I have a good router, ASUS AC5300, but want better wifi downstairs

[Cain]

I have a three story house, counting my basement, where I have a home theater.

On the top floor I have an Asus AC5300 and I love it, it's blasting wifi all over the place.

I've tried connecting an eero 1st gen (as wifi only, I still let the 5300 do DHCP and hand out IPs) for better wifi downstairs and in the basement but its performance is spotty.

I have Cat6 ethernet to every place I'd put a mesh or AP.

What would you guys suggest for me to improve my wifi on main and basement floors?

The only reason I've shied away from a true Access Point, is my wife would go nuts having to log into an different access point on every floor! I want something that when she logs in, then she will automatically connect to the closest most powerful access point. I haven't looked at access points in years tho.

I'd also really like to KEEP the wifi on my AC5300, it is unbeatable for all bedrooms and office upstairs, I want the AP only on main floor and basement, but like I said I want to log into only one wifi network, if possible. I know mesh systems do this.

Any suggestions appreciated!

 

[thiggins]

You can set the APs to the same SSID and security key as your main router. This would be the same as any Wi-Fi system. You can look at our AP roundup for candidates.

With APs, however, you can, and should, set them to different channels. For 2.4 GHz, use 1, 6 or 11. For 5 GHz, you can choose any channel.

First, you could try moving your router to the lower floor. This would require also moving the modem, or having two Ethernet cables between the two locations, if all your cables are terminating at the top floor location.

Note that even using a single SSID is no guarantee that all devices will automatically move to the strongest AP. The client decides when to move and where to move to. APs and routers can "encourage" devices to move. But if they don't want to move, there is not much an AP can do.

One simple thing to do, however, is cycle a sticky device's WiFi off, then on when you move to a new location and the signal level is still low.

 

[sfx2000]

Note that even using a single SSID is no guarantee that all devices will automatically move to the strongest AP. The client decides when to move and where to move to. APs and routers can "encourage" devices to move. But if they don't want to move, there is not much an AP can do.

Quick tip with common SSID with multiple AP's - keep some spacing between AP's - too close, and the client won't make a decision to hop. This is a big deal for the mesh systems especially like Orbi and others.

Three floors with a single AP - put it in the middle of the house, towards an outside wall... it's actually do-able and get good enough bandwidth for email, facebook, and even some netflex depending on the client. With typical 3 dB antennas... horizontal coverage for 2.4GHz is around 1500 sq ft, 5GHz is around 700 sq ft - vertical is about half speed per floor... most normal floor plans on a split level home with a basement, one can get good coverage with a properly placed AP. Worst coverage in that plan is directly above the AP, as the radio is a donut, and the null is directly on top of it - hence the recommendation to place the AP on an outside wall in the middle floor as that puts the null where most folks generally are not.