Trying to expand my network

[thelodge2025]

I am trying to get better internet coverage in my newly converted garage and am currently on EE wifi 7 at 1 GBPS in the house. I ran a cable from the back of the main router in my house to the garage and plugged it into the wifi 7 booster yet it only gives me 70 MBPS. How do I get my full internet speed in the garage with a cable coming from the main router? Do i need to add a router and change the configuration to act as a AP switch only? 

[thelodge2025]

I agree will double check the cable. I do not need the extender in the house, it is fine without it I was just saying how weird it is that once plugged in, it limited my actual signal, eversus expanding it.

When you say a switch would work, can you recommend what I should buy in this regard? I am not familiar with switches so any recommendation is appreciated.

[thelodge2025]

That said, the cable is working in some capacity as the garage is at least getting 70 MBPS via the booster whereas it wasn't getting any prior. It just needs to be replicating the house wifi or at elast a better than 70 MBPS speed for me to connect some devices etc.

[JimM11]

@thelodge2025 Let's hang fire with anything extra at present, the extenders and router wired connection backhaul has been proven to work, that's the whole object of connecting the unit to shove the wireless extender signal device connection down the Ethernet cable. so the theory is what you get standing at the router say 800mb/s on a wireless device, you can go do the same standing at the smart wireless and it should in theory be up there or there abouts as long as the device has connected to the extender and not all the way back to the router.... Devices make the decision as where the want/need to go, and if they can think that the router is best, though it may not be then if they see the signal they can be stubborn and not move.!

[Ewan15]

@thelodge2025 I have seen this happen when you first connect an extender using an ethernet cable. Have you rebooted the router and the extender(s)? Doing so fixed the speed issue for me.

[JimM11]

@Ewan15 Just in case you missed this some info regarding testing that was carried out.

Reduced throughput of ‘Smart WiFi plus” Ethernet ports - slow - The EE Community 

[Mustrum]

Thanks @JimM11   I had not seen that one.

@thelodge2025  The link above is well worth a read before you get too involved in testing..

[JimM11]

@Mustrum Yip, Bob is one off the people that certainly knows what he is doing and what it's all about. And if he say's so then in my reading his post there is going to be NO refute to it, that's for sure.

[thelodge2025]

Ok sounds good....will review it.

[thelodge2025]

I read it but not technically savvy enough to understand my solve...any suggestions on what I should do next?

[x91]

First and foremost, while an inadequate/faulty cable may limit speed, the cable does not determine the speed.  That is down to negotiation between the two network cards either end.  They sometimes screw it up, hence the reason a reboot is a good idea.  If one of the devices connected is only 100Mb/s capable this can confuse the negotiation as well.

Cat 5e (the e is important; Cat 5 won’t do) or Cat 6 is the appropriate cable here.  Cat 6 can (unofficially) handle 10Gb/s at 50m.  Cat 7 will do but is over spec.  Cat 8 is way over spec.  It is intended as a copper alternative to fibre in data centres and only rated to 30m.  5e/6/7 are rated to 100m (in theory).  Working techies rarely push beyond 80m as the 100m figure is a perfect install under lab test conditions.  Even so, the cable needs to be good quality pure copper, not CCA or CCS (copper clad aluminium and steel).  Connections 1, 2, 3 and 6 are enough to give 100Mb/s so a break/bad contact in one of the other wires will knock the speed down.  You need all 8 connections for gigabit.

Assuming the cable is good, problems like this usually lie elsewhere.