adding Wifi to garage

[Logan]

So i'm wanting to add Wifi to my garage, i would say it's "maybe" 60-70 Feet in a straight line away. (or 90 Counting the bends i would have to do with the cat6)

Our Router/modem combo is in the Center of the house, Which we don't get rarely any wifi in the garage. (according to my phone.) And fam's laptop doesn't detect anything out there. (It's a $1,000 Fiber modem/router combo we rent)

In my room, Upstairs decently far away from router, i get around 50Mbps down/up (100Mbps Is our provided)

I thought of two options:
A.) A mesh network, I would disable the modem/router combo's Wifi, and switch to Google Wifi 3 pack, one would be attached near modem (connected) One would probably be upstairs near the garage direction, and one would/might be in the garage.
B.) I would purchase 100ft of cat6 cable and run it towards the garage, and add a router/mesh point out there? (I can figure out Option A, but i don't know if it would be out there)
C.) I could call my ISP and pay them, but i want more experience doing this kind of thing.
D.) If there's something i'm not thinking of/considering, please shed some light for me~

 

[nlinecomputers]

Powerline Ethernet? Plug wifi access point into the extender. Assuming the garage is on the same circuit. Otherwise, I'd put a UBNT Nano on a pole or even in your window and point at the garage. If the signal is still week then put another nano on the garage and run the line inside to a UBNT AP disc.

Of course, running outdoor rated CAT 6 out to the garage is the best way to do this. Wired is always preferred over wireless.repeaters.

 

[Logan]

Powerline Ethernet? Plug wifi access point into the extender. Assuming the garage is on the same circuit. Otherwise, I'd put a UBNT Nano on a pole or even in your window and point at the garage. If the signal is still week then put another nano on the garage and run the line inside to a UBNT AP disc.

Of course, running outdoor rated CAT 6 out to the garage is the best way to do this. Wired is always preferred over wireless.repeaters.

Ahh okay, i don't have much experience with Powerline ethernet, So please forgive my inexperienced questions, but i would just Buy a reputable one/set, and plug one near my router/modem, and plug it into the same electric line as the other one, which would be in the garage? (And that one in the garage, would be its own access point? where laptops etc could connect to it?)

 

[nlinecomputers]

Yep. It is just an extension of the wired network running over the powerlines. As you said you plug it into the wall outlet plug up a patch cable into it and your router and then put the second one in the garage outlet and plug the patch cable up to your computer if you want one device or into a wifi access point if you want wifi. Or you could plug into a switch and drop computers and a wifi off the switch. The power over ethernet is just like a regular cat 5 run as far as the equipment thinks.

 

[GTP]

Powerline Ethernet adapters are not expensive. And not sure if it was mentioned but you can get PE adapters that provide WiFi and Ethernet on the one device.
But, if you're running a business from the garage, you would not want to run devices on it's Wifi. Cable it to a router as suggested above.

I've had great success with TP-Link

https://www.tp-link.com/au/products/list-18.html

 

[Logan]

Yep. It is just an extension of the wired network running over the powerlines. As you said you plug it into the wall outlet plug up a patch cable into it and your router and then put the second one in the garage outlet and plug the patch cable up to your computer if you want one device or into a wifi access point if you want wifi. Or you could plug into a switch and drop computers and a wifi off the switch. The power over ethernet is just like a regular cat 5 run as far as the equipment thinks.

Powerline Ethernet adapters are not expensive. And not sure if it was mentioned but you can get PE adapters that provide WiFi and Ethernet on the one device.
But, if you're running a business from the garage, you would not want to run devices on it's Wifi. Cable it to a router as suggested above.

I've had great success with TP-Link

https://www.tp-link.com/au/products/list-18.html

I see~
So, if i wanted it out there, i could:

A.) -Use a powerline ethernet, to router, and in garage (Maybe this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WP2ZT5N
-Connect it to a AP (Maybe https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DWFPDNO or https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRCBBI )
Needed: 2 ethernet cords, the AP, and the Power Thernet.


B.) -Run a Cat6 cable to the Garage (If i wanted to put enough effort to do that)
- Attach it to a Wireless Access Point
Needed: 1 ethernet cords, the AP

C.) -Use the Powerline wifi extender (Maybe - https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV1000Mbps-Powerline-WiFi-Extender/dp/B0725LPTZR)
-Done?


So B would be cheapest, but be most effort, and C would be the easiest? if that's all it needs?
Does it make a new Wifi zone/name, or does it literally just extend it? I've heard bad things about wifi extenders. (We have one at work and it's horrible.

 

[GTP]

YMMV with "C" but I've had good results.
Option B would be my choice and would give you the most reliable connection.
Any old (or new) modem/router or just router would work as an access point.
Maybe option C with a router for multiple Wifi connections?

 

[Logan]

YMMV with "C" but I've had good results.
Option B would be my choice and would give you the most reliable connection.
Any old (or new) modem/router or just router would work as an access point.
Maybe option C with a router for multiple Wifi connections?

Ahh okay i didn't know a router could be connected to another router via cat, Which is prob stupid i didn't know.. but anyways, Thanks nline and Barce!~

 

[Markverhyden]

Buy a real AP, like a UniFi AP AC Pro. You'd be amazed how much better those work over retail models.

For the power line to work you'll need to be on the same electrical panel for everything.

 

[Logan]

Buy a real AP, like a UniFi AP AC Pro. You'd be amazed how much better those work over retail models.

For the power line to work you'll need to be on the same electrical panel for everything.

What makes them different/better then Amazon's ??
(The Amazon seller is "Ubiquiti Networks" So isn't it literally the same company/provider?
Genuine question/curiosity

 

[Markverhyden]

What makes them different/better then Amazon's ??
(The Amazon seller is "Ubiquiti Networks" So isn't it literally the same company/provider?
Genuine question/curiosity

Not sure I understand your question. Amazon is a retailer, just like Microcenter, who sells Ubiquiti products. By retail I'm referring to the type of products typical sold to consumers - Netgear, LInksys, etc.

 

[Porthos]

It was a mixed blessing when my house burned about 6 yrs ago. While the walls were open my brother and I wired the whole house including the garage.

 

[Logan]

Not sure I understand your question. Amazon is a retailer, just like Microcenter, who sells Ubiquiti products. By retail I'm referring to the type of products typical sold to consumers - Netgear, LInksys, etc.

I'm wondering why you suggested i buy directly from ubnt rather then from amazon? "you'd be amazed how much better those work over retail models." So ubnt's UAP-AC-PRO is better then Amazon's UAP-AC-PRO?
(Not trying to sound rude, i'm just wondering)

 

[Mick]

Sounds as if cost is an issue here? If so, I'd try POE first and use an old router at the garage end (we've all got a few of those lying about!). Basic POE typically only gives you Cat 5 performance but that's fine for most things like email etc. Just make sure you disable DHCP on the old router first. If that fails or isn't up to snuff, that's the time to consider a Unifi or something similar. Not sure about the States, but over here you might easily find your garage is on a separate maIn. Even so, they might share a common earth (ground), so you could be lucky.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Your issue will be ...having a mixed brand wireless setup at your house. Naturally you don't want to add a wireless router to your garage, you don't need another router adding a second NAT to your network. And having an inedependent wifi to your ISP provided gateways wifi will make for a noisier wifi environment in your house, and make roaming difficult.

I'd take the approach of disabling the gateway/wireless features of your ISP provided gateway, and adding your own home MESH kit, and/or combine that with ethernet over powerline bridges or run CAT to your garage to place another AP that works with the rest of the wifi in your house.

 

[nlinecomputers]

It was a mixed blessing when my house burned about 6 yrs ago. While the walls were open my brother and I wired the whole house including the garage.

If I ever build a house it will have cat 6 runs everywhere, even the bathrooms. Who knows what device of the future might be useful in the bathroom.

 

[Porthos]

even the bathrooms

That and kitchen I left out. Wireless covers those.

 

[Diggs]

If I ever build a house it will have cat 6 runs everywhere, even the bathrooms. Who knows what device of the future might be useful in the bathroom.

I have some customers with homes like these and one says they rarely used the Cat5 but since WiFi is getting so much better (I put in a Ubiquiti LR AP for them awhile ago) they use none of it. I'm of the thought lately that wiring a home for network is a dated thing. Wireless will be the pervasive/persuasive network of choice for the future.

 

[Porthos]

I have some customers with homes like these and one says they rarely used the Cat5 but since WiFi is getting so much better (I put in a Ubiquiti LR AP for them awhile ago) they use none of it. I'm of the thought lately that wiring a home for network is a dated thing. Wireless will be the pervasive/persuasive network of choice for the future.

I personally don't use my wifi except for my laptop and my phone. I like a solid reliable connection. But your right, WiFi is the way now and with the right equipment, it works well. Little pricy for most of my clients though. Most rely on the ISP stuff.

Heck, today I am getting a new router that can handle my new 200 mbs Spectrum service. I used to only get 70 down. Looking foward to faster download of Windows updates. Were on the list of citys for google fiber but it is a long way off (cant wait). Some home owners assc. are fighting them in court over laying down the fiber.

 

[Diggs]

Heck, today I am getting a new router that can handle my new 200 mbs Spectrum service. I used to only get 70 down.

Heh - I can hit 80-90 with my old Surfboard but Charter isn't doing this for us, it's all about them and rolling out IPV6 to support more customers. Since I have my own modem they haven't offered to upgrade me (at least yet).