Make Your Wi-Fi Wi-Fly
⚡ QUICK SUMMARY
Slow Wi-Fi and dead rooms mean it is time to upgrade your network. Know the four parts (modem, router, switch, access points), then pick a path: DIY mesh like Eero, or a pro-installed, self-healing network with support. Skip cheap Wi-Fi extenders either way.
Are you noticing slowdowns in your network? The ‘spinning wheel of death’ driving you crazy and interrupting work, or worse, movie night!? Does your wi-fi not reach every room in your home? If you answered yes to any of these, then it is time to upgrade your network.
The Four Parts of a Home Network
What each piece does
Modem - allows the home’s network to connect to the ISP system. It gives you an ‘address’ on the Internet for your home. One device can connect to the modem and get and internet connection. So either a single computer, TV, Roku or other device plugged into directly. Nothing else in your home would have an internet connection except for the once device plugged into the modem
Router - connects to the router and acts as the traffic cop that allows multiple devices in the home to share the modem connection. This does the work of knowing which device wants to access each outside connection- so Billy’s xBox plays Fortnight, Mom’s phone goes to the Wall Street Journal, Dad’s Roku streams from Amazon Prime and Sally can watch Netflix in her room.
Ethernet Switch - provides additional hardwired ports for devices so things like TVs, computers, Roku and AppleTV can plug in directly and have more reliable connections than Wi-Fi. Think of it like a splitter
Wireless Access Points (WAPs) - allow devices to connect to the router wirelessly. These are basically antennas that are hard-wired to the Ethernet Switch and broadcast a wireless network
Which Solution Is Right for You?
Now that we understand the components of a network, we need to understand what solution is right for you and your family. There are many solutions out there to upgrade your network - from do-it-yourself Best Buy solutions to professionally-installed, professional-grade solutions that will provide headroom and bandwidth for years to come. There are several things to consider when deciding which solution is right for you:
Three things to consider
What are your needs - Are you downloading or streaming ultra-high-definition 4K movies on multiple TVs? Do you work from home and need super-reliable connections to the office? Do you need better wi-fi coverage?
What are you paying for today - What is the speed service you are getting from your cable company? Is it enough? A single 4K movie stream can use up to 25mbps. Many plans from your cable company are either 50 or 100mbps. So, if you have a family of four and two movies are streaming at once on 50mpbs plan, then you may be out of bandwidth to do anything else.
What are you willing to do yourself - Do you feel comfortable putting your ISP-supplied router into bridge mode, installing a network switch and access points and troubleshooting issues on your own as they arise? Or would you prefer a professional come in to evaluate your needs and infrastructure, install a pro-grade, self-healing network, and provide support when things inevitably go wrong (it is technology, things will need updates, will fall offline, or will need to be rebooted)? There is no wrong answer - many people feel very comfortable doing work around their home from unclogging a sink to renovating a bathroom. It all depends on your comfort level with technology.
Going the DIY Route
If you are prepared to go the DIY route, stay away from wireless network extenders. They repeat the signal from your base router and often create a second network, so you constantly have to reconnect to the closer signal. Get something more robust. Fortunately, in the past few years, mesh networks have really taken off. Our favorite player in this space is Eero. They were one of the first mesh network players and have done superb job in design, performance and support. Their devices are small and sleek. Most importantly, they manage ‘hand-offs’ (when you roam around the your home and move between antennas) extremely well. It does take some time and trial and error to place them correctly, but once installed they exhibit excellent performance and can even be managed and rebooted from an app. There are other players in the space as well - Orbi (Netgear), Luma, Google, among others.
⚠️ Skip Extenders
Wireless extenders repeat your router's signal and often create a second network you have to keep reconnecting to. Skip them and get a real mesh system.
Going the Professional Route
If you choose to go the professional route, your networking pro will recommend gear suited for your space and your needs and which they are very familiar with installing, configuring and troubleshooting. There are times pros will use mesh network gear, like the Eero described above, particularly when there is not a robust wired infrastructure in the home and running new wires would entail cutting open walls and ceilings or channeling through solid plaster walls. It all depends on the needs of the client, the existing infrastructure and the ease of improving upon that i
Want a network that just works in every room?
Get a Wi-Fi EstimateAbout the Author
Mark Feinberg, Founder & CEO of Home Theater Advisors. Before founding HTA in 2011, Mark ran Product Management at ADI, one of the largest AV distributors in the country. He is a Certified Control4 Smart Home Dealer and CEDIA member, and HTA has earned multiple Houzz Best of Design Awards. Mark holds a BA from Dartmouth and an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business. He lives in Manhattan with his family.
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