Shopping for new router/mesh network.

[_Grid21]

Hello! I need a new router or mesh devices. Our family has started a lot of Govee products that are 2.4Ghz wifi IoT devices. I also have a Jetson Nano, and a Raspberry Pi running docker containers. According to a network scan we have about 32 active devices, and a few devices that are offline. Actually more like 35 devices but the last 3 aren't active but are wifi devices. I also have a small home server too and a small Minecraft server so Port Forwarding is a must.

 

My Netgear R6400v2 has had issues with devices dropping the wifi, I've been monitoring it use Kuma UpTime which is a docker container for monitoring all things internet, local and world-wide devices. For now my solution to the problem has been off-loading some of the devices to an Apple Airport Expres but I know that's probably not a real good solution. So what newer Netgear Router or Mesh Device should I look into getting? It also has to have Wi-Fi 2.4Ghz for the Govee Devices, Wifi 5Ghz, and maybe Wifi 6Ghz but my laptop is the only 6Ghz Device so it's not required. Hope that's enough information for someone to suggest some devices for me! I also already had a modem, I just need the router/mesh device suggestion and something that's Great quality and will last for a few years yet. 

 

Thanks in Advanced!

[Cdog580]

Is there any particular reason you aren't considering spreading a few APs around the house hardwired to a switch? Performance with hardwired APs is going to be better. Every "hop" for a mesh network you will 1/2 your bandwidth so that's something to consider. so if you had Gig connections The first AP meshing to a hardwired AP would be 500 Mbps then if a meshed ap is connected to that AP it would be 250 Mbps. Just something to keep in mind. 

 

[_Grid21]

On 5/27/2024 at 2:08 PM, Cdog580 said:

Is there any particular reason you aren't considering spreading a few APs around the house hardwired to a switch? Performance with hardwired APs is going to be better. Every "hop" for a mesh network you will 1/2 your bandwidth so that's something to consider. so if you had Gig connections The first AP meshing to a hardwired AP would be 500 Mbps then if a meshed ap is connected to that AP it would be 250 Mbps. Just something to keep in mind. 

 

I live in a small row home, the houses were built after World War 2, so trying to put APs in different parts of the house poses a challenge. It seemed like getting a mesh network for everything sounded like a decent idea and considering I have more 2.4Ghz IoT devices then laptop devices, made sense. If the only other better option is to get a more "modern" router that is beefer to handle 32 or more, devices than I'm all ears for it. I don't mind using the AirPort Express and doing a "make shift" load balancing then I guess I'd be stuck with it, at least it'd give the AirPort Express something useful to do, but getting a newer router isn't a bad idea either right? We also have Gigabit LAN cabling too, but I know most routers support Gigabit LAN anyway. 

[Cdog580]

If you have gigabit cabling around the house I would dedicate one port on the far side of the house to an AP. 32 Clients is a pretty good bit of wireless devices. The nice thing about an all-in-one system like ubiquity is it is prosumer/commercial so it can handle more clients with nice features for multiple APs with seamless roaming. One thing you could try is just get 1 AP and see if that helps. According to Unifi, their Access Point AC can handle 300 connected devices. That alone may be just what you need. It is a lot of devices but the thing is the throughput probably isn't as much as you think. In that case, upgrading the router isn't going to do too much unless it's wireless is better. As you have said it's really a wireless problem. I would try a AP that can handle higher number of devices and see if just that fixes your problem. If not then you can consider some mesh solutions. I don't have a ton of experience in mesh systems other than one Ubiquiti one I put at my friends house so I would start doing a bunch of research on that if that's the route you choose. End of the day though I think your router is fine, you just need to get your wireless beefed up. Also, you may have interference so scanning to see where wireless congestion is and changing the channels your current router is using may help with the connectivity loss. 

[_Grid21]

On 5/31/2024 at 6:25 PM, Cdog580 said:

If you have gigabit cabling around the house I would dedicate one port on the far side of the house to an AP. 32 Clients is a pretty good bit of wireless devices. The nice thing about an all-in-one system like ubiquity is it is prosumer/commercial so it can handle more clients with nice features for multiple APs with seamless roaming. One thing you could try is just get 1 AP and see if that helps. According to Unifi, their Access Point AC can handle 300 connected devices. That alone may be just what you need. It is a lot of devices but the thing is the throughput probably isn't as much as you think. In that case, upgrading the router isn't going to do too much unless it's wireless is better. As you have said it's really a wireless problem. I would try a AP that can handle higher number of devices and see if just that fixes your problem. If not then you can consider some mesh solutions. I don't have a ton of experience in mesh systems other than one Ubiquiti one I put at my friends house so I would start doing a bunch of research on that if that's the route you choose. End of the day though I think your router is fine, you just need to get your wireless beefed up. Also, you may have interference so scanning to see where wireless congestion is and changing the channels your current router is using may help with the connectivity loss. 

All very interesting points for sure! Could I get a wireless AP and just intergrate it into my current router network? (Hopefully I asked that correctly) I also have my router auto-switch the 2.4Ghz channels because our neighborhood has neighbors butt-up against each other so I know the airways are pretty congested. I'd like honestly to have all the IoT devices on their own AP and all the laptops, which there are 3 of, on the main router connection which they are already connected to the main router's 5Ghz wifi. 

[Cdog580]

8 hours ago, _Grid21 said:

All very interesting points for sure! Could I get a wireless AP and just intergrate it into my current router network? (Hopefully I asked that correctly) I also have my router auto-switch the 2.4Ghz channels because our neighborhood has neighbors butt-up against each other so I know the airways are pretty congested. I'd like honestly to have all the IoT devices on their own AP and all the laptops, which there are 3 of, on the main router connection which they are already connected to the main router's 5Ghz wifi. 

100% you would just run an ethernet cable to the AP and that would 1) extend your range depending on where you put it 2) give you an additional access point to handle the load. My coworker said he bought an Aruba access point off eBay for pretty cheap. that could be an option for you. Make sure that if your AP is POE powered you A) have a POE switch or B) it comes with/you have a POE injector and you'll be on your way!

 

[_Grid21]

3 hours ago, Cdog580 said:

100% you would just run an ethernet cable to the AP and that would 1) extend your range depending on where you put it 2) give you an additional access point to handle the load. My coworker said he bought an Aruba access point off eBay for pretty cheap. that could be an option for you. Make sure that if your AP is POE powered you A) have a POE switch or B) it comes with/you have a POE injector and you'll be on your way!

 

I'd have to get a PoE Injector to do that, I guess the other option would be, switch all my IoT Devices to my Apple AirPort Express since I don't use it much, and only had used it when I wanted Wi-Fi outside. It could basically just be an Access point for the IoT devices but I don't know how many it can handle at once.

 

EDIT: I have about 21 Govee Devices that use Wi-Fi, 3 wireless laptops. The AirPort Express I do not know it's limit. But I assume it'd probably be better to get a device just for the Wireless IoT Devices anyway right?

[Cdog580]

On 6/3/2024 at 2:03 AM, _Grid21 said:

I'd have to get a PoE Injector to do that, I guess the other option would be, switch all my IoT Devices to my Apple AirPort Express since I don't use it much, and only had used it when I wanted Wi-Fi outside. It could basically just be an Access point for the IoT devices but I don't know how many it can handle at once.

 

EDIT: I have about 21 Govee Devices that use Wi-Fi, 3 wireless laptops. The AirPort Express I do not know it's limit. But I assume it'd probably be better to get a device just for the Wireless IoT Devices anyway right?

Sorry for the late reply. Yea switching all of those devices to that one AP and using the other one for you actual devices may help. Doesn't hurt to try as it's free since you have all the stuff. From there a more powerful ap is going to be your best option to help with device load

[_Grid21]

On 6/15/2024 at 11:48 PM, Cdog580 said:

Sorry for the late reply. Yea switching all of those devices to that one AP and using the other one for you actual devices may help. Doesn't hurt to try as it's free since you have all the stuff. From there a more powerful ap is going to be your best option to help with device load

yeah I got a really nice upgrade to the Asus RT-AX86U Pro, FRICKING NICE router dude! And I turned my Netgear R6400v2 into Access Point mode, and loaded all my Govee IoT Smart devices to that.