Wi-Fi, routers and networks
A separate section with answers to the most common questions, articles and tools. For those who set things up themselves and for those who want to understand what they are being offered.
The key points in brief
Why is Wi-Fi weak in a far room?
Most often the router is not in the centre of the home and the signal is weakened by walls, floors and mirrors. Moving the router helps, and a house with several rooms and floors needs several access points with proper roaming.
Mesh or wired access points?
Mesh is simpler and needs no cables, but the link between nodes takes part of the speed. Cable between points is steadier and better for homes where renovation is still ahead. A hybrid where mesh nodes are wired together also works.
Which router to choose?
Task first: an apartment, a house or an office. For simplicity Keenetic or Deco, for a managed network Omada or UniFi, for complex scenarios MikroTik. Look at ports, multi-point management and firmware support, not the numbers on the box.
2.4 or 5 GHz?
2.4 GHz passes walls better but is slower and crowded. 5 GHz is faster and cleaner but has a shorter range. In a well designed network both bands work.
Do I need a guest network?
Yes: guests get internet without access to your devices. Do the same for cameras and the smart home so one weak gadget does not open the whole network.
What is PoE and why use it?
Power over Ethernet powers an access point or camera over the same cable that carries the network. Fewer wires and it is easy to back up power in one place. Choose the switch by its power budget.
Articles and guides
- Why your home Wi-Fi comes and goes: 7 causes and what to doSeven common reasons for unstable Wi-Fi at home and a simple 15-minute check you can do yourself.6 min read · Read
- Mesh or wired access points: what to choose for a houseWe compare mesh systems and wired access points: speed, stability, complexity and when each option makes sense.5 min read · Read
- How to choose a router and not overpay: MikroTik, UniFi, TP-Link Omada, KeeneticA practical guide: which routers and access points suit an apartment, a house and an office, and what to look at instead of marketing numbers.6 min read · Read
- 2.4 and 5 GHz, channels and width: how to set up Wi-Fi properlyPlain words about the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, choosing channel and channel width, DFS and roaming: what to change on a router and what to leave alone.6 min read · Read
- Home Wi-Fi security: WPA3, WPS, guest network and the router passwordWhat really protects a home network: encryption, the admin password, WPS turned off, firmware updates and a separate guest network.5 min read · Read
- Guest network and smart home: why you should separate networksWhy separate networks for guests, cameras and smart devices, how it works (SSID, VLAN, isolation) and what pitfalls appear.5 min read · Read
- PoE in plain words: why you need it and how to choose a switchWhat Power over Ethernet is, how 802.3af, at and bt differ and how to calculate a switch's power for access points and cameras.5 min read · Read
- How to measure Wi-Fi speed properly and what the numbers on the box meanHow not to be fooled by a speed test: check the internet and Wi-Fi separately, measure in different rooms and understand what AX3000 labels mean.5 min read · Read
- How to set up mesh Wi-Fi yourself: step by step in one eveningA step-by-step guide: where to put the main node and extra nodes, how to connect, set up the network, test roaming and avoid the usual mistakes. No installer, no extra spend.9 min read · Read
- A new router from scratch: a setup you will not have to “fix” laterStep by step: what to ask your provider, how to open the admin page, which settings you must change, what to turn off, how to save a backup and what to do when something goes wrong.8 min read · Read
- Ethernet cable yourself: what to buy, how to run it and crimp itWhich cable to choose, what to avoid, how to plan routes, crimp RJ45 to the T568B scheme, fit a wall socket and test the result. For flats and houses.9 min read · Read
Tools
Help from us
Wi-Fi audit and airwave survey Wi-Fi for a private house IT for condos Smart home Video surveillance
Would rather not figure it out yourself? Describe the house or office and we will suggest what to do. We do not sell equipment, we only configure it.