Advice sought regards best solution for providing ethernet to detached garage. Homeplug vs Mesh vs P2P Bridge?

[PC Pilot]

Hi,

I am seeking for some appropriate recommendations for distributing my ethernet LAN to a detached garage to which the laying of a dedicated ethernet cable is not practical. Accordingly, alternate comparative solutions are sought together with the various pros and cons involved as well as some suggestions to the optimal means of implementing said solution(s).

To offer some background:

The garage, whilst detached, is in close proximity to the house (a small bungalow) and already has dedicated mains power although not ethernet. Ethernet distribution serves the front of the property via a pair of wireless mesh routers though they are located at the opposite end of the property to the garage. Provision of a dedicated buried ethernet cable is out of the question due to the preclusive cost of digging a trench the entire length of the existing concrete driveway.

The two routers in question are both Asus AX Routers (an AX88U and an AX86S) running the current Merlin firmware. They are presently configured in 'Mesh' mode with the AX86S (situated mid property) being the secondary node connected by 'wired backhaul' to the AX88U (the primary router Node) at the front of the property. The remainder of (the lesser used) areas are adequately served by Wi-Fi (to iPhone/iPad/Hue Smart Lighting/Misc Smart Homepod Speakers/Devices) with this setup, including to the kitchen (closest part of the building to the garage) at the rear and to the adjacent rear garden area.

Until recently I had not considered providing ethernet connectivity to the rear of the property or to the garage until an automated smart (Apple HomeKit compatible) roller shutter door was recently installed comprising an Ethernet/Wi-Fi bridge device and (in due course) a connected smart HD Security Camera. The Roller Door itself is currently configured with a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection (a limit of the bridge device's restricted 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi capability) but this was difficult to establish and at times can be unreliable which is not ideal. However, the bridge device (much like the proposed security camera) provides for an alternate Ethernet connection (via USB to a USB/Ethernet adapter) which would be more secure and reliable. Security is also a prime consideration for the camera installation where, rather than utilising the option of a dual band Wi-Fi connection which the purchased camera enjoys, I would much prefer the added safety and security offered by connecting it to the LAN via it's RJ45 connector.

Initially my thoughts focused upon a 'HomePlug' type Powerline solution with the Tx adjacent to the AX88U and the Rx in the Garage potentially alongside another Mesh AX Router to act as 'wireless backhaul' for LAN ethernet distribution within the garage whilst simultaneously providing an additional Wi-Fi zone serving the rear of the property in much the same way I would have contemplated had it been it practical to lay an underground ethernet cable. However, reading various accounts of HomePlug issues of both connection quality and reliability in garage settings made me investigate whether there were other more practical solutions available.

Those suggested by others have included straightforward AI Mesh routing (third Router) in pure wireless backhaul, Point to Point Wireless Bridging, either in standalone format or within an AI Mesh with node functioning in Wireless Backhaul whilst the Bridge Function operates for the Ethernet connections to the LAN (though I confess I have no idea how to accomplish this nor the practicalities involved), Media Bridge Mode (I am unfortunately ignorant as to what this is and how it might be used) and finally, variations upon my original HomePlug theme!

Perhaps some of the more experienced folks might suggest a more appropriate/best practice solution and the best means by which to implement it.

Looking forward to expanding my very limited networking knowledge and thank you all in advance.

Best regards,

PC Pilot

 

[krkaufman]

The garage, whilst detached, is in close proximity to the house (a small bungalow) and already has dedicated mains power although not ethernet.

What about coax?

 

[OzarkEdge]

So, powerline or wireless to detached garage... no Ethernet unless you can wire to the back of the house and then go outside buried to the garage (garage power/devices and house power/devices must share a common Earth ground).

Skip powerline unless you have to, I think.

Skip MoCA2.5 unless you have coax between house and garage.

Point-to-point wireless may be too much equipment for such a short hop/small application.

Wireless AiMesh may require a house node located closer to the rear of the house to ensure a stable wireless backhaul to a node in the garage, ideally on a UPS. This wireless link between two nodes may be stronger than the existing wireless connection between garage clients and your house node. You would want to test for this before deciding where the house node should be located... maybe the existing central location is close enough for a wireless backhaul between two nodes. The garage node would share its WiFi between backhaul and wireless clients in the garage, so hopefully the wired and wireless garage clients do not require too much throughput.

If all of the garage clients are to be wireless, maybe you only need to move the house node closer to the garage... this would be most efficient all around.

Wireless media bridge simply uses a router in the garage in Bridge Mode to connect wirelessly to a house WLAN using all of its WiFi for the backhaul (strongest), but then only connects wired clients in the garage. I'd want WiFi in the garage so I'd skip media bridge, but it remains an option with the same equipment.

Beware that an exposed LAN connection in the garage could present a security risk... anyone in the garage could plug in to your house LAN unless you can get clever with VLAN-capable equipment... AiMesh may not be ready for this yet.

Fortunately, your existing AiMesh is wired; otherwise, your garage traffic would have two wireless hops back to the main router over WiFi shared with house clients.

You may discover that your existing wireless connection(s) from the garage are not so great simply due to the client build/quality... some IoT can be limited by design, so look out for that... test the networking with a capable wireless client like a laptop in the garage to know what is achievable with a capable wireless client.

OE

 

[tgl]

If you do happen to have a cable-TV coax line out to the garage, MoCA is a great choice as @krkaufman says. I'm betting you don't though. Powerline (homeplug) might work, although it works best if you can put the two modules on the same power circuit --- and if your place was wired by someone at all competent, the garage will not share a power circuit with anything inside the house. Still, powerline is quite cheap (I had good results with TP-Link AV2000 modules that I got on Amazon for $90 for the pair). So I'd try that first, especially if you can buy the gear from someplace return-friendly.

If neither of those work then you have to use a wireless solution. I think the main problem with the setup as you have it is that you need an additional router/AP at the rear of the house --- the mid-house one is evidently too far from the garage. Probably the bridge device you have would work fine once there's an AP that's close enough. You could replace it with another Asus unit running in "media bridge mode", but you'd be spending a lot of money for probably just marginal improvements.

One other thought, since you are mentioning security cameras: are you hopeful that those would keep working during a power outage? If so you will need a UPS in the garage to power the gear there, and one or more in the house to hold up whatever equipment you deem security-critical. I mention this because powerline is not a viable choice with that requirement: every powerline unit I've ever seen wants to draw power from the mains it's attached to.

 

[degrub]

If you have a window facing the garage, put a directional AP sitting inside the window. 2.4 GHz band only.

 

[Tech9]

close proximity to the house

What is close proximity in numbers?

I would shoot the garage from outside with an outdoor directional AP. UniFi UK-Ultra with Panel Antenna 10dBi 90° beam as an example. Other options are available from different vendors. If the current closest router with omni antennas is almost there - this will fix the issue permanently.

 

[PC Pilot]

What about coax?

Sadly no coax to the garage either....

 

[PC Pilot]

What is close proximity in numbers?

Approx 15' to 20' (feet) (4.5 - 6 m metric)

 

[PC Pilot]

If all of the garage clients are to be wireless, maybe you only need to move the house node closer to the garage... this would be most efficient all around.

Both garage clients (Door Bridge Device (via USB), Security Camera) are dual Wi-Fi/Ethernet but I would as a matter of preference utilise their ethernet connections rather than connect with Wi-Fi....

 

[Tech9]

Approx 15' to 20' (feet) (4.5 - 6 m metric)

And there is absolutely no way to pull an outdoor Ethernet cable on a steel wire between the two structures??

I would have done it already since the thread was started, this morning, quick trip to nearest hardware store, as a weekend project.

 

[PC Pilot]

Beware that an exposed LAN connection in the garage could present a security risk... anyone in the garage could plug in to your house LAN unless you can get clever with VLAN-capable equipment... AiMesh may not be ready for this yet.

I intend to minimise the risk of such LAN exposure presented by any random incursions, say by a tradesman (NB. not likely from my friends who would access the garage for me as they are definitely not tech savvy and only connect to Wi-Fi routing in their own homes and cannot comprehend connecting by wires!) or even less likely a break in (as door is alarm protected and the presence of the camera is a further deterrent) by siting the node in an elevated position and generally concealed within the garage. This will hopefully also offer the added bonus of an improved Wi-Fi signal!

 

[Tech9]

What you need to know about Wi-Fi connected cameras - someone with RF jammer can take them down across your entire property in seconds.

 

[PC Pilot]

If you have a window facing the garage, put a directional AP sitting inside the window. 2.4 GHz band only.

As the kitchen window faces the garage this would be a viable option for the door control bridging device as it would likely improve 2.4 GHz signal however the camera would be especially vulnerable connecting by Wi-Fi hence my preference for an 'ethernet' solution.

 

[PC Pilot]

What is close proximity in numbers?

I would shoot the garage from outside with an outdoor directional AP. UniFi UK-Ultra with Panel Antenna 10dBi 90° beam as an example. Other options are available from different vendors. If the current closest router with omni antennas is almost there - this will fix the issue permanently.

Again this solution is feasible but only for Wi-Fi operation....

 

[PC Pilot]

And there is absolutely no way to pull an outdoor Ethernet cable on a steel wire between the two structures??

I would have done it already since the thread was started, this morning, quick trip to nearest hardware store, as a weekend project.

I had considered the possibility of an outdoor 'above ground' cable, routing along the external (driveway) wall toward the garage but this is complicated because the closest access to ethernet is at the front of the property close to where the primary node is located.

The secondary node, whilst closer to the rear, is on the opposite side of the property to the garage and all of the internal ethernet between rooms at the front of the house are below floor so access is neither straightforward nor practical other than from the front.

As a result the route to be traversed is around 60 ft and additionally would have to go over doorways and around a chimney breast before reaching the rear of the property (where of course there is no ethernet connection) before any means of bridging between the two buildings can be considered. To further complicate matters, I am now disabled and so can no longer accomplish such projects as I would have done when I used to be fitter necessitating the expense of engaging someone proficient in such work.

 

[PC Pilot]

What you need to know about Wi-Fi connected cameras - someone with RF jammer can take them down across your entire property in seconds.

Absolutely agree 100% hence my preference for ethernet connections as opposed to Wi-Fi other than for phones, tablets etc....

 

[tgl]

Not entirely following your thinking here. It does little good from a security standpoint for the garage devices to be plugged in via ethernet if that wire just leads to a wireless bridge: the bridge's connection to the house is still jammable. And an exposed ethernet line can be cut. A buried ethernet or fiber connection seems like the only thing that's likely to be reasonably burglar-proof.

I did think for a minute about suggesting 60GHz point-to-point wireless gear, on the theory that even a pretty tech-savvy burglar is unlikely to have brought something that can jam that band. But you'd need both endpoints indoors for security, meaning the signal would have to go through at least two outside walls, and I doubt 60GHz can penetrate that well.

 

[PC Pilot]

Thank you to everyone for sharing their expertise and offering their constructive suggestions, I guess without spending a huge rack of money no system (as tgl notes) is totally burglar-proof and thus calls for some level of compromise even with a wireless-backhauled ethernet connection.

Interestingly reference was made by several respondents to both the security cameras and the garage node ideally requiring a UPS if they are to function during any power outage, something I had overlooked. Fortunately, as the garage can only be accessed by the roller door I had specified a battery backup, as being disabled I would likely struggle to operate a manual override following power loss. Accordingly, the installers provided a back up solution (Powercool 1500VA UPS) to keep the door operating in the event of a power loss so, as this has several vacant mains sockets available, it seems ideally suited to powering the node and security camera too.

Please forgive any ignorance on my part so far as network understanding goes but to summarise I believe the following options are feasible (or not) from the responses received:

MoCA not feasible - No Coax

Powerline not best suited - Different Power Circuit/Issues with Power Outages

Wireless only, With/Without Access Point - Disruption from poor signal/lack of range. Especially vulnerable to jamming.

Wireless Media Bridge not ideal - Ethernet only connection, no secondary Wi-Fi to extend the coverage for other pure Wireless devices. Vulnerable to jamming backhaul.

Wireless AiMesh suitable - subject to the distance between the secondary node and a new garage node. Vulnerable to jamming backhaul.

If I am understanding the choices and their limitations correctly, Wireless AiMesh appears to be a reasonable compromise solution given the circumstances outlined.

As I was already considering uprating my primary router to further extend capabilities that would allow for the existing primary AX88U to replace the AX86S secondary which could then fulfil the desired Wi-Fi backhaul function in the garage (possibly in conjunction with a suitable outdoor antenna on the exterior wall of the garage directed toward the secondary node - any IP66 antenna recommendations??) whilst improving the general Wireless coverage at the rear of the property in the process.

 

[OzarkEdge]

Wireless AiMesh suitable - subject to the distance between the secondary node and a new garage node.

My wireless backhaul through the length of the brick house into the detached brick garage spans 77' and connects at -74dBm RSSI, ax, x4, 816Mbps as seen in the Wireless Log.

OE

 

[PC Pilot]

My wireless backhaul through the length of the brick house into the detached brick garage spans 77' and connects at -74dBm RSSI, ax, x4, 816Mbps as seen in the Wireless Log.

OE

That is sure promising then...