@Gr3len wrote:
... what do you suggest?
That all depends on what do you want to achieve balancing...
- Cost
- Performance
- Capability
- ... but most importantly of all PTW from SWMBO
@Baldrick1 makes the point well, there are many approaches to distributing a network around the property, but it is not just about access, but also performance.
If in the remote location you just need connection for email and website browsing then a dreaded WiFi extender might do the job - it needs no wires, but connects to the router over WiFi - it works but it halves the throughput of the WiFi as it needs to receive and retransmit everything. It is therefore of no use for bandwidth intensive applications such as streaming, gaming or VoIP.
Your proposed approach is pragmatic, though if you have no need for blistering speed you could look at PowerLine adapters, such as the Develo range. You can put a WAP anywhere that there is a power socket. I have used them extensively and are a tidy solution (no wires so no irritation in the SWMBO department).
As a first step, moving the router to see if you really need WAPs at all is a sensible approach, so long as you have an objective way of measuring performance. If you have two (or more) laptops, I would recommend the following...
- Get a long uncoiled extension cable an plug the router in to it
- Connect the router on a long ethernet cable to the FTTP ONT
- Install Metageek's inSSIDer wifi analyser on each computer (needs to be windows) the previous versions are free
- Locate the devices at your remote points
- Run the analyser and note the signal strengths for your wifi**
- Separately run speed tests to the same speed tester - be cautions of the results if the devices are or markedly different specifications
- Move the router to wherever as the length of the power lead and ethernet cable permits
- Repeat 5-7 until the results are equal
The above will give you a mid point; if in each location the performance of neither is adequate, then you will need to move the router to the area you consider to be more important and then work out how to get better WIFI coverage elsewhere. It might be two WAPs in a row as you suggested initially, it might be two WAPs (either ethernet connects or Power-Line devices) in the extremities if they are in opposite directions.
**looking at signal strength is more objective than speed tests as you can be sure that you are looking at the same thing. Wet finger in the air speed tests does not discern important detail - which WiFi band the device is connected to will have some impact on measured speed tests. For (6) ensure that the devices are connected to the same band - 2.4GHz or 5Ghz.
Also whilst looking at the analyser, inspect the spectrum usage. To be 'friendly' to all users, WiFI should only use channels 1, 6 or 11 - 'rouge' operators on other channels will degrade the performance for everyone. Having one of the above clear of other users is ideal, however being co-channel is far better than being on an overlapped channel. If some other part of the spectrum is cleaner than the channel being used by your router, you can fore the use of 1, 6 or 11 in the router's WiFi settings. That alone could deliver improved performance without the installation of WAPs.
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