Recommendations for hardwired access point to extend RAX200
I have a Nighthawk RAX200 and like it, but in my tall house, there are a still couple of almost-dead spots on the top floor. I have a wired connection from my router (on the ground floor) up to the third floor where my office is. I'm thinking about adding a hardwired access point to improve WiFi coverage on the top floor. However, I'm having a hard time sorting through the options Netgear has to offer.
What would you recommend for an access point that is:
* Hardwiired (back to the router) for reliable connection
* Has an ethernet-out port (to physically connect at least one device to the wired network)
* Is relatively compact (wall-mounted would be best, but I can be flexible if necessary)
* Will provide coverage for a floor or two?
Again, my preference would be to go with a Netgear option which is most likely to play well with the existing Nighthawk RAX200.
Re: Recommendations for hardwired access point to extend RAX200
How many sq ft is the home?
Can you centrally locate the RAX on the 2nd floor?
Reason I ask is the RAX is a pretty potent router. It might just cover fine with proper placement.
the other reason is that for consumer equipment, the only netgear devices that support hardwired backhaul (to function in a mesh) is the MK series of nighthawks and the orbi's. The other access points do function and work but their smart roaming doesn't function with a wired backhaul. You can still use the same ssid as the router but devices tend to be sticky and not roam as well.
Re: Recommendations for hardwired access point to extend RAX200
Yes, the RAX200 is a very potent router, and it's been far better than its predecessors. The problem is that the fiber entry point into my home and the wired connections that go from there constrain my router placement to the first floor. The house is 3,700 sqft across a basement and three above-ground floors, and while the connection is great in most of the house, but there are a couple of spots on the top floor with poor signal, which is why I was interested in a hardwired access point.
I currently run multiple SSIDs (2.4GHz and 5GHz, plus separate SSIDs for IOT and guests. For the third floor, however, I'd be fine setting up a single, separate network for the IOT devices with poor signal that require it. If the Nighthawk won't be great for a mesh-style configuration; I could contrain the router to immobile devices that will be on the dedicated network. Still, that's not ideal, and will probably introduce some interference as well, degrading the existing network.
If I gave up on the expectation of using a wired uplink, would my options/outcome be any better?
Re: Recommendations for hardwired access point to extend RAX200
You've got a few options.
You can go with a dedicated AP that only has the access point function (netgears business line of ap's).
Or you could purchase a router and use it in AP mode. Then you have a backup router in case the primary ever fails. there's quite a few renewed netgear routers from basic routers to even mesh systems on amazon. MIght be worth it to snag a mesh system and have the mesh provide coverage at the ranges in the home and the RAX for the close by devices (just make sure they're on different wifi channels and different ssid's to prevent interference).
