Background: I am migrating from a Gen 1 Google WiFi mesh router and pulled the trigger and bought this router on prime day. TP-Link Tri-Band BE19000 WiFi 7 Router (Archer BE800) - https://a.co/d/en9OlMz
Huge upgrade, outside a few spots in my house where it’s pretty spotty. I cannot easily move the router due to not having a basement, nor approval from the wife to break through a bunch of walls to wire it up how I want it.
So the question is… Do I get the BE11000 range extender that is currently $300
Or
TP-Link Tri-Band BE9300 WiFi 7 Router Archer BE550 - https://a.co/d/bUat5G4 which is currently $250. The speed difference isn’t a deal breaker for me on the other devices. My computers are hard-line and happy next to the router.
Or do I just say screw it and return it and go back to a mesh system.
I am currently unable to connect the second node to a wired connection, but I have a plan on getting that done this coming year once I get wife buy-in…
Any help is appreciated, thanks in advance!
Neither router you linked to is supported by OpenWRT or DD-WRT.
Plenty of supported TP-Link routers exist, and probably for cheaper.
What you need is a cheap access point.
“Extenders” actually slow down your network since WiFi isn’t full duplex but half duplex. That’s why you can’t have really have more than one.
Run an ethernet cable to an access point and you will be glad you did.
His router is tri-band though meaning it has 2 5ghz transceivers. With an extender usually you use one of them as a backplane for ap->ap communication so it doesn’t interfere with your performance.
His router is tri-band though meaning it has 2 5ghz transceivers.
Unfortunately, for many models - like the Linksys WRT 3200ACM - that second antenna (technically the third one if you include the 2.4Ghz one) doesn’t function at all without the manufacturer’s firmware. It’s a dead stick with any third-party firmware, and is 100% software-enabled.
I have found this fact to be reliable whether it is DD-WRT or OpenWRT, and across several different manufacturers including Asus and D-Link.
This thread is just full of super useful info. Cheers and thanks!
I’m living in WiFi 5 world so this is new info to me. Neat. Thanks for the heads up.
Ok, thanks for the help - I will look into what I can do with an access point and I should be able to get something going and it looks like significantly cheaper.
No problem, also look at [email protected]’ comment in reply to mine. They have some info I wasn’t aware of regarding tri-band WiFi routers. I’m living in WiFi 5 land, so I wasn’t aware of this cool trick:
His router is tri-band though meaning it has 2 5ghz transceivers. With an extender usually you use one of them as a backplane for ap->ap communication so it doesn’t interfere with your performance.
So an access point is still a good solution, but it sounds like you can use it as an “extender” without an ethernet cable as long as you can use one of your spare 5ghz bands to communicate with it. Which is super cool and I was totally unaware of.
If it’s just one or two rooms ya need wired up, but don’t wanna run the copper? There are options. If you have any old coax drops in them there’s adapters you can attach and just reuse the old coax. OR you could look into a power line adapter. Basically it uses the house electrical lines (in the wall) to create a connection.
I appreciate that, I could try out the coax bit, power line adapters were more miss for me when I tried that out previously. Thanks for the idea
I use this. They’re very effective.
Theyre called MoCA adapters
Yeah my server is loud af so I moved it to the basement. Easiest way to grt internet down there was through existing coax. Got full 2.5gbe through it
https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-easymesh
Those PP link routers are both eashmesh compatible so they should provide a good experience. Yes running an ethernet cable across your house will get you better performance, but do you know just how expensive/hard that is? My friend was quoted 2.5k to run like 4 ethernet drops in his house through his attic. Trying to do it ourselves also seems like a nightmare so I’m not really sure if I’m going to have to suffer through that.
Is the router flashable with OpenWRT? :D
jkjk – most modern routers can be turned into just flat access points, ganged with another router.
The router is going to give you more control.
Ha, fair point!
Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:
Fewer Letters More Letters AP WiFi Access Point PoE Power over Ethernet Unifi Ubiquiti WiFi hardware brand
3 acronyms in this thread; the most compressed thread commented on today has 7 acronyms.
[Thread #896 for this sub, first seen 29th Jul 2024, 23:55] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]
You could break the network into parts. Start with a upstream router and then get a switch and some access points.
You will have a much better time
consumer crap is just that crap.
I like small PC’s as PFsense/Opnsense routers and then a POE switch and access points. It always works better than any mesh or consumer stuff.
One router (opnsense) a big Poe switch and unifi aps made a huge difference. Also wiring Ethernet everywhere helped a lot.
Previously we had devolo mesh plugs.
