Home wifi coverage - mesh vs powerline / homeplug
armoured
4 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (10)
Elmer J Fudd
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoarmoured
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Has Anything Changed In Recessed LCD Lighting Since 2012?!?
Comments (29)Davidtay and Andrew, Still trying to get my head around these lighting controls. I think the Lutron RadioRA2 is what we prefer. Please help me understand what we would need to buy for each main room (let us assume there is at least a 3 way switch in each room and some have 4 way). In other words, our open concept house will have at least 2 spots in each room where lights can be turned on and off. Presently, the plan was to have multiple switches in each location (which I hate do to confusion of which switch operates which circuit). So, with the above preamble, what do I need to buy for say one room with a 3 way switch (two locations at different entries where lights can be controlled)? In that room let us assume there are 3 circuits needing to be controlled (say dining room chandy, mood lights and say pot lights all on a different circuit and all we desire the control to dim as needed). If you could help me understand what I need to buy for one room with the Lutron RadioRA2 scene control, I could then figure out what I would need to buy to have similar scene controls in all the main rooms (kitchen, great room, dining room and media room). Any general guidance on pricing of necessary products for the above scenarios? If these scene controls are controlled wirelessly, what if any in wall wiring do we need to ensure is in place before closing the walls? Do we need to hire a contractor to commission these scene controls or can they be DIY installed (DH is handy/knowledgeable enough to do some of our wiring). Do the scene controls in a room eliminate the need to have the multiple groups of light switches (or are they in addition to the multiple switches)? In other words, if we have 3 circuits needing to be controlled in a room, do we have one Lutron scene control beside a 3 gang regular light switch (room for 4 light boxes)? Sorry for all the questions -- even if you can answer some of them I would be very grateful. Also, if you can point me in the direction of where we can learn the nitty gritty of what needs to be bought and how to install these scene controls that would be very helpful. We do not have the budget to hire out the whole install and design so have to find a way to learn what needs to be done and how to do it. Carol Here is a link that might be useful: Lutron scene control we prefer...See MoreInternet/ Security system Pre wire
Comments (13)With all due respect: Wifi cameras are NOT dependable. I would never trust a wifi camera to protect my home. To each their own, wifi goes out and NO coverage. Spotty signals and poor or NO coverage. OP, prewire for cameras now. It will never get any less costly. Lastly, in areas with competing wifi (think your neighbors) you've got potential for interference with signal. ANY time you discuss networking with anyone with a reasonable amount of knowledge, point blank they WILL take a hard wired network over wifi all day long. Pure fact. Lastly wifi cameras CAN NOT stream HD video. Ok, I'm done LOL. OP, best of luck. I would urge you to do some reading. The cameras I am pointing you towards are professional grade cameras and NOT consumer grade. Here is a DIRECT LINK to the Dahua forum on ipcamtalk. Sign up over there and ask a few questions. The folks over there do this for a living. When is the last time you saw a wifi camera installed on the exterior of ANY business? There is a reason. Here is the link: https://ipcamtalk.com/forums/dahua.8/...See Moremultiple networks question
Comments (11)Don't put a bunch of different consumer-grade WiFi routers onto the same system. They are really not made for this configuration and things will never quite work right. And yes, that includes things like Apple's WiFi products, the router that you got from your ISP, or random expanders. The suggestion to use a WiFi mesh system is much better. If Orbi can handle the 130ft, then that would be an excellent solution. In practice, that will depend a lot on just how noisy the radio channels are. In a densely populated city, consider yourself lucky if you can use one access point per one or two rooms. The noise floor is simply too high to reliably do better than that. Where I live, I currently see between 300 and 500 access points at any given time. No wonder the noise floor is so high. On the other hand, out in the countryside, the noise floor is almost zero, and a single access point could serve multiple houses if placed in a good location. If Orbi doesn't work, then look at Ubiquiti's Unfi line, instead. This is the solution that many small offices and hotels use. It'll cost you more up front, and you might have to buy more individual parts, as it is a very modular system. But I guarantee you that it'll work fine even in the most adverse environment. You'd probably need a CloudKey, a security gateway, a couple of access points (even the smaller ones are great, but the long-range ones might work particularly well for you), either a few mesh access points or a building-to-building bridge, and possibly a few of the smaller switches. Configuration is a little more complex, but once it's set up, you won't need to touch it again. The downside is that for a larger property, you could end up paying a little over $1000 in parts; possibly up to $2000 for more complicated topologies. But you'll end up with a rock solid networking experience. So, I'd say, try the Orbi first and make use of Costco's great return policy. If it doesn't work reliably throughout all the property, then get a Unifi system instead....See MoreDo we need Cat-5?
Comments (30)For our build, a 1-story with unfinished basement, I had a conduit drop from every wall of every room (well, except the bathrooms) into the basement. I ran CAT6 or coax only as required. Plus a CAT6 run to multiple places in the soffits for eventual cameras (which you don't want to run via WiFi), so I don't have to climb in the attic as I install cameras. If you plan on sticking with mostly WiFi, which is indeed getting more viable, consider where your primary WiFi access point (AP) will be, which is likely close to where your internet feed (cable, fiber) comes into the house (basement? utility room?). From there, consider running CAT6 or conduit to a couple of places where you may need secondary WiFi access points. For example a den or office or loft. That way, if you find your WiFi signal from the primary AP doesn't reach where you want, you plug in a secondary and extend the range. For us, we had the "low-voltage guy", who was installing the alarm system (and central vac in our case) do all the CAT6 & conduit runs. Cheaper than having the electrician do it....See Morearmoured
4 years agoElmer J Fudd
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoarmoured
4 years agoElmer J Fudd
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoM
4 years agoStax
3 years agoElmer J Fudd
3 years ago
Related Stories
MORE ROOMS11 Elements of the Perfect Sunroom
Relax in your own sunny retreat right at home — these features will make your sunroom comfortable, inviting and entertaining
Full StoryFLOORSWhat to Ask When Considering Heated Floors
These questions can help you decide if radiant floor heating is right for you — and what your options are
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNWarm Up Your Bathroom With Heated Floors
If your bathroom floor is leaving you cold, try warming up to an electric heating system
Full Story
Elmer J Fudd