Wifi access point or mesh?

[RBDIVE]

Question for those who know about these wifi things.
I'd like to put wifi in the outbuilding I've run the cat5e there and is connected to a switch inside the house which is plugged into the router (isp one) Ideally I'd like something with a pass through ie i want to connect a TV with a cable to stream from the nas drive thus removing any wifi drop out issues

The existing switch has poe but I also could have a normal mains plug
I'd like to wall mount
So any recommendations? Is it called a access point? Or something else
Many thanks

 

[Gregb23]

Can you not just use another network switch to split the ethernet cable to the TV? Then it could also go to a WiFi access point if you wanted WiFi as well?

 

[m_c]

If you want to increase wifi coverage without having a second/separate wifi network, then you'll need some form of mesh network.
If you're happy to have a separate wifi network in the outbuilding, then an extra wifi access point would work.

If you want to physically plug in more than one device in the outbuilding, then you'll need a network hub/switch.

 

[qwakers]

A switch, not a hub or managed switch. They are not interchangeable without tech knowledge

 

[MetalMonkey]

Question for those who know about these wifi things.
I'd like to put wifi in the outbuilding I've run the cat5e there and is connected to a switch inside the house which is plugged into the router (isp one) Ideally I'd like something with a pass through ie i want to connect a TV with a cable to stream from the nas drive thus removing any wifi drop out issues

You want to put a TV in the outbuilding and have it stream from a nas drive in the house, without using the wifi?
If so as Greg suggests, put another small network switch in the outbuilding, plug in the cable that comes from the house, the cable that goes to the TV and the cable that goes to your wifi. Simples.

 

[knighty]

how much do you want to spend?

easiest way is a switch and a wifi access point - might as well go poe for the ap save having to plut it in, makes it easier to mount where you want it

I'd go with

switch

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-SG1008P-8-Port-Gigabit-Desktop/dp/B00VHZ95TO?crid=JTZUFTMFUX92&dib

ap

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Wireless-Controller-Software-EAP110/dp/B00VQ8P47O?crid=5RUCMJJZXB11&dib=undefined&th=1

you could probably spend half as much if you went with no name brands, but in my experience it's better to go with some name brand stuff


you could get a wifi access point with multiple network ports in it... but from a quick google I can't see any that are cheaper and/or won't be a pain to setup if you're not a geek


ignore 99% of stuff that says it's a mesh, it's not really a mesh, real mesh stuff needs a centralised controller, better access points and some smarts to work - essentially when you connect your phone (or whatever) to wifi it connects and then can;t see any other wifi access points, so if you have a rubbish signal it won;t know there's a better one until you lose signal from the 1st one and it;s forced to go looking..... for a real mesh you need the central controller tracking you around and working out if you'd be better connected somewhere else and forcing you to disconnect and look again

I think the latest gen of wifi will do it automatically... or it's supposed to... not sure if it's even released yet

 

[MetalMonkey]

If you don't already have a wifi AP and have an old wifi router, they can often be configured to work as a wifi access point and have a switch built in.
You will need to jump into the config and turn off all the routing, so depends on how comfortable you are with that.

 

[RBDIVE]

Thanks for the comments i dont have an old router and as the unif will be visible I'd prefer not to have a switch and a WiFi thingy
So I need to buy something that I can plug the cat5e into that provides wifi and has an additional network plug to pop the TV into

This one has two ports/plug so would this suit my needs

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Wireless-Controller-Software-EAP110/dp/B08FRM31NG?crid=5RUCMJJZXB11&dib=undefined&th=1&psc=1

Thanks

 

[knighty]

Thanks for the comments i dont have an old router and as the unif will be visible I'd prefer not to have a switch and a WiFi thingy
So I need to buy something that I can plug the cat5e into that provides wifi and has an additional network plug to pop the TV into

This one has two ports/plug so would this suit my needs

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Wireless-Controller-Software-EAP110/dp/B08FRM31NG?crid=5RUCMJJZXB11&dib=undefined&th=1&psc=1

Thanks

yes, that'll do what you want :-)

 

[m_c]

A switch, not a hub or managed switch. They are not interchangeable without tech knowledge

An unmanaged ethernet switch is a step up from an ethernet hub in this case, although I don't think many, if any manufacturer actually still make basic hubs, as everything seems to be at least an unmanaged switch now.

I've still got a couple old Netgear 10/100 base hubs in the shed, as they come in handy for long cable runs at events, as they force the speed down from 1000 when I'm pushing the limits of unshielded CAT cable (I think my record is 180m ).
The guy I sometimes contract to, has an even bigger selection of old hubs for the same reason, and I'm pretty sure he has a couple that are old enough to only be 10Base, although I don't think modern computer ports will actually go that slow.

 

[Jack_K]

There are access points with two ports like you've found. I know some of them can be used like you want but not all of them can.

If you want to increase wifi coverage without having a second/separate wifi network, then you'll need some form of mesh network.

The "Mesh" term is now used by dumb consumer equipment that just repeats the signal. All the OP needs to do is get an access point and set the SSID and password to be the same as the existing one and plug it into the network.

 

[Jack_K]

An unmanaged ethernet switch is a step up from an ethernet hub in this case, although I don't think many, if any manufacturer actually still make basic hubs, as everything seems to be at least an unmanaged switch now.

I've still got a couple old Netgear 10/100 base hubs in the shed, as they come in handy for long cable runs at events, as they force the speed down from 1000 when I'm pushing the limits of unshielded CAT cable (I think my record is 180m ).
The guy I sometimes contract to, has an even bigger selection of old hubs for the same reason, and I'm pretty sure he has a couple that are old enough to only be 10Base, although I don't think modern computer ports will actually go that slow.

I had someone ask me for a hub. Turns out that he wanted it so he could monitor the traffic without configuring the managed switch to do so. He probably just didn't know how to configure the switch despite being the IT guy for an IT based company. I hadn't seen a hub in many years so luckily couldn't help.