WiFi Recommendations for kit

[gadgethome]

Hi,

A large client's house need wifi access throughout the house. Download speed is around 18meg when close to the router. Tried using multiple range extenders which allow you to use the same SSID but having to fit one every 15 - 20 feet and each one reduces the download speed. The 2nd extender is down to 1 meg.

The house does have cat5 in all of the bedrooms and some of the downstairs but they need wifi for their mobile devices. Ideally same SSID as they move from room to room.

Any recommendations on a better solution?

thanks

 

[Mick]

hi @gadgethome

Sorry for late reply I have been on holiday.

Yes, Depending on budget they should consider a Ruckus system.

Ruckus - Manufacturer - Habitech Website

These are not cheap but they are perfect for this kind of work.

They use a zone director that drives and looks after all the access points, they are so good that Center Parcs use them to ensure that all the chalets (over 1000) have WIFI throughout the Park.

Also another solution is a Draytek Business Class router, and then simple Draytek apf700 access points (this is 100mbit wifi and if the client only has 18mbit it will work well).

Tell me do the Cat5 cables go back to a central point?

I am not sure why you would be using wifi extenders to be fair?

The Router should sit in the central point and just use a few of the ports to go to local bedrooms, rooms, etc to connect access points and you should be good.

You could do this really cheap with TP-LINK even less than £100.

useless information alert lol - TP-LINK do a great 8 port POE switch (4 ports normal), I was really skeptical about it but been using it for 6 months in my small office to power 4 Panasonic IP phones (flawless!!)

Mick

 

[gadgethome]

hi @gadgethome

Sorry for late reply I have been on holiday.

Yes, Depending on budget they should consider a Ruckus system.

Ruckus - Manufacturer - Habitech Website

These are not cheap but they are perfect for this kind of work.

They use a zone director that drives and looks after all the access points, they are so good that Center Parcs use them to ensure that all the chalets (over 1000) have WIFI throughout the Park.

Also another solution is a Draytek Business Class router, and then simple Draytek apf700 access points (this is 100mbit wifi and if the client only has 18mbit it will work well).

Tell me do the Cat5 cables go back to a central point?

I am not sure why you would be using wifi extenders to be fair?

The Router should sit in the central point and just use a few of the ports to go to local bedrooms, rooms, etc to connect access points and you should be good.

You could do this really cheap with TP-LINK even less than £100.

useless information alert lol - TP-LINK do a great 8 port POE switch (4 ports normal), I was really skeptical about it but been using it for 6 months in my small office to power 4 Panasonic IP phones (flawless!!)

Mick

Hi Mick,

Thanks for the update. Yes its cat5 leading back to a switch.
The reason we tried the extenders is that the large property is used as an office and also adults and kids all have mobile phone/tablets and need wifi access. The idea was as they walk around the house, it would use the same SSID and would automatically switch over to the stronger signal.

I'll have a look at your recommendations and hopefully try and implement something soon for them.

thanks

 

[Mick]

Hi Mick,

Thanks for the update. Yes its cat5 leading back to a switch.
The reason we tried the extenders is that the large property is used as an office and also adults and kids all have mobile phone/tablets and need wifi access. The idea was as they walk around the house, it would use the same SSID and would automatically switch over to the stronger signal.

I'll have a look at your recommendations and hopefully try and implement something soon for them.

thanks

Yes mate. that is exactly what an accesspoint does also but without the loss because you are sending the data via cat5 and then out and in through the access points WIFI.

The access point will have the same SSID and password, you will need to set it up like that.

The only thing that you should do is stop the router and the access point from having automatic channels (1-12).

Example:
Put the main router on wifi channel 2
Put the first access point on wifi channel 7
Put the second access point on wifi channel 11

1 is normally the default channel of all routers so I would avoid that channel

But access points are a much better way of doing what you are trying to do

Mick

 

[gadgethome]

Thanks Mick