Suggestion for Apartment WiFi Problems

[Alayer]

Hello everyone,

 

Recently, my family has been complaining about the slow WiFi. My own PC is connected by ethernet, so I never felt bothered. However, the WiFi is indeed slow and annoying. I thought the problem was with the ISP (Rogers in Canada) provided modem/router. After some research, I concluded that the router I have is crap because Rogers would much rather have me pay extra for the good stuff.

 

Now, I'm in the market for a router. I'm not sure whether I should buy a wireless router (such as ASUS RT-AC68U) or an access point (such as Ubiquiti Unifi 802.11ac PRO). Even with all the research I'm doing, I'm still pretty confused as to the differences and which I should consider. So, I've come to the LTT community for help. Any product suggestions are welcome. Links to Canadian retailers of said product suggestion are even more welcome.

 

Here are some details about me and my home:

- Small 2 bedroom apartment in a very crowded building (lots of apartments around me and thus, lots of other wifi signals)

- 3 smartphones, 2 laptops, 1 tablets, 1 Nintendo 3DS, 1 smart TV, and 1 desktop PC (note: TV and desktop are connected by ethernet)

- All my devices are compatible with N wireless. Only 2 smartphones and one laptop are compatible with AC wireless. The 3DS is only compatible with B/G wireless.

- The Rogers modem/router is located right in the middle of the apartment. It is placed right under the TV and cannot be relocated anywhere. This is due to the fact that Rogers uses cable for providing internet.

- My internet package is 35Mbps down and 3Mbps down.

- There are no WiFi deadzones in my apartment, but the signal is terrible in most rooms. The worst signal is in my dad's little work den, which is right behind the kitchen (there are 2 walls between the den and the router)

- I have a very long and complicated password for my WiFi. Also, I can see that no other devices other than my own are connected.

- I don't want to spend more than $250 dollars. The examples I mentioned above (the Asus and Ubiquiti) are just under my budget.

- My preferred retailers are Amazon.ca and Bestbuy.ca. 

 

If you need any more information, please ask. I will try to reply back as soon as possible. Thank you all very much. I'm looking forward to the replies.  

Edited December 7, 2016 by Alayer
Added more information about my WiFi in the "details about me and my home" section.

[cpuwaiy]

Did you set up a wifi password to prevent others from using your internet?

[Alayer]

2 minutes ago, cpuwaiy said:

Did you set up a wifi password to prevent others from using your internet?

Yes, I did. Came up with the most longest, complicated password I could and I know there are no "unwelcome" devices connected to my network. Only the devices in my apartment are the ones connected.

[cpuwaiy]

Also, WiFi is better when it is above the devices.  can you extend the coax cable and power cord to raise the modem/router?

[imreloadin]

6 minutes ago, Alayer said:

Yes, I did. Came up with the most longest, complicated password I could and I know there are no "unwelcome" devices connected to my network. Only the devices in my apartment are the ones connected.

Did you check which 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels are used the least near you and change them to that?

If there is a lot of interference with channels overlapping (which is usually the case because most ISPs just default to the same channel and don't change it) then it might just be because everyone is running off of only a few channels.

[Alayer]

2 minutes ago, cpuwaiy said:

Also, WiFi is better when it is above the devices.  can you extend the coax cable and power cord to raise the modem/router?

I have attached a picture showing where my modem is (circled in red). I have thought about wall mounting it above the TV, but that would make it hard to access. Not to mention, it would look fairly ugly and mom won't allow that. Maybe if the thing didn't look so bad, maybe she would be cool with it. 

 

Other than that, no other place to raise it.

[Alayer]

2 minutes ago, imreloadin said:

Did you check which 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels are used the least near you and change them to that?

If there is a lot of interference with channels overlapping (which is usually the case because most ISPs just default to the same channel and don't change it) then it might just be because everyone is running off of only a few channels.

Yes, I did check the channels using WiFi Analyzer on my Android. Every single 2.4GHz is heavily crowded. I chose the least crowded channel and there hasn't been much difference.

 

5GHz is much emptier with only a handful of devices. But the ISP modem doesn't have 5GHz.

[imreloadin]

Just now, Alayer said:

Yes, I did check the channels using WiFi Analyzer on my Android. Every single 2.4GHz is heavily crowded. I chose the least crowded channel and there hasn't been much difference.

 

5GHz is much emptier with only a handful of devices. But the ISP modem doesn't have 5GHz.

If you replace your AP then just get one that does support it and you're set there.

[Alayer]

1 minute ago, imreloadin said:

If you replace your AP then just get one that does support it and you're set there.

My AP is the modem itself. It's an ISP provided modem/router. So I can't replace it with better hardware without paying outrageous prices to the ISP. Thus, I'm looking to buy an router which I will use for WiFi and make the ISP provided device work as a modem only.

[cpuwaiy]

I would tell your mom that you are troubleshooting the internet connection, then go get a longer coax cable and try to move the box around to see if it helps.  if it doesn't then you will put it back the way it was.  also try a firmware update as most of these devices have the first release firmware still installed. if you buy a router where will you put that?

 

[imreloadin]

3 minutes ago, Alayer said:

My AP is the modem itself. It's an ISP provided modem/router. So I can't replace it with better hardware without paying outrageous prices to the ISP. Thus, I'm looking to buy an router which I will use for WiFi and make the ISP provided device work as a modem only.

Yeah that's what I was talking about lol.

[Alayer]

4 minutes ago, cpuwaiy said:

I would tell your mom that you are troubleshooting the internet connection, then go get a longer coax cable and try to move the box around to see if it helps.  if it doesn't then you will put it back the way it was.  also try a firmware update as most of these devices have the first release firmware still installed. if you buy a router where will you put that?

 

If I do get a new router, I will put it exactly where the current router is. The current router will then just be put on the lower shelf. I could wall mount an AP like the Ubiquiti, but that's really a last resort option.

 

Regarding the firmware update, since it's a ISP provided device, Rogers controls the firmware updates. So it's up to date in that regard.

[Alayer]

7 minutes ago, imreloadin said:

Yeah that's what I was talking about lol.

Oh ok. Gotcha.

 

Any suggestions as to what kind of router or AP I should consider?

[imreloadin]

Just now, Alayer said:

Oh ok. Gotcha.

 

Any suggestions as to what kind of router or AP I should consider?

What is your budget? I know you said you don't want to spend more than $250, how much DO you want to spend though lol.

[Alayer]

Just now, imreloadin said:

What is your budget? I know you said you don't want to spend more than $250, how much DO you want to spend though lol.

Not more than $250. LOL. I'm sorry, I honestly have no clue as to how much I should consider spending. This world of routers and APs and wireless stuff is really new to me. I never had to consider buying one ever before.

[imreloadin]

8 minutes ago, Alayer said:

Oh ok. Gotcha.

 

Any suggestions as to what kind of router or AP I should consider?

I'd suggest getting this AC WAP, Ubiquity is pretty good and it comes with the PoE injector so all you have to run to it is just the Ethernet cable.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0XM-0013-00050&ignorebbr=1

[Ryoku]

51 minutes ago, Alayer said:

Hello everyone,

 

Recently, my family has been complaining about the slow WiFi. My own PC is connected by ethernet, so I never felt bothered. However, the WiFi is indeed slow and annoying. I thought the problem was with the ISP (Rogers in Canada) provided modem/router. After some research, I concluded that the router I have is crap because Rogers would much rather have me pay extra for the good stuff.

 

Now, I'm in the market for a router. I'm not sure whether I should buy a wireless router (such as ASUS RT-AC68U) or an access point (such as Ubiquiti Unifi 802.11ac PRO). Even with all the research I'm doing, I'm still pretty confused as to the differences and which I should consider. So, I've come to the LTT community for help. Any product suggestions are welcome. Links to Canadian retailers of said product suggestion are even more welcome.

 

Here are some details about me and my home:

- Small 2 bedroom apartment in a very crowded building (lots of apartments around me and thus, lots of other wifi signals)

- 3 smartphones, 2 laptops, 1 tablets, 1 Nintendo 3DS, 1 smart TV, and 1 desktop PC (note: TV and desktop are connected by ethernet)

- All my devices are compatible with N wireless. Only 2 smartphones and one laptop are compatible with AC wireless. The 3DS is only compatible with B/G wireless.

- The Rogers modem/router is located right in the middle of the apartment. It is placed right under the TV and cannot be relocated anywhere. This is due to the fact that Rogers uses cable for providing internet.

- My internet package is 35Mbps down and 3Mbps down.

- There are no WiFi deadzones in my apartment, but the signal is terrible in most rooms. The worst signal is in my dad's little work den, which is right behind the kitchen (there are 2 walls between the den and the router)

- I have a very long and complicated password for my WiFi. Also, I can see that no other devices other than my own are connected.

- I don't want to spend more than $250 dollars. The examples I mentioned above (the Asus and Ubiquiti) are just under my budget.

- My preferred retailers are Amazon.ca, NCIX.com, and Canadacomputers.com. 

 

If you need any more information, please ask. I will try to reply back as soon as possible. Thank you all very much. I'm looking forward to the replies.  

Getting a new router may help, you can disable the wireless on the junk combo unit the isp gave you and connect the router with ethernet.  But a new router may not help much either, problem with apartments is a ton of interference.  Not all devices support 5ghz so any devices that use 5ghz may show improved speeds but the other devices would still be on the 2.4ghz and could still have the same crappy results.  Also 35mbit is pretty slow for multiple people to share, its pretty easy for one person to completely saturate that connection (unless everyone else in your family is just doing general browsing/email, if they are streaming and downloading that where its going to slow everyone else down).

[Alayer]

5 minutes ago, Ryoku said:

Getting a new router may help, you can disable the wireless on the junk combo unit the isp gave you and connect the router with ethernet.  But a new router may not help much either, problem with apartments is a ton of interference.  Not all devices support 5ghz so any devices that use 5ghz may show improved speeds but the other devices would still be on the 2.4ghz and could still have the same crappy results.  Also 35mbit is pretty slow for multiple people to share, its pretty easy for one person to completely saturate that connection (unless everyone else in your family is just doing general browsing/email, if they are streaming and downloading that where its going to slow everyone else down).

I understand the dilemma I'm in. But unfortunately, I can't upgrade my internet package either. There is simply nothing out there that can beat my package in terms of value at the moment. Plus, we're poor and can't really justify paying more for internet even if it means more speed.

 

Having said that, the issue was never with speed. Nor with multiple users using the internet at the same time. At most, I'll be streaming Netflix and my dad would do his email and online banking and such. Very rarely have we streamed at the same time.

 

My problem is the WiFi strength (I think). In the furthest corner of my apartment (where my dad's work den is), I'll be connected but have almost abysmal speeds. This happens even when all the other devices are not actively using the WiFi. Only if I'm in the same room as the router (which is the living room where the TV is), the WiFi speed is adequate for comfortable browsing and that's about it. That's pretty sad imo.

 

So what would you do if you were in my shoes? What router would you consider getting? I've listed all the devices that we own and their wireless standard compatibility. Would you choose a simple Access Point, like the one imreloadin suggested (the Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LR) or a router? Or would you suggest giving up and just living with shitty WiFi? 

[Ryoku]

4 hours ago, Alayer said:

I understand the dilemma I'm in. But unfortunately, I can't upgrade my internet package either. There is simply nothing out there that can beat my package in terms of value at the moment. Plus, we're poor and can't really justify paying more for internet even if it means more speed.

 

Having said that, the issue was never with speed. Nor with multiple users using the internet at the same time. At most, I'll be streaming Netflix and my dad would do his email and online banking and such. Very rarely have we streamed at the same time.

 

My problem is the WiFi strength (I think). In the furthest corner of my apartment (where my dad's work den is), I'll be connected but have almost abysmal speeds. This happens even when all the other devices are not actively using the WiFi. Only if I'm in the same room as the router (which is the living room where the TV is), the WiFi speed is adequate for comfortable browsing and that's about it. That's pretty sad imo.

 

So what would you do if you were in my shoes? What router would you consider getting? I've listed all the devices that we own and their wireless standard compatibility. Would you choose a simple Access Point, like the one imreloadin suggested (the Ubiquiti UAP-AC-LR) or a router? Or would you suggest giving up and just living with shitty WiFi? 

You could try repeaters to boost the signal.