[Mr.Ed]

Can someone suggest a good WiFi extender that will work with my Home Hub 3000?
Or could you please suggest a device or setup that will increase speeds on the 2nd floor.

I tried the Netgear Nighthawk x6 Tri- Band WiFi Mesh Extender (AC2200) and could not get it to work with the HH 3000. I followed all the setup instructions and tried using a browser setup and then the iPhone setup procedure. No luck.
Then I spend way too long with Netgear tech support and was never able to connect the 2.4G and 5G WiFi networks to the HH 3000. Near the end, as they were running out of suggestions, I was guided to change the backhaul channel settings but never found what they were or how to change them on the HH 3000. Bell tech support offered no support for a 3rd party device. I don't want to waste any more time with the Netgear AC2200.

I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone using the HH 3000 and a WiFi extender or booster.
Which device is working for you?

Background.
I'm on Bell Fibre and with the HH 3000 getting the following speeds on different floors

Basement (where HH 3000 is located)
Download: 300 Mbps (Macbook Pro) 550 Mbps (iMac) (All computers on OS X 10.13.6)
Upload: 600 Mbps (MBP) 700 Mbps (iMac)

1st Floor
Download: ~ 175 Mbps (iMac)
Upload: ~ 175 Mbps (iMac)

2nd Floor
Download: 4 Mbps (MBP)
Upload: 2 Mbps (MBP)

 

[Mr.Ed]

Ooops - my bad - I believe I should have posted my question in a different thread category.
This is my first time at digitalhome.ca. Should I post again in a better category?
In Bell Canada Home Phone and Internet?

 

[ExDilbert]

The problem is probably due to using the mesh setup. Most mesh systems use compatible devices from the same maker. Using the Netgear Nighthawk x6 Tri- Band WiFi Mesh Extender probably won't work with the HH 3000. The answer is to abandon mesh and configure the router as an access point (wired) or as a wifi repeater (wireless.) I'd recommend the wired configuration but wireless will work with some limitations. For wired access point mode, I'd suggest placing it in a central location on the first or second floor. For wireless repeater mode, I'd suggest placing the Netgear Nighthawk on the first floor as close to the HH 3000 as possible.

 

[Mr.Ed]

If I went with a wired access point approach how do I know which router to buy that's compatible with the HH 3000? Or are you saying the Netgear Nighthawk may not work as a mesh extender but could still work as a router with the HH 3000 if hard wired? And will the access point be able to deliver a WiFi signal to the 2nd floor or do all computers need to be hard wired to the AP router?

 

[ExDilbert]

The simplest and cheapest solution may be to get wifi extender "pods" from Bell. They are not in the same class as the x6 but they should improve speeds to the second floor.

The Nighthawk x6 is not a router. It's a less capable device that can serve as an access point or wifi mesh extender. That places some limitations on configuration but it should work. Check chapter 2 in the manual under 'Use the Extender in Access Point Mode' for instructions for that.

Another thing I would try is 'Enable or Disable One WiFi Name' in chapter 3. That basically makes the x6 look like a mesh network when enabled but it could be causing issues. You should still be able configure the same wifi SSID manually. At the worst you may have to use a different SSID and add it to wireless devices. It's difficult to know what is happening or find a fix without actually having the devices on site. Internet providers simply don't support third party devices and Netgear support is probably just working from a script so they may not be able to help either.

The x6 may be able to reach the 2nd floor when wired in the basement but it should be placed on the first floor for maximum coverage. A more central point in the basement may help. If there is no ethernet cabling and it cannot be run then wireless is not the only choice. A powerline adapter and access point may work. In any case, wiring the x6 as an access point in the basement may help with diagnosing the issues and getting it working. If it is setup and working when wired, getting it to work in wireless mode may be as easy as unplugging the ethernet cable.

I understand your frustration so it may be better to cut losses if an fix cannot be found in a reasonable time. One brand of router that offers easy configuration for several models as an access point or repeater is Asus. I am currently using an AC1900p (from Best Buy) and AC2900 models (may be difficult to find in stock but one of the better dual band routers available. Beware of price gouging by some sellers.) They are not in the same class as the Nighthawk x6 since they are only dual band. Asus has a tri-band AC5300 model but I don't think it supports wireless repeater mode. There are probably other routers that support wireless repeater mode but I'm not familiar with them.

 

[gzink]

Not sure why you couldn't get it to work.......

• Dedicated Wi-Fi link to router prevents cutting the extended bandwidth in half
• 4 high-performance internal antennas amplify the Wi-Fi range to reach every corner of the house

 

[Mr.Ed]

Thank you to those who responded, especially ExDelbert. Your detailed and thoughtful suggestions are very much appreciated. I expect the issues I've had are due to pilot error. I'm not very good following detailed instructions and invariably miss a step or overlook something obvious. For now I'm going to try the Bell WiFi extender Pods. It sounds like they have been working well for some who use the HH3000. Thanks again.

 

[Nanuuk]

Mr. Ed you may want to investigate the Amplifi Meshpoint HD. I can't speak from experience (yet), but intend on ordering one. I have used their Amplifi HD and quite like it (it is out at the Lake).

Ditch the Wi-Fi Extender: Why You Should Get a MeshPoint Instead – AmpliFi

blog.amplifi.com

 

[hugiecan]

Hi everyone,, just a follow up to this post ! Currently have the Bell Hub 3000 with 500 fibe in my house and ran a ethernet cable 100 feet into my garage. My wifi out in the garage is a weak signal that so that,s why i ran the cable out there to increase to a strong signal. Question I pose is what exactly do I need to plug into the ethernet cable to get strong wifi ? Do I need a router, wifi extender or something else ? Please include model #s that are easily compatible with the Hub 3000. Thanks Mark

 

[ExDilbert]

Wifi extenders are often wireless only which need a good wifi signal themselves to work well. By definition, wifi extenders are wifi only. Wifi "extenders" with ethernet ports for the main LAN connection are better known as access points. Just about any access point will work. Most wifi routers will also work and they tend to be better value overall even though they are usually a little more expensive.

Some wifi routers have an access point configuration option which makes setup a lot easier. For routers that have no preset option, simply plug the ethernet cable into one of the LAN ports, give it a static IP address on the main subnet and, disable DHCP and NAT. The remaining LAN ports can be used to connect other wired devices.

AC1900 models (aka wifi 5) and up are a good option. AX models (wifi 6) are a little more future proof but will soon be eclipsed by wifi 6e models so paying a premium for wifi 6 is not a good idea. I've found some incompatibilities exist between wifi 6 (AX) and older 2GHz wifi G devices so that is a consideration if any of those are being used.