AT66U "Sudden" loss of Wireless Performance

[OzarkEdge]

I am fixed with where wired connectivity is available - second floor, one end of the house. Neighbors have stronger wifi signal downstairs, and that's what I needed to improve.

I suspect that AI MESH between the two floors would suffer the same issues as a regular client device. True?

Also, does it improve WiFi signal in the secondary location or just turn wireless to wired?

Have you reviewed the AiMesh marketing hype to get a general idea?

Adding a second WiFi repeater/access point/AiMesh node downstairs will extend your WiFi coverage to that area. A repeater uses a wireless backhaul to the router upstairs. An AP requires a wired backhaul to the router upstairs. An AiMesh node uses either. A wired backhaul is more robust and unburdens your WiFi. To use a wireless backhaul, you must locate the second device within 5.0 GHz range of the router upstairs. An AiMesh wireless backhaul seems to have better throughput than a repeater wireless backhaul.

Adding the second device downstairs will increase your WiFi signal power there and may then negate your neighbor's signal. I think someone here said a 20 dBm differential would be enough... your signals being less negative than your neighbor's.

Given the router upstairs, what dBm power do you see for your WLANs downstairs where you want to locate the second device... and for your neighbor's WLANs?

The device downstairs will support wired/LAN and wireless/WLAN clients.

OE

 

[ember1205]

I believe the current signal level is -70dB and the neighbor's isn't much below that. On one side of the room, it's actually similar strength.

If the second device downstairs essentially relies on having the same "type" of wireless connection that a client would use, then I'm not following if it would actually be beneficial unless I were able to locate it somewhere closer to the original router where it could then provide stronger signal to the current weather area.

 

[Grisu]

I am fixed with where wired connectivity is available - second floor, one end of the house. Neighbors have stronger wifi signal downstairs, and that's what I needed to improve.

I suspect that AI MESH between the two floors would suffer the same issues as a regular client device. True?

Also, does it improve WiFi signal in the secondary location or just turn wireless to wired?

Its the same as have two routers on your 2 locations, each of them make its wireless network.
Only you need a connection between them so you can use ethernet backhaul (better) or its WiFi to pair them and get data from node to main-router.
If your neighbours downstairs are seen stronger than your main-router you probably need ethernet backhaul.

I would not rely on a level below -60dBm or at least -65dBm in worst case!!

 

[OzarkEdge]

I believe the current signal level is -70dB and the neighbor's isn't much below that. On one side of the room, it's actually similar strength.

If the second device downstairs essentially relies on having the same "type" of wireless connection that a client would use, then I'm not following if it would actually be beneficial unless I were able to locate it somewhere closer to the original router where it could then provide stronger signal to the current weather area.

Ouch! Using a different channel could help. Having more signal power than your neighbor can help i.e locate the node within range of the router 5.0 band. Using a wired backhaul can help.

The suggested -60 to -65 dBm or better is a good target... less negative would be better. -70 is around marginal and not good enough on the same channel as your neighbor. You may want to make a channel allocation plan with your neighbor. Do you see his 5.0 GHz radio, too?

OE

 

[ember1205]

Ouch! Using a different channel could help. Having more signal power than your neighbor can help i.e locate the node within range of the router 5.0 band. Using a wired backhaul can help.

The suggested -60 to -65 dBm or better is a good target... less negative would be better. -70 is around marginal and not good enough on the same channel as your neighbor. You may want to make a channel allocation plan with your neighbor. Do you see his 5.0 GHz radio, too?

OE

This is the 5GHz that's at issue.

I'm installing a second router on the other end of the second floor and setting up the AI MESH. That will put the second router directly above the affected area and will hopefully result in an appreciable increase in signal strength in that area.

Wired backhaul is not an option.