Wi-Fi Improvement Recommendations

xdivino on 15/01/2021 - 17:06

Hey,

I've got a Telstra Smart modem Gen 2 and it's going great.
I've upgraded over to 1000/50 with Superloop based on a deal a few months back here but, unlucky I can't get wired to the router etc and wifi is maybe getting 200-300 at best.

Any ideas or suggestions to help improve the wifi, would I need to go all in on Wifi6 to get the peak benefit?

NBN box directly wired to GF laptop gets 980mb/s so it's not nbn limitation, it's wifi.

Rudimentary image linked below.
Red X is router
Green X is PC
Walls are double brick 60's apartment
Can't lay cables or phycially rewire anything, powerline was another idea but figured similar limitations to wifi.
Distance between X's is approx 8-10Meters
https://imgur.com/9h14VOW

Computing

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 15/01/2021 - 17:16

    Here you go, from Whirlpool.

    https://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/suitable_modems_routers_for_gi…

    • xdivino on 15/01/2021 - 17:33

      yep, got one of those, but not really wifi based results there.. they're wired mostly.

  • Twix on 15/01/2021 - 17:21
    +1

    Double brick and wifi are not friends. For best results purchase a Wi-Fi 6 router and Wi-Fi 6 PCI-E network card.

    • xdivino on 15/01/2021 - 17:33
      +1

      Figured as much. Will scan the ozbargain archives for options.

      • Twix on 15/01/2021 - 17:59

        All the good Wi-Fi 6 router deals are expired. How much do you want to spend?

    • jv on 15/01/2021 - 17:41
      +1

      Double brick and wifi are not friends.

      unless you use mesh…

      • Twix on 15/01/2021 - 17:45
        +1

        Unless you use physics.

        Mesh is great but isn't needed in an apartment for around 10m.

        • jv on 15/01/2021 - 22:35
          +1

          Unless you use physics

          Quantum physics?

    • avoidfullprice on 15/01/2021 - 19:38

      Double brick and higher frequency wifi are not best friends.

      For better results, amplifier signals coming from the router. This will increase downstream Signal to Noise ratio, so improve data rate.

  • stratbargain on 15/01/2021 - 17:36
    +1

    Buy a small PC/NAS as your download/media server and plug it straight into the router. That will let you max 1000 for your main downloads etc. i.e the only real need of 1000/50.

    Then realise you don't need more than 200-300 at best when it comes to everything else (gaming, browsing, streaming etc)

    It will likely be cheaper than going down the wifi6 rabbit hole.

  • jv on 15/01/2021 - 17:40
    -3

    NBN box directly wired to GF laptop gets 980mb/s

    My grandfather can hardly use a mobile phone, let alone a laptop !!!

  • 20percentcorrect on 15/01/2021 - 18:06
    +3

    Whilst obviously not the most aesthetic option, you can run a flat ethernet cable along your skirting boards and possibly your door frames without too much issue.
    I did this previously at a rental and was surprised at how indistinguishable/unobtrusive it was. Something like this.

    • xdivino on 16/01/2021 - 13:12

      Yeah I like this idea and considered it but the entry to the room is difficult to wire as doorway to the room isn’t really able to be wired into without making a cut to the doorway or similar.

      I mean I could wire the router closer to the diagonally opposite wall meaning maybe 2m away.

      As it’s just the one device tho I feel that ax might be path of least resistance if it can deliver the speed at the same spot

  • Paccers on 15/01/2021 - 19:28
    +1

    Without being able to run a new AP to the other side of the wall via PoE you might be stuck with what you got to be honest. Wi-Fi 6 will make a negligible difference for the $ you'll pay out to get the gear (may get to 500Mbps?) and mesh wireless is unnecessary for your scenario (ignore the marketing!)

    As stratbargain said, 99% of the things you do you don't need 1Gbps for, just because you want it doesn't mean you need it!

    • xdivino on 16/01/2021 - 13:08

      A lot of my work is on large files so more speed means less waiting times. (Video edits etc.)

      The gigabit is surely a want but 250 vs 1000 means I don’t wait around as much or can get my day done faster for more free time to game

      I wish I could get 1000/1000 as that would make more of a difference to me really

      • Paccers on 16/01/2021 - 15:12

        Closest you'll get is only by running Ethernet to the device then, buy a long roll of CAT5/6 (flat cable or not) and chuck some blu tac on it to keep it against the skirtings ;)

  • smashman42 on 15/01/2021 - 19:42
    +1

    I'd second the flat ethernet cable or maybe look at powerline ethernet options rather than WiFi6, though you'd need to test that powerline stuff works at all first as it depends on the wiring that you have no control over

  • xdivino on 16/01/2021 - 13:05

    Flat Ethernet would be good just thru the door way section is quite difficult to wire I was considering this but can’t work out how I’d get it to the study room

    I’m due to upgrade the pc soon so might make do and get wifi6 onboard mobo and upgrade router and hope it can push more over the wireless

    Powerline was other consideration but old building and no way to really test or try before but kinda deal so makes harder to go that way

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