Extending Internet for Granny Flat

WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 14:33
Last edited 19/09/2020 - 14:33

Hey Team

Here is a scenario.
I have an NBN connection from TPG .with
Default Router from TPG - AC1200 in the main house. The speed is at 11mbps and we pay $60 a month.
The router is located in the top end corner of the last room of the house.
The internet in the main house has absolutely no issues absolutely at any place of the house.I can play video files on multiple devices.

Now I have a Granny flat aswell which is seperated from the main house. The distance between the main house and granny flat is 10 mtrs.

I have a wifi extender *D-LINK - AC1200 WIFI RANGE EXT placed in the granny house . The internet works but it is extremely slow, about 2mbps

What do I do to ensure granny gets atleast 5mbps at the minimum ?

Thanks for the read.

MP

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 14:50
      +3

      It will only make internet faster for the main house. The granny will still suffer .

        • SuttoL on 19/09/2020 - 15:49
          +8

          that's now how this works - the wifi is the limit, it caps. So if no one was using main house internet, but you're only getting 2mbps in the granny flat - magically bumping the house internet won't increase that limit. Versus bumping wifi connectivity / strength between the two, you'd 11mbps - or whatever it is higher. Think of the wifi signal to the granny flat a ceiling.

          • dasher86 on 23/09/2020 - 09:19

            @SuttoL: increasing the wifi will increase reduce the gap between 2 mpbs and 11 mpbs.
            at these speeds if you increase the 11 mpbs to something higher both speeds will increase.
            there is a 'bottle neck' but no to the extent people are making out to be.

            I solved something like this at a friends house.
            first step is to look at the placement of the hardware.
            next step after that internet is to increase internet speed if possible.
            After that look into better hardware.

        • whooah1979 on 19/09/2020 - 16:44
          +4

          The mW doesn’t change just because WAN speed changes.

        • SBOB on 19/09/2020 - 17:11
          +8

          It will make the internet connection faster in both, because you're transmitting a stronger signal to begin with.

          thats not how it works…. thats not how any of this works…

        • Tuukmaak on 21/09/2020 - 00:29
          +3

          Dude's trolling

    • Snoozer on 20/09/2020 - 13:19
      +4

      Do you understand the concept of bottleneck?

      • S2 on 22/09/2020 - 20:28

        OP has confirmed that dasher86 was right all along. I think those that down voted or gave dirty remarks owes dasher86 an apology.

    • Altitud on 20/09/2020 - 23:36
      +8

      Nah - just get Ubiquiti PowerBeam or NanoBeam products. They're cheap - in the hundreds, some even less than $200 per unit. Face them at each other and you're done.

      The NanoBeam stuff goes 10km, the PowerBeam goes 20+ km.

      https://www.mwave.com.au/product/ubiquiti-networks-pbe5acgen…

      https://www.mwave.com.au/product/ubiquiti-networks-powerbeam…

      Cheap and easy according to reviews.

      • Altitud on 21/09/2020 - 01:53
        +1

        Here's a youtube video of Linus Tech Tips testing it out using a portable battery pack accross a car park some distance away https://youtu.be/LG-AZz_nm5E

      • Sammyboy on 21/09/2020 - 08:40

        Yeah, my friend does that. Beams it across quite a large court yard (maybe 50m) to another section of apartments where his relos live.

      • BanannaMan on 21/09/2020 - 11:32

        Awesome thanks for this - didnt even know this existed

      • Switchblade88 on 21/09/2020 - 14:41

        Good thing is you don't even need a pair!

        I've got them setup in two separate locations - one as the transmitter feeding several devices over 40m away through several brick walls. The other as the receiver for a granny flat feeding a dumb switch.

        $90 delivered on eBay without any looking around for a Loco M2

  • jimbobaus on 19/09/2020 - 14:36
    +14

    Look into Mesh
    Extenders by their design halve the speed as they extend/repeat

    Google wifi is a popular one, but there are plenty of options.
    I am sure comments below mine will suggest some affordable options.

    But yes.. 11mbs is slow.. might want to bump up to a 25mbs plan

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 14:52

      Let me check with TPG to increase the speed. I believe the increased speed will not help the granny. Wondering if it has to with the router?

      • Techie4066 on 20/09/2020 - 19:58
        +8

        Purchase two of the cheapest Asus routers compatible with Asus AI mesh. They use a dedicated wireless backhaul which communicates between the routers. You'll have almost the full 25mbps speed from the granny flat. Your cheap D-Link range extender piggybacks off your existing WiFi network and is slow because it acts as a client, just like any other phone or TV connecting to your TPG router. I've had my own nightmares using a TP Link extender.

    • Bunsen on 19/09/2020 - 23:22
      +7

      11mbps is/was the cheapest TPG NBN plan, i was on it myself until there was a post here a few mths ago re TPG doing a free speed upgrade from 11mbps to 25mbps, just had to call & request…

  • AustriaBargain on 19/09/2020 - 14:39
    -7

    Can you get gigabit? It seems like a big expense but once you tried it you can't go back.

  • pinchies on 19/09/2020 - 14:45
    +29

    My understanding is that if you ask TPG nicely they will upgrade you to 25mbps for free.
    I would just run a long ethernet cable. Any way you slice it, all the other options involve compromises. Do it once, do it right, and save your headaches.

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 14:54

      There is a thick concrete road between the main house and granny flat. So can't cut the road .
      Will a 5G WiFi router work ?

      • pinchies on 19/09/2020 - 15:05
        +11

        String a cable from roof to roof?

      • elgrande on 19/09/2020 - 16:40
        +22

        Must suck having a thick concrete road in your backyard.. do you live under a highway…?

        • buckster on 19/09/2020 - 16:49
          +6

          Maybe it's a European backyard

      • smashman42 on 19/09/2020 - 17:18

        You can run the cable over the concrete and have a little plastic conduit ramp thingy for it to live in that you can drive over. Run the ethernet cable from the main router to the granny flat and cover it with the cable ramp thingy and you're laughing.

        https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=drive+ove…

        Failing that the proper way is two APs set in bridge mode with directional antennae pointing at each other, would cost dramatically more than the cable but less worry about hiding wires. It is the real way of doing what your shitty repeater is doing in a half arsed fashion, but it costs more cause of the old fast/cheap/good pick two thing

        • truetypezk on 21/09/2020 - 17:54

          It is just 10m you dont need directional antennas, in fact you dont even need external antennas. Buying 2 decommissioned entreprise class 802.11n APs (e.g. Cisco 1140) cost next to nothing these days and you have a rock solid wireless link. Probably cheaper than laying 15-20m of good quality cables. Just a bit of learning curve for those not in the IT industry.

      • Indomietable on 19/09/2020 - 21:01
        +2

        Will a 5G WiFi router work ?

        Higher frequency ie 5G WiFi signal is weaker than lower frequency ie 2.4.

        As suggested below, your best option is to go with powerline network if the granny flat is on the same circuit

      • [Deactivated] on 21/09/2020 - 12:35
        +3

        Are the 2 buildings on the same power thingo ( the box that manages power to a house, that connects the wiring / plugs etc not an electrician) If so you could just use a https://www.tp-link.com/au/home-networking/powerline/tl-pa40… which allows you to connect Ethernet devices over your existing electrical wiring.

        I use it to bridge my network in my home so that all my office devices have an ethernet connection.

        • kranix on 24/09/2020 - 08:28

          This. I have a large shed out the back of my house. One day I may convert it to a granny flat. I've got powerline Ethernet going between it and the house, and a Wi-Fi access point plugged into that. The shed is on a different circuit from the house, running off a sub-board. Still works very reliably.

          So now I have nearly 500Mbps in the shed: much faster than my Internet speed. And the new access point gives me much better coverage in the backyard.

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 15:06
      +39

      I spoke to TPG nicely and they have bumped up my speed to 25MBPS at no extra cost. The tech consultant said it will take effect in 3/4 hrs. Hopefully this works. Thanks for the advice.

      • dasher86 on 19/09/2020 - 15:26
        +24

        Wait I thought getting a faster connection in the main house wouldn't work…

        • bigbadboogieman on 20/09/2020 - 23:37
          +9

          Doesn't hurt to get more speed in the main house for free.

        • SeVeN11 on 21/09/2020 - 20:00
          +2

          I had to go back to 'un-neg' the first dude!

  • pjetson on 19/09/2020 - 14:46
    +3

    Move the wifi range extender to the closest room of your house to the granny flat?

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 14:55

      It is in the closest position.

      • foxmulder on 19/09/2020 - 15:36
        +5

        Rather than putting the extender in granny house, you put the extender in the main house in the closest part of the main room to the granny house.

      • pjetson on 19/09/2020 - 17:22
        +1

        It is in the closest position

        Your original post said that the WiFi extender is in the granny flat. Now you're saying it's in the main house?

        You need to get a stronger/better WiFi signal into the extender, so that it has a good signal to extend.

          • pjetson on 19/09/2020 - 23:08
            +25

            @WPExpress: Mate, that's exactly what I (and others have) been saying - the extender needs to be in the house so that it gets a better signal. Hopefully, it will transmit enough "new signal" to get into the granny flat.

            The trouble is that the extender, where it is now, isn't getting enough signal from the house, so you get slow internet in the granny flat.

          • Bunsen on 19/09/2020 - 23:11

            @WPExpress: Wot the above guys said is exactly correct. Take it or leave it!

            I came here to say the exact same thing, move the extender into the main house, so it's nearest the Granny flat & gets a decent signal from the TPG Modem. Alternately, spend hundreds $$'s more on newer/better equipment or run a CAT6 cable direct to Granny..

            U need to get a better signal to the extender if u want more speed..

            TL:DR - Signal=Speed…

            • bremo on 20/09/2020 - 07:42
              +1

              @Bunsen: Also came here to say this, the wifi extender needs to be at a halfway point between your base wifi unit and the area you want to extend to.

  • AustriaBargain on 19/09/2020 - 15:04
    +3

    You could extend a long weatherproof wifi cable between the house and grannyflat, wrapped around a wire stretched between hooks at gutter height. And then hang some lights off the wire or wrap an LED strip around it and you'll look like cool student accommodation.

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 15:10

      There is a road/driveway in between the main house and granny. People who live down the road use the driveway . :)

      • smashman42 on 19/09/2020 - 17:19
        +2

        Do they have a yacht with the mast up or a semi or something?

        We're talking roof height like 3-4m up in the air

        • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 22:03

          No yatch. Jus cars

    • mattyman on 20/09/2020 - 16:37
      +38

      "WiFi cable …"
      Hmmm.

      • AwesomeAndrew on 22/09/2020 - 16:33

        Do you mean Ethernet cable?

  • CC123 on 19/09/2020 - 15:21
    +17

    Do you know if the granny flat is on the same electrical circuit as the house? If it is, you could consider using ethernet over power or get one of those wireless ethernet over power devices

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 21:41

      Yes same power line. Ethernet over power how will it work in this case?

      • CC123 on 19/09/2020 - 21:56
        +6

        Router/Modem -> EOP (ethernet over power) device (they are connected using an ethernet cable) -> !! magic through the wiring !! -> 2nd EOP device - this one has the access point/will broadcast the network in the granny flat -> Wireless devices in the granny flat

        Something like this would work - there are many alternatives to that specific model and brand.

        The video below on that mwave page might explain it better than me.

        Whirlpool has a thread with some recommendations - Recommendation for EoP with Wifi

      • BartholemewH on 20/09/2020 - 22:47

        Same powerline or same circuit? I.e. are both dwellings controlled by the same meter/circuit box?

        • Yawhae on 20/09/2020 - 23:27
          +1

          No it's most important that they are connected to the same phase. Individual circuits don't matter. If OP doesn't have 3 phase he has no issues to worry about.

          • philmccracken on 21/09/2020 - 07:15

            @Yawhae: Yeah needs to be the same phase then you are sweet.

            I set up EoP at my parents place a few years ago between the house and a shed. EoP end points are on different 10A power circuits but same phase and I'd guess there's a good 50m cable length between.

            I set up a 2nd Wi-Fi AP in the shed with both APs using the same SSID and passphrase but on different channels, and mobile devices roam happily as you move from one building to the next.

            • macrocephalic on 21/09/2020 - 14:56

              @philmccracken: FWIW, you don't even need to use different channels, just give them all the same info and the device will decide which one to use happily.

          • macrocephalic on 21/09/2020 - 14:55

            @Yawhae: It certainly works better if they're on the same circuit because the signals will be somewhat direct, but the same phase also works - it just means that the signals have to go via the meter box.

    • heysoph9 on 21/09/2020 - 08:50

      Yep this is what we did for our granny flat. Quite cheap and foolproof to have the two Ethernet connections plugged into power at each end.
      You could maybe plug a router into the granny flat end? But I dunno if that works

  • thatonethere on 19/09/2020 - 15:35
    +3

    Could try an outdoor wifi bridge and then have another ap inside the granny flat.

    Eg https://www.signalbooster.com/blogs/news/diy-outdoor-long-ra…

    Starting to get expensive to the point easier to put a proper cable in.

    A ghetto method would be to see if there is an extension joint in the concrete driveway with the black tar stuff. Pull it out and pop the cable into the groove to get to the other side of the driveway and cut the black stuff to fit.

  • aerom on 19/09/2020 - 15:41
    +3

    How about ethernet over powerline? can have wifi over them too
    https://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/powerline/

    • pjetson on 19/09/2020 - 17:23
      +3

      I think a granny flat is unlikely to be on the same mains phase as the main house, in which case that won't work.

    • SnakeCasablanca on 21/09/2020 - 09:31

      I am surprised at how few people know about this option.

      I have a Granny Flat. This works absolutely perfectly. Same speed in the house as the granny flat.

      Also did this with my mothers house because it is huge and cement and the internet doesnt get all the way through the house.

      This is the solution. Close thread :)

  • SuttoL on 19/09/2020 - 15:51

    Given it's limiting the sweet at a distance, assume you've got a week signal between the two. Are both house and granny flat brick walls? They're not going to help signal.

    Best bet is mesh / having the wifi device on both sides be closer - or using something directional to send the signal to the device in the granny flat.

    • WPExpress on 19/09/2020 - 22:01

      Hebel panel are used for the walls. They are not brick walls.

  • whooah1979 on 19/09/2020 - 16:55

    You could try and get a better signal by locating the router used for the GF on the outside of the house. The bridge between the routers would be stronger without having a big effect on the performance on the end nodes.

  • netjock on 19/09/2020 - 17:12

    You need an outdoor antenna. TP LINK CPE510 is kind of stuff you are looking for.

  • SnoozeAndLose on 19/09/2020 - 17:21

    Get Tenda MW3 mesh, it should extend if it is just 10 meters away

    • dust on 19/09/2020 - 18:26

      Tenda is a good, cheap Mesh option. There have been a few deals on them in the last few months!

      • SnoozeAndLose on 19/09/2020 - 19:19

        Just had a deal for 3 X MW3 for $99.9 + shipping at shopping square

    • Zondor on 21/09/2020 - 11:41

      Mesh still isn't going to cut the mustard. He needs a site to site extender like a Ubiquiti Networks locoM2 and then run it to an internal AP.

      Either that, or just trench ethernet over there.

  • chuneeperformance on 19/09/2020 - 17:39

    Go cheap and bridge if required… Just need a high gain antennae if possible

  • 2pro4sho on 19/09/2020 - 18:24

    Unifi Nanobeam. Here is an example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n09WJSx4lmQ

    • SBOB on 19/09/2020 - 19:24
      +1

      This is how to do it right, but probably overkill for 10m :)

  • knightslay2 on 19/09/2020 - 18:32
    +2

    Just get an ACMA authorised cabler to connect an ethernet cable from your main house to the granny flat.

    • whooah1979 on 19/09/2020 - 19:23
      +2

      That is about $50/m.

  • This Guy on 19/09/2020 - 20:07

    Install two 25 metre poles on each side of this road. String a cat cable between them. Plug a wifi bridge on the house side and a wifi router on the granny flat side. Run power up the poles to feed both. Play with positioning until you get an improved signal!!!

    • SnoozeAndLose on 19/09/2020 - 22:17
      +3

      How much will this cost?

      where you can get 25 meters pole and get it transported?

      • This Guy on 20/09/2020 - 08:34
        +4

        25m poles were a joke. They would need to be stupidly thick or use guy wires anchored significantly fat away from this structure.

        OP should buy 2 factory seconds 25m wind turbine blades. Make this all artistic. Cut the tips off to make it easier to run the cables inside, install the router and extender inside at the top, and once they are positioned correctly, plaster of paris the tip back on (because who really cares as long as it's the same colour).

        Best yet, if OP secures the blades with bolts to the ground, it is a temporary structure so no planing approval is needed, right?

        As for where to buy, Factory Seconds World maybe? Where do I buy an ACMA authorised cabler or a Unifi Nanobeam? I don't see you asking the same question of anyone else.

        As for cost, I think transporting two 25m objects is going to make up most of the cost.

    • Bunsen on 19/09/2020 - 23:16
      +4

      Username checks out..

    • SnoozeAndLose on 19/09/2020 - 22:15

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/567145

      try, if it doesn't work, ask Amazon if you can return back.

      • WPExpress on 20/09/2020 - 10:59

        Thanks mate. Will look into this.

    • pinchies on 19/09/2020 - 23:47
      +3

      What's your priority? Cost of setup, ease of setup, or performance of setup? Pick two.

      FYI … you should do the maths. A second NBN connection over time will be far more expensive than a proper installation.

      • esosite on 19/09/2020 - 23:52
        +5

        Yeah has been given almost too many options to choose from which basically all will work but throws his hands in the air in defeat.

        A second NBN connection would mean a complete new install from NBN which wouldn't be cheap, could almost do an underground Cat 6 cable for that price I would imagine

        • Bob Svargis on 20/09/2020 - 08:53
          +5

          Quite ungrateful considering all the help s/he has received.

      • WPExpress on 20/09/2020 - 11:01
        -6

        I want all 3. Haha. Happy to pay a little more. But not a complete new NBN connection.
        I will have installation fee and ongoing plan cost.

        • andyken on 20/09/2020 - 23:24

          If you have FTTP, then you can have more than 1 NBN connection, not sure about other NBN

        • Pricebeat on 23/09/2020 - 10:22

          I am seriously considering getting another NBN connection

          Next comment

          I want all 3. Haha. Happy to pay a little more. But not a complete new NBN connection.

  • Series4Episode10 on 20/09/2020 - 10:59

    Ethernet is capable of a 100 metres run, a wifi repeater on that or a switch and run ethernet to each device.

  • aretsa9 on 20/09/2020 - 12:36
    +1

    Thanks to posters for advice re TPG speed upgrade. Just called and had mine upgraded at no extra cost. :D

    • logistics on 20/09/2020 - 21:46
      +3

      But what about the granny flat?

      • aretsa9 on 22/09/2020 - 11:17

        Oooops. Unfortunately no granny, no flat, no technical expertise :(

  • CanadaAye on 20/09/2020 - 22:28

    What is the granny flat going to be used for? ie. Family or tenanted? If the latter separate NBN connection for sure.

    • o0Seno0o on 22/09/2020 - 15:48

      U can on have 2 consumer nbn connections on the same property if the main house and the granny flat have separate rates notices.

  • ddhar on 20/09/2020 - 22:39

    I use a Netgear Orbi mesh system to wirelessly connect my main house and the granny flat. Works flawlessly for the past 3 years.

  • kiitos on 20/09/2020 - 22:44

    How wide is the driveway? You may be able to drill a tunnel under it to run Ethernet.

  • BartholemewH on 20/09/2020 - 23:18
    +2

    No MS paint diagram, no deal.

  • rambao9 on 20/09/2020 - 23:18
    +4

    I am also using a Powerline adapter in my granny about 10M distance.

    Works perfectly.

    • Vote for Pedro on 22/09/2020 - 13:44
      +2

      How does granny feel about that

  • Altitud on 20/09/2020 - 23:30

    Just use some Microwave gear. They look like little mini satellite dishes - they can talk to each other line of sight at high speeds.

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