Networking Options for Double Storey House

Wombat22 on 27/02/2025 - 15:46
Last edited 27/02/2025 - 15:56 by 1 other user

I've just moved into a two storey brick home. Ethernet is in living room upstairs however there is no other Ethernet ports in the house. We are renting, and there is no way to get an Ethernet cable running down stairs. Can't run a cord down the stairs as it'd have to go through doors that are shut.

Family of gamers so need ideas on how to get good internet down stairs. I understand wired is always better, but I don't see it being a possibility. One Pc down stairs doesn't have a WiFi card, so will need Ethernet one way or another. Possibly back of a WiFi mesh router?

Currently we have one Eero 6+ as it worked well at our last place. Was provided by our ISP so im willing to stop using this eero and buy something else. I just don't know what direction to go. Should I try wireless mesh? Possibly more eeros. Or should I try going for a strong router like the Asus rog rapture GT-Ax6000.

Any suggestions?

Computing Networking

Comments

  • geekcohen on 27/02/2025 - 15:59

    Ethernet is in living room upstairs however there is no other Ethernet ports in the house

    Checked the garage? Where is the NBN terminating too?

    • Wombat22 on 27/02/2025 - 16:03

      HFC modem directly into the lounge room. No garage. Definitely no other ports

      • geekcohen on 27/02/2025 - 16:22
        +2

        hhhhmmmm…. it would surely have to terminate somewhere.

  • Porker on 27/02/2025 - 16:17
    +6

    Could try some power line adaptors.

    • solidussnake on 27/02/2025 - 17:10
      +1

      As long as theyre on the same circuit !

      • gyrex on 28/02/2025 - 16:14

        They work across circuits.

  • pharkurnell on 27/02/2025 - 16:18

    I understand wired is always better, but I don't see it being a possibility

    Why? We had a sparky come in and wire up plenty of ports in our other house

    • geekcohen on 27/02/2025 - 16:21
      +5

      We are renting

      • The Hawk on 28/02/2025 - 08:17

        Correction Option: Request permission (offer to share or wear the entire cost if you really really want ethernet). Prioritise the place(s) you really really need it.

        A questionable option: Get someone in to do it, pay for it yourself, tell no one, and see if anyone even notices… you might lose your bond or have to put it back how it was.

        Other correct option: Put in a mesh system and hope for the best.

      • Dr Phil on 28/02/2025 - 14:13

        Can always ask the agent/landlord for permission to run ethernet cabling downstairs.

        Usually its OK and long as OP pays the cost and there is no damage top the premises.

        The outer walls should have cavity which make it easy

    • CommuterPolluter on 27/02/2025 - 19:37

      You paid a sparky to wire up ethernet cabling?

      • DoctorCalculon on 27/02/2025 - 20:17

        A decent cabler would have been hell of a lot cheaper.

        • kiitos on 28/02/2025 - 07:42

          I didn't know that was an option, good to know for future

  • GordonD on 27/02/2025 - 16:33
    +1

    I've just moved into a two storey brick home

    What determines how well signals make it to the other parts of a house isn't determined by what the outside walls are made of, but what the inside walls and the floor of the upper storey are made of. If they are concrete with steel reinforcing you're probably going to have to go with networking over power. If its not a good wifi system could do the job.

  • freefall101 on 27/02/2025 - 16:46

    One Pc down stairs doesn't have a WiFi card, so will need Ethernet one way or another.

    $10 USB wifi dongle?

    Currently we have one Eero 6+ as it worked well at our last place. Was provided by our ISP so im willing to stop using this eero and buy something else.

    Eero already works as a mesh, you could buy an extension off Amazon for $180. That said, if you need to buy more than one you might be worth looking at a whole new mesh system.

    Think about where you'd put it and see what the wifi signal is like. There's also that something with a 6ghz line will really help as it will handle the backhaul, as otherwise it will slow things down if it's on the same frequency.

  • barge-in hunter on 27/02/2025 - 17:07
    +3

    I've partaken in some pretty dodgy networking in my time. Here are a few renters tricks I've used or heard of:

    • some old houses have 'vents' on both the internal and external walls. You can often fit a network cable between the fins - feed it outside - along the external wall - then back in via another vent. Very dodgy looking from the outside, and tricky to feed the cable… but not impossible.

    • ethernet over power adapters. Just be aware the transfer rates can be terrible if the units are not on the same circuit (eg, the signal has to pass through the fuse box - this will be very likely over two stories), or if there are poor quality appliances on the same circuits (they can create a lot of noise and kill your bandwidth).

    • wireless mesh setups without a cable backhaul - this is probably the most reliable one to land on. If you're mixing and matching routers, the trick is to make sure the main router/unit has a powerful wifi signal, and keep the subsequent units fairly close. It can impact ping, but if you've got a decent wifi 6 (dual band?) or a wifi 6e (tri-band?) setup, it shouldn't be too bad unless the second story floor is made of concrete. Just keep the units within very good reception range, even if it means an individual PC or device won't have the best signal. Better to sacrifice one single device than every device that connects to the secondary node.

    • The Hawk on 28/02/2025 - 08:19

      vents… been there. Had an ethernet cable sitting in a garden bed for 12 months without issue then removed it when I left.

  • Shame on 27/02/2025 - 17:15

    Radio waves from a wifi router antenna travel perpendicular to the antenna. E.g. if the antenna is pointing upwards then the radio waves travel horizontally across the room, it the antenna is horizontal then most of the radio waves will go towards the roof or the floor. So, place the wifi antenna horizontally so most of the radio waves will travel through the floor/roof. Then in the room below the upstairs router, place another router in bridge or ap mode with the antenna horizontal as well.

    Ideally get two wifi routers with 6 antenna each and place 3 antenna horizonal (to pass through the ceiling/floor) and 3 antenna vertical to cover other rooms in the house on the same level. You could also buy two directional antenna and point them at each other but this is probably more expensive (e.g. https://www.pccasegear.com/products/65887/ubiquiti-panel-ant… )

  • thirtysixd on 27/02/2025 - 18:40
    +4

    Man these are all too elaborate

    You tried talking to your landlord?

    Offer to pay for cabling/wall plate (but get it done properly)

    • Mugsy on 28/02/2025 - 10:59

      And sell it as an improvement to the landlord during the talks. Being able to get good internet throughout a house is important.

  • AustriaBargain on 27/02/2025 - 18:58

    Are the walls made of stone or drywall?

  • p1 ama on 27/02/2025 - 23:27
    +4

    We are renting, and there is no way to get an Ethernet cable running down stairs. Can't run a cord down the stairs as it'd have to go through doors that are shut.

    You can get flat ethernet cables that are thin enough to fit underneath the door - run them along your skirting boards, then just have them go under the door - if on hard flooring, then just put gaffer tape over where they run under the door, if carpet, then you can just get a staple gun and staple the cable down.

  • Wiadro on 28/02/2025 - 00:33
    -3

    I guess you didn’t do your due diligence before you signed the rental agreement

  • Lastchancetosee on 28/02/2025 - 08:03

    I seem to recall at least half a dozen forums on this topic or similar. Some good ideas worth checking.

  • Odin on 28/02/2025 - 13:10

    Mesh router

    Or bust through the wall and cable the house

  • OverburdenedWarrior on 28/02/2025 - 17:31

    Do you have any of those old coax points in the room? You could be a candidate for MoCA. I use it at home to transmit gigabit speeds across the house. Powerline adapters can be really hit and miss, depending on the house’s wiring, and what you’re doing with them/how much speed vs latency is required.

  • shangoz on 28/02/2025 - 17:42

    at least a few hundred paid to electrician this days, that's why owner no going to do it, but wifi extension its the way to go, or TPG Deco or similar can do the job nicely, flat cable go through stair is another option.

  • vince088 on 28/02/2025 - 21:26

    get a mesh wifi system, each node should have 2-4 ports depending on the brand/model you buy.
    The ports can used to connect ethernet connection to devices.

    Eg I have 3 wireless mesh nodes, my kids room has 2 computers that is connected to 1 mesh node. At the rear of my house my mum's tv box is connect to the last node via ethernet

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