Recommendation for a WiFi Extender

[DrKimble99]

Please excuse the length of this post, but it is important that I state the situation clearly and concisely.

My wife and I live in a 1650 square feet, 2 bedroom townhome. One of the bedrooms is upstairs, and there is an "area" there where my M1 Mac Mini is (along with my modem and router). The other (larger) bedroom is located downstairs, in the rear corner. It is not in a direct "line" of sight to the modem and router.

I use XFinity as my ISP, and the speed download "tier" I subscribe to is 200 Mbps (upload speed is 25 Mbps).

Our oldest son, daughter-in-law, and grand daughter will be visiting us, arriving on February 28th from Germany. They will use the large bedroom downstairs. My oldest son will be purchasing an M1 Mac Book Air here (actually, I will get it for him next week). I also have a recently purchased M1 Mac Book Air.

A few hours ago, I was in that downstairs bedroom, trying to upgrade my Mac Book Air to OS 12.2.1, and it sure was slow. The download speed was only 5 Mbps. I actually stopped the process (heck, it did not even get 25% of the way), moved upstairs and placed the Mac Book Air right next to my M1 Mac Mini (and of course the router and modem were close by), and the download speed was WAY better, at 25 Mbps (I completed the upgrade to OS 12.2.1 on the Mac Book Air).

So, I would like some recommendations for a somewhat inexpensive WiFi Extender that can be placed in that downstairs bedroom.

I look forward to hearing some recommendations. And thanks everyone for understanding the length of this post.

 

[macsound1]

The best and easiest solution is to add a second wired access point with the same SSID.
This is obviously easier when your router and AP aren't combined, but you can always set a second AP to passthrough mode, so it doesn't act as a router.
You'd achieve this by running a ethernet cable to the other floor. The easiest is usually through a closet since they usually try and stack them in home construction. I've also had good luck with powerline ethernet extenders, like the TP Link on Wirecutter.

If you do decide on an extender, put it closer to the router than you'd think. You want the repeater to get a super strong signal and essentially just eliminate one direction of house geometry. I've used a repeater similar to the D-Link AC2000 with good results.

The reason repeaters don't work well, including systems like Eero, is because they completely saturate the wifi bands in order to create the backhaul network, which is ok in rural housing, but if anyone nearby also has wifi, you'll experience massive interference, resulting in random, spotty outages. You'll also get latency if you're connected to the repeater since it's signal has to get relayed back to the base AP.

 

[BrianBaughn]

OP: you should probably give the model of your router and describe why it is you think the signal is so low in distant rooms (such as construction…although it sounds like a standard wood frame townhome).

Also, are you trying to connect to a 5GHz wifi band in distant rooms? This is a common mistake. 5GHz is faster but the signal is more susceptible to interference…and 2.4GHz can be much better in the areas further from the router.

 

[DrKimble99]

OP: you should probably give the model of your router and describe why it is you think the signal is so low in distant rooms (such as construction…although it sounds like a standard wood frame townhome).

Also, are you trying to connect to a 5GHz wifi band in distant rooms? This is a common mistake. 5GHz is faster but the signal is more susceptible to interference…and 2.4GHz can be much better in the areas further from the router.

Thank you for the reply. I'll try and answer your questions as best as I can:

1. Not trying to connect to a 5GHz WiFi band, Not even sure which band I am using.

2. Both the router and modem are manufactured by Netgear. Cable Modem model number is CM500V, and for the router, it is WNR3500L.

3. As for the reason for the signal being low, as I mentioned, when I was trying to upgrade my M1 Mac Book Air to OS 12.2.1 (I already had V12.2) in that downstairs bedroom, the download speed was very, very slow, around 5 MBps (used the excellent free app SpeedTest to measure it). But with the machine upstairs and located right next to my M1 Mac Mini (and of course right next to the modem and router), the download speed was 25 Mbps (again measured with SpeedTest).

 

[BrianBaughn]

That's an old router (first version released in 2009) that doesn't even have a 5GHz channel.

I wouldn't put any money into an "extender"…I'd put it into a new router!

 

[DrKimble99]

That's an old router (first version released in 2009) that doesn't even have a 5GHz channel.

I wouldn't put any money into an "extender"…I'd put it into a new router!

Thanks. Any one you recommend, in particular? I have had very good success with Netgear equipment.

 

[DrKimble99]

The best and easiest solution is to add a second wired access point with the same SSID.
This is obviously easier when your router and AP aren't combined, but you can always set a second AP to passthrough mode, so it doesn't act as a router.
You'd achieve this by running a ethernet cable to the other floor. The easiest is usually through a closet since they usually try and stack them in home construction. I've also had good luck with powerline ethernet extenders, like the TP Link on Wirecutter.

If you do decide on an extender, put it closer to the router than you'd think. You want the repeater to get a super strong signal and essentially just eliminate one direction of house geometry. I've used a repeater similar to the D-Link AC2000 with good results.

The reason repeaters don't work well, including systems like Eero, is because they completely saturate the wifi bands in order to create the backhaul network, which is ok in rural housing, but if anyone nearby also has wifi, you'll experience massive interference, resulting in random, spotty outages. You'll also get latency if you're connected to the repeater since it's signal has to get relayed back to the base AP.

Thanks. I appreciate the input.

In actuality, I feel like an idiot! When I was trying to perform that download yesterday of OS 12.2.1, I forgot to mention that I was also downloading the IPADOS V15.3.1 update at the same time for my iPad device, and in the same room! So of course the bandwidth could have been restricted. Duh!!!

Just a few minutes ago, I started up the M1 Mac Book Air in that bedroom, and after running SpeedTest a few times, I was getting download speeds of around 12.3 MBps (it actually got as high as 15.2 MBps). I then moved the machine to the dining room table (that area sits directly below the router and modem), but the speed again averaged about the same, 12.3 MBps. The only equipment using the network at that time was our Samsung 65" TV through a ROKU device.

I again appreciate your input (along with the ones from BrianBaughn), Brian's suggestion about upgrading my router could be the answer.

 

[DrKimble99]

To continue this, the specification for my Mac Mini is 802.11 ax. So, which routers would one recommend?

 

[BrianBaughn]

Thanks. Any one you recommend, in particular? I have had very good success with Netgear equipment.

I'm not up on it enough to say. Tech changes so fast…models get replaced by new ones frequently. Anything current should work with that Mini. If it's going to be a server I'd suggest connecting it to the router via ethernet.

I got a Linksys that's 5GHz capable in 2014 and it's still rock solid (running DD-WRT firmware). This is a two story home plus big attic and full basement. The router is in the attic and reaches my iPhone when I'm in the basement. I keep an old MacBook on the first floor connected to the 2.4GHz band. The wifi on my Samsung TV is terrible so I use my old router, a D-Link running DD-WRT, as an ethernet bridge to get the TV on the network.

If I got a new router that wasn't this capable I'd be sorely disappointed!

 

[satcomer]

If some of, especially Fiber users, the new router is coming out this spring!

Synology RS6600ax

 

[TiggrToo]

Please excuse the length of this post, but it is important that I state the situation clearly and concisely.

My wife and I live in a 1650 square feet, 2 bedroom townhome. One of the bedrooms is upstairs, and there is an "area" there where my M1 Mac Mini is (along with my modem and router). The other (larger) bedroom is located downstairs, in the rear corner. It is not in a direct "line" of sight to the modem and router.

I use XFinity as my ISP, and the speed download "tier" I subscribe to is 200 Mbps (upload speed is 25 Mbps).

Our oldest son, daughter-in-law, and grand daughter will be visiting us, arriving on February 28th from Germany. They will use the large bedroom downstairs. My oldest son will be purchasing an M1 Mac Book Air here (actually, I will get it for him next week). I also have a recently purchased M1 Mac Book Air.

A few hours ago, I was in that downstairs bedroom, trying to upgrade my Mac Book Air to OS 12.2.1, and it sure was slow. The download speed was only 5 Mbps. I actually stopped the process (heck, it did not even get 25% of the way), moved upstairs and placed the Mac Book Air right next to my M1 Mac Mini (and of course the router and modem were close by), and the download speed was WAY better, at 25 Mbps (I completed the upgrade to OS 12.2.1 on the Mac Book Air).

So, I would like some recommendations for a somewhat inexpensive WiFi Extender that can be placed in that downstairs bedroom.

I look forward to hearing some recommendations. And thanks everyone for understanding the length of this post.

You not considered Mesh based hardware? We have a 3 unit Eero in our 2,400 Sq ft quad level and it works an absolute treat.

At thus juncture I'm unsure I'd ever go back to a 'Normal' WiFi router.

 

[hobowankenobi]

I second the notion of a modern router that can be easily extended if needed.

Quite a few good routers out there these days. One of the easiest to set up and manage yet has great performance is the Amplifi HD. Super sexy, very Apple-like hardware and interface. Refreshing to use compared to most. A snap to add extenders as needed.