Wireless solution for thick walls. Router or Mesh Network?

[jvmunhoz]

In Brazil, most apartments are made of brick, leading to some rather thick walls some times, and mine isn't any different.

My current router is a Apple Airport Express (not by my choice, but that is what I have), coupled with a Powerline Range Extender, which I bought after subpar results with normal range extenders. Although much better, they are still unstable, sometimes losing connection with the internet, which is making me think of other options, to which I'd like your opinions and suggestions.

And to make matters worse, in the last wall between my room (where the router is) and the living room (where most of my frustration regarding the wi-fi connection comes from) there are water pipes, making the wall extra THICC. The apartment aint big though. Here are pictures for a better idea on how things are.

https://imgur.com/a/qGaS0

I know the optimal solution is setting up acess points through Ethernet cables, but as the apartment is a rental, breaking walls or doing anything of the like is a no-go. I wish that was an option, but unfortunately it is not. So I can only think of two other solutions.

1 - Buying a powerful 4-8 antennae router, such as a the Asus RT AC88U, Linksys WRT AC1900, or even the ASUS AC5300. Dont know if it would actually work, as Wi-Fi is a both-way communication. It would surely improve the incoming signal, but there would still be some rather thick walls in between the device and the router, therefore the outcoming signal from the device wouldn't change (I think? Am I right? lol).

2 - Using one of those Wi-Fi Mesh Network Systems. I personally didn't know this system until today (searching for options) but it seems a rather simple system. But would it be that different from a Range Extender (connection-wise, obviously)? I dont think so.

So, any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[coxhaus]

I live in an old house which originally was wood outside walls and someone bricked the outside. The only way I was able to make 5GHz work outside was to place a wireless access point in a window facing my picnic table.

If you can't string Ethernet cables around then power over Ethernet adapters can be strung through out the house depending on speed. They have there limitations on speed.

Using 2.4GHz is your best bet for going through thick walls.

I have never used mesh so someone else will need to answer that.

 

[lighting]

An AC-1900 or higher router is likely to be a big improvement over the Airport Express, regardless of the number of antennas. I have a couple of Airport Express units, and my ASUS RT-AC68U has far better power/range, and that is relevant in both directions as its antennas (and amplifiers?) receive better than those on the Airport Express. (Stick with 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz isn't going to penetrate your walls nearly as well.) Only slightly crazy is to use a directional 2.4 Ghz access point on another channel to blast through the wall -- what I use to go to the neighbors' house is an Engenius ENS202, about $55 in the USA. There are also directional antennas you can get for a normal external-antenna wireless router, but I don't have experience with those.

 

[degrub]

Don't forget that your portable device has to transmit through the same wall. It may be the limiting factor rather than the AP.

 

[jvmunhoz]

An AC-1900 or higher router is likely to be a big improvement over the Airport Express, regardless of the number of antennas. I have a couple of Airport Express units, and my ASUS RT-AC68U has far better power/range, and that is relevant in both directions as its antennas (and amplifiers?) receive better than those on the Airport Express. (Stick with 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz isn't going to penetrate your walls nearly as well.) Only slightly crazy is to use a directional 2.4 Ghz access point on another channel to blast through the wall -- what I use to go to the neighbors' house is an Engenius ENS202, about $55 in the USA. There are also directional antennas you can get for a normal external-antenna wireless router, but I don't have experience with those.

Any router you would recommend? I am looking purely for something with strong, reliable signal. MU-MIMO would be nice, but wouldn't need anything more than that. All that embedded software like Firewall, Parental Control and the like (like most ASUS routers come with) are completely unecessary for me. If the best come with it, fine with me, but it wouldnt make a difference for me.

I don't really know much about routers (I do understand about tech, and did my research about routers these days, but all I know is in theory). During that research, I've heard some people complaining about firmware updates often creating new problems, so Stability would definetly be a factor on a new Router.

Probably the most powerful routers nowadays are the AC5300, like the one ASUS has, but would the Strength of the connection change when compared with the AC3100, like the AC88U? I pay for a 240mb internet, so no need for ridiculously high speed connection.

Whats would "a directional 2.4 Ghz access point on another channel" entail? Not sure i get it...

Thanks for the help

Don't forget that your portable device has to transmit through the same wall. It may be the limiting factor rather than the AP.

But wouldn't a better Router receive these signals better? Really don't know about this...

 

[degrub]

Each device - the wireless access point or router and the portable device - each has a radio that transmits and receives a wireless signal.
If the laptop, tablet, phone, whatever, is not able to send back as strong of a signal the connection will fail or be of low bandwidth.
You can have the strongest. newest, coolest access point blasting away, but if your device has a wimpy transmitter, it won't matter. The connection will still be poor.

"Whats would "a directional 2.4 Ghz access point on another channel" entail? Not sure i get it..."

You set up an access point with a directional antenna operating on 2.4 GHz channel that is unused by nearby devices.
In the US you have channels 1 through 11. Recommendation is to use either 1 or 6 or 11 in the 2.4 GHz band so that you get the least interference. So if your existing equipment in operating on channel 1, you would set the new AP to use channel 6 or 11, whichever has the least interference from your neighbors. Then in the other room you have a similar device that receives that signal on channel 6 or 11. Ethernet out the back of that device connects to a different access point that operates on a 5 GHz channel. Viola ! you have now extended your ethernet and wireless access without loosing bandwidth. You do not allow other devices to connect to channel 6 or 11 on the two dedicated directional antenna based access points.

 

[lighting]

What degrub is suggesting works, but I was thinking of something simpler, just using the directional access point in the room with the Internet connection/router to provide a high-gain wifi signal through the wall to the other room.

My go-to wifi router is the Asus RT-AC68. I don't think you'll get a lot more signal strength with more expensive routers or ones with more antennas. I think that or something similar would be worth trying first. (It's a way better router than the Airport Express in all sorts of ways.)

If that doesn't give enough signal in the other room get something like the Engenius and blast through the wall (non-destructively). If you're still not happy and your budget and patience allows, maybe a pair of the Engenius directional units as a bridge (that's a mode they support) and then use your Airport Express to provide 5GHz wifi in the remote room. I feel very confident that would work, but I hope it's not necessary to get that complicated. (An annoyance with the Airport Express is that you can't JUST provide 5GHz wifi, if you have anything it's both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.)

 

[coxhaus]

I think problem you are going to find is you cannot use all the channels in 2.4 GHz as other people are going to be using some of them also. You need to look at one of your devices and see how many networks are around. Knowing what channels would be helpful. You are going to have live with all those networks. At this point you need to decided if you can use 2.4GHz or do you need to distribute 5GHz maybe with Ethernet over power adapters or coax. And then go with your decision.

 

[jvmunhoz]

Thank you for all of your answers guys!

Did some more testing today, and realized my router is actually limiting the speed of my wireless connection. As I mainly use my PC with an Ethernet cable connected to it, I hadn't realized this fact until now. So the first thing I will do shall be to buy a new router.

After extensive research, I'm leaning towards NETGEAR AC2600 Nighthawk X4S. Coverage-wise, seems to be one of the best, at a good price. Any thoughts on it?

After changing the router, I will see if the connection in my living room gets any better. If it does, then YAY.

If not, NETGEAR Nighthawk X6S Wi-fi Mesh Extender seemed interesting to me, which works as a Mesh Wi-fi System, but without any specific router needed, and in the future, it could be used as a (very good) Acess Point if need be. DOes anyone have experience with it?

 

[avtella]

X4S is probably the best consumer unit on the 5Ghz band in terms of performance/range with decent 2.4 GHz performance. You can get one for ~$130 refurb on Amazon. I’ve replaced a few friends’ routers with it and they love it.