Netgear Internet Setup

[Blizzforte]

My Router is downside. Downside is good internet but in my room it's really bad. Currently I use the Nighthawk AC2200 and it works great upstairs for all my devices but not so good for my Desktop. The signal is really bad and my Desktop has problems connecting to the extender. Maybe my Desktop has a low quality internet chip? But instead of laying a LAN cable from downstairs to my room I rather want other devices that use Wifi but that I can plug in a LAN cable in and connect to my PC. On Netgear there are many different sections and they're very confusing and each section has many different devices. More extenders, Orbi, Routers, Mesh systems, Modem Routers, etc. I don't know which I need. Both the Orbi and some extenders and mesh systems have LAN ports. So which one do I need? 

[Electronics Wizardy]

You want a mesh system, much better than the normal extenders. Id get the orbi line if you need netgear. This will replace your current nighthawk router. aswell

[Blizzforte]

3 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You want a mesh system, much better than the normal extenders. Id get the orbi line if you need netgear. This will replace your current nighthawk router. aswell

Interesting. Why is a mesh system better than a single mesh extender from Netgear?

 

Also there are different Orbi devices and also other mesh extender systems and it's difficult to choose. My router is actually an Asus and not Netgear. 

 

I saw the new Netgear routers are very good with very long range. So what's the difference in just getting a new Router with vast range instead of a mesh system or Orbi? 

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, Blizzforte said:

Interesting. Why is a mesh system better than a single mesh extender from Netgear?

 

Also there are different Orbi devices and also other mesh extender systems and it's difficult to choose. My router is actually an Asus and not Netgear. 

 

I saw the new Netgear routers are very good with very long range. So what's the difference in just getting a new Router with vast range instead of a mesh system or Orbi? 

A mesh system normally has a dedicated wifi channel for communication between the nodes, extenders don't, They also are designed to have one seamless network, where extender aren't

 

Id probably just get a mesh system to replace the current router, they do the best with bigger environments when you can't run wired. There are also mesh systems for other brands to look at too.

 

 

[Blizzforte]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

A mesh system normally has a dedicated wifi channel for communication between the nodes, extenders don't, They also are designed to have one seamless network, where extender aren't

 

Id probably just get a mesh system to replace the current router, they do the best with bigger environments when you can't run wired. There are also mesh systems for other brands to look at too.

 

 

Ah, I see. But what about my mesh extender which also connects seamlessly within the same network? I can't yet see the difference. 

 

So a mesh system like Orbi is different from a mesh extender like the AC2200 or a Router? What about the strong long range routers? They can replace mesh systems and extenders? Also I see that Orbi is a single device and also big. Looks like a Router but it's not connected to the internet box where the internet comes from? 

[Falcon1986]

@Blizzforte

 

Mesh systems work well within the same brand. That’s because they use proprietary communication to establish a strong link between base station and mesh points. AFAIK, you can’t just buy a mesh extender of ‘brand B’ and hope that it will work in your existing mesh network of ‘brand A’. Also, like any other router, the base station must be directly wired into your modem or ISP gateway.

 

Just as important is to read the specifications for mesh extenders. I’ve seen where some Netgear equipment stated in their specifications that they only work with specific units in their own mesh-compatible gear.

 

As far as ‘long range’ is concerned, these devices are usually configured from the factory with higher antenna power output or better optimized/directional radios. They’re still susceptible to signal weakening if they have to pass through dense obstructions.

[Blizzforte]

3 minutes ago, Falcon1986 said:

@Blizzforte

 

Mesh systems work well within the same brand. That’s because they use proprietary communication to establish a strong link between base station and mesh points. AFAIK, you can’t just buy a mesh extender of ‘brand B’ and hope that it will work in your existing mesh network of ‘brand A’. Also, like any other router, the base station must be directly wired into your modem or ISP gateway.

 

Just as important is to read the specifications for mesh extenders. I’ve seen where some Netgear equipment stated in their specifications that they only work with specific units in their own mesh-compatible gear.

 

As far as ‘long range’ is concerned, these devices are usually configured from the factory with higher antenna power output or better optimized/directional radios. They’re still susceptible to signal weakening if they have to pass through dense obstructions.

So does that mean I should replace my router? Or go with a mesh system? Or a mesh extender like I already have, but another one with ports for LAN? Or Wi-Fi extender? 

 

Current setup: 1 Asus Router and 1 Nighthawk X4S Tri-Band WiFi Mesh Extender. 

 

So my extender is already mesh? Why Orbi then? 

[Falcon1986]

40 minutes ago, Blizzforte said:

So does that mean I should replace my router? Or go with a mesh system? Or a mesh extender like I already have, but another one with ports for LAN? Or Wi-Fi extender? 

 

Current setup: 1 Asus Router and 1 Nighthawk X4S Tri-Band WiFi Mesh Extender.  

I’m not a fan of WiFi extenders/boosters/etc, but before you go buying something you might not need, let’s establish a few things:

1. Where is the Asus router in relation to the X4S? Different floors?
2. Where is the desktop in all of this? You mentioned your other devices don’t have a problem connecting to the X4S. Are the other devices on the same level as the desktop? Are there lots of intervening walls?
3. What is the make and model of the desktop’s WiFi adapter? On Windows, look in Device Manager.

 

40 minutes ago, Blizzforte said:

So my extender is already mesh? Why Orbi then? 

Netgear seems to be using the terms “mesh” and “extender” interchangeably. This might all be advertising. But reading through the feature rundown, it behaves like a hybrid between the two, mainly because it has 3 separate radios. Newer mesh systems are tri-band, which dedicate 1 radio exclusively for the wireless backhaul and the other 2 for client communication. But the X4S claims to be able to connect to any existing WiFi router using one of it’s 3 radios and extend the signal using the other 2 radios. If this is the case, you don’t necessarily need an Orbi system.

[Blizzforte]

14 hours ago, Falcon1986 said:

I’m not a fan of WiFi extenders/boosters/etc, but before you go buying something you might not need, let’s establish a few things:

1. Where is the Asus router in relation to the X4S? Different floors?
2. Where is the desktop in all of this? You mentioned your other devices don’t have a problem connecting to the X4S. Are the other devices on the same level as the desktop? Are there lots of intervening walls?
3. What is the make and model of the desktop’s WiFi adapter? On Windows, look in Device Manager.

1. Asus Router is downstairs behind a door on the other side of the house. It's behind a door to the wall so I have to keep the door open. The X4S is on the side of my room door where there is a power outlet. Upstairs. 

2. The desktop is in my room. Yes, all other devices are in the same location as my PC. 

3. 

4. I moved the PC downstairs to test if the adapter connects to the Router in any good way at all. And yes, downstairs is good connection and the PC gets full signal.

 

Ok, I see. But the thing is that my PC won't always connect to the X4S. I've reset the extenders many times and it's always a hassle to connect to my PC adapter. While it works with my other devices I use my PC the most and I therefore think about buying another device to just have internet that works everywhere without wasting too much time with annoying connection issues. I'm just confused about what to buy. Another a mesh extender with LAN ports, a mesh system like Orbi, or a stronger Router?

 

Netgear lists their section like this:

 

1. Wifi routers

2. Orbi wifi systems

3. Mesh wifi systems

4. Wifi range extenders

 

So which one in my case? And why? 

 

Will a Orbi wifi system replace the router altogether? Does that mean the router isn't needed? How? The internet box is in the first floor and connected to the router via ports through the wall. 

 

[Falcon1986]

@Blizzforte

 

Firstly, the distance between the Asus router and X4S is too great. In order for any WiFi extender to work properly, it has to have a good signal to extend. If, at that distance, the signal is poor, it can only extend a poor signal. That's why any WiFi source should always be placed as centrally as possible in a home.

 

Secondly, your PC might not be able to connect because it's antennae are very obstructed or the network adapter is just too weak. That's why I asked about the make/model. Older generation adapters also don't have the optimizations of newer generation adapters even if they all support B/G/N/etc.

 

Thirdly, even if you buy a new router and place it where the old one is, you're not guaranteed to improve anything. You're likely to still face the problem that I stated in the beginning. Ideally, running ethernet from the Asus router and connecting a wireless access point upstairs would give you the best performance. The next best thing would be a mesh system if running ethernet is absolutely off the table. You don't have to stick to Netgear, but the Orbi mesh system would be what you're looking for if you wanted to go with them. Go with a tri-band system if it's within your budget. You should get an improved WiFi experience, but don't expect all your problems to be solved with a mesh system, however.

[Blizzforte]

1 hour ago, Falcon1986 said:

@Blizzforte

 

Firstly, the distance between the Asus router and X4S is too great. In order for any WiFi extender to work properly, it has to have a good signal to extend. If, at that distance, the signal is poor, it can only extend a poor signal. That's why any WiFi source should always be placed as centrally as possible in a home.

 

Secondly, your PC might not be able to connect because it's antennae are very obstructed or the network adapter is just too weak. That's why I asked about the make/model. Older generation adapters also don't have the optimizations of newer generation adapters even if they all support B/G/N/etc.

 

Thirdly, even if you buy a new router and place it where the old one is, you're not guaranteed to improve anything. You're likely to still face the problem that I stated in the beginning. Ideally, running ethernet from the Asus router and connecting a wireless access point upstairs would give you the best performance. The next best thing would be a mesh system if running ethernet is absolutely off the table. You don't have to stick to Netgear, but the Orbi mesh system would be what you're looking for if you wanted to go with them. Go with a tri-band system if it's within your budget. You should get an improved WiFi experience, but don't expect all your problems to be solved with a mesh system, however.

Thanks for the info. 

 

Can I buy a tri-band mesh system even when my router isn't tri-band? The router a couple of years old. Or will a mesh system replace a router, and if yes, how? And why Orbi instead of the Nighthawk Mesh Wifi 6 System? 

 

What wireless access point do you recommend? And why won't all problems be solved with a mesh system? What can happen with them? 

[Blizzforte]

5 hours ago, Falcon1986 said:

Ideally, running ethernet from the Asus router and connecting a wireless access point upstairs would give you the best performance.

Can this be done with Orbi? Or do I need a Netgear router? Orbi vs the best Netgear Router vs Ethernet Wireless Access Point? 

[Electronics Wizardy]

8 hours ago, Blizzforte said:

Thanks for the info. 

 

Can I buy a tri-band mesh system even when my router isn't tri-band? The router a couple of years old. Or will a mesh system replace a router, and if yes, how? And why Orbi instead of the Nighthawk Mesh Wifi 6 System? 

 

What wireless access point do you recommend? And why won't all problems be solved with a mesh system? What can happen with them? 

a mesh system has a router included, so it would replace your current router. Just plug  the mesh system into your modem

 

 

[Falcon1986]

7 hours ago, Blizzforte said:

Can I buy a tri-band mesh system even when my router isn't tri-band? The router a couple of years old.

The mesh system won't wirelessly interact with your current router whether you choose to keep it or replace it completely.

 

7 hours ago, Blizzforte said:

Or will a mesh system replace a router, and if yes, how?

You can if you want it to. But seeing that you have the current router so far at the corner of the house, replacing it with a mesh system might not get you the best performance.

 

A mesh system distributes your internet from the base station (which is directly wired into the ISP modem or router) to "satellite" mesh points over a dedicated wireless network. Each mesh point also has separate antennae for wireless communication with clients that are nearby. I'll point you to this Techquickie video.

 

7 hours ago, Blizzforte said:

And why Orbi instead of the Nighthawk Mesh Wifi 6 System?

Essentially, the Nighthawk line is their more-affordable mesh system. Orbi has higher bandwidth limits, tri-band and other features, which make the line more costly. Please read this article.

 

3 hours ago, Blizzforte said:

Can this be done with Orbi? Or do I need a Netgear router? Orbi vs the best Netgear Router vs Ethernet Wireless Access Point? 

Most modern mesh systems can be also be wired together (provided that they explicitly support a wired backhaul). This essentially turns them into wireless access points. While you will get more stable and reliable wireless throughput, implementing this way requires that you can actually run ethernet and is not much different than a traditional wireless AP setup.

 

If you read the article above, you'll notice that Orbi supports this kind of backhaul. The Nighthawk line of mesh points weren't initially released with such support but should with future firmware updates. I'll refer you again to the article about what is "the best".

 

In my opinion, mesh systems are for a particular kind of need. People who absolutely cannot run ethernet and just need something that works wirelessly over a [multi-level] large area. Keep in mind that this setup does not guarantee the stability and speed of a simple/traditional wireless AP setup, but should be a significant improvement over range extenders/boosters of years gone by.

[Blizzforte]

55 minutes ago, Falcon1986 said:

The mesh system won't wirelessly interact with your current router whether you choose to keep it or replace it completely.

 

You can if you want it to. But seeing that you have the current router so far at the corner of the house, replacing it with a mesh system might not get you the best performance.

 

A mesh system distributes your internet from the base station (which is directly wired into the ISP modem or router) to "satellite" mesh points over a dedicated wireless network. Each mesh point also has separate antennae for wireless communication with clients that are nearby. I'll point you to this Techquickie video.

 

Essentially, the Nighthawk line is their more-affordable mesh system. Orbi has higher bandwidth limits, tri-band and other features, which make the line more costly. Please read this article.

 

Most modern mesh systems can be also be wired together (provided that they explicitly support a wired backhaul). This essentially turns them into wireless access points. While you will get more stable and reliable wireless throughput, implementing this way requires that you can actually run ethernet and is not much different than a traditional wireless AP setup.

 

If you read the article above, you'll notice that Orbi supports this kind of backhaul. The Nighthawk line of mesh points weren't initially released with such support but should with future firmware updates. I'll refer you again to the article about what is "the best".

 

In my opinion, mesh systems are for a particular kind of need. People who absolutely cannot run ethernet and just need something that works wirelessly over a [multi-level] large area. Keep in mind that this setup does not guarantee the stability and speed of a simple/traditional wireless AP setup, but should be a significant improvement over range extenders/boosters of years gone by.

Thanks for the info. So I think either I buy a 15-20 meter LAN cable (cat 6?) and save lots of money or I go for the Orbi. Had problems for years now and just want fast reliable internet upstairs. Our walls are pretty thick. 

 

And the Wifi 6 Gaming Routers only make sense if I have my PC downstairs near the router?