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Forum Discussion
Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router (R6900P) in AP Mode, Second R6900P
All connections are Ethernet. Buried Ethernet and feeder cable to buildings #2 and #3; Ethernet and utility feeder cabling are ~12" separation as appropriate. Router is Nighthawk X6S, AC3600 (Mo...
If I connected a device via 4-integrated Ethernet ports, it would treat that R6900P as a switch, Correct?
Yes, the LAN ports on the R6900P function as a switch.
It would be useful to connect a laptop to the ethernet going into the WAN port of the router, and then run a speedtest. Either speedtest.net or speed.cloudflare.com will work. That will confirm that the feed to the building is working correctly.
Reading this morning I realized they were on the same Channel and Mode by my genius restore!
How far apart are the two buildings? What is the construction? Can you get a connection to building 2 from building 3 when you have the new AP turned off?
Normally you won't get much (if any) wifi interference unless the buildings are quite close.
I tried speedtest.net yesterday and that's where I got conflicting and inconsistent results, sometimes great other times barely registering. That was my clue I had a problem(s)! Not from a laptop though, from iPhone. I can try a laptop, ... If I can find my scarf and hat!
Building #2 is common wood frame construction. R6900P is in window closest to Building #3 (it belongs in the high-center of 42' X 32' room and will be returned there after problem addressed/solved.) Building #3 is actually a wishing well (not a building per se.) I called it B-3 for clarity. And yes, I can connect from #2 to B-3; I just want better WiFi connections. I have remote cameras 150'-200' further; this was the closest I could trench and get Ethernet and utility feeder.
Do you have any guidance on the channels for #3 (vs #2)? I'm pretty sure that's where my problem is. And FYI, until recently I didn't realize glass really interfered with WiFi transmission. I have an WAC-104 (wired, AP mode) on a (protected) ledge, outside a window. (I buy used and otherwise out-of-date/obsolete hardware. That's how I can afford my 'tweaking'. WAC-104s are old and slow but good enough for my modest needs. THANK YOU for your interest in sharing your knowledge. Thanks again. Fred
Fred B Feins
And FYI, until recently I didn't realize glass really interfered with WiFi transmission.
Low-E glass and privacy-tinted glass can block wifi, due to metallic coatings. Normal window glass won't.
I tried speedtest.net yesterday and that's where I got conflicting and inconsistent results, sometimes great other times barely registering. That was my clue I had a problem(s)! Not from a laptop though, from iPhone.
That test checks the cable+extender wifi. Connecting directly to the cable (with no R6900P) would confirm that the cable you buried is good.
Then connecting up the R6900P, and then connecting the laptop to one of the LAN ports would check the wired performance. If that is inconsistent, then your problem is not WiFi.
Do you have any guidance on the channels for #3 (vs #2)?
If the goal is to connect the remote cameras, then what matters is 2.4 ghz. 200' is a stretch for wifi, and 2.4 ghz carries further than 5 ghz. In that scenario, I'd turn 5 ghz off.
The non-overlapping channels for 2.4 ghz are 1, 6, and 11. So you could set #2 to channel 1 and #3 to channel 11 to get max separation.
I'd try changing the 2.4 ghz mode to "up to 289 mbps". Although that is slower, it is less subject to interference and I think will give you a longer range.