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Nighthawk ad7200, X6S mesh extender, specs for ethernet ports please
I am about to network my new Nighthawk ad7200 router and X6S mesh extender. They will have considerable obstacles in between them that may cause interference in the wifi signal. I am considering to hardwire the 2 modules and my modem together with ethernet cable. However, I can not find any specs on the ethernet ports.
Question: Are they spec'd for CAT 6? 6A? 7?
Follow-up question: Is this method recommended over wireless considering the physical obstructions?
• AD7200† WiFi - Band 1: 800 Mbps @2.4GHz – 256QAM - Band 2: 1733 Mbps @5GHz – 256QAM - Band 3: 4600 Mbps @60GHz – SC • Powerful Quad-Core 1.7GHz processor • Memory: 512MB NAND flash and 1GB DDR3 SDRAM • Enhanced Active Antennas with high powered amplifiers • Explicit Beamforming for 2.4 & 5GHz bands • Seven (7) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports - 1 WAN & 6 LAN - Dual Gigabit Ethernet Port Aggregation
Ethernet ports are CAT5/6 rated. All ports are up to 1000Mb speed rated. I presume CAT7 since thats just an update to CAT6. CAT6A is inwall cable cabing and Not a inter connect cabling between devices. I have CAT6a in my walls and use CAT6 patch cabling from the walls to devices and switches. You don't necessarily have to use CAT7. CAT6 has been working great for me over the years. ZERO issues.
I've used the EX7700 has an extender and wired AP. Work well with my XR450/R7800 routers.
I've tested my EX7700 at a 40 feet range inbetween with the EX at one end of the house and the main host router at the opposite end. Good range and coverage and performance for my home. Of course this is all based on building materials and having concrete walls and such will impact signal and coverage since 5Ghz is effected by buiding materials due to it's high frequency and nature. Wood and dry wall not so much.
• AD7200† WiFi - Band 1: 800 Mbps @2.4GHz – 256QAM - Band 2: 1733 Mbps @5GHz – 256QAM - Band 3: 4600 Mbps @60GHz – SC • Powerful Quad-Core 1.7GHz processor • Memory: 512MB NAND flash and 1GB DDR3 SDRAM • Enhanced Active Antennas with high powered amplifiers • Explicit Beamforming for 2.4 & 5GHz bands • Seven (7) 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports - 1 WAN & 6 LAN - Dual Gigabit Ethernet Port Aggregation
Ethernet ports are CAT5/6 rated. All ports are up to 1000Mb speed rated. I presume CAT7 since thats just an update to CAT6. CAT6A is inwall cable cabing and Not a inter connect cabling between devices. I have CAT6a in my walls and use CAT6 patch cabling from the walls to devices and switches. You don't necessarily have to use CAT7. CAT6 has been working great for me over the years. ZERO issues.
I've used the EX7700 has an extender and wired AP. Work well with my XR450/R7800 routers.
I've tested my EX7700 at a 40 feet range inbetween with the EX at one end of the house and the main host router at the opposite end. Good range and coverage and performance for my home. Of course this is all based on building materials and having concrete walls and such will impact signal and coverage since 5Ghz is effected by buiding materials due to it's high frequency and nature. Wood and dry wall not so much.
Cat 6 is fine for gigabit ethernet (and 10 gigabit for that matter). If you are running the cables through walls, or over a dropped ceiling then you should get plenum grade cabling (which has fire-resistant insulation).
Follow-up question: Is this method recommended over wireless considering the physical obstructions?
AP mode using ethernet will almost always out-perform wireless, even with the x6s. Though you could try the X6s over wireless first,and see if that gives you good-enough performance.
Hello FURRYe38, Thanks for all the good info. My modem is an Arris TG1682G. My ISP is Spectrum... 😒. We pay for their "Lightning" speed internet, but I'm not sure what the max Mbps is for that. It has 2.4 and 5 Ghz wifi, but it doesn't tell me which of the 802.11 speeds it is compatible with. I do intend to purchase my own if Spectrum is charging me extra for the rental. Recommendations would.be appreciated.
@Jfosterjrod58 wrote: Thanks for all the good info. My modem is an Arris TG1682G. My ISP is Spectrum... 😒. We pay for their "Lightning" speed internet, but I'm not sure what the max Mbps is for that. It has 2.4 and 5 Ghz wifi, but it doesn't tell me which of the 802.11 speeds it is compatible with. I do intend to purchase my own if Spectrum is charging me extra for the rental. Recommendations would.be appreciated.
The Arris looks like a 3x3 802.11ac system, so it should be an AC1700 router. Though I don't understand why you'd care about its wifi speeds if you already have the Nighthawk X10 router.
2 reasons... 1.) Possibly eliminating any rental charges 2.) That is the isp modem, whereas the Nighthawk will be my vpn. Rental modem may be a bit of a bottleneck to the outside world.
@Jfosterjrod58 wrote: 1.) Possibly eliminating any rental charges
Of course you need to decide if you want to purchase a modem or not. But it seemed to me that you wouldn't be using the wifi in the Arris, so it's wifi speed wouldn't matter. Your ISP speed would matter, and of course you want a docsis modem that can keep up with your ISP.
2.) That is the isp modem, whereas the Nighthawk will be my vpn. Rental modem may be a bit of a bottleneck to the outside world.
Are you saying that you will continue to use the Arris directly when accessing the internet (using the Nighthawk only when you are using the VPN service)? Or will all your internet access be done through the VPN service?
Whether the Arris is a bottleneck depends on your ISP upload/download speed. What are those speed?
Hey StephenB, My isp speed is 400 Mbps up, 20 Mbps down. Turns out that purchasing a modem would give me no break on my bill; rental is free. My ISP says gigabit speed is available in my area for a 1 time $200 install fee. 😁 You asked about continuing to use the Arris modem instead of the Nighthawk... It can also be my Spectrum modem?
@Jfosterjrod58 wrote: My isp speed is 400 Mbps up, 20 Mbps down. Turns out that purchasing a modem would give me no break on my bill; rental is free. My ISP says gigabit speed is available in my area for a 1 time $200 install fee.
I think you must have the two speeds backwards. With cable modems, the downlink is almost always faster than than the uplink. In almost all cases home users are downloading much more than they are uploading.
@Jfosterjrod58 wrote: My ISP says gigabit speed is available in my area for a 1 time $200 install fee. 😁
The Arris modem can handle 640 mbits on the cable link. So part of the installation would be to upgrade the Arris to something faster.
You asked about continuing to use the Arris modem instead of the Nighthawk... It can also be my Spectrum modem?
No. Netgear would classify your Arris as a "gateway" - that is a combination of modem+router. The Nighthawk can be your router, but you would still need a modem. Most Nighthawk owners would at least turn the wifi in the Arris off. It is also possible to disable the router function in the Arris, and only use it as a modem. That is called "bridge mode", more on that below.
The C7000 Nighthawk is also a gateway that supports modem speeds of 960 mbits. There is also an Orbi gateway (CBK40) which would be a better choice (even faster modem and it would give you better wifi than the C7000). But your existing Nighthawk is an excellent router with excellent wifi, so if you want to go with your own modem you probably are better off getting a pure modem like the CM1000.
In all cases, if you have a Spectrum landline phone you will almost certainly have to use one of their gateways or modems. You might find they will give you a "free" gateway for the landline if you buy your own modem (connecting both modems to the cable feed). But if there is no price break for using your own modem, it's less hassle just to use the one they provide.
FWIW, I am somewhat confused about your VPN comment. My original question was trying to sort out what you have in mind there. Common uses of VPN are
provide secure remote access to your home network when you are away from home
increase privacy by routing all your internet traffic through a VPN server that is usually in a different country.
provide some level of privacy by routing some of your internet traffic through a VPN server
Perhaps you can explain what you are wanting to accomplish on this, so we know how it fits into your network.
@Jfosterjrod58 wrote: If so, eliminating an additional IP address should, in theory, boost pass thru speed a little
No.
Guessing a bit on what you mean - I am thinking you likely are wondering if double routing (cable-network-> Arris Gateway -> Nighthawk) would be slower than
cable-network -> cable modem -> Nighthawk
cable network -> Arris Gateway -> Nighthawk in AP mode
cable network -> Arris Gateway in Bridge mode -> Nighthawk in Router mode.
If you use features like port forwarding, they are a bit harder to set up if you double-route than they are with the other three possibilities. But the speed is the same. Personally I double-route (Fios gateway -> Orbi Router). I do that because there are some services in the Orbi (VPN in particular) that the Fios gateway doesn't have. Circle parental controls is another feature that likely isn't in the Arris.
My intentions for the VPN at this point, is for secure, remote access to the family network. After this is set up, the next step is a 2-drive NAS for file storage. My daughter just started college; I want her to have access from school and work. As early retirement approaches for me, I want 802.11ad speed VR with 7.1 DTS surround sound. 😜
@Jfosterjrod58 wrote: My intentions for the VPN at this point, is for secure, remote access to the family network.
Ok. So you want to use the OpenVPN server that is built into the Nighthawk. That requires you to use it in router mode. You'll also need to use the DDNS service (also built in) so you can access via a name instead of an ever-changing IP address.
And since the Nighthawk has better wifi than the Arris, you should at least turn off the wifi on the Arris. Basically all it does is add potential wifi interference for the Nighthawk.
I'm sorry to burst your bubble here, but you probably won't get any use from your 802.11ad feature. 802.11ad uses a 60 ghz radio (not the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz used by normal WiFi). It does have high speed, but extremely short range (same room as the router). So far there has been no market uptake on 802.11ad - one (perhaps two) laptops supported it when it first came out a couple of years ago, but I haven't seen anything since. The WiFi folks are trying to improve it with 802.11ay, but I don't think that will change the market dynamics. It will remain a niche (useful for a wireless laptop docking station for example).
Instead the market is moving to 802.11ax (now re-branded as WiFi 6). That uses 5 ghz and 2.4 ghz spectrum, and will add some new channels (1 ghz and 7 ghz bands) as they become available in various countries. The link data rates are only 37% faster than 802.11ac, but the overall capacity is 4x greater because it is designed for dense deployments and uses spectrum more efficiently.
802.11ac is fast enough for almost all purposes - the issue consumers are already starting to face is that they have more and more wifi clients. Triband routers and mesh routers help, but the internet of things will overwhelm those approaches too. So the manufacturers (and the WiFi Alliance) are focussed on increasing the total capacity (the "dense deployments" bit ) not so much on increasing the peak speed of a single client.
