Best FTTP Router in a 2-Bedroom Apartment

drakdaystar on 04/07/2022 - 16:08
Last edited 04/07/2022 - 17:07 by 1 other user

I currently live in a 2-bedroom apartment with FTTP 50/20 through Aussie Broadband. The layout of the apartment is that the NBN box is located in the main bedroom and I've got a Netcomm NF18MESH supplied by Aussie connected to the NBN box - it is sitting on top of a shelf and in a good location and outside of the wardrobe so nothing directly blocking the router (except for the walls in my apartment). The bedroom is in the middle of the apartment with the lounge to the west and the study to the east. I would occasionally have poor WiFi connection in the study and lounge. I've got ethernet cables running from the bedroom into the lounge and study, and have connected my major appliances such as laptop and TV directly via ethernet and they always run at 50/20 so I know that the internet itself is working fine and I suspect it might be a shortcoming with the NF18MESH that is causing the slowdown in speeds. I'm thinking of buying a new router for my bedroom. My thinking and criteria is as follows:

  1. I'm looking to just buy a new router first but if changing the router alone doesn't help, I will add further mesh satellites or access points down the line so I would like a router which has this flexibility (one in study and one in lounge). Given that I have ethernet cables running from the bedroom into the study and lounge, I would be connecting these via a wired backhaul as I understand this provides a better connection, so from what I understand I can either go for a mesh system with ethernet ports or access points

  2. Ease of use is essential for me as I am not versed on this topic and not very tech savvy so would like to be able to manage the main router and any satellites simultaneously hence why I would like to replace the NF18MESH altogether as opposed to connecting new access points to the NF18MESH and then having to operate them separately

  3. I have a plethora of Xiaomi smart home devices that only run on 2.4 GHz so I would require a system that would allow these smart home devices to still be able to operate. Does this mean that I need a system that can do separate SSIDs for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands? Or would I just need a system with the ability to turn off the 5 GHz band for when I connect the smart home devices? Or are all current systems able to handle this automatically and change to 2.4 GHz band when they detect a smart home device?

  4. If I do happen to need to add 2 additional satellites / access points, would this be overkill for my 2-bedroom apartment? I'm scared that because the space is so small that the signals from the various access points would just interfere with each other? I'm not sure if this is a thing so any help would be much appreciated

  5. I am looking to upgrade to 100/20 at some point so would be good to be able to comfortably handle this speed

  6. Based on everything I've read, brands that I have come across are Ubiquiti, TP Link, ASUS and Netgear which seem to be reliable. Can people recommend a model that would best fit my criteria? I'm not too fussed about budget, I'm more focused on getting the best WiFi connection (and it seems as though Ubiquiti is the name that keeps popping up when it comes to best quality - am I correct in this?)

Apologies for the long post and any help would be much appreciated!

Internet Broadband FTTP nbn Wireless Router

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 04/07/2022 - 16:33
    -1

    nothing directly blocking the router (except for the walls in my apartment)

    Yeah, nothing at all, except routers in every apartment around you working on same channels. You can't have quality WiFi in apartment blocks, full stop.

  • avoidfullprice on 04/07/2022 - 16:45
    -1

    I need a system that can do separate SSIDs for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands?

    Best if you do. Connect everything that is 5GHz capable on 5GHz and not the 2.4GHz. This will help with speed and congestion issues.

    Using the same name for both channels just make the setup less stable imo. Ive turned off that feature on my asus router

  • spackbace on 04/07/2022 - 16:53

    Could always get another mesh node to cloud your apartment in mesh wifi

    • drakdaystar on 04/07/2022 - 16:55

      The review on these are horrible hence why I want to move away from the Netcomms

      • spackbace on 04/07/2022 - 16:56

        Hmm I can't find a substantial number of reviews to make that claim

        Basically, you can't guarantee that the router is the issue here. As previously mentioned, it could be all the other wireless networks battling for strength around you

        Could easily spend stupid money trying to fix the issue and fail completely.

        You need to ask around and see if friends/family have any spare devices for you to play with

        • drakdaystar on 04/07/2022 - 17:01
          +1

          Understand but if I go ahead and buy 2 Netcomm Meshes, I might as well spend that same money and get a new mesh system. Those are $140 each

  • Morien on 04/07/2022 - 17:26
    +1

    I used an Asus AC-68U for years in an apartment and it never skipped a beat.

    • Lukian on 06/07/2022 - 22:52

      Agree, zero issue with the asus routers I've used!

  • Delmlund on 04/07/2022 - 21:30

    For that size place Nf18 should be ok at that speed you connection is.

    I would try a couple tweaks to the wifi settings.

    • Change 2.4ghz channel width to 20mhz.

    • Change 5ghz channel width to 40mhz (if local throughout speed is important you can keep at 80mhz, but in a apartment setup you wanna narrow the width as much as possible)

    • With what ever mobile device you have, download a wifi analyser. You need to get your wifi channel on the most unused channel.

    Once you figure out the most unused wifi channel for 2.4ghz and 5ghz, change you wifi channel for both to that.

    I think a big issue your having is interference.

    Hit me up if need assistance.

    • drakdaystar on 04/07/2022 - 22:48

      In that case, should I run 5GHz at 20mhz bands?

      • Delmlund on 04/07/2022 - 23:28

        20mhz is pretty narrow. Speeds will be limited is the downside. Could be max speeds of 50-70mbps.

        5ghz has issues punching through walls and stuff already. So would work, but might as well keep the 5ghz fast and the 2.4ghz as the longer range connection.

        5ghz should be used for devices is the vicinity of the router. Same room or adjacent room. Non mobile devices that would benefit from speed (tv, desktop computers, etc).

        2.4ghz will get you the range and use for legacy devices that only use 2.4ghz.

        You can have a play and see what works for you.

        • drakdaystar on 05/07/2022 - 00:15

          I’m still not having much luck unfortunately. Are there any mesh networks that you recommend? Names I’m coming across are Ubiquiti, Netgear and TP Link

          • Delmlund on 05/07/2022 - 00:41

            @drakdaystar: Not much experience in consumer mesh hands on.

            Ubiquiti would be one of the best prosumer setups. Pretty expensive though. Whether their amplifi line or going full unifi.

            I use unifi at home. But I don’t have any neighbor wifi congestion so one centrally mounted unifi AP gets me good wifi from front of house to backyard. Probably about 200sqm area. (I use a ubiquiti edgerouter x and a unifi ap ac-lr)

            tplink is pretty good. Have heard good things about their deco line.

            Having the wired back haul is great, A tplink deco kit with a router in front and AP wired in back would likely be more than enough and not too spendy. Since that wouldn’t be mesh but an actual wired AP setup.

            • drakdaystar on 05/07/2022 - 00:53

              @Delmlund: Thanks mate, one thing that I’ve just realised might be causing the interference is that I’m right next to a school. My apartment is around 80sqm. If I run 1 main router in my bedroom + 1 AP in lounge and 1 AP in study, do you think that will be overkill? I’m scared that having too many APs in my small apartment might interfere with each other? Is that a thing?

              • Delmlund on 05/07/2022 - 01:18

                @drakdaystar: That’s a lot of wifi for very small area. It could work but you’d really need to turn down the power of the AP’s so they aren’t screaming over each other. Not sure how many settings there are for power output with Deco’s and consumer units.

                You’d be basically doing what they do in some hotels and such. Every room has a AP in it, just turned way down so it’s basically just that rooms worth of wifi.

                I’d hope the deco units would be smart enough to put the different units in different wifi channels which would keep them from interfering with each other.

                Two units (a router and one AP) I think would still be overkill for you.

                Were you able to get into the netcomm unit and change settings.

                1. Type 192.168.20.1 into web browser
                2. Username and password likely on bottom of unit (netcomm factory is admin for username and password)
                3. Wireless button on the left side options
                4. More settings
                5. Then should see channel width and such settings.
                • drakdaystar on 05/07/2022 - 07:39

                  @Delmlund: Yes I did, I played around with the settings and went through it with Aussie Broadband but no luck. In that case, would it be better to just swap out the router for something that is better quality rather than going for a mesh system?

  • eccaz on 05/07/2022 - 10:46

    I've been living in a 2 bedroom apartment with Aussie BB FTTP for the last 4 years and run a Linksys EA9500 - it's been fantastic. I have it set up adjacent to the living area and use it for everyday for work and it's never skipped a beat - during lockdown this involved 5 laptops with 2-3 regularly streaming content at the same time, and some gaming. I set my parents up with one of the cheaper modelled TP-Link Archer and they've loved it.

  • Lukian on 06/07/2022 - 22:56

    I have a plethora of Xiaomi smart home devices that only run on 2.4 GHz so I would require a system that would allow these smart home devices to still be able to operate.

    Your smart home devices will be fine on any router that can handle a decent number of clients, if they drop they'll eventually reconnect (I run a bunch of 2.4ghz chromecasts/firetvs, lifx, tuya-based and other random smart bulbs/devices through a Telstra home modem using multiple levels of NAT and 5G mobile).

    These days I just consider 2.4GHz to always be flaky (due to overlapping neighbours networks) and put/upgrade important devices to 5GHz.

    Have you checked your wireless congestion with a smartphone app like this one? https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/710298

    If you're a fan of Xiaomi, perhaps look at the Xiaomi Mi AIoT router range? (AX3000 ~$85)

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