroach on their MK/Orbi sales.
Tom629 wrote:
Do I need to be in access point mode or extender mode?Depends on how you plan to connect the EX6150 to the router.
If the EX6150 is wired to the switch, then it should be in AP mode.
Manuals are always a good place to start.
Visit the support pages:
Support | NETGEAR
Feed in your model number and check the documentation for your hardware.
Look for the model number on the label on the device. (There are two versions of the EX6150, V1 and V2.)
That page will also have any software, firmware and drivers for your device, if they exist.
Begin with the Quick Start/Installation Guide.
