[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.

 

[Hegi]

Okay so I had a similar problem Today with the before-mentioned extender and setup. Since Google is showing up this post as the #1 result for the problem I figured I'll post a link with the solution, for future reference. (There is a toggle needs toggling to make the problem go away) Details in the link below

Bell Home Hub 3000 & Netgear Nighthawk X4S

So we moved recently into a bigger home, and I had to buy a WiFi extender due to the layout of our new place. Since this Netgear device was ...

blog.hegistvan.net

 

[17671]

First things first I would never install the Home Hub 3000, or any modem for that matter into the Basement of a house. My rule of thumb is to find out which rooms you use the wireless devices the most IE upper level, main floor, backyard, etc and find the closest to the middle point to install it. So in my case the middle point is the Main Floor family room of my house. It just so happens a Bell Fiber jack was installed there otherwise I'd ask the technician to install one for me during the installation. My Wi-Fi coverage is amazing. I do also know that Bell sells Wi-Fi pods but I do not find that I need them at this time but if I did have a slight coverage issue I would get them hands down. I've tried third party wireless extenders in the past but those often you have to manually configure an ssid and password and in some cases it could use a different security and frequency than your modem and your devices will not hand off seamless or have trouble connecting. I had trouble connecting with my old third party wifi extender in the past never again will I use third party extenders. plus when you change the modems ssid and or password the extender does not automatically change you need to do it manually and its a pain in the pita to do for some people

 

[Francis618]

First things first I would never install the Home Hub 3000, or any modem for that matter into the Basement of a house. My rule of thumb is to find out which rooms you use the wireless devices the most IE upper level, main floor, backyard, etc and find the closest to the middle point to install it. So in my case the middle point is the Main Floor family room of my house. It just so happens a Bell Fiber jack was installed there otherwise I'd ask the technician to install one for me during the installation. My Wi-Fi coverage is amazing. I do also know that Bell sells Wi-Fi pods but I do not find that I need them at this time but if I did have a slight coverage issue I would get them hands down. I've tried third party wireless extenders in the past but those often you have to manually configure an ssid and password and in some cases it could use a different security and frequency than your modem and your devices will not hand off seamless or have trouble connecting. I had trouble connecting with my old third party wifi extender in the past never again will I use third party extenders. plus when you change the modems ssid and or password the extender does not automatically change you need to do it manually and its a pain in the pita to do for some people

Thank you so much! I struggled for a week trying to figure out what happened after I switched from Rogers to Bell

 

[blp47]

Okay so I had a similar problem Today with the before-mentioned extender and setup. Since Google is showing up this post as the #1 result for the problem I figured I'll post a link with the solution, for future reference. (There is a toggle needs toggling to make the problem go away) Details in the link below

Bell Home Hub 3000 & Netgear Nighthawk X4S

So we moved recently into a bigger home, and I had to buy a WiFi extender due to the layout of our new place. Since this Netgear device was ...

blog.hegistvan.net

Excellent. This immediately fixed my issue with D-Link mesh

 

[Hell Cat]

First things first I would never install the Home Hub 3000, or any modem for that matter into the Basement of a house. My rule of thumb is to find out which rooms you use the wireless devices the most IE upper level, main floor, backyard, etc and find the closest to the middle point to install it. So in my case the middle point is the Main Floor family room of my house. It just so happens a Bell Fiber jack was installed there otherwise I'd ask the technician to install one for me during the installation. My Wi-Fi coverage is amazing. I do also know that Bell sells Wi-Fi pods but I do not find that I need them at this time but if I did have a slight coverage issue I would get them hands down. I've tried third party wireless extenders in the past but those often you have to manually configure an ssid and password and in some cases it could use a different security and frequency than your modem and your devices will not hand off seamless or have trouble connecting. I had trouble connecting with my old third party wifi extender in the past never again will I use third party extenders. plus when you change the modems ssid and or password the extender does not automatically change you need to do it manually and its a pain in the pita to do for some people

Thanks for this, that's the best explanation I've seen. I'm in that boat because my only realistic option was to put the HH3000 in the basement. Cutting open drywall (lots of it), surface mounting cables, or running a cable around 3/4 of the outside of the house weren't acceptable. Bell confirmed they only rent the pods so I'm left with living with it, or paying even more per month (my Bell service already costs more than a car lease).

 

[17671]

Thanks. Yes Bell only rents the pods to their customers, there is no way to "own" them. There are commercially available pods made by the same company that makes the ones for bell and rogers, the company is called Plume, but i do not know how well those integrate with the bell modem, secondly there is another company called Eero who also makes mesh pods, I'm just throwing names out if u want to "own" some mesh pods instead of renting them from bell, but what i do not know is if they can be configured identical to the ones bell provides.

lastly, you can run an ethernet cable from your basement modem location to a room upstairs which is central to your house and connect an access point to that ethernet drop, and perhaps do what some people do like mount it in the ceiling or high on the wall. this will now give you Wi-Fi coverage in the middle of your house, but you have to also be aware this Wi-Fi network may be different than the one your modem broadcasts, but some people are okay with that anyways

 

[ExDilbert]

Wifi mesh is a standardized protocol so, in theory, all mesh devices interoperate. I haven't tried mixing makes myself but I've read where others have tried and obtained mixed results. The other issue is that wireless pods, such as those provided by Bell, extend the signal but sometimes with greatly reduced maximum speeds.

My solution was to go with a third party mesh system and a wired connection to the main access point. If wireless is the only option, then a triple band system is best. That allows one of the 5GHz bands to be used as the backhaul. The best configuration would be to place the wired main hub in as central a location possible in the basement. Avoid obstacles such as metal ducts or large appliances, both in the basement and the floor above. Then place a mesh repeater on each floor as close as possible to directly above the basement hub. If any dead spots remain, place another repeater half way between the other repeater on that floor and the dead spot. The wifi on the incoming internet router was disabled.

 

[17671]

Even though wifi mesh is a standard protocol, if you get a third party mesh system and make changes to your SSID on your modem the wifi extenders will likely have to be manually updated with the new name and password where as the Rogers and Bell ones the software is designed so it does it for you automatically.

Remember. Not everyone with a computer is a computer geek and some people are elders and prefer simplicity.

 

[ExDilbert]

That's why I turned off the wifi on the supplied router and put it in bypass mode. It's in a bad location so using a separate mesh system made sense. Everything is controlled from the main mesh hub so configuration is greatly simplified once everything is paired. Non-geeks can buy preconfigured mesh systems so that would simplify things even more. If the supplied modems don't work well with other makes of mesh nodes then it's on them. As far as I know, the supplied router here doesn't support mesh at all.