TylerW
Well-known member
Step one: don't use Comcasts's provided router. it has more security holes than a pair of fishnet tights.
Step 2: Get a mesh router system.
Step 2: Get a mesh router system.
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Comcrap alternatives?
- Thread starter NorCalAthlete
- Start date
NorCalAthlete
O_o
About 1100 square feet, maybe 50 foot radius? I was going to stick it at the top of the hall closet, I had an electrician run power + ethernet lines from every room to there. Unfortunately though the only live coax line for the modem is in the bedroom so it will be :
Coax to bedroom > modem > ethernet out to wall > wall to hall closet > router
Router out to everywhere else whether wired or wifi.
Not sure the place is big enough to really need a mesh system.
NorCalAthlete
O_o
Perfect. The closet is about exact center as you can get minus the garage.
TylerW
Well-known member
Mesh allows for easier expandability, sure. But its also more than that. Mesh routers use multiple radios not just for network expansion but also signal optimization. The bay area is an exceptionally noisy region for network traffic. Even when I lived in Podunk Visitacion Valley, I could regularly scan 50 2.4ghz access points and 20 5ghz APs. Our house was tiny (1200 sqft) and when I had a non-mesh router, best I could hope for was 35-50mbps on the 5ghz band. 2.4 was unuseable for anything other than low-data use IoT devices.
Once I switched to a mesh router, I was regularly seeing 250-300mbps on wifi.
NorCalAthlete
O_o
Interesting. I'm admittedly a noob when it comes to mesh network stuff. I was figuring mesh = multiple routers to cover larger houses / areas, and unnecessary for smaller footprints like apartments / condos.
We're in a townhouse and I see ~10 access points whenever I bring up available wireless networks 
. I know that the max down speed I get on my phone is around 700Mbps when I'm close to the router. For a speedtest in the netgear app itself, the netgear CM1200->AX6000 speed is 900Mbps.
. I know that the max down speed I get on my phone is around 700Mbps when I'm close to the router. For a speedtest in the netgear app itself, the netgear CM1200->AX6000 speed is 900Mbps.TylerW
Well-known member
I'm sort of a noob++ when it comes to this stuff. All I know is I saw a massive improvement on my wifi throughput after switching to mesh in a very contested region.
NorCalAthlete
O_o
tzrider
Write Only User
Unless something has changed, Meraki won't function unless you're paying a license and support fee. If you let that lapse, your networks stops working.
NorCalAthlete
O_o
Work's paying for that part...$35 / month reimbursement towards internet for work from home. The rest (like the license) gets charged to my department.
tzrider
Write Only User
When you change jobs, you'd need to change either who pays for the license or the network gear. You probably know that.
Another vendor I'd look at if you don't want to deal with the license issue is Ubiquiti. Their Dream Machine is a decent firewall and can be augmented with meshed AP's if necessary.
Another vendor I'd look at if you don't want to deal with the license issue is Ubiquiti. Their Dream Machine is a decent firewall and can be augmented with meshed AP's if necessary.
With a new house IMO minimize the number of things you have to manage or worry about. Internet and wifi gear, I just want to plug it in, set it up one time and forget it. Same for automated home stuff
. In no time you will have your hands full with random things you have to deal with, but you don't want to....plumbing problems, HVAC issues, plumbing problems, weird electrical stuff, plumbing problems 
Ok, my mildly scientific speed test results in our 1000 sq ft home, Netgear CM1200+ Netgear AX6000.
Master bathroom, ~3 walls between the router and my phone, ~20ft -> 328Mbps
Master bedroom, 1 wall between the router and my phone, ~10ft ->588Mbps
Living room, clear LOS to the router, far end, ~30 ft -> 670 Mbps
Dining room, clear LOS to the router, ~8ft -> 746 Mbps
Upstairs loft, clear LOS to the router, ~3ft -> 732 Mbps
Nearby wifi network count is....15, yikes. No wifi issues last year with 4 people using zoom/webex running at full speed when school was online. Along with me having multiple VDI sessions open for work the entire day.
Master bathroom, ~3 walls between the router and my phone, ~20ft -> 328Mbps
Master bedroom, 1 wall between the router and my phone, ~10ft ->588Mbps
Living room, clear LOS to the router, far end, ~30 ft -> 670 Mbps
Dining room, clear LOS to the router, ~8ft -> 746 Mbps
Upstairs loft, clear LOS to the router, ~3ft -> 732 Mbps
Nearby wifi network count is....15, yikes. No wifi issues last year with 4 people using zoom/webex running at full speed when school was online. Along with me having multiple VDI sessions open for work the entire day.
NorCalAthlete
O_o
Hmmm that's actually a pretty crazy variance.
Mine's a 1-story place with average height ceilings, router in the center closet would put ~2 walls in between it no matter what else. Probably somewhere between your bedroom / bathroom distance + walls.
I'm only registering 9-10 other networks at the moment, with 2 of those being Xfinity's crap (btw, how do I disable my gateway from broadcasting one of those?). Only 3 have strong signal, the others are faint with 0-1 bar showing (just enough to register) and a couple with 2 bars.
Mine's a 1-story place with average height ceilings, router in the center closet would put ~2 walls in between it no matter what else. Probably somewhere between your bedroom / bathroom distance + walls.
I'm only registering 9-10 other networks at the moment, with 2 of those being Xfinity's crap (btw, how do I disable my gateway from broadcasting one of those?). Only 3 have strong signal, the others are faint with 0-1 bar showing (just enough to register) and a couple with 2 bars.
AbsolutEnduser
bike r
VDI might not use much data if you're not moving the mouse, even if it's "open"
how do you replace the router? I'm thinking my combined modem + router is not easy to replace and what's the point: even if I turn it on to modem-mode only and then put an additional router, I'm still paying the rental...
how do you replace the router? I'm thinking my combined modem + router is not easy to replace and what's the point: even if I turn it on to modem-mode only and then put an additional router, I'm still paying the rental...
I'm really working! really!VDI might not use much data if you're not moving the mouse, even if it's "open"
For replacement, I just replaced the comcast modem with the CM1200 and ax6000. There's some kind of handshake thingy for the CM1200 to connect, it was fairly straightforward from the directions. Once everything came up ok I returned the comcast modem. It took a while for the rental fee to drop.
AbsolutEnduser
bike r
cool, I might get Comcast someday soon. Barely other choices (and I know, I've looked them up. )TylerW
Well-known member
Have you checked with Monkeybrains?
uclaktsai
Active member
I'll just quote myself again haha.
Keep your modem and router separate. Arris SB8200 is what I use for a modem. You'll make your money back in < 2years, but the modem will be good for years and years. Ubiquiti is my recommendation for router, mesh router, access points, switching, etc.
If you have a one story house, keep your router high. The closer to the ceiling, the better. If you have a 2 story house, near the ground on the second floor works too.
If there's a lot of WiFi networks around, you can use a WiFi analyzer to see what bands they're using
ie
Find a channel that is least impacted, and you'll have less overall interference. Otherwise, there isn't much you can do about a congested network. Use 5GHz for shorter range, high throughput. Use 2.4GHz for longer range, but lower throughput.