OT: Extending Wifi using Coax

[Ozarkdawg]

Thought I would pass this along in case anyone else was trying to extend their wifi. Ever since we got Fiber I have been wanting to extend wifi to my shop. It's just too far for an extender to reach (or at least a lower end extender). When we originally built, I did have coax run from house to shop. MoCa adaptors will allow you to go from router to MoCa to coax but they start at about $90 a pair. Turns out DirecTV sells a DECA adaptor pair for $20. It's a step down from MoCa but just for TV it's great. Added a low end extender (TP Link AC1200 for $25) and converted it's mode to access point and I'm set for under $50.

House router to Deca to coax into shop to 2nd Deca to Extender acting as Access Point.

Running a Roku Express in the shop on 2.4 Ghz (it doesn't detect the 5Ghz for some reason). Getting 44 Mbps which may be limited by a few couplings in the coax. But it is plenty for streaming TV and more than I used to get off an ATT hotspot. The way it's set up Netflix sees the same IP address in both spots so no hassle with watching. Assuming Hulu will work that way too.

I used the 5 Ghz for my phone and I swear my phone is faster there than in the house. The extender is wired into the router so it's wifi must process faster than wifi built in my router.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I have one of those DECA setups with my DirecTV and it works really good.

At our shop we have Starlink now and I wanted to have a good wifi signal stretch from the office to all out in and around our shop so I bought a set of three of the Netgear Nighthawk mesh routers. They work fantastic in the shop and you can be over a hundred yards away and still get good reliable signal. I was impressed.

 

[MStateU]

Have you tried unplugging it, waiting for 10 seconds and plugging back in?

 

[Ozarkdawg]

Have you tried unplugging it, waiting for 10 seconds and plugging back in?

Tried a lot to avoid creating a TP account and going in to change its settings, but that had to be done.

 

[The Peeper]

Have you tried unplugging it, waiting for 10 seconds and plugging back in?

#1 tech tip of all time. I've made it known if I ever 'die' on a ventilator, oxygen, heart monitors, etc, before they actually pronounce me dead make sure they've unplugged everything at least once and plugged it back in.

 

[The Peeper]

I did have coax run from house to shop. MoCa adaptors will allow you to go from router to MoCa to coax but they start at about $90 a pair. DirecTV sells a DECA adaptor pair for $20. It's a step down from MoCa but just for TV it's great. Added a low end extender (TP Link AC1200 for $25) and converted it's mode to access point and I'm set for under $50.

House router to Deca to coax into shop to 2nd Deca to Extender acting as Access Point.

2.4 Ghz (it doesn't detect the 5Ghz for some reason). Getting 44 Mbps which may be limited by a few couplings in the coax. But it is plenty for streaming TV and more than I used to get off an ATT hotspot. The way it's set up Netflix sees the same IP address in both spots

I used the 5 Ghz for my phoneThe extender is wired into the router so it's wifi must process faster than wifi built in my router.

 

[GloryDawg]

#1 tech tip of all time. I've made it known if I ever 'die' on a ventilator, oxygen, heart monitors, etc, before they actually pronounce me dead make sure they've unplugged everything at least once and plugged it back in.

Speaking of which, I have my living will tattooed on my chest. It reads "Do Not Pull the Plug".

 

[WilCoDawg]

Speaking of which, I have my living will tattooed on my chest. It reads "Do Not Pull the Plug".

Man, that can be confusing without further context.***

 

[elvis76]

When we built our house and shop/office 5 years ago I ran coax and cat6 underground from the house, about 250 feet away. Used powered ethernet as it seemed easier but was not satisfactory as even with surge protectors had issues. Then critters dug down and chewed the wire. Mineral oil is used in the manufacturing process on cat6, go figure. Converted to coax about 18 months ago, with in-line surge protectors on each end and Screenbeam converter into my shop router/wi-fi. Not even a blip so far but now that I type this and knowing we have rain and maybe thunder on the way likely I have jinxed myself. The other option was another connection from my provider at $65 per month so I am coming out better over the long term.

not technically a new member, at conversion I was unable to get old account to move so had to start over. Now back to regular programming

 

[horshack.sixpack]

I have one of those DECA setups with my DirecTV and it works really good.

At our shop we have Starlink now and I wanted to have a good wifi signal stretch from the office to all out in and around our shop so I bought a set of three of the Netgear Nighthawk mesh routers. They work fantastic in the shop and you can be over a hundred yards away and still get good reliable signal. I was impressed.

<makes note to drive by DCD's shop and pen test his wireless>

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

<makes note to drive by DCD's shop and pen test his wireless>

 

[Ozarkdawg]

When we built our house and shop/office 5 years ago I ran coax and cat6 underground from the house, about 250 feet away. Used powered ethernet as it seemed easier but was not satisfactory as even with surge protectors had issues. Then critters dug down and chewed the wire. Mineral oil is used in the manufacturing process on cat6, go figure. Converted to coax about 18 months ago, with in-line surge protectors on each end and Screenbeam converter into my shop router/wi-fi. Not even a blip so far but now that I type this and knowing we have rain and maybe thunder on the way likely I have jinxed myself. The other option was another connection from my provider at $65 per month so I am coming out better over the long term.

not technically a new member, at conversion I was unable to get old account to move so had to start over. Now back to regular programming

Don't have Surge protectors on the coax. Hadn't really thought about that but I guess I'll check into it but haven't had a problem in the past. Now Surge protectors at the 110v outlets are a must.