Router is upstairs, computer is downstairs, what do?

kime

Hi! So my wife and I just moved into a new house, yay! Ideally I'd like to have my computer on the main floor living room. But so far, the only cable connection we've found for the modem/router are all the way upstairs in our bedroom (there are a couple in a closer room, but they didn't seem to work for some reason (?)).

I actually have a really long ethernet cable that I could just snake down the stairs, or just move my computer closer, or buy a wifi dongle for the computer, but none of those are super ideal. Are there any ideas I haven't thought of yet? How hard is it to see what's going on with the apparently-not-working cable ports that are closer?

LaOs

There was a thread here recently with the same situation, basically. I think the neatest solution seemed to be these things that used your house's wiring as a sort of network.

[Edit]
Powerline it was, I think. Here's the link from a few pages back:

Hahnsoo1

Yeah, a powerline ethernet networking kit is probably what you want.

mRahmani

Assuming that it's a typical drywall house, installing a low voltage old-work box can be done without destroying the walls and get you a wired router or switch downstairs. It's not that difficult, but if that seems daunting a local electrician can probably run it for you without a giant bill.

kime

mRahmani wrote: »

Assuming that it's a typical drywall house, installing a low voltage old-work box can be done without destroying the walls and get you a wired router or switch downstairs. It's not that difficult, but if that seems daunting a local electrician can probably run it for you without a giant bill.

Yeah, i wouldn't be able to do basically any hands-on stuff myself :P. Based on the actual positions of walls and such, though, I think running a new ethernet cable between the two locations would be difficult. It's not really "drop it downstairs," but "snake it around a whole bunch of turns/walls/maybe a ceiling or two".

I'll look into the powerline stuff first, I think. I definitely didn't think that was very reliable, glad to hear that it may be a solid option. (Completely missed the earlier thread.)

LaOs

It was back on Page 4 now, I think, so don't sweat it. I'm curious how you find the powerline stuff works for you.

kime

LaOs wrote: »

It was back on Page 4 now, I think, so don't sweat it. I'm curious how you find the powerline stuff works for you.

I'll find out tomorrow

Mugsley

Where does your cable come into the house? Most houses, it's either the garage or basement. If your cable comes into the house in your basement, check the splitters there for any loose connections. There's also likely a splitter in your attic/crawl space for the bedrooms, so check that one.

As another option, you should be able to run a cable from where the service comes into your house, and up to your living room, without too much effort.

Stormwatcher

Powerline is freaking magic.

Shadowfire

I use powerline adapters for clients all the time, they really are magical.

Other option is to spend some money on something like an Eero kit. They create a mesh network that works pretty well, though it depends a lot on the construction in your home.

mts

Shadowfire wrote: »

I use powerline adapters for clients all the time, they really are magical.

Other option is to spend some money on something like an Eero kit. They create a mesh network that works pretty well, though it depends a lot on the construction in your home.

Alternatively Google's New router thing does that and they have ethernet ports on them

Shadowfire

mts wrote: »

Shadowfire wrote: »

I use powerline adapters for clients all the time, they really are magical.

Other option is to spend some money on something like an Eero kit. They create a mesh network that works pretty well, though it depends a lot on the construction in your home.

Alternatively Google's New router thing does that and they have ethernet ports on them

That too. I haven't had a chance to play with them yet, so I don't know how they hold up to the Eero. But I'm excited to try.

Malgaras

+1 for powerline adapter

I was super skeptical too, but I now use one in my incredibly stupidly wired apartment (Internet comes in through the kitchen?!?!?) set up in a way that every device in the house uses it for internet traffic and it has worked fine so far.

Shadowfire

Yea, I use one to bring a wired internet connection to my TV/PS4/XBO downstairs. The only problem is that when we use the treadmill, it pulls enough power that it interrupts the connection. But that's also a weird thing where we have the treadmill too close to the TV so it shares a circuit.

a nu start

To give you a different option, I use a wireless bridge myself. My router is downstairs, and my computer is upstairs. I use a Japan specific version of this combo router/bridge. It works really well, and it was just a button press to get them to pair up.

It's old equipment, so there's probably better setups out there now.

lindseyreyes

Best option is wireless extender, works like a charm.

CelestialBadger

lindseyreyes wrote: »

Best option is wireless extender, works like a charm.

I got one, it sucked.

Delzhand

If you've got a crimper and can get a single cat5 connector, the cable itself only has about a 5mm diameter. Sometimes a hole in the floor is the fastest and cheapest solution. In my last house, it conveniently had a pair of holes already in the floor, all I had to was take my extra long cable, clip the end off one side, thread it through, and recap it.

Thundyrkatz

We use a wireless extender and it works great for what it is. The option we had was no connection in our master bedroom, with the extender we have a decent signal. I wouldn't want to game on that signal, but streaming is fine and it was the best, cheapest option. I think if you use the extender with the understanding of what you will get it can have its uses.

Shadowfire

I tend to dissuade people from extenders because they just don't do a decent job for the money you spend. They almost always create a secondary network, so any mobile device needs to be told to switch networks instead of seamlessly hopping over. They're also taking an already weakened signal and bouncing it again. For the same price or a little more, you're better off with a powerline-WiFi adapter.

I mean, a run of ethernet with a second router at the other end is best, but that's tough for a lot of folks to swing. You could see about getting an electrician in to run the ethernet for you.

kime

An update! I got the powerline stuff set up Saturday. Saturday I hit some lag spikes for a short (5-10 minute) period, but it worked pretty well besides that.

Sunday I completely lost connectivity for just a minute or so.

Yesterday it was completely smooth.

So..... overall I'd consider this a pretty nice success! Again, as we just moved, I'm unsure how much of that is due to the powerline and how much is due to a more shaky connection in general, but I'm more suspicious of the powerline stuff as we haven't really noticed anything else. But yeah, given what it's doing, this is pretty cool! Solid enough Internet to play video games/stream via my electricity lines.

Thanks for the suggestions!

MichaelLC

Good to hear it's working decent.

What kit did you end up getting?

Turkson

Because of this thread I ordered a powerline adapter set too. It should be here this weekend.

kime

MichaelLC wrote: »

Good to hear it's working decent.

What kit did you end up getting?

This, which I think is what was linked in the other thread.

MichaelLC

kime wrote: »

MichaelLC wrote: »

Good to hear it's working decent.

What kit did you end up getting?

This, which I think is what was linked in the other thread.

Ah, great. Thanks!

Xaquin

That range extender has this note on it: "Please ensure the adapters are connected on the same circuit"

Wouldn't that seriously hinder where you could put them?

kime

Xaquin wrote: »

That range extender has this note on it: "Please ensure the adapters are connected on the same circuit"

Wouldn't that seriously hinder where you could put them?

I think, generally, most things in most houses are going to be on the same circuit, yes? Like, if it's controlled by the same circuit board, pretty good chance it's all connected.

Xaquin

it's worded poorly I guess? You've usually got a max of 4-6 outlets on a circuit and they're usually fairly close to each other.

kime

Xaquin wrote: »

it's worded poorly than. for example, you've usually got a max of 4-6 outlets on a circuit and they're usually very close to each other.

There's another bullet point there that says "Works over circuits on the same panel". That seems to be more clear, at least.

Xaquin

ahh, I missed that one

mts

i wonder if that would work on a subpanel to main panel? we have a subpanel in our upstairs and the main panel for downstairs but there is a breaker for the upstairs panel on it.

Shadowfire

mts wrote: »

i wonder if that would work on a subpanel to main panel? we have a subpanel in our upstairs and the main panel for downstairs but there is a breaker for the upstairs panel on it.

As long as they're on the same panel, they'll work fine. So the two ends of one Powerline adapter on the same panel will work ok, or if both ends are on the same subpanel. But I almost never have luck jumping from panel to subpanel. The hardware is magical, but still limited.

bowen

If it works in the same panel there's, theoretically anyways, no reason it wouldn't work between a main and sub though.

GFCI and surge protectors are going to be issues, though. Some panels put GFCI at the actual breaker instead of the outlet too.