Home Ethernet Setup -Router placement

Looking for some advice on how to setup my home internet! Ethernet has been prewired.

The only concern here is that I want the router upstairs in the great room (main floor) for better coverage. But I'm not sure what the best way is.

Here's my layout :

https://m.imgur.com/a/0r6U0

I believe my standard diagram will work: modem to router to switch which connects all the prewired cat6.

However this would place the router in the basement.

Any suggestions on alternative placements?
I'd prefer not to drill any new holes but my last idea would be to put another ethernet port in the great room. Route from modem (basement) to router (great room) back down to basement switch then to prewired cat6.

Thanks in advance!

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Originally Posted by cream

Looking for some advice on how to setup my home internet! Ethernet has been prewired.

The only concern here is that I want the router upstairs in the great room (main floor) for better coverage. But I'm not sure what the best way is.

Here's my layout :

https://m.imgur.com/a/0r6U0

I believe my standard diagram will work: modem to router to switch which connects all the prewired cat6.

However this would place the router in the basement.

Any suggestions on alternative placements?
I'd prefer not to drill any new holes but my last idea would be to put another ethernet port in the great room. Route from modem (basement) to router (great room) back down to basement switch then to prewired cat6.

Thanks in advance!

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if you want the router on the main floor basically you're going to need 2 ports, one to go up from the modem the other to go back down to the switch... the other option is to have a primary router in the basement with the modem and then a second router in AP mode in the great room (this is what i did, can hit my wifi from a block away)

Do you have 1 or 2 Ethernet drops in the great room? Alternatively, do you have coax in the great room? That's probably the biggest decider on what to do.

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Originally Posted by Thaco

if you want the router on the main floor basically you're going to need 2 ports, one to go up from the modem the other to go back down to the switch... the other option is to have a primary router in the basement with the modem and then a second router in AP mode in the great room (this is what i did, can hit my wifi from a block away)

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Hmmm, thats what I figured. After a quick Google browse, I was going to go for the Asus AC3100 router. Should the 'expensive' router still remain in the basement with a cheaper gigabit capable one for AP mode?

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Originally Posted by rage2

Do you have 1 or 2 Ethernet drops in the great room? Alternatively, do you have coax in the great room? That's probably the biggest decider on what to do.

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I have 1 ethernet drop in the great room. I do have a coax going there as well.
I'm not that knowledgeable on coax, but would I be able to connect the modem right there instead of basement?

Depending on how the coax is wired, you may be able to just move it. But honestly, I'd call Shaw, they can move it for you quickly. Run the router on main floor, internal network back down to basement + switch, done.

If you want good wifi coverage in the house, check out the wifi thread that moves you past consumer grade at same/cheaper prices. Leave router and shaw modem in basement, a couple of AP's through the house as necessary to eliminate dead zones, full on roaming wifi in the house with zero drops moving room to room.

Start around here in the thread: https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/397...21#post4671721

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Originally Posted by rage2

Depending on how the coax is wired, you may be able to just move it. But honestly, I'd call Shaw, they can move it for you quickly. Run the router on main floor, internal network back down to basement + switch, done.

If you want good wifi coverage in the house, check out the wifi thread that moves you past consumer grade at same/cheaper prices. Leave router and shaw modem in basement, a couple of AP's through the house as necessary to eliminate dead zones, full on roaming wifi in the house with zero drops moving room to room.

Start around here in the thread: https://forums.beyond.ca/threads/397...21#post4671721

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I'll take a look! Thanks.

A few options I can think of:
1. If your cable modem is also a router/wifi, enable it to act as a router, then retask your router to act as an AP upstairs.
2. Keep your router as is and disable wifi on it, buy a good AP (Ubiquiti) and place upstairs. Even better if your switch has PoE.

#2 is what I did after battling Wifi problems for years, should have done it sooner.

What's your internet speed? Do you need high throughput? What model is your cable modem?

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Originally Posted by cream

Hmmm, thats what I figured. After a quick Google browse, I was going to go for the Asus AC3100 router. Should the 'expensive' router still remain in the basement with a cheaper gigabit capable one for AP mode?

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I have 1 ethernet drop in the great room. I do have a coax going there as well.
I'm not that knowledgeable on coax, but would I be able to connect the modem right there instead of basement?

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If you have COAX there, just move your Modem upstairs as well, place next to router, and the one Ethernet connection can go downstairs to connect to switch, where all other Ethernet connections will connect. There really isn't much to it. Guessing your existing coax is all split into different rooms as is anyways with a splitter downstairs, and the existing modem runs off that as well. Easy enough to test, move it upstairs and see if the internet light comes on. Assuming it's a newer house, it should have direct runs to all the rooms right from the basement without any additional splitters in the walls, which could degrade signal and make internet unreliable, but again, simple enough to test.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cream

Hmmm, thats what I figured. After a quick Google browse, I was going to go for the Asus AC3100 router. Should the 'expensive' router still remain in the basement with a cheaper gigabit capable one for AP mode?

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Other way around. You want the expensive router as your wirelesss AP. Any cheapo unit can do the DHCP assigning.

Going back to BlackArcher101 has the best solution here. If your Modem is also a router then use that with a wireless ap upstairs.

Brand new and hypothetical setup so I don't know my speeds yet.

Hopefully the Coax thing works and I can put the modem upstairs. Shaw and Telus have yet to register my address so I'm still waiting on those new homeowner promotions so it'll be awhile before I get setup. But I'm thought most new modems should have router capability.

I'm still trying to see how hard it'd be to pull an additional ethernet to the great room. It's right adjacent to the basement staircase so I might actually be able to slide it up with the current wires.

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Originally Posted by cream

Brand new and hypothetical setup so I don't know my speeds yet.

Hopefully the Coax thing works and I can put the modem upstairs. Shaw and Telus have yet to register my address so I'm still waiting on those new homeowner promotions so it'll be awhile before I get setup. But I'm thought most new modems should have router capability.

I'm still trying to see how hard it'd be to pull an additional ethernet to the great room. It's right adjacent to the basement staircase so I might actually be able to slide it up with the current wires.

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The coax setup would only work with Shaw. Telus at this point would only be Fiber, and given that option, I don't know why you would consider anything else, but regardless. If it's fiber, there would be a fiber modem in the basement, which would connect to a Telus router, which you could use to connect an additional switch to, plus the 4 switch ports on their router. At this point I would throw your fancy router upstairs and make it an AP, and that would be your best bet. Anyways, you got many options that don't require dual cables. Technically if you wanted to geek out you could have two managed switches (unless your router supports VLANs), one upstairs and one downstairs, and make the cable a trunk port and run multiple VLANs over it...reducing the need for multiple cables.

Just an update:

I'll be installing the modem (Shaw) on the main floor great room through the coaxial. They should be putting in a splitter so I can attach the cable box too. The internet connection will route back downstairs to the switch and back upstairs to remaining rooms.

Another alternative that I found, is that my central vac rough-in is on the same wall and only a few feet away. If absolutely necessary (and if I want to go with my initial idea above), I can run another ethernet wire through the central vac hole. It's open to below so the cable would only go through one 90 degree bend and then I can follow the basement beams to the switch. Maybe I'll do this if I ever switch to Telus.

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Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

A few options I can think of:
1. If your cable modem is also a router/wifi, enable it to act as a router, then retask your router to act as an AP upstairs.
2. Keep your router as is and disable wifi on it, buy a good AP (Ubiquiti) and place upstairs. Even better if your switch has PoE.

#2 is what I did after battling Wifi problems for years, should have done it sooner.

What's your internet speed? Do you need high throughput? What model is your cable modem?

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Definitely the way to go is #2. I also did this with a ubiquiti LR AP and now i have wifi signal out to my mailbox 3 doors down.

Any thoughts on using the Telus/Shaw modem as the AP?

I know for Telus at least we can use our own router from the fiber box.