Networking a new home. Hardware Recommendations?

[Synomenon]

I am moving into a new 3-story home. It will be wired w/ CAT6 cables. I'd like to setup a network that works well and need some hardware recommendations.

In my current home, I once tried running my network with a Cisco RVS4000 in the networking panel and two Netgear WNDAP360 access points in the house (one on the first floor and another on the second floor). This setup never seemed to work well. Devices would connect to the wifi network, but would frequently and randomly drop connections and reconnect. I used wifi scanning apps. available on Android to see what other wifi networks were around and on what channel(s) they were on to make sure I wasn't getting interference.

So now I have a D-Link DIR-868L AC router I'd like to use as the router for the new home. I'm happy with it, but range isn't as great as some of the routers I've used in the past (Asus RT-N66U, Linksys WRT54GL)

The home is mostly drywall and stucco. The networking panel is on the second floor so that's where the router will be.

Should I setup access points on the first and third floors too?

I know there aren't any "good" AC access points yet. The new Ubiquiti UAP-AC isn't very impressive.

Can anyone recommend some access points that would work well with this D-Link router?

Should I replace the router as well?

 

[stevech]

new home.
By all means, cat 5 in most every room. Include some closets, etc where future switches and access points might go.

WiFi then is used only for handheld devices.

Access points can connect to the omnipresent cat5.
Some cat5 can have a small switch to reduce the number of cables.

 

[Synomenon]

Ummm... Ok.

Anyone have any recommendations on access points to use with my router?

Would you replace my router with a different brand / model?


Brands and model numbers would help in recommendations.

Thanks.

 

[thiggins]

You said you are ok with the D-Link except for range. And you are going to add APs on each floor to address that. So you don't have to change the router to get more wireless range.

A multiple AP setup can work well, but may take some tweaking. For three APs, set each one to a different channel, using 1, 6 and 11. You may want to reduce transmit power to keep clients from trying to connect to APs in other zones.

To ensure that clients connect to each AP, set each one with a unique SSID. Yes, it's a pain to change networks. But this way you know where a client is connected.

Unless you have clients capable of AC1300 Mbps connections, an AC1750 class router is a waste of money. You can save $ by getting an AC1600 or AC1200 class router. Most mobile AC clients will be single antenna (AC433) or dual antenna (AC867) at most. An AC1200 class router will be the best price performance match.

AC1200's are just starting to come out, so there is only one in the charts and ranker, the TRENDnet TEW-811DRU. It's AC1750 sibling, the TEW-812DRU, didn't test very well, though.

Any router can be converted to run as an AP, so you aren't limited to searching for APs.

 

[Synomenon]

Thanks Tim. So it would be ok to use D-Link DIR-860L's (AC1200 model) as access points wired back to the DIR-868L?

I don't prefer D-Link. I just happen to have easy access to their models.


So I would just disable the DHCP server on the two 860's? Is there a way to use them as access points while using their 4-ports as regular switches?

 

[thiggins]

Thanks Tim. So it would be ok to use D-Link DIR-860L's (AC1200 model) as access points wired back to the DIR-868L?

Sure. They will have a lower maximum link rate, but it won't matter unless you have 3x3 N or AC clients.

So I would just disable the DHCP server on the two 860's? Is there a way to use them as access points while using their 4-ports as regular switches?

Disable the DHCP servers and give each of them a static IP outside the range of the main router DHCP. The LAN switches in each continue to work as switches.

 

[Synomenon]

Thanks again Tim!

So, if the main router (the DIR-868L) is 192.168.1.1, I would configure the first 860L as 192.168.2.1 and the second one 192.168.2.2?

Also, would I connect the cables coming from the 868L to each of the 860Ls' WAN ports or to one of the four LAN ports on each the 860Ls?

 

[stevech]

each AP would be in the same subnet.
So if the router is 192.168.1.1 (mask 255.255.255.0)
the APs would be 192.168.1.x, where x is not 1, not 255 and not in the range of addresses that the router's DHCP server will use.
Let's say the DHCP server starts with .100. Then the APs could be .99, .98, .97 and so or, or .2, .3, .4, and son on.

The APs' IP address is only for admin purposes; doesn't affect access for clients.

 

[Synomenon]

Ah ok. My DIR-868L will have its default 192.168.0.1. Right now in its settings, it says:

DHCP IP Address Range: 100 to 199


So then DIR-860L #1 will be 192.168.0.2 and #2 will be 192.168.0.3.

Would the ethernet cables coming from the DIR-868L be connected to each 860L's WAN port or to one of the four LAN ports on each 860L?

 

[CaptainSTX]

Ah ok. My DIR-868L will have its default 192.168.0.1. Right now in its settings, it says:

DHCP IP Address Range: 100 to 199


So then DIR-860L #1 will be 192.168.0.2 and #2 will be 192.168.0.3.

Would the ethernet cables coming from the DIR-868L be connected to each 860L's WAN port or to one of the four LAN ports on each 860L?

Connect to a LAN port on the APs. This means you only will gain three LAN Ethernet ports on the AP and by using a LAN port on your primary router you only end up with a net gain of two ports.

 

[thiggins]

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...w-to-add-an-access-point-to-a-wireless-router