I have House coverage and Ethernet port questions (see bottom):

 

I’m trying to figure out how many mesh routers I’ll need to cover this House using WiFi and how to handle the Computer/devices of 6 people (roommates) in their bedrooms and 1 TV at the ISP Modem?

(Each roommate will have a desktop computer, a cellphone, a TV, and maybe a tablet.)

 

LOCATION—HOUSE:

So picture an L-shaped, one-story house of about 4300 square feet.

The L-shape has 120 feet on the Long Side of the L and 100 feet on the Short Side of the L.

The ISP connection point (and Arris Cable Modem) is on the far wall of the Short Side of the L … NOT at the corner of the L.  This is where the First Router (DECO AXE5300) is connected to start the WiFi network.

There are rooms, walls, appliances and Heater units throughout the house.

Solar Panels are on the roof at the farthest point away from the ISP connection point and they need 24/7 connection.  They are on the Long Side of the L and away from the corner of the L.

So the coverage needs to reach from one end of the L to the other.

 

Between the First Router (at the Cable Modem and TV) and the first bedroom (which is the first space that actually NEEDS a modem and a port) is 58 feet.  (The WiFi has to travel across the Family Room, Kitchen, Dining Room with at least two walls.

I already know that if I place the Second Router outside that first bedroom in the hallway, just at the end of the Dining Room, where it has a DIRECT LINE-OF-SIGHT CONNECTION (no walls in the way) to the First Router, then it makes a workable connection over that 58 feet.  (I don’t know the actual speed or connection stats…and not sure how to get them.)  

I haven’t yet tried the Second Router on the INSIDE of that Bedroom. Once I move the Second Router inside the Bedroom, the wifi has to travel through another wall, more furniture, and will probably be sitting even farther away than 58 feet.

(I'm not at the house right now to experiment.)

 

DECO ROUTERS:

Currently I have THREE AXE5300 routers. I plan to utilize their Tri-Band feature and use the WiFi 6 channel to form the network connection between the various routers from the end of the Short Side of the L down to about 15 feet from the end of the Long Side of the L.

Then I want each person in their bedroom to hard-wire their computer into their router port using an Ethernet line.  Why? So that they have a fast connection to their router and so that they stay keep their computer off of the WiFi 6 channel to allow the routers to have more freedom (less congestion/competition) to talk to each other. (Try to dedicate the WiFi 6 channel to the router network.)

 

To me, it looks like I will need to have SEVEN routers to cover the house AND to provide a router port to 6 people’s bedrooms and 1 TV beside the Cable Modem.  That’s a lot of routers and a lot of cost!

That means that I need FOUR more Tri-Band  and WiFi 6 routers that will work with my current THREE AXE5300 routers.

 

QUESTIONS:

1.  Am I right in thinking that I should have the computers hard-wired to the routers and leave the WiFi 6 channel more open and dedicated to the router network connection?

Or should I have fewer routers (say 5 to cover the length) and just require some of the computers to connect using WiFi?

 

2.  How far apart should the routers be from each other for a good connection?

If a router link should not be more than 30 feet, then I’m going to need an additional router just to reach from the ISP Cable Modem to the first bedroom to make a good strong unbreakable connection. First Router at the ISP Cable Modem.  Second Router across Family Room and into the Kitchen (30 feet away). Third Router inside the first bedroom (about 30 feet) through two walls and stuff.

 

3.  Are there problems with having too many routers (7-8) in a chain or having routers too close together?  Any interference or transferring/overlap problems?

 

4.  How do I measure the connection strength at each modem?  How do I test whether a distance is ok or not? What is the method?  App?

What number am I looking for?

 

5.  Assuming that I need FOUR MORE ROUTERS, what are my options for Tri-Band and WiFi 6 DECO routers……which routers, which is least expensive?

And what is the most inexpensive way for me to obtain those DECO routers?  (Is it the AXE5300 routers….or is there a less expensive model that will work….that has tri-band and WiFi 6)

 

Thanks for your info!