Wifi

[LeeL82]

the netgear orbi is amazing. i’d agree, and really simple to setup too.

i’m slightly biased though since i was invited to test it before release, so i got mine for free. none the less though it works great, u can even have an additional satellite (wifi repeater) by the window at the back and it hits the man shed at the bottom of the garden

 

[Bogart]

Always nice when the original poster cannot be bothered to acknowledge the replies given!

 

[Abi Cott]

Always nice when the original poster cannot be bothered to acknowledge the replies given!

Oh I'm around and reading them, most of them go straight over my head, so I'm not exactly able to formulate a sensible reply, but I came to the conclusion the gist was "put it where the hell you like, if the signal is crap it's fixable". So the router is in the alcove where in future it can live disguised on a bookcase :*

 

[Me!]

...6 node Linksys Velop WIFI mesh network.

Ditto from me, works well.... the dodgy copper connection to the house is another matter though :roll:

https://www.linksys.com/us/velop/

Sorry to bring this non-period subject back again, but two days on Google has not answered my question so I'm hoping someone here can.
I currently have four WiFi access points around the house which only just manage to give enough coverage, partly because signals really struggle to get through inglenook fireplaces. With my current 4 access points, they have 4 different SSIDs and I am only ever connected to one at a time. With a Mesh WiFi, if i'm at a position that is on a boundary between two access points and doing something like watching a streamed video, will I be receiving packets of data from both nearby mesh transmitters as part of the same video? I'm trying to understand how much better Mesh would be than just having all my current access points running with the same SSID and password.

Any helpful answers, or suggestions where I can find them would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Bogart]

I do not get that problem. Do not have social media because I am old

 

[a twig]

...6 node Linksys Velop WIFI mesh network.

Ditto from me, works well.... the dodgy copper connection to the house is another matter though :roll:

https://www.linksys.com/us/velop/

With a Mesh WiFi, if i'm at a position that is on a boundary between two access points and doing something like watching a streamed video, will I be receiving packets of data from both nearby mesh transmitters as part of the same video? I'm trying to understand how much better Mesh would be than just having all my current access points running with the same SSID and password.

Any helpful answers, or suggestions where I can find them would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

A proper mesh system has "network management" so each node talks to eachother in the most effective way. It will know what devices are currently on each node and route traffic accordingly.

Devices will automatically move to the best node, there is some capacity for reasonably rapid switching as one or tother node drops in or out

Your idea will put the various APs in contention, more collisions, lower performance.

 

[Flyfisher]

I'm using the TP-Link 'Omada' series wifi access points. They are aimed at business applications but the prices are sensible enough to be ok for domestic use (eg single wall plate access point less around £40). https://www.tp-link.com/uk/omada/

They are not 'mesh' units though and need to be connected using network cabling, which is ok for me as I've installed a fair bit of it during the last 10 years of renovations. A big advantage is that they can be powered over the network cables so no need for those ugly 'wall wart' power supplies everywhere and they are pretty much indistinguishable from a standard mains socket or light switch. I think I've posted this photo previously:



They also have ceiling mounted APs and weather-proof outdoor ones, which has been great during the recent spell of warm lock-down weather. They also have a 'Guest Login' facility which only allows internet access and nothing else, which helps to keep your home network secure. The 'home' and 'guest' SSIDs are separate for each AP. I run each AP with the same SSIDs and have had no problems when moving around. There is also optional (free) management software that can control the entire system as if there was just one AP, making it all very easy to set up . . . well, if you're vaguely used to such things. I'm using a mixture of six different units, four around the house, one outside and one in my workshop with no problems.

I appreciate that anything requiring wiring may not always be as convenient as a totally wireless system, especially if the house is already fully decorated, but a wired network has reliability advantages, especially when streaming Netflix and the like. It is also cheap and easy to install during renovation works, it just requires a little forward planning.

 

[Feltwell]

Techno-luddite here....

So, I have the fastest fibre connection that BT will do to me, which is fibre to the street cabinet then copper to the house. BT blurb says I've got a download speed range of 41-67 Mb, which means nowt to me! I have a BT Smart Hub as the main router, and an older BT hub set up on the other side of the house as a range extender, mimicking the main hub - I hardwired them together. Wifi coverage is generally OK, couple of dead spots.

In the house I have 4 children most of the time, all as addicted to devices as kids are - one gamer who likes to play Fortnite and other online stuff, another one who likes to watch streamed films & TV. An internet radio is usually playing in the kitchen.

Now - my daughter complains like fury of my son nicking all the bandwidth with his online gaming, so she can't get a decent connection to stream films to her phone. As far as I can tell, that's a problem to do with the incoming connection speed and one of those mesh system jobbies would make no difference to this? Or am I wrong? I just don't quite get why a mesh system would be better than what I've already got if the wifi signal is OK?

It's all very confusing.

I have just treated myself to something that's much more my kind of "period" gadget, a Lotus 7 copy, but a big one - partly to squeeze the less-than-diminutive me inside it, and partly to squeeze a nice big Rover V8 under the bonnet, with proper carbs and all, nice old-school technology Front axle, big engine, gearbox and a rear axle, all hung off a space frame, a car doesn't need much else......

 

[Flyfisher]

I do not get that problem. Do not have social media because I am old

That's no excuse. My parents are in their mid-80s and have been 'online' for well over ten years. As for social media, I don't have a Facebook account (I leave that to Mrs FF) nor do I Twitter or Instagram. PPUK and a few other forums are enough for me - I guess I'm not that sociable

 

[malcolm]

Techno-luddite here....

So, I have the fastest fibre connection that BT will do to me, which is fibre to the street cabinet then copper to the house. BT blurb says I've got a download speed range of 41-67 Mb, which means nowt to me! I have a BT Smart Hub as the main router, and an older BT hub set up on the other side of the house as a range extender, mimicking the main hub - I hardwired them together. Wifi coverage is generally OK, couple of dead spots.

In the house I have 4 children most of the time, all as addicted to devices as kids are - one gamer who likes to play Fortnite and other online stuff, another one who likes to watch streamed films & TV. An internet radio is usually playing in the kitchen.

Now - my daughter complains like fury of my son nicking all the bandwidth with his online gaming, so she can't get a decent connection to stream films to her phone. As far as I can tell, that's a problem to do with the incoming connection speed and one of those mesh system jobbies would make no difference to this? Or am I wrong? I just don't quite get why a mesh system would be better than what I've already got if the wifi signal is OK?

It's all very confusing.

What you do with the wifi inside the house won't affect the connection speed or make your daughter any happier. My connection speed ought to be pretty good but it seems to have slowed now that everyone is at home watching Netflix. Problem is not enough capacity on the reasonably cheap provider's end. Expensive providers might do better but they cost more.

Locost looks good. With a big risk of going off topic is it a finished one or a project?

 

[Feltwell]

It's as finished as a kit car ever is! It's a Luego Viento, quite a rare beast. Needs a few fixes and modifications but it has very clearly been built with great care by someone who knows what they are doing.

 

[Flyfisher]

Techno-luddite here....

So, I have the fastest fibre connection that BT will do to me, which is fibre to the street cabinet then copper to the house. BT blurb says I've got a download speed range of 41-67 Mb, which means nowt to me! I have a BT Smart Hub as the main router, and an older BT hub set up on the other side of the house as a range extender, mimicking the main hub - I hardwired them together. Wifi coverage is generally OK, couple of dead spots.

It can be confusing. For a start the speed reported by the router will be the line sync speed and doesn't mean you'll always get data at that speed because that can depend on local bandwidth demands from nearby users. Running an online speedchecker will give you a better idea of the 'real' data throughput you're getting, and it can vary. Wifi is also subject to various forms of interference, plus a weak signal will run slower because there will be more errors over a weaker link. The errors don't get through the system (which is why your emails are never grabled) but it takes time to correct them and resend data, hence the slower throughput. Wired connections are immune to interference and weak signals so it's generally better to use a wired connection where possible, eg to a smart tv, than a wifi connection.

Lovely car though! A friend built and raced a Caterham 7, also based on the Lotus 7, hill climbs mainly. I'm pretty sure it only had a 1600-ish cc engine in it but it was still a handful because of being so light. Goodness know what yours is like with a V8 inside :shock:

 

[Feltwell]

Goodness know what yours is like with a V8 inside :shock:

Noisy! :lol:

It's an old-tech V8, design dates back to the '60's, it's been tuned but mildly so for road use, I'd guess it's putting out 200-220 bhp or thereabouts. A Caterham 7 or similar with a 4 cylinder modern engine like a Ford Zetec or Duratec can quite easily put out a similar figure, maybe not so much torque though. It's a bit of a brute to drive but very enjoyable, even though it's only done essential trips to the supermarket so far..... :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

If I recall correctly, that Rover V8 was used in loads of cars, including the early Range Rovers I think?
Is there any space in it for food shopping though? :lol:

 

[Feltwell]

Wired connections are immune to interference and weak signals so it's generally better to use a wired connection where possible, eg to a smart tv, than a wifi connection.

Sounds like from what you & Malcolm have said a mesh system would give me no great advantage.

I've got wired connections across most of the house, ironically the 2 places I haven't got them are for the TV (smart TV's weren't a thing when I put the cables in) and in my study. I may well sort that at some point, mind you all 4 sockets on the back of the router are used. I have got spares on the "slave" router though, so there's still an option.

 

[Feltwell]

If I recall correctly, that Rover V8 was used in loads of cars, including the early Range Rovers I think?
Is there any space in it for food shopping though? :lol:

Used in loads of cars across a total of 38 years - Range Rovers, Series Land Rovers, Land Rover Defender, Discovery's, Rover P5B, Rover P6, Rover SD1, Triumph TR8, MGB GT, various Morgans and TVR's, lots and lots of specials and kit cars.

Lots of space for food shopping, so long as you don't also want a passenger, good design for these socially-isolated times :wink: . Also handy for fetching long bits of wood, stretching back from the passenger footwell & strapped to the rollbar. Got a few looks driving hime :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

Wired connections are immune to interference and weak signals so it's generally better to use a wired connection where possible, eg to a smart tv, than a wifi connection.

Sounds like from what you & Malcolm have said a mesh system would give me no great advantage.

I've got wired connections across most of the house, ironically the 2 places I haven't got them are for the TV (smart TV's weren't a thing when I put the cables in) and in my study. I may well sort that at some point, mind you all 4 sockets on the back of the router are used. I have got spares on the "slave" router though, so there's still an option.

Don't worry about running out of ethernet sockets on your router. You can buy a 'Network Switch' for around £20 that will give you an additional 8 sockets (can also get 5 port versions, 12-port, 16-port and more). Just plug one of them into your router and away you go. If you run out again, just get another one and plug it in. All the networking complexity is handled by the firmware but it's all invisible to the user, making it genuinely 'plug-and-play' and needing no configuration at all. Even simpler than setting up a router. For a little extra cost you can buy versions that support PoE (power over ethernet). This is very worthwhile if you later want to add 'IP cameras' to your network (or PoE wifi access points like I previously described) and means there is no need to use a separate mains power supply for them, making installation very simple indeed.

 

[malcolm]

Sounds like from what you & Malcolm have said a mesh system would give me no great advantage.

I've got wired connections across most of the house, ironically the 2 places I haven't got them are for the TV (smart TV's weren't a thing when I put the cables in) and in my study. I may well sort that at some point, mind you all 4 sockets on the back of the router are used. I have got spares on the "slave" router though, so there's still an option.

Really good plan to have wired connections. Wifi will surely be the future but I'm putting wires in too while electricians are doing their thing. Doesn't hurt.

I had an MGB V8 once. Loved the engine and got it above 200hp with 4L, fancy cams and a Holly . Had to redesign the rear suspension to make that work in a straight line. The accelerator pedal was a distance control rather than the usual controm for adjusting speed.

 

[Feltwell]

All the networking complexity is handled by the firmware but it's all invisible to the user, making it genuinely 'plug-and-play' and needing no configuration at all. Even simpler than setting up a router.

Now that's *my* sort of tech! :lol:

I've always thought the one feature that is missing from all smartphones, tablets, printers, laptops, PC's and other "connected" devices is a "Just bloody work" button. The design is simple:-

• Device doesn't work. User has no interest in technicality of why it doesn't work.

• User presses "Just bloody work" button.

• Device works.

There really is no start to my talents. :wink:

So then FF - I have a router set up next to the incoming BT line in a bedroom, and I then have a hardwired 4 socket RJ11 data socket that runs Cat5e cable to other sockets round the house. I presume then that I could put your switch on the end of one of those other sockets, to connect multiple devices or to give the ability to run further extensions elsewhere in the house?

 

[Flyfisher]

Network switches really do ‘just bloody work’ - they don’t even need a button for it

When I was working in what is now called IT back in the 80s, connecting two different computers or a different make of printer was a pretty serious undertaking, requiring bespoke cables, interface converters and custom software. No such thing as PC World back then :lol: (no such thing as a PC until 1983!).