Extend internet, wifi 2g/5g

[ItsSoQuiet]

Not sure what the correct terms are. I want to extend the internet, and wifi using a second router as an access point for 2g and 5g wifi, and a 1/100/1000 switch for the wired internet for wired internet connections. I will also be using the wired connection off the second router. Will give the 2g/5g a different name, but same password. I saw that in a video

From the first main router that is connected to the modem, the wiring will end up in a garage. In the garage I would like to put a 8 port, then take the cat6 to where ever I need to go inside. The second router would also be connected to this switch inside, and the second router would give me some wired connections also.

The only thing I have done so far right now is get the 100' in behind the garage wall, with the factory cat6 end still attached, I ran it in 1" pvc grey conduit.

Just wonder if if the way I plan the connect everything is ok? Is the wifi on the second router going to be better than first router, if I buy a better router?

Which switch would you recommend?

Thanks

 

[dirtyferret]

It will work but I would use the better router as the main router. I have a similar setup using an Asus AC66u b1 as the main and Asus N56u as an AP. Make sure the two 2.4 ssid are on separate channels so they don't interfere with one another but why separate passwords?

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

What are the drawbacks of having the better router as the second router? I will keep the passwords the same but the ssid different, to know which router is being used

I am not sure if the first router is even going to be worse than the one I buy. The first router is spectrum stand up router, Wave 2. We got it not long ago. It has a matcing modem. Looks like the new xbox x

what specs do i have to look for in a router that makes it "good" ?

 

[dirtyferret]

I thought you already owned the second router. You don't need a router you need an AP (access point) then something like the TP-Link EAP245 (<$90) or EAP225v3 (<$60)

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

I was thinking router because it has both wifi and wired internet ports. I thought access points were only wireless? I ll search around

 

[dirtyferret]

I was thinking router because it has both wifi and wired internet ports. I thought access points were only wireless? I ll search around

You can do another switch and run the AP off the switch or look into another Wave 2 router. I'm not sure of your budget but I recently played with the TP-Link A9 and it was faster then my Asus or netgear nighthawk routers. Other "reasonable " priced Wave 2 routers off the top of my head are the Asus RT-1700, TP LInk A6 (will easily do the job for you at $50), TP-link A7, netgear R7000P just to name a few

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

Amazon.com: NETGEAR AC1200 Dual Band Wireless Access Point (WAC104): Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: NETGEAR AC1200 Dual Band Wireless Access Point (WAC104): Computers & Accessories

www.amazon.com

how about this one? budget is to get same speeds as now, nothing fancy. I looked at amazon and that wave 2 router is like 38$ used to 100$ new. So something like that I guess. I preffer wired ports, but nice wifi isnt bad

 

[TheLostSwede]

You want the better router to do the actual routing, hence why it should be the router that connects to your internet connection. The better router most likely also has the better Wi-Fi part for transmitting the signal, which is more important than the receiving end in your case, unless you have a symmetrical internet connection.

Don't waste money on stupid range extenders and crap like that, get a router that you can set up in wireless bridge mode, as that's the mode you want to use.

Personally I have a Netgear R7800 as my main router (running Voxel's firmware) and a cheapo TP-Link Archer C7 set up in wireless bridge mode.

Amazon.com: TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7) - Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router for Home, Works with Alexa, VPN Server, Parental Control and QoS: Computers & Accessories

Buy TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7) - Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router for Home, Works with Alexa, VPN Server, Parental Control and QoS: Routers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I also bought a TP-Link RE450 range extender on the cheap at one point, as I wanted something a bit more discrete, but it's a POS imho. The range is poor and it has a really cut-down and limited UI compared to the C7 and costs just as much.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-PCMag-Editors-Choice-Extender/dp/B010S6SG3S/

Also, I would stick to Qualcomm based hardware, as I never have to reboot my R7800 or the C7, but the RE450 craps out from time to time (yes, it's QCA as well, but badly made it seems).

 

[dirtyferret]

Amazon.com: NETGEAR AC1200 Dual Band Wireless Access Point (WAC104): Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: NETGEAR AC1200 Dual Band Wireless Access Point (WAC104): Computers & Accessories

www.amazon.com

how about this one? budget is to get same speeds as now, nothing fancy. I looked at amazon and that wave 2 router is like 38$ used to 100$ new. So something like that I guess. I preffer wired ports, but nice wifi isnt bad

a lot of the netgear stuff on their low end uses mediatek as their SoC (system on a chip) including the one you linked and netgear loves to rename old routers. Internally that router is exactly as the same as this one (asus is just as guilty of this) and this one (not to mention a refresh a very good R3700 that went from broadcom to mediatek). At the end of the day that router will work but this TP-LINK A6 is the $5 cheaper, has better 5ghz, and the tp-link app is far easier to use for set up.

Personally I have a Netgear R7800 as my main router (running Voxel's firmware) and a cheapo TP-Link Archer C7 set up in wireless bridge mode.

Amazon.com: TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7) - Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router for Home, Works with Alexa, VPN Server, Parental Control and QoS: Computers & Accessories

Buy TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router (Archer A7) - Dual Band Gigabit Wireless Internet Router for Home, Works with Alexa, VPN Server, Parental Control and QoS: Routers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

I also bought a TP-Link RE450 range extender on the cheap at one point, as I wanted something a bit more discrete, but it's a POS imho. The range is poor and it has a really cut-down and limited UI compared to the C7 and costs just as much.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-PCMag-Editors-Choice-Extender/dp/B010S6SG3S/

I love the RE450 assuming you know what you are getting. I set up two for friends, placed both in their garages (separate homes) and that allowed them to stream netflix into their master bedrooms and even kids bedrooms in one home (split level).

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

What is a good ap (wireless only) device to look for around 100$. I dont mind bringing in two cables inside the room the wifi signals would come from, just need the right wall jacks. Wifi will just be used for the chromecast and mobile phones. the rest of the things will be wired.

what are good solid brands? or is that prefference? i like simple and easy

 

[dirtyferret]

What is a good ap (wireless only) device to look for around 100$. I dont mind bringing in two cables inside the room the wifi signals would come from, just need the right wall jacks. Wifi will just be used for the chromecast and mobile phones. the rest of the things will be wired.

what are good solid brands? or is that prefference? i like simple and easy

why two cables into the room? The TP link Aps i mentioned above will work otherwise you have companies like Unifi

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

Thanks i saw your links, so those routers can be setup to be basically AP's with lan ports? I am sorta confused at this point what I should do. So from what I can tell, the difference between having a AP device, instead of a router as AP, is that with the AP, there is no firewall?

 

[dirtyferret]

Thanks i saw your links, so those routers can be setup to be basically AP's with lan ports? I am sorta confused at this point what I should do. So from what I can tell, the difference between having a AP device, instead of a router as AP, is that with the AP, there is no firewall?

what we call a router is really a wi-fi router and includes three main functions; a router (including firewall), a switch, and an AP. The AP is just that one part but focuses on doing just that one thing well and obviosuly you can run it off a switch. I use an old router because its stable, i already own it, and it works great with my broadcom based main routers be they Asus or Netgear. Going with a router isn't a bad idea if your main ever fails just swap your AP in there and it's one less plug as opposed to getting a switch and an AP. That said APs "tend" to play better with clients and have less issues.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Keep in mind that most APs also have lower end hardware in them, as they don't need as much processing power. Yet, often they cost as much as a router.
Ceiling mounted APs can look nicer though.

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

thanks

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

Ok so I have everything up and running. Everything works. I bought the ac1900 tplink, and tplink metal boxed unmanaged switch. Just have a few questions

I have configured the ac1900 as an acess point. The ac1900 is plugged into the switch, nothing else plugged into ac1900. This is nice, I can just turn of the switch to turn off wifi, but still have wired internet. I don't know why it is nice, but good to have options.

After I configured everything, I plugged the computer into the switch, that is connected the router that is connected to the modem. Why does the computer says its connected to the ac1900? Even when I turn off the ac1900?
Shouldnt it say I am connected to the main router?

 

[dirtyferret]

Your computer is definitely connected via Ethernet and not wi-fi? What do you mean by "computer says its connected to the ac1900?". The router configuration page says that? The TP-Link app says that?

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

Yes both pc's are connected with ethernet, one pc is connected to a switch. That switch also has the ac1900 connected to it. I am just wonder why the pc that is connected to the switch says I am connected to the ac1900.
Even if I unplug the ac1900, it still says ac1900 when I hover over the network icon on the pc that is connected to the switch. I did use this pc to configure the ac1900
I am starting to think this could be normal?

Edit, can the network name be different if I am connected to the same router?

 

[ItsSoQuiet]

SOOOO everything was working beautiful, until about 2 weeks ago. I had to change the wired pc's dns server to 1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1 to get everything working again. If I connected to the ap wireless signal, everything lost internet. The dns server change fixed that.

For a week.

So same thing happend again to today, everything including the router wifi lost internet, but only the ap wifi works. Been trying to get it to work, and after 1 hour it started working again after countless frustrating resets and dns server numbers changes, removing kaspersky secure connection apps. I turned off the ap, reset the main router, and STILL nothing worked. If I change the dns setting on the wireless phones to 1.1.1.1 etc, they simply do not work.

Any suggestions on what is going on? I almost lost my mind trying to get it to work again.

I deleted the kaspersky secure connection app from two wired pc's, and changed the dns servers back to 1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1, and it works again like it should.

I have a feeling this isnt resolved, so what is happening?