Replacing main vodafone router and Setting up a second router as an access point

[richard_moore]

Hello guys

I had enough issues with Vodafon's router, which is not providing me wifi signal upstairs and outside of my house.

So i decided to get new routers, meaning i would like to replace the main one, and also to add a second one (why not a third one) to get better wifi signal all over the house.

I need help regarding this, as i don't know what routers are better, as i am using 2.4ghz also 5ghz for my wifi outdoor cameras, i don't want to spend a lot, so if cheaper ones available, i will be interested.

Also i will need to know the correct settings and the correct way to do them, one time for easy setup.

I've seen a lot of routers online with good specs that comes with 8pin ports all over. So the one that i need as the (main router) needs to have 4pin port and lets say 2-4 lan ports (8 pin ports), as what i understood the 4pin ports are ADSL, DSL or ADSL2 port. Can anyone clarify this?

Meaning i will get one of this routers with 4pin port as main, can i get the second router, the one with 8 pin port?

I don't know why, but the routers with 8pin ports are cheaper then the other ones.

Please let me know what's the suggestions and recommendations.

Curently i am with Vodafone on SuperFiber 2 and i have the following routers available:

Vodafone Smart Hub THG3000

Vodafone HHG2500

BT Smart Hub 6 - Type A

What routers i found:

1. TP-Link AC1200 (4 pin port for internet as main router)  £60

2. TP-Link AC1750 (8 pin port mainly used as access point)  £56

3. TP-Link AC2100 (4 pin port for internet as main router)  £85

Any better then this one for same price or less? And which combination to choose:

Nr 1 as main + BT or Vodafone as access point

Nr 2 as main + Nr 1 or BT or Vodafone as access point

Nr 3 as main + Nr 2 or  Nr 1 or BT or Vodafone as access point

Nr 2 as main + BT or Vodafone as access point

BT or Vodafone as main + any of them 1, 2 or 3 as access point?

What's the best combination?

Best Regards

[richard_moore]

Got arround 5 of them extenders, the socket ones, also the wifi extenders, and i can say that none of them was able to provide better wifi.  Well signal was better but was getting slow response from loading the pages, loading netflix on the upstairs TV etc. That's why i decided to try additional router as an access point hooked directlky via LAN cable.

[Cynric]

You could also consider Powerline rather than dragging cable around (my house walls absorb Wi-Fi like you wouldn't believe).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power-line_communication

I have had a good experience with Netgear Powerline devices, however other people have had problems and not been as fortunate as me. Note the following:

- The network will transmit over your domestic electricity circuit

- Pass through devices are available so you do not sacrifice a socket

- You can get devices that also extend Wi-Fi

- The signal cannot pass the electricity metre (i.e. the signal does not leak down the street)

- If your electricity cables are very old you may have problems

[richard_moore]

I have power lines from previous BT, 2 white ones, 2 black ones (newer versions), also one wifi extender.

I can 100% tell you none of them provided a better experience.

I had powerlines connected, so i can provide a better signal and constant signal for my outdoor IP Poe camera, and it come up that using the powerline was making things worst then heaving the camera connected firectly via a 20m LAN cable.

[Cynric]

Oh well, I did say "however other people have had problems". I am sorry it didn't work in your situation because they have been a very useful alternative for me rather than trying to hide great lengths of Cat5e trailing from room to room.

[richard_moore]

Thank you for the tip.

I have tried the powerlines in different situations like connecting an IP camera.

Wifi extenders worked worst for me, as basically i had no wifi in that location, so the Wifi extender was not getting good signal aswell from router in order to provide it further to me.

I haven't tried the powerlines with an acutal 2 router setup. As this will be the case here,

You think will work as good as a LAN connection between the routers?

Should be easier then running 20-30m LAN cables through the house/rooms etc.

I have this ones available:

BT Powerline Flex 500 Kit 

BT Mini Connector Kit - Twin Powerline 

Any of them good?

[Cynric]

I only know about the Netgear ones, I have four of the same model and that model is not current any more.

My hardware works like this (excuse the poor artwork).

External ISP -> THG3000 -> 2nd Router -> LAN (Wi-Fi, direct wired things, powerline)

[richard_moore]

So you want to say that:

IPS Supply > THG3000 > 2nd Router > 1st Powerline > 2nd Powerline > Whatever device you wanna use wired or wifi?    From router to router you've used powerline or Lan/wired?

The thing is that i would also want to try the devices i already have, so if all will work ok there will be no more extra items to be purchased, so costs almost to 0, as basically the powerlines was provided by the ISP supppliers for free, modem-routers aswell.

BT Home Hub6 is a good router to be used as the access point?

Thinking that AC1750 is £50 and AC2100 is £80, and BT is £0.

[Cynric]

THG3000 to 2nd Router is wired, they are just a matter of inches apart.

From 2nd Router to this PC where I am typing is;

2nd Router -> PL1 -> PL2 -> unmanaged switch -> this PC, another PC, Raspberry-Pi (all 3 wired to the switch).

If I wanted I have another router which could replace the switch, but it's an older one and only has 2.5GHz Wi-Fi so I am not using it. If powerlines are from different makes, then they might not work together although there is a HomePlug Alliance to harmonise the protocols. 

[richard_moore]

Let me start to tell you what are my devices in the house:

Downstairs:

Smart TV (wired and wifi)

Alexa (Wifi)

2nd TV (Non Smart but with Amazon fire Stick (Wifi)

2 Ip Wifi Cameras

Upstairs:

Smart TV (Wired and Wifi)

2nd TV non smart but with Amazon fire Stick (wifi)

2 Ip Wifi Cameras

PC (wired and wifi)

+ upstairs or downstairs devices:

2 smartphones

1 tablet

1 laptop

1 Audio system (Internet Radio Streaming) - wired

From all of this devices, only smartphones, laptop or tablet gives the best results on wifi and also while close to the router downstairs.

Fire stick on 2,4 or 5 ghz, lags a lot and poor wifi coverage, TV's aswell. Cameras working like 70% or their as not enough wifi signal.

That's why i need Main router downstairs probably moved in center of the house, then wired to 2nd router upstairs, and wired to probably 3rd router at the end of the house to provide wifi until end of my garage, and also for outdoor camera which is 2.4 and 5 ghz compatible.

All of this, are not working permanent, so from time to time and not all togethere.

The only ones connected to Wifi permanent but not streaming permanent are the IP Wifi cameras.

[Jayach]

Reading through the comments, and ignoring the ones about extenders, there will only be one cable between the two router. It will be an RJ45. not RJ11, and a cat 5e is fine as long as it is less than 50 meters. Use cat6 if longer to keep it Gigabit capable.

No changes will need to be made to the main router (Vodafone). It is only the BT that will need to have DHCP turned off and maybe it's base address changed.

I don't know the BT router so you will need to google how to make the changes.

If you get it working and it doesn't give enough reach you could then try an extender to just get that extra bit.

Good Luck

Edit: I think eventually you (and just about everybody else) are going to realise the only way to get good WiFi all around the premises it to invest in a decent mesh system. Google it if you don't know what they are.