Wifi to stream Full HD media

[neonplanet40]

Hi folks,

• What I am trying to do: I have been trying to upgrade my wifi so that I can stream HD media using Plex to my tablet. Is this possible? Video streams at original quality can use around 25 Mbps or more.
• Equipment - Microserver with Intel i5 connected via ethernet to my lan, PLex is on this. Synology diskstation also connected via ethernet to my lan which supplies Plex with videos.
• Switches to connect various points (all gigabyte connection), Asus Ac68u and Netgear Nighthawk r78004x2 - Both used as wireless access points , connected to network via Cat 6 ethernet cables.
• House- New build, so all plaster walls, no concrete. Timber frame etc. Router is currently on ground floor in bottom right corner (due to Ring pro being useless at range). Room I am using to watch tablet is top left room. I would say it is about 14 meters or so away as the crow flies.

I had tried to do it using my old Asus AC68U and found that it sometimes worked, but would often need to buffer, citing poor network speed. I assumed because it was downstairs and I was only getting 2 bars in 5G that this was the reason.

However, I bought a Netgear Nighthawk r7800 4xs and installed it yesterday as an access point. Despite putting it beside the old router, the signal was no better. I thought, given it was newer and supposedly better, I would notice an improvement in range and speed. I didn't (despite choosing an unclustered channel etc). Does that mean it's faulty or did I have unrealistic expectations from this well reviewed router? I am thinking of changing it to an Asus Ac86u.

So, my next step is to trapse ethernet cable across the house to the room beside me upstairs and put the AP in there (a real faff to be honest, but if it works, fine!)

Before I do that though, is Wifi capable (or is this Netgear capable) of transmitting these speeds that I need? I don't want to transcode if I don't HAVE too, hence the wifi upgrade. The tablet is a Huawei Mediapad M5 10 - (Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz).


So, should moving the AP closer help or do I have unrealistic expectations from Wifi?

Thank you for your help and advice.

[DanceswithUnix]

That does sound like a bit of an ask of WiFi. I have an upstairs and downstairs access point, connected by powerline ethernet adapters which manage about 45Mbps across the 1970's wiring of this house. The mains signal has to go via the consumer unit in the garage to cross floors so it degrades quite a bit, but I am on old 500Mbps powerline units and there are more modern ones around.

Given you have an Android tablet, grab a copy of WiFi Analyser and see how not just your signal changes around the house but how much neighbours signals intrude as well. Sometimes the router chooses what it sees as the clearest channel where it it, but that channel is congested where you are trying to pick it up.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...lyzer&hl=en_GB

[neonplanet40]

Yea, I ran that already and choose a channel that had no other congestion. WHere I am, (slightly rural) there was very little interference anyway.

I am just looking to know if moving my AP closer would be enough or if Wifi isn't actually capable of doing what I'm asking. If that's the case, it wouldn't matter what I bought or how close I moved it.

[CodeMonkey23]

I currently use Plex over WiFi via an AC68u and have no problems at all and thats in a 1800's terrace(thick walls), however the largest bit rate file i have is 20 Mbps. I have moved the router to the middle of my house though, Virgin home hub is in the bottom right and use as a modem, I've then routed an Ethernet cable so that the AC68U is in the middle and it runs perfectly. Something else that you could try is to optimize your versions via Plex.

[neonplanet40]

Well, moving the router much close eases all my problems. So, now I need a new WiFi AP that I can wire for upstairs. I currently have an 86u on backorder from amazon. I think that should sort everything nicely.