Home WiFi Solutions?

ExFlyBoy5

ExFlyBoy5

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Joined
May 29, 2013
Messages
6,649
Location
ATL --> Flyover Country
Background: Live in a home that isn't necessarily large, but it is one story and spread out quite a bit and 4 sided brick. Currently using a modem supplied by cable ISP Cox "Panoramic" and it is a terrible piece of equipment. The biggest issue is getting a usable WiFi signal outside on the patio.

I have attempted to change settings on the modem (such as using channels that have stronger signals both on 2.4 and 5.0 bands) but as soon I update it, the modem will resort back to the original bands, which according to my WiFi analyzer are terrible. The internet works perfectly fine if connected via ethernet, so I am considering another WiFi solution and seems like the "mesh" type system is the go-to these days. I don't want an extender, we have used these in the past and well...they are terrible.

So, any of the smart folks out here use a mesh system? I would like something that can be connected via ethernet to the modem and then that device (not the modem) and it's companions would be the WiFi source.

Seems like the Plume system is rated pretty well on Amazon, but I am leery of Amazon reviews of late.
 
I had terrible WiFi and cell reception at home and went through multiple expensive routers and extenders, none of which lived up to their promise. We installed a Netgear Orbi mesh system and it has lived up to expectations and worked very well. Cell over WiFi also has greatly improved, allowing us to use the cell in house. It was pricey but it works, so money well spent.
 
MichaelB said:
I had terrible WiFi and cell reception at home and went through multiple expensive routers and extenders, none of which lived up to their promise. We installed a Netgear Orbi mesh system and it has lived up to expectations and worked very well. Cell over WiFi also has greatly improved, allowing us to use the cell in house. It was pricey but it works, so money well spent.
Click to expand...

+1
I read so many good reviews of the Orbi mesh system from tech reviewers I trust that I got one. Mine is only two units, master and remote, and that works beautifully throughout my two floors and 3,000 sf. Some houses need three units, but you can always add the third later if necessary.
 
I have a master and 2 remotes, which I bought as a bundle. Our challenge is not square ft or distance, it’s construction. Lots of cement, stucco and metallic film on windows, which are all very unfriendly to WiFi and cellular signals. Setup was easy and quick. Like Braumeister, reliable reviews were what led me to the Omni.

Why the mesh works when an extender does not eludes me, but there’s not doubt - in our circumstance.
 
We also live in a house with solid interior walls, the main router is 3 rooms and 3 doors away from “my” room so I have poor reception in my large L-shaped room plus our recently installed Nest doorbell drops out from time to time. I recently installed a Google mesh WiFi network and it is excellent. 1 hub plugged into the router and 2 others to complete the network. Very easy to set up.
 
MichaelB said:
I had terrible WiFi and cell reception at home and went through multiple expensive routers and extenders, none of which lived up to their promise. We installed a Netgear Orbi mesh system and it has lived up to expectations and worked very well. Cell over WiFi also has greatly improved, allowing us to use the cell in house. It was pricey but it works, so money well spent.
Click to expand...


Ditto. I set up an Orbi mesh system a month or so ago and it’s great. The main router is in the center of my house where the main cable line comes in. I have one satellite plugged in an outlet in a front room. My WiFi signal is the best it’s ever been. It’s expandable as needed by adding additional satellites...
 
Thanks for all the intel, it's much appreciated! I am going to go with the Orbi and see how that works. With a $40 coupon, I can get it from Amazon for $209.00, quite a bit cheaper than the Plume.
 
I bought this mesh system. In fact, I bought two sets, so I have six nodes total. Our house is 4500sf plus a large patio/deck/pool area and a detached living area.

I was attracted to the excellent price but it also gets very good reviews. I still have my old network running as well (one router, plus two other routers configured as access points). So I've been able to walk around the property and switch between the two networks and test both signal strength and bandwidth performance.

Bottom line: the mesh network had better signal strength at almost every location (not particularly surprising since it had 6 nodes instead of 3). But interestingly, that did not necessarily translate to better bandwidth performance. About half the time, the older network had better bandwidth performance at a particular location despite a weaker signal. I have no idea why.

The kicker for me was that the mesh system switched nodes much more quickly as I walked around. Devices on the old network would hang on to their connection to a specific router/AP until it was nearly useless, even if I was standing directly next to another AP. This resulted in us constantly turning WiFi off and then on again to connect to the closest AP. Mesh solved that issue.

Anyway, we are very happy with the mesh system. It definitely filled in all the dead spots, which was becoming more important as we start to fill the house with smart plugs, cameras, Alexa devices, and the like. I still keep all TVs and PCs hardwired to the main router but the proliferation of other devices like cameras on the front porch meant that we needed a better WiFi system.
 
On a related note, I’m looking for a solution down on my dock. WiFi signal is ‘adequate’ for iPad and I’d like to add a couple of small Bluetooth speakers on the patio and then a couple on the dock itself.

Any suggestions for interior/exterior sound tied into selectable zones? I could start a new thread if warranted.
 
ExFlyBoy5 said:
Thanks for all the intel, it's much appreciated! I am going to go with the Orbi and see how that works. With a $40 coupon, I can get it from Amazon for $209.00, quite a bit cheaper than the Plume.
Click to expand...

My experience is the same as those who mentioned Orbi. I recommend it all the time. Got mine at Costco. One main unit and one satellite. Works well in my 1700 sq ft ranch with plaster walls home. I think you’ll be very happy with it.
 
Cobra9777 said:
I bought this mesh system. In fact, I bought two sets, so I have six nodes total. Our house is 4500sf plus a large patio/deck/pool area and a detached living area.



I was attracted to the excellent price but it also gets very good reviews. I still have my old network running as well (one router, plus two other routers configured as access points). So I've been able to walk around the property and switch between the two networks and test both signal strength and bandwidth performance.



Bottom line: the mesh network had better signal strength at almost every location (not particularly surprising since it had 6 nodes instead of 3). But interestingly, that did not necessarily translate to better bandwidth performance. About half the time, the older network had better bandwidth performance at a particular location despite a weaker signal. I have no idea why.



The kicker for me was that the mesh system switched nodes much more quickly as I walked around. Devices on the old network would hang on to their connection to a specific router/AP until it was nearly useless, even if I was standing directly next to another AP. This resulted in us constantly turning WiFi off and then on again to connect to the closest AP. Mesh solved that issue.



Anyway, we are very happy with the mesh system. It definitely filled in all the dead spots, which was becoming more important as we start to fill the house with smart plugs, cameras, Alexa devices, and the like. I still keep all TVs and PCs hardwired to the main router but the proliferation of other devices like cameras on the front porch meant that we needed a better WiFi system.
Click to expand...


I think this answers the question I had regarding mesh systems. Do they just enhance coverage around the house (elimination of dead spots), or do they help with actual speed and signal strength? Sounds like only the former if I’m understanding correctly. Our coverage is adequate. Our speed is never good enough. So although intriguing, I’m not sure a mesh system would help us.
 
Another happy Eero customer. I had been fighting spotty wifi in my house for years. First tried a high-end single router, bristling with antennae. Improvement was slight due to the many walls in our 2100 sqft house.

I got an Eero base unit and one satellite and it has been flawless now for 6 months.
 
I'm kind of amazed that in my fairly large, 3 story house, I seem to have no issues. In fact I'm out on the screen porch now, router on the other side of the house some 50 ft away, and I'm getting 24.67Mbps, about the same as inside on my 25M service.

I wonder though, if speed and connectivity are the only factors though. I've mentioned in the cord-cutting thread that when I try to stream sports it's noticeably choppy. I wonder if the mesh would help with that? I'm supposed to get upgraded to 100Mbps next month, I'll see what happens then and maybe consider dropping satellite.
 
We bought a Tenda system and I installed it in ten minutes. What a difference over the Comcast wireless router. We couldn't get wireless in a back bedroom and now we have excellent strength.
 
Before installing more equipment I would try:

  • Calling the ISP (Cox) to see why the device is being reconfigured. Maybe they are pushing down their own static configuration. If these other frequency bands work better for your location then it would be worth getting Cox to change it, or giving you control over it.
  • Move the equipment or antenna to a slightly different location. Placing it higher up or out from behind the TV (or away from anything that may be interfering with the signal).
 
We went with the google mesh. Works great. One nice thing was you can plug two ethernet cables into the bottom of any of the pucks - so we dropped a puck by some fixed systems that have been finicky with our old wifi, like our printer and TiVO. They think they are hardwired and it makes their setup easier and more robust
 
I went with the Google WiFi mesh solution and got 4 nodes at Costco for $269 on sale about 6 months ago. Is it the best? Can’t say. However, we have a single-story 3,600 ft2 +/- home with stucco and plaster, and there isn’t a place in the house, garage or yard that can’t stream 4k video (we have 300/30 internet from Cox), and we have about 45 devices on 2 networks (personal and IoT). I “repurposed” the guest network for IoT devices such as plugs, cameras, thermostats, etc. Automatic security updates and no worries...
 
Please don't take this as advice, but simply what happened.
While my server's guarantee is 60MGPS, I commonly get from 70 to 100 to my wired computer. Trouble was that the wireless signal to my most used living room computer usually ended up @ 25-30MGPS . Looked on amazon and found this...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FDSLCBR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

500+ comments on the website give a 4.6 rating, and the reviews reflect my own experience.

amazing... for whatever reason current wireless speed is almost equal to the modem.

In the past I had used TKIP and Belkin USB adapters...
 
Last edited:
I don't know anything about these sophisticated mesh routers, but anyway here is some anecdotal info if it is helpful at all:

F and I live next door to each other, each in our separate 1500sf all brick home.

1) We each have separate service/accounts with Cox Cable.
2) We each use an Arris Surfboard cable modem.
3) We each use a Netgear Nighthawk dual band wifi router.

We can each pick up the other's wifi easily even though we are not in the same house.

We maintain separate accounts with Cox because he is a heavy user of streaming video, and also for redundancy. (I don't know why he bought the same cable modem and router that I had, but I think it was just because we think alike.)
 
Question for the crowd: Does anyone use just a hotspot? I moved into my new house 9 days ago and our provider will not hook us up for at least 4 more days. We have been watching Netflix, etc... using the hotspot on my phone. Slower than usual but way cheaper than going with a provider like Cox, etc... Is this feasible over the long term?
 
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