Netgear Nighthawk R7000 Poor Network Coverage and range
- Thread starter ankydu
- Start date
Solution
- Sep 13, 2010
- 17,109
- 474
- 104,790
What you are getting is normal, the 2.4GHz radio on the R7000 is a little better than older models, but its real purpose is for 802.11ac connections. That is a very large area, not to mention the second floor, to cover with any 2.4GHz radio.
If you want good coverage over a space that large with two floors you will need to add a couple of routers configured as wireless access points -- you can use inexpensive TP-Link routers, but you need to make an Ethernet cable connection to each AP.
If it is just impossible to run a couple of Ethernet cables, you can use powerline adapters, but you need to use the newest 600Mbps models (like the Zyxel PLA5205kit) to get good speeds -- over 100Mbps. If you only want to connect phones, then an older Zyxel PLA4205 model would suffice. You would need three adapters to place 2 access points.
If you want good coverage over a space that large with two floors you will need to add a couple of routers configured as wireless access points -- you can use inexpensive TP-Link routers, but you need to make an Ethernet cable connection to each AP.
If it is just impossible to run a couple of Ethernet cables, you can use powerline adapters, but you need to use the newest 600Mbps models (like the Zyxel PLA5205kit) to get good speeds -- over 100Mbps. If you only want to connect phones, then an older Zyxel PLA4205 model would suffice. You would need three adapters to place 2 access points.
Just to Add:
The point where I have shown my S4 in the open area, the 5GHZ range just vanishes in that location. Secondly the router is currently about 5 feet from the ground sitting on my PC cabinet. And Thirdly regarding obstructions, there is a Split Air Conditioner unit and its internal unit both at about 8-9 feet height on 2 different parallel walls. Also in the last half room before the S4 location in the open area is a store room full of iron boxes. Thats all with the obstructions. I also tested with my S4 on 2.4Ghz in front of my house with one concrete wall (10 inches thickness) and one iron fencing. about 30 feet away from the router and again got just about 1 of 4 bars. Is there a problem with the router?
The point where I have shown my S4 in the open area, the 5GHZ range just vanishes in that location. Secondly the router is currently about 5 feet from the ground sitting on my PC cabinet. And Thirdly regarding obstructions, there is a Split Air Conditioner unit and its internal unit both at about 8-9 feet height on 2 different parallel walls. Also in the last half room before the S4 location in the open area is a store room full of iron boxes. Thats all with the obstructions. I also tested with my S4 on 2.4Ghz in front of my house with one concrete wall (10 inches thickness) and one iron fencing. about 30 feet away from the router and again got just about 1 of 4 bars. Is there a problem with the router?
- Sep 13, 2010
- 17,109
- 474
- 104,790
There is no problem with your router -- wireless just cannot penetrate that much building material or travel that far effectively. 5Ghz has less ability to penetrate material that 2.4GHz, so will have a shorter range.
That's one reason why Panasonic 900MHz DECT phones perform so well, they penetrate well at such a low frequency. On the other end, the 60GHz Intel wireless HDMI is line of sight only up to about 10 meters, because even air is significant at that frequency.
That's one reason why Panasonic 900MHz DECT phones perform so well, they penetrate well at such a low frequency. On the other end, the 60GHz Intel wireless HDMI is line of sight only up to about 10 meters, because even air is significant at that frequency.
Talking about walls today I checked and found out of the 4 walls coming in the path of the router and my S4 each concrete wall is of 6 inch thickness and the last one being 11 inches in thickness. And today I went outside my house on the road right next to the room where the router is placed and found that I had connectivity till 262 feet from my house on the 2.4Ghz band after that it lost the signal. So is it normal?
On my dell latitude laptop. Its built in wifi is wifi G and when checking with InSSIDer, the max speed for my netgear router at 2.4 GHZ is reported as 216 where as its set as upto 600 mbps in settings. I also get other neighboring networks and I can see those at 300mbps in InSSIDer. Anything wrong?
Also at about 40 feet from my router with 2 6" concrete walls in between, on my laptop, though the signal is quite good on my laptop 3-4 bars and occasionally full 5 bars, the wifi network keeps disappearing on and off from the laptop under wifi search. IE all of a sudden the network disappears and reappears and reconnects, doesn't happen with my old Linksys WRT54G router.
Also at about 40 feet from my router with 2 6" concrete walls in between, on my laptop, though the signal is quite good on my laptop 3-4 bars and occasionally full 5 bars, the wifi network keeps disappearing on and off from the laptop under wifi search. IE all of a sudden the network disappears and reappears and reconnects, doesn't happen with my old Linksys WRT54G router.
- Sep 13, 2010
- 17,109
- 474
- 104,790
Sure, inSSIDer shows those signals, but how many dB are they and how constant are they? Periodically, some signal will arrive at the laptop adapter, but it is not consistent enough to provide much if any real connection. Hence the bars may appear good but you cannot really get a decent connection.
A G adapter has a maximum theoretical speed of 54Mbps, but even right next to the wireless radio it will be significantly less (early Cisco whitepapers estimated 22Mbps total throughput in good to excellent conditions for high quality G radios when B was not used in conjunction).
A G adapter has a maximum theoretical speed of 54Mbps, but even right next to the wireless radio it will be significantly less (early Cisco whitepapers estimated 22Mbps total throughput in good to excellent conditions for high quality G radios when B was not used in conjunction).
Until this week I had Motorola Bridged Modem/Router SBG6580 > Dlink DIR-855 Router > Dlink DAP1522 + 300N plug in repeater to cover my small 1200 sq ft FHA brick house.
Router in the NE room, back patio SW of house. This week I bought the $299.99 Netgear Nighthawk R8000 ..- AND- I - LOVE - IT-
Just using the bridged modem & R8000 I get 3 bars on my back patio 2.4ghz & 5ghz.
I do have 2 Dish Joeys plugged into the Bridged Modem & cords strung across the room to my router
so today I ordered the Netgear 8 port switch $29 ( the 5 port would do, but only $3 cheaper)
... anyone have suggestions on changing NightHawk settings to improve performance?
Like turning off unneeded options.. 802 B signals & such.
I did find the Advanced/ settings / wireless.. but it's nothing like Dlinks check/ uncheck boxes.
Router in the NE room, back patio SW of house. This week I bought the $299.99 Netgear Nighthawk R8000 ..- AND- I - LOVE - IT-
Just using the bridged modem & R8000 I get 3 bars on my back patio 2.4ghz & 5ghz.
I do have 2 Dish Joeys plugged into the Bridged Modem & cords strung across the room to my router
so today I ordered the Netgear 8 port switch $29 ( the 5 port would do, but only $3 cheaper)
... anyone have suggestions on changing NightHawk settings to improve performance?
Like turning off unneeded options.. 802 B signals & such.
I did find the Advanced/ settings / wireless.. but it's nothing like Dlinks check/ uncheck boxes.
- Status
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram