Any network specialists / cablers in here?

[benno_r]

Been having dramas with our NBN (FTTN) connection lately - turns out it's probably the old spiderweb of copper wiring that runs through my house to multiple points. I am considering moving my modem downstairs to a linen cupboard where the Telstra box lives. That should eliminate that problem but it creates a few other hassles getting internet back upstairs.

Is there anyone on here I could have a chat to regarding running a mixed ethernet / mesh setup before I organise a cabler to move the modem?

Cheers!

[markTHEblake]

Just move it yourself and test. You dont need a cabler for that. You could also invest $20 in a cable tester.

[benno_r]

There is no phone port where the telstra line comes in. For what ever reason, whoever reno'd the house before me ran 5 phone lines around the place. I need them diconnected from the telstra lead in and 1 new one added next to it that I can plug into.

[markTHEblake]

Aha. I get ya. Getting data around your house is a piece of cake with various options. IMO the copper wire aside from any fault aint a bottleneck, and no chance they are all bad, unless its one wire daisy chained.

Suggest find a telco certified cable guy in. It takes him 15 seconds to test each internal cable, and 5 mins to add a RJ11 port at this junction box if needed. So it will be just his 1 hour rate. Should find a cheap one on that find a tradesman website.

Whether you can replace any of the copper with ethernet cable of course depends on construction, what i would do is use the existing wire to pull a new cable through. If they did it once it can be done again.

Wireless repeaters are Ok, or Ethernet over Power, but IMO not to run everything off. Best option is ethernet to your main source, and those other options for hard to reach spots.

[benno_r]

We previously had a cabler in to disconnect all the old phone points he could find, and we did ask if these could be swapped to ethernet but for what ever reason it couldn't - the house was renovated before I moved in and we think they ran it all before the gyprock was installed downstairs. He did say we could run it conduit around the outside of the house to get upstairs, but not too keen on that. Got a new cabler coming but will see what he suggests.

My main interest is getting data between the house levels since the wifi doesn't travel between levels too well. I was thinking a couple mesh units in AP mode connected together via powerline internet between the two.

[markTHEblake]

The powerline is fine provided its speed is higher than your NBN service. I use an old Powerline for the telly and thats trouble free. The TPLink ones are good and alwwys cheaper than the others.

[PeteyD]

Mesh should run fine across levels without the powerline. Works great here.

[benno_r]

Mesh should run fine across levels without the powerline. Works great here.

I am hoping that might be the case. Currently i have an access point on each level due to the poor performance of accessing wifi on the other level. No idea why this is the case though. Networking this house has always been a hassle.

[PeteyD]

Mesh is somewhat different to access points. Our Helstra modem in built wifi is okay across the levels but not great, had drop outs and poor performance in some rooms. Installed a linksys Velop mesh (only 2 units, one upstairs next to the modem and one downstairs) that was a total game changer. Run everything on WiFi now.

[markTHEblake]

A concrete upper floor makes a hellava differnce to wifi. if just wood should be ok. Benno,move the router downstairs for 5 mins and install a free signal strengh app on your phone and wander around the house to check it.

[WBennett]

A concrete upper floor makes a hellava differnce to wifi. if just wood should be ok. Benno,move the router downstairs for 5 mins and install a free signal strengh app on your phone and wander around the house to check it.

This. Good place to start.

We installed Netgear ORBI last year when first sent WFH/School from home. With our FTTH NBN, we were able to have 4 concurrent streams running at every corner of the house.

[chappy1970]

I'd be looking at a mesh solution as opposed to trying to leverage the old telephone cabling. Aside from the likely age of the cable, it will also have speed limitations.

A decent quality wifi modem coupled with a high quality wifi extender is your best bet.

I live in a brick house, some parts are solid brick and had no issues leveraging wifi for 2 adults wfh and 3 secondary scho age kids, home schooling

[Courty]

This. Good place to start.

We installed Netgear ORBI last year when first sent WFH/School from home. With our FTTH NBN, we were able to have 4 concurrent streams running at every corner of the house.

I've also got Orbi. It dramatically improved the dead spots around the house.

[benno_r]

I've also got Orbi. It dramatically improved the dead spots around the house.

I might get an orbi before the cabler arrives and see if they upstairs/downstairs issue can be overcome by it's wireless backhaul. If not my need to try and sneak a cable upstairs somehow.

Is Orbi the pick though? I hear the Linksys has pretty powerful wifi.

[chappy1970]

I have an ASUS and it is great

[Courty]

Is Orbi the pick though? I hear the Linksys has pretty powerful wifi.

I'm sure there's plenty equally good options. I mainly went for the Orbi as it was on sale at the time I needed it.

[Sydney Hacker]

Who is your ISP? Most of them offer boosters now that work ok. Depends on your needs really, what sort of speed are you looking for? And what sped to you get from your main connection?

[benno_r]

Who is your ISP? Most of them offer boosters now that work ok. Depends on your needs really, what sort of speed are you looking for? And what sped to you get from your main connection?

ISP is Internode, actual sync is 38mbps at the modem, but getting daily drop outs. NBN measured it at the telstra box, and says our sync should be over 60mbps. Don't really need it faster but up to the 50mbps would be welcome. Really just looking for more reliability. By moving the modem to the telstra box, it eliminates all the phone dodgy wiring in the house (in theory). Just need to redo my internal connections to various locations .

[Daves]

I might get an orbi before the cabler arrives and see if they upstairs/downstairs issue can be overcome by it's wireless backhaul. If not my need to try and sneak a cable upstairs somehow.

Is Orbi the pick though? I hear the Linksys has pretty powerful wifi.

I just installed an Orbi system (AC3000 - RBK50) and it seems to be doing the job. Speeds seem to be pretty consistent right through both Storeys and at the extreme. About half speed at the furthest point in the Garage.

We have a premium Telstra NBN plan (100Mbps) with the original Telstra Smart Modem. The wife has been complaining about streaming speeds in other parts of the house and I have been trying to find the best solution. The biggest frustration is our premium NBN speed is lower than what we used to get on our pre-NBN Optic Cable plan that we had had since '96. We end up with FTTC NBN with the copper wire hijacked into the house (despite two optic cable lines already being installed and available). We complained but no one was interested.

So I have been exploring options. Telstra is makes big claims on its new Smart Modem, but they won't upgrade us for free. They are asking about $225 to change them over. I had already tried a couple of different Extenders, but they made only small differences. So mesh was the next option. I had started exploring best options but it was hard to separate hype from reality. Then I got this month's Choice email and they had just done a mesh test and the Orbi came out on top by a clear margin. Add the recommendations in this thread and I was convinced. JB Hifi had them on special and I had a JB Gift Voucher burning a hole, so the deal was done for not much more than the Telstra upgrade option.

So the Wife is now happier, so there is that!

[markTHEblake]

So basically she cleans where she streams... good thinking there to throttle the speed in the garage/golf shop

[goughy]

I've been thinking about a 2 unit Mesh system lately. The kids have a little bit of an issue with the signal in their rooms at times - buffering etc. Particularly Jas's tv. I do have some ethernet points around the place, so all our living room devices (including chromecast) are connected via ethernet, and my sons console and pc are also via ethernet. It probably doesn't help that our modem is in the very corner of the house, and surrounded by junk.
I have some credit at harvey norman and was looking at the TP Link Deco X20 or X60. They seemed like good value? Could place the one by the modem up on a high shelf, and the second in one of the kids bedrooms to spread it out from there?
Would love for it to reach my shed so I could listen to internet radio, but I think that would be asking for a lot! I'm assuming the antenna's and signal strength in the mesh units would be superior to what's in the standard offered modems?

[Daves]

I've been thinking about a 2 unit Mesh system lately. The kids have a little bit of an issue with the signal in their rooms at times - buffering etc. Particularly Jas's tv. I do have some ethernet points around the place, so all our living room devices (including chromecast) are connected via ethernet, and my sons console and pc are also via ethernet. It probably doesn't help that our modem is in the very corner of the house, and surrounded by junk.
I have some credit at harvey norman and was looking at the TP Link Deco X20 or X60. They seemed like good value? Could place the one by the modem up on a high shelf, and the second in one of the kids bedrooms to spread it out from there?
Would love for it to reach my shed so I could listen to internet radio, but I think that would be asking for a lot! I'm assuming the antenna's and signal strength in the mesh units would be superior to what's in the standard offered modems?

The X60 scored 4th and was recommended in the Choice test results. The only negative was that the Phone App was comparatively poor. The Google Nest (similar price point) scored slightly higher overall. JB Hifi had the Orbi for $399, but doesn't seem to stock TP Link.

I am no expert on how Mesh works, but gather they form their own network, rather than just repeat the Modem signal. Their method of Comms is more efficient and doesn't diminish the signal like Extenders do. My speed testing seems to verify that attribute.

https://www.choice.com.au/electronic.../mesh-networks

Edit - The TP Link Deco M9 Plus scored almost the same as the X60 and it significantly cheaper. HN seems to be out of stock but Umart is showing in stock @ $289.

https://www.umart.com.au/pc-parts/ne...&mystock=1-7-6

[benno_r]

I ended up getting the Asus Zenwifi AX mini, and couldn't have been happier. Good coverage and fast everywhere in the house, and a really good app to go with it.

[goughy]

The X60 scored 4th and was recommended in the Choice test results. The only negative was that the Phone App was comparatively poor.

Once setup though, how much do you really need the app?

[Daves]

Once setup though, how much do you really need the app?

More than you would think, actually. At least with the Orbi. It is the only means of setting up and after setup is complete it provides ongoing Network Security control and survelliance, Connected Device information, Network Speed Testing and Parental Control, if needed.

Perhaps check other reviews to see if the issues they raise are relevant?.