My House Networking Project

Discussion in 'Adrian Wong' started by Adrian Wong, Oct 13, 2012.

  1. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    The thing is in my current condo, the WiFi router is located within the TV console... and the furthest room from it, which is about 10 meters (30 feet) away as the crow flies, has very poor reception - maybe 1-2 bars?

    I suppose that's because of the steel bars in the columns of the intervening walls. So I'm not sure if this will be a problem in the new house.

    That said, the more central location of the WiFi router in the new house will mean the furthest location from the WiFi router in first floor would be 27 feet or about 9 meters - slightly less than in my condo.
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2013
  2. goldfries

    goldfries www.goldfries.com

    Haven't been following the discussion but have you considered using Home Plug? Like those from D-link / Belkin.
     
  3. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    I thought of it, but it would waste a plug point (which itself costs money to run). Of course, the advantage is I won't have to use it until I really need to! :D

    Ultimately, I realized that I would need to run LAN cables to connect the various media players with a NAS and the routers, so might as well just wire up the rooms as well.
     
  4. Chai

    Chai Administrator Staff Member

    I think it is pretty simple. Either use a wireless extender, or buy a good wireless router. My current Asus RT-N66U is giving better signal compared to my old Linksys E3000.

    My old router is not able to cover every single corner of my house very well. I used to get frequent disconnection.
     
  5. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    I will definitely have two WiFi routers running - one upstairs, and another one downstairs.

    Since I want to use the VoIP phone, I will have to keep using the Technicolor TG784n v3 router upstairs, and it will be in the cabinet. Its signal strength is actually better than my Linksys WRT320N, which I will place downstairs in the TV console.

    The WRT320N should have no problem covering downstairs because there aren't many rooms, and it's pretty much open space right up to the wet kitchen.

    The problem is upstairs where there are four rooms with quite a number of columns and beams. Not sure if the TG784n will be powerful enough to provide a reasonable signal strength in the furthest room at the end because the signal will have to go through at least 2 reinforced concrete columns, and 2 walls.

    I don't want to add too many devices, so I guess I can take a chance and just try the router inside the cabinet (yellow) or I can opt to install it in the small landing area outside the office.
     
  6. karhoe

    karhoe Newbie

    Honestly, TG784N is giving me good signal. My router is at the downstairs on one corner while my room is upstairs at the other corner. Still getting good signal.

    I would say, just go ahead with your wiring first as per the plan. If the WiFi proof to be crap, you can fix a wifi router at any of the LAN points that you have scattered all over your house.
     
  7. Chai

    Chai Administrator Staff Member

    Yea, personally, I would avoid too many Wifi AP unless it is completely necessary. Having too many conflicting channels on 2.4GHz especially with the neighbours will impact your wireless performance, which is why it is a good idea to have dual radio routers and migrate to 5GHz if possible. But that doesn't rule out the possibility of your neighbours upgrading to 5GHz, so use LAN! Cheaper and much faster.
     
  8. goldfries

    goldfries www.goldfries.com

    why would it waste a plug point?

    Those home-plugs do adapt as a 3-pin plug-point itself.

    For example this one Aztech Malaysia it has pass-through for electricity.
     
  9. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    Oh, it's definitely giving a good signal. As I pointed out, it's actually more powerful than my Linksys WRT320N. I'm just surprised that even so, the furthest room in my condo receives only 2-3 bars in signal strength. With the Linksys, it's just 1-2 bars.

    Since the new house will have even more reinforced concrete columns, I fear the reception may be even worse, since the ground floor WiFi router cannot act as a backup since it's even further away - about 50-60 feet (15-20 m).
     
  10. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    I'm hoping to migrate off 2.4 GHz since I'll be using DECT phones and there will also be a microwave machine, and my neighbours are all "WiFied". Unfortunately, the TG784n v3 only supports 2.4 GHz.

    Anyway, I just remembered why it makes more sense to stick with the router in the cabinet - when it dies, it's easier to power-cycle it if it's in the cabinet than hanging outside the office! :haha:
     
  11. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    Hmm.. Good point! :thumb:
     
  12. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    Hmm.. Latest update - my electrician calculated that I will need 250 m of cables!

    Looks like I will need to buy an entire reel - all 305 meters.
     
  13. zy

    zy zynine.com Staff Member

    Aztech... I ran through 3 DSL modems with them :lol:

    But this homeplugs doesn't have stable speed from what I heard.
     
  14. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    I don't think I will rely on Aztech or DLink. I bought a DLink once, when I was in Penang and well, you know how limited the choices are over there, and while it was okay for basic surfing, even torrenting just 6-8 files would kill it. :wall:

    Anyway, I just bought an entire reel of Cat 6 AMP cables, plus AMP wall plates and sockets. Hopefully, this networking project does not cost me more than RM 800-900 (US$ 266-300). :D
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2013
  15. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    My Home Networking Project Part 3

    After discussing with a network engineer (karhoe's uncle), I modified my previous networking layout to a star topography.

    1. Upstairs, the fibre-optic cable (blue) will still run to my office and terminate there.

    2. I will add a single 12-port switch for :

    a) 4 LAN cables running to the table in the office
    b) 2 LAN cables to each of the 3 rooms upstairs
    c) 3 LAN cables to the TV cabinet downstairs
    d) 2 LAN cables to the breakfast table in the dry kitchen downstairs
    e) 2 LAN cables to the kids' room downstairs

    3. I will still have a second WiFi router serving as a secondary WiFi access point in the TV cabinet, but it will no longer serve as a secondary switch.

    Basically, the change is that all cables will now originate in my office. This will allow for easier troubleshooting if anything goes wrong.

    I have also cut short the distance for the LAN cables to go downstairs by routing it through a hole in the floor, rather all the way via the staircase.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. karhoe

    karhoe Newbie

    Piece of advice, any switch more than 8 ports are catered for 'enterprise' users and cost a bomb. Getting 2 gigabit LAN switch is way cheaper than 1 16 port gigabit switch. But on a separate matter, I guess you will need more length of cable now since all the LAN cable goes back to your room, they all travel a longer distance ain't it.
     
  17. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    Ahhh... Whatever's cheaper then! :D

    Actually, no. That's the surprising thing. They cut and laid the cables this afternoon. Looks like they used less than half of the reel after all. :wall: :wall:
     
  18. karhoe

    karhoe Newbie

    Well you see and think that you have half left but actually it's probably a third left. Cause the radius is bigger at the outside of the reel compared to the inside of the reel. Learned the mistake when I thought I had enough and ended up getting contractor to pull wire. Halfway through I ran out of wires! Had to get emergency supply from my uncle. Also the extra length will come in handy to do your patch cords
     
  19. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    You are right. I will need some lengths for the patch cords anyway. I just hope that they ran enough length for the cables in the wall! :D
     

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