Home Network Setup

[sesame246]

Get a ubiquiti unifi system. They make the router, switch, and access point and all of them can be accessed via the same controller

Tks! new to me....let me read up this.

 

[squarepipe]

Tks! new to me....let me read up this.

 

[xiaofan]

Tks! new to me....let me read up this.

Mesh is simpler. Just stick to Mesh.

No need to mess with more advanced things like unifi if you do not understand the basics.

Your plan is good, listen to the technician and get the switch, connect using Wired connection for the three Mesh units. And use the AP as a backup for the highest floor.

No need to change your plan and get into unfamiliar things like Moca or Unifi.

 

[manyu882]

I’m living on a 4 storey + 1 basement and I’m on MoCA as backhaul + router + AP, similar to jazz2005.
My family of 7+ 1 maid is also heavy data users (including my old mum who discovered Facebook recently)

Works effectively for us and it is the best setup we had for many years. Very reliable setup, with great speed and latency.

Tried mesh and is not a good option for us as we can’t reach full speed. If use 2.4ghz as backhaul, the channels are Super crowded. If use 5ghz as backhaul, good luck to penetrate thick walls and floors, especially to the basement.

Differs from house to house though, if you don’t mind the speed trade off, go for Mesh.

 

[petetherock]

i need to move in soon so quickest is to engage the telcos. just hope that the 3 mesh wifi units can cover the whole house. Contingency plan is to use my old router at top storey since i hv converted to data point.

3 units are plenty
Just place them in the centre of each floor with Ethernet Lan backhaul
I had four units and I switched off one with no issues

 

[squarepipe]

Mesh is simpler. Just stick to Mesh.

No need to mess with more advanced things like unifi if you do not understand the basics.

Your plan is good, listen to the technician and get the switch, connect using Wired connection for the three Mesh units. And use the AP as a backup for the highest floor.

No need to change your plan and get into unfamiliar things like Moca or Unifi.

where got hard? you get a unifi dream machine which is a the equivilant of the USG (router) unifi controller (cloudkey) & switch. Additional WiFi coverage just pop in 1 or 2 more unifi WiFi AP

 

[xiaofan]

where got hard? you get a unifi dream machine which is a the equivilant of the USG (router) unifi controller (cloudkey) & switch. Additional WiFi coverage just pop in 1 or 2 more unifi WiFi AP

No need to convince me. I know it is good. And if I am getting it in the future I will have no issues to set it up.

But remember the TS is not familiar with basic networking stuff.

 

[xiaofan]

I’m living on a 4 storey + 1 basement and I’m on MoCA as backhaul + router + AP, similar to jazz2005.
My family of 7+ 1 maid is also heavy data users (including my old mum who discovered Facebook recently)

Works effectively for us and it is the best setup we had for many years. Very reliable setup, with great speed and latency.

Tried mesh and is not a good option for us as we can’t reach full speed. If use 2.4ghz as backhaul, the channels are Super crowded. If use 5ghz as backhaul, good luck to penetrate thick walls and floors, especially to the basement.

Differs from house to house though, if you don’t mind the speed trade off, go for Mesh.

Actually Mesh with Ethernet backhaul (or Moca if Structure Wiring is difficult) is very much the same as using router+ wiredAP. In fact Mesh with Ethernet backhaul may provide better seamless switchover than the AP based solution.

 

[-Grift-]

Actually Mesh with Ethernet backhaul (or Moca if Structure Wiring is difficult) is very much the same as using router+ wiredAP. In fact Mesh with Ethernet backhaul may provide better seamless switchover than the AP based solution.

I think the client plays a bigger role in seamless handover. Running Asus AC88U and AC87U. On my OnePlus 7 pro I will always drop connection before connecting to the stronger signal whilst my iPhone 6s does so smoothly.

 

[xiaofan]

I think the client plays a bigger role in seamless handover. Running Asus AC88U and AC87U. On my OnePlus 7 pro I will always drop connection before connecting to the stronger signal whilst my iPhone 6s does so smoothly.

Good point. I have only tested with my iPhone 6S and Huawei P20 with my poor man's Mesh setup.

I have a "pseudo Ethernet backhaul" solution at home due to no structure Ethernet wiring. Over the years I have bought range extenders and power line adapters to help fixing the wifi issue (poor 2.4 GHz Wifi performance of the Linksys). So I am reusing them in the new Mesh setup. Definitely not ideal but good enough for me for now.

Configuration:
4 room HDB 106 Square Meters

Singtel ONT -- Linksys WRT1900AC

WRT 1900AC (Living room, good wifi from main router or Deco M4)
-- SingTel TV box
-- Apple TV 3rd gen
-- WD personal NAS
-- Deco M4 main unit -- D-Link AV2000 Power Adapter

Master room (okay performance from main router except rest room).
-- D-Link AV2000 Adapter -- Deco M4 2nd unit (installed but normally not on)

Big common room
Good wifi either from Deco or main router

Small common room (poor wifi from main router, good wifi from Deco M4)
-- D-Link AV2000 Adapter -- Deco M4 3rd unit

Kitchen area (poor wifi from main router, good wifi from Deco M4)
-- D-Link AV2000 Adapter -- Deco M4 4th unit (normally not installed)

 

[xiaofan]

Previous Configuration before getting Deco M4

4 room HDB 106 Square Meter.
Singtel ONT -- Linksys WRT1900AC

WRT 1900AC (Living room, good wifi from main router)
-- SingTel TV box
-- Apple TV 3rd gen
-- WD personal NAS
-- D-Link AV2000 Power Adapter

Master room
Okay performance from main router except rest room.

Big common room
Good wifi from main router

Small common room (poor wifi from main router)
-- D-Link AV2000 Adapter -- TP-Link Range Extender in AP mode.

Kitchen area (poor wifi from main router)

 

[xiaofan]

I understand that pros may laugh at my set up. No problem,

 

[manyu882]

Actually Mesh with Ethernet backhaul (or Moca if Structure Wiring is difficult) is very much the same as using router+ wiredAP. In fact Mesh with Ethernet backhaul may provide better seamless switchover than the AP based solution.

The mesh I was referring to using wireless as backhaul. Yes, I’d agree using gigabit wired connection as backhaul and seemless switchover/roaming. In fact, most AP is able to do that.

 

[manyu882]

I think the client plays a bigger role in seamless handover. Running Asus AC88U and AC87U. On my OnePlus 7 pro I will always drop connection before connecting to the stronger signal whilst my iPhone 6s does so smoothly.

Plus 1, 10char

 

[manyu882]

I understand that pros may laugh at my set up. No problem,

I think most of us are like this.... Trying to optimise internet connection with the least cost/best bang of buck.

 

[grynove]

I understand that pros may laugh at my set up. No problem,

no laugh la bro. as long as it works for u and u can handle it shud be ok.

anyway i was running quite similar setup like u last time.

 

[jazz2005]

Good point. I have only tested with my iPhone 6S and Huawei P20 with my poor man's Mesh setup.

I have a "pseudo Ethernet backhaul" solution at home due to no structure Ethernet wiring. Over the years I have bought range extenders and power line adapters to help fixing the wifi issue (poor 2.4 GHz Wifi performance of the Linksys). So I am reusing them in the new Mesh setup. Definitely not ideal but good enough for me for now.

Configuration:
4 room HDB 106 Square Meters

Singtel ONT -- Linksys WRT1900AC

WRT 1900AC (Living room, good wifi from main router or Deco M4)
-- SingTel TV box
-- Apple TV 3rd gen
-- WD personal NAS
-- Deco M4 main unit -- D-Link AV2000 Power Adapter

Master room (okay performance from main router except rest room).
-- D-Link AV2000 Adapter -- Deco M4 2nd unit (installed but normally not on)

Big common room
Good wifi either from Deco or main router

Small common room (poor wifi from main router, good wifi from Deco M4)
-- D-Link AV2000 Adapter -- Deco M4 3rd unit

Kitchen area (poor wifi from main router, good wifi from Deco M4)
-- D-Link AV2000 Adapter -- Deco M4 4th unit (normally not installed)

Do consider replacing the powerline adapters with moca 2.0 adapters, they are more reliable and able to support 1 gbps speed. I was using powerline adapters before which require restarting every couple of months and their speed are slow. Moca 2.0 adapters are now available on amazon.sg.

 

[manyu882]

Just sharing this lobang...If you get from amazon.sg, there is a promo running for all BluEMeta MoCA from 12 to 14th Dec @ %15 off, after that will revert to the Usual price.

Plus free shipping and
8% shopback( valid for Dec as for now)

Comes with 1 year SG warranty with 14 days free return and 100% refund if it doesn’t work for you...

 

[xiaofan]

Do consider replacing the powerline adapters with moca 2.0 adapters, they are more reliable and able to support 1 gbps speed. I was using powerline adapters before which require restarting every couple of months and their speed are slow. Moca 2.0 adapters are now available on amazon.sg.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Moca will help the Master room and big common room to get near 1Gbps speed since they have SCV cable TV point (HDB is 1998). But not on the small common room which does not have the cable TV point.

One thing against the Moca is that they are not certified by IMDA. But it is probably because IMDA is behind the curve in this aspect or they prefer structure Ethernet wiring. So this is a moot point and not really a big concern for me.

The main problem is that the coaxial cable may not be well laid out and quanlity may not be good -- last time I got problems with over the air TV before I switched to SingTel TV in Feb 2011.

For now I am happy with the Power Line adapters. We do not really do any high bandwidth activities at home (at most 1080p streaming and NAS backup of phone photos to NAS). I am getting above 200Mbps wifi (up to 400Mbps) in my living room and big common room, above 100Mbps wifi speed in master room and small common room. These are more than enough for the family members.

But next year I may get WiFi 6 equipment, like AX3000 or higher spec router to replace the aging WRT1900AC router (early 2014 to now). Then I may want to get better Mesh as well.

 

[squarepipe]

Thanks for the suggestion.

Moca will help the Master room and big common room to get near 1Gbps speed since they have SCV cable TV point (HDB is 1998). But not on the small common room which does not have the cable TV point.

One thing against the Moca is that they are not certified by IMDA. But it is probably because IMDA is behind the curve in this aspect or they prefer structure Ethernet wiring. So this is a moot point and not really a big concern for me.

The main problem is that the coaxial cable may not be well laid out and quanlity may not be good -- last time I got problems with over the air TV before I switched to SingTel TV in Feb 2011.

For now I am happy with the Power Line adapters. We do not really do any high bandwidth activities at home (at most 1080p streaming and NAS backup of phone photos to NAS). I am getting above 200Mbps wifi (up to 400Mbps) in my living room and big common room, above 100Mbps wifi speed in master room and small common room. These are more than enough for the family members.

But next year I may get WiFi 6 equipment, like AX3000 or higher spec router to replace the aging WRT1900AC router (early 2014 to now). Then I may want to get better Mesh as well.

why do u have a WiFi router and mesh. I think u can simplify your setup by just using mesh WiFi.