Setting up Wifi at Home

[lifeisshort]

Hi, need some help on the following.

Using Singtel Fiber Optic network now. I have 1 gang of 5 data point in the distribution box (DB) to various areas in the house.
My modem and the DB are inside the cabinet.

1. Previous Setup
a. Modem to one of the data point (1) in the DB.
b. data point (1) outlet is at the living room where my TV box and wireless router are.
c. connect data point 1 to wireless router and 1 cable point from the wireless router will be going to the TV box.
d. wireless router will supply network to the rest of the house.

Singtel replaces the modem and router for me due to very slow connection. They provided me with the wifi mesh with only 1 inlet for the Ethernet cable and no outlet for the cable.

2. Present Setup
a. Modem to Wifi mesh directly.
b. Modem to Data point 1 for the TV box in the living room.
c. as the Wifi Mesh does not have the outlet for the Ethernet, i have to keep the Wifi Mesh in the cabinet, near to the modem. I cannot do the same as 1c as per my previous setup. Due to the reason, i do not have any network in the rooms. Only Living room has it.

What can i do to enhance the network to all the rooms?

Can i use Switch? Should i buy another Mesh extender? or others?

Please kindly advise me.

Thank you.

 

[Cobra!]

Post in networking sub forum ba

 

[DragonFire]

How big is your house? How many floors? Can share rough floorplan?

Good if can mark out support columns.

For most people with large houses, I've found Ubiquiti to provide the best service all in.

I have set up several deployments ranging from 3 to 8 APs covering places from 2500sf up to over 8000.

 

[buyacat]

Hi, need some help on the following.

Using Singtel Fiber Optic network now. I have 1 gang of 5 data point in the distribution box (DB) to various areas in the house.
My modem and the DB are inside the cabinet.

1. Previous Setup
a. Modem to one of the data point (1) in the DB.
b. data point (1) outlet is at the living room where my TV box and wireless router are.
c. connect data point 1 to wireless router and 1 cable point from the wireless router will be going to the TV box.
d. wireless router will supply network to the rest of the house.

Singtel replaces the modem and router for me due to very slow connection. They provided me with the wifi mesh with only 1 inlet for the Ethernet cable and no outlet for the cable.

2. Present Setup
a. Modem to Wifi mesh directly.
b. Modem to Data point 1 for the TV box in the living room.
c. as the Wifi Mesh does not have the outlet for the Ethernet, i have to keep the Wifi Mesh in the cabinet, near to the modem. I cannot do the same as 1c as per my previous setup. Due to the reason, i do not have any network in the rooms. Only Living room has it.

What can i do to enhance the network to all the rooms?

Can i use Switch? Should i buy another Mesh extender? or others?

Please kindly advise me.

Thank you.

Firstly, do not put wireless router in the cabinet, you practically reduces it's effective range and power.

Get a proper router.

Modem to router. Router to one of your wifi mesh if you like. Remaining router ports go to data points. At data point outlets you can add more wifi mesh or router as you like or simply just connect with a cable.

 

[whatmeworry]

The mesh suppose to have two pieces right?
The second piece can provide extended WiFi to all the rooms, wirelessly.

 

[DragonFire]

The typical HDB flat and condo, even a small 2 story landed property can be fully covered with 2 Ubiquiti APs. 3 for superlative "surf on the toilet" coverage, especially in a place with narrow corridors and a lot of support columns.

I am not a mesh proponent for HDB and condo living. Too many potential sources of noise. When everyone is talking, you get performance issues.

Mesh works pretty well in landed. In high density stacked columns where every other house has multiple mesh devices, GG.

I am also not a proponent of integrated router and wifi access points, no matter how many antennas they have. The integrated device can be a powerful behemoth capable of sending oodles of radio power out... but if the receiver cannot talk back (remember TCP is a two-way protocol) it is all pointless.

Placement of the AP is very important. Place it badly and it doesn't matter how many you have.

Ideal is horizontal, downward pointing, and on the roof. Next best is high up and wall mounted, in the middle of one wall of a room.

Most people place their APs on a desk, near a wall in a corner. One of the worst placement locations. Don't be like em. Get a hook, hang the AP like a picture. Use a picture to disguise the wire going up the wall.

==

For your use case...

Disable the wifi in your integrated router. It should have 4 switchports for wired devices. Use them.

Assuming you are a HDB resident, or have a smaller condo,

Get 2 UniFi AC-LR APs or something similar. Connect them to the integrated router via the DB patch box. Place one in the living room, and place the other in one of the bedrooms such that it can roughly cover the rest of the rooms.

If wall mounting, face the front of the AP towards the other rooms as best you can. Don't mount it such that the back of the AP is facing the other rooms.

Download and run the Unifi Controller software to set up your APs. If you can, you should leave the controller running on a PC or NAS (e.g. Synology) 24x7. It will automatically adjust your AP channels and transmit\receive power based on the wireless environment.

If you find coverage inadequate, try adjusting the AP positions. Failing that, just add a 3rd AP.

The biggest deployment I have set up so far has 8 of the older UniFI LR (2.4Ghz) APs installed.

Why 2.4Ghz?

Because everyone else is now using 5Ghz heheheheh. Remember what I said about there being too many devices talking?

 

[lifeisshort]

Firstly, do not put wireless router in the cabinet, you practically reduces it's effective range and power.

Get a proper router.

Modem to router. Router to one of your wifi mesh if you like. Remaining router ports go to data points. At data point outlets you can add more wifi mesh or router as you like or simply just connect with a cable.

i am forced to put the wireless router in the cabinet as there is no outlet on it. if i place it in the living room, i cannot use my TV box anymore.

 

[lifeisshort]

The mesh suppose to have two pieces right?
The second piece can provide extended WiFi to all the rooms, wirelessly.

singtel only give me 1 pc.

 

[lifeisshort]

The typical HDB flat and condo, even a small 2 story landed property can be fully covered with 2 Ubiquiti APs. 3 for superlative "surf on the toilet" coverage, especially in a place with narrow corridors and a lot of support columns.

I am not a mesh proponent for HDB and condo living. Too many potential sources of noise. When everyone is talking, you get performance issues.

Mesh works pretty well in landed. In high density stacked columns where every other house has multiple mesh devices, GG.

I am also not a proponent of integrated router and wifi access points, no matter how many antennas they have. The integrated device can be a powerful behemoth capable of sending oodles of radio power out... but if the receiver cannot talk back (remember TCP is a two-way protocol) it is all pointless.

Placement of the AP is very important. Place it badly and it doesn't matter how many you have.

Ideal is horizontal, downward pointing, and on the roof. Next best is high up and wall mounted, in the middle of one wall of a room.

Most people place their APs on a desk, near a wall in a corner. One of the worst placement locations. Don't be like em. Get a hook, hang the AP like a picture. Use a picture to disguise the wire going up the wall.

==

For your use case...

Disable the wifi in your integrated router. It should have 4 switchports for wired devices. Use them.

Assuming you are a HDB resident, or have a smaller condo,

Get 2 UniFi AC-LR APs or something similar. Connect them to the integrated router via the DB patch box. Place one in the living room, and place the other in one of the bedrooms such that it can roughly cover the rest of the rooms.

If wall mounting, face the front of the AP towards the other rooms as best you can. Don't mount it such that the back of the AP is facing the other rooms.

Download and run the Unifi Controller software to set up your APs. If you can, you should leave the controller running on a PC or NAS (e.g. Synology) 24x7. It will automatically adjust your AP channels and transmit\receive power based on the wireless environment.

If you find coverage inadequate, try adjusting the AP positions. Failing that, just add a 3rd AP.

The biggest deployment I have set up so far has 8 of the older UniFI LR (2.4Ghz) APs installed.

Why 2.4Ghz?

Because everyone else is now using 5Ghz heheheheh. Remember what I said about there being too many devices talking?

there is no switchports (outlet) to be used with cable. The Router is a wifi mesh that only has 1 ethernet port for the cable from the modem. This is why i am struck now. If i put this wifi mesh in the living room, there is no outlet for me to plug in for my TV box.

 

[coyote]

Get this a lay a ton of them around your house however big it may be.

 

[buyacat]

i am forced to put the wireless router in the cabinet as there is no outlet on it. if i place it in the living room, i cannot use my TV box anymore.

Just go buy a router.

 

[lifeisshort]

Just go buy a router.

can i just buy any brand of the router?

 

[buyacat]

can i just buy any brand of the router?

Any brand is fine. Modem to data point. Data point outlet to modem. Or you could do modem to router then to data points. One of data point outlet put that wifi mesh.

 

[lifeisshort]

Any brand is fine. Modem to data point. Data point outlet to modem. Or you could do modem to router then to data points. One of data point outlet put that wifi mesh.

thanks for the sharing.....dont understand why give a mesh that has no outlet.....sh*t.....feel like forcing me to buy another mesh to extend the network....

 

[Tony.Manero]

Stay 2 room bto. Problem solved

 

[DragonFire]

there is no switchports (outlet) to be used with cable. The Router is a wifi mesh that only has 1 ethernet port for the cable from the modem. This is why i am struck now. If i put this wifi mesh in the living room, there is no outlet for me to plug in for my TV box.

Edit...

https://www.singtel.com/content/dam...roadband-troubleshooting/ONT vs ONR Guide.pdf
Are you using an ONT or ONR (singtel modem)

If you want to connect both TV box and mesh router in your living room over a single port, you're going to need to pick up a bit of networking knowledge.

Personally I think that you have an ONR since you mentioned connecting both TV and mesh AP to the same Singtel box. By right, a switch that leaves alone VLAN tagging will work fine for you. You may need to ask around to find out what switch has been known to work under such circumstances. You will connect this switch at your living room. Uplink to the ONR in the cabinet via DB1. The mesh AP and TV box will connect to it.

 

[lifeisshort]

Edit...

https://www.singtel.com/content/dam...roadband-troubleshooting/ONT vs ONR Guide.pdf
Are you using an ONT or ONR (singtel modem)

If you want to connect both TV box and mesh router in your living room over a single port, you're going to need to pick up a bit of networking knowledge.

Mine is ONR, Nokia brand......

why cant just give me a simple router.......

 

[Pandalogic]

Just get a ubiquiti ap . Solve all Ur problem.
That's always the solution I advise to my clients if they need wireless coverage

 

[DragonFire]

Mine is ONR, Nokia brand......

why cant just give me a simple router.......

See my edited post. I think a basic switch will solve your issue. You will need to ask around what switch model has been known to work. Maybe consult singtel for suggestions?

Nokia - DB1 -> Switch -> Mesh AP + TV

=
You mentioned you have a DB with 5 ports. Where do the other 4 go? you could connect the mesh AP to one of those... then add another mesh AP.

Or just get Ubiquiti

 

[lifeisshort]

See my edited post. I think a basic switch will solve your issue. You will need to ask around what switch model has been known to work. Maybe consult singtel for suggestions?

Nokia - DB1 -> Switch -> Mesh AP + TV

=
You mentioned you have a DB with 5 ports. Where do the other 4 go? you could connect the mesh AP to one of those... then add another mesh AP.

Or just get Ubiquiti

i called up Singtel and they proposed for me to install TP Link Switch. From here, i know that this router will work. Therefore, i will buy and install myself as per the configuration you shown to me.

The other DB are going to the rooms. I checked last night......the rest of the 4 DB are no longer working. No signal when i plug in the cable to the modem. I have never used this 4 DB before since i moved in.
Who can i call to check them?