Adding a Google Home and mini to the mix

[speedlever]

I’ve not found a better solution to my home lan (Asus rt-ac56u connected via Ethernet to an rt-n66u set up as an AP) except to set up each radio with a distinct SSID to deal with sticky clients. I tried using a single SSID but the sticky clients hang onto the first radio they see until death do they part.

But now that I’m adding a Google Home and a mini to the mix, I believe separate SSIDs will limit their use. I have no current plans to do the ioT and control lights,etc. But I suppose that could change down the road.

If I were to set up multiple GH and minis throughout the house, they would currently have to be on different radios/SSIDs to get the best signal.

So I’m considering moving to a mesh network so I can regain a usable housewide single SSID network. Am I off base with my assumptions about how GH and the minis interconnect?

My internet (fiber to the house, GB up/down) enters on one side of the house in a small office. My AP is about 50 feet away on the opposite side of the house (same floor) connected via cat 5e cable. I do not have any Ethernet cables going to the 2nd story, so that needs to be all WiFi.

Any suggestions what might be some good options I might consider? I’m thinking a base unit to replace the ac56u, a satellite that I can connect to my existing cat 5e cable to replace the n66u access Point, then a wireless satellite or 2 for the 2nd story. House is about 2400 sq ft.

 

[speedlever]

Today my daughter was complaining to me about the multiple SSID issue. So there's more impetus to make a change now.

Anyone have any suggestions how I can change my wifi so I can properly use a single SSID and have a good 2.4/5 GHz signal throughout both floors of the house?

First floor:
router ----------- 50-ish feet via cat 5e to the ------ AP
No cables to the 2nd floor.

I'd love to be able to use the cat 5e cable which runs from one end of the house (where the internet comes in) to the other side of the house, where I have my current AP.

But those darn sticky clients are the reason I moved away from a single SSID. And the kids' rooms are upstairs, more or less centered between the router and ap on the first floor. I'm considering putting a Chromecast Ultra on one of the TVs downstairs, but may choose to run a cat 5e cable to it instead of fiddling with wifi. I'd like to use the 5GHz freq because the 2.4GHz freq has a lot of competition in my neighborhood, so my range is going to be limited using my existing router/AP configuration on the 5GHz band.

I'm ready to trash the current wifi system and move to something else, if I can decide what route to take.

Amplifi HD? Orbi RBK50? Google Wifi? TP-Link AV2000? Plume?

Can I connect via existing cable to get from one side of the house to the other? Then go via wifi from there? Or will I have to stage units in-between?

Perhaps using Plume and putting a pod in each room might be my best and least expensive option. I'd need at least 6 pods. Would that work well?

 

[speedlever]

Ok, not having much luck here.

Another thought, since I have the cat 5e cable in place for wired backhaul, would it be possible/feasible to setup my existing RT AC56U and RT N66U in a mesh network in and of themselves? Or would I be trying to reinvent the wheel here?

 

[Mokers]

You'll find a lot on the forum when you look into sticky clients. On the AP end, your options are limited as the determination when to switch to APs is mostly on the client end. You can do some things to trick the client, but that usually requires some sort of management. In my house, I have a couple of Unifi APs and use the minimum RSSI function to try and try and coax clients from one AP or another.

If you are talking about running cable, I would always use that to extend your network instead of trying to to use extenders. The wire is always going to have the best reliability.

 

[speedlever]

I'm warming to the idea of using a couple Ubiquiti UAP-AC-lite APs connected by my cat 5e cable, on either end of the house. Since I already have good wifi coverage, well that's a relative term.... I just checked it with wifi analyzer on my phone... and I see about a 20 dB difference between the 2.4 GHz radios and the 5 GHz radios upstairs in the middle of the coverage area. The 5 GHz signal drops into the the -80dB range. Not too good. So I may not be able to escape having that 3rd AP located upstairs after all. Unless these Ubiquiti APs do better than my current Asus devices.

 

[Mokers]

The Unifi hardware is decent. Some of the router / APs may be about as good as the Unifi though. Part of what helps performance is that you get a lot more customization in the software and with PoE, it is much easier to place them in an optimal area. Tough to mount an Asus router on the ceiling, for example.

There are some other considerations you want to take in mind when adjusting things. If you want mobility, it is better to have more APs running at low power. So if you are having coverage issues, I would just add the third one.

 

[speedlever]

I just read through the review thread here and also at the Ubiquiti forums. Sigh. Nothing is ever black and white.

 

[sfx2000]

The biggest challenge with Sticky Clients - the AP's are too close together, so the spread in RSSI between the current and candidate is not enough to make the jump.

Common SSID is a better way to set up the WLAN, but it does take some planning - esp when dealing with dual band AP's as some clients do not do a better service rescan once they're fat and happy on the BSSID they're on - in simple terms, the client may have handed down to 2.4GHz, and not search for a better 5GHz candidate.

The other challenge is that folks generally think first that 5GHz coverage is better than it truly is - it is too a point, and then falls down fairly fast, and 2.4GHz can likely be the better service.

Multiple AP's do need some effort and insight when placing them - and with WiFi, location is everything - even with Mesh platforms like Orbi and Eero (and similar).

 

[Mokers]

Yes, good point, and I should add context. I built out my system about 2.5 years ago. So much has changed now. My house is about 2000 sq ft, and if I was buying now, I would lean towards an Orbi. My previous system was an Aiport Exteme + Airport Extreme extending the network. I am an IT consultant and had used Unifi on the job, so it wasn't new to me. My goal was to have two APs managed together, but not pay the price of a Meraki. The Unifi system works and I can do a lot of stuff in the controller with VLAN tagging, etc, that aren't straightforward on the more consumer boxes.

For most people, who don't necessarily care about what the controller gives you, there may not be enough advantage to UniFi, especially since the radios aren't going to blow anybody out of the water. However, it does give the opportunity to tune your network really well, gives a ton of great statistics, easy upgrades for firmware and a really good community for support.

If I didn't get an Orbi, I would probably look at OpenMesh. Being able to connect via PoE is a really great advantage for placing your APS in the ideal position, especially if your house is older and may have materials that interfere with signal. Again, it won't blow you away, but the controller is nice, and the APs are decent.

 

[speedlever]

The Orbi would be hard to pass up, if it had wired backhaul. I'm kinda glad it doesn't so I'm not so tempted to spend that much.

 

[sfx2000]

The other challenge is that folks generally think first that 5GHz coverage is better than it truly is - it is too a point, and then falls down fairly fast, and 2.4GHz can likely be the better service.

Multiple AP's do need some effort and insight when placing them - and with WiFi, location is everything - even with Mesh platforms like Orbi and Eero (and similar).

With multiple AP's - lower gain antennas, esp. on multiple floors, are better - 3dBi at most, lower is better...

Rule of thumb with WiFi AP's - 16oo sq ft for 2.4GHz, 750 sq ft for 5GHz - gain changes the patterns by squishing the donut - I plan for 2.4 as a foundation, and overlay 5GHz where people generally congregate.

Works well for Common SSID these days with current OS's on phones/tablets/laptops... phones tend to have the lowest WiFi antenna gain for obvious and good reasons (think about how one uses a phone)

 

[Dave123]

I’ve not found a better solution to my home lan (Asus rt-ac56u connected via Ethernet to an rt-n66u set up as an AP) except to set up each radio with a distinct SSID to deal with sticky clients. I tried using a single SSID but the sticky clients hang onto the first radio they see until death do they part.

But now that I’m adding a Google Home and a mini to the mix, I believe separate SSIDs will limit their use. I have no current plans to do the ioT and control lights,etc. But I suppose that could change down the road.

If I were to set up multiple GH and minis throughout the house, they would currently have to be on different radios/SSIDs to get the best signal.

So I’m considering moving to a mesh network so I can regain a usable housewide single SSID network. Am I off base with my assumptions about how GH and the minis interconnect?

My internet (fiber to the house, GB up/down) enters on one side of the house in a small office. My AP is about 50 feet away on the opposite side of the house (same floor) connected via cat 5e cable. I do not have any Ethernet cables going to the 2nd story, so that needs to be all WiFi.

Any suggestions what might be some good options I might consider? I’m thinking a base unit to replace the ac56u, a satellite that I can connect to my existing cat 5e cable to replace the n66u access Point, then a wireless satellite or 2 for the 2nd story. House is about 2400 sq ft.

I'm greatly enjoying the new ASUS AIMesh solution with 2 AC68Us (I was using one as my AP and the other had been my router until I swapped it for a Mikrotik Hex r3). Both are wired and my coverage is fantastic an seemingly seamless. Others on the forum are not having such luck trying to get them set up, though. It is in beta.

Prior to discovering this easy, inexpensive (for me) solution, I was considering the Ubiquiti route as I know several knowledgeable and experienced people that swear by them (including the in-wall sockets) OR I was also looking at the brand new, albeit expensive, Netgear EX 8000 either as my sole AP or possibly as an extender (wired).

 

[speedlever]

The Asus AIMesh is new to me. I haven't heard of it.