What service do you use?

For FIOS customers or anyone else that runs ethernet over coax to the primary router you can use multiple MOCA routers and use your homes coax in place of running Cat 5/6.

I've got a dedicated router upstairs for the kids gaming area and one out on the patio to stream TV from my Ceton box.

Running multiple routers like that is also a good way to separate your b/g devices from your n devices.

Yes. I use the same SSID and password. Channels are different.

One thing to do, though, is to disable the DHCP sever in one of the wireless routers, making it into an access point only. Remember to connect the hardwire cable to a regular port, not the WAN port on the access point. I also fix the IP address(es) of the access point(s). I mark the IP address on the AP and then can login to it easily.

BTW, I don't use the DHCP server of any of my WiFi routers. I have a dedicated wired firewall.

I use the same base SSID and append a letter to indicate what it's used for, like N for N only devices, P for the patio, G for gaming.

Passwords are all the same.

Routers have sequential static IP addresses .1,.2,.3

I have way too many devices in the house and on my to do list is to break all devices out into ranges based on function and assign static addresses to all.

Just been to lazy till now.

In a commercial environment, you would use WDS - which implies the same channel(s), SSID and password - and then roam seamlessly between any/all WAPs depending on which one is presenting you with the best signal right now.

WDS provides bridging of the wireless network, so all the access points are on the same network using the same keys/SSIDs, and all the APs participate in it equally. Many open source firmware projects (Wiki lists more than 30 it describes as "major" projects) support WDS, DD-WRT included. WDS often can be problematic between different chipsets and perhaps even firmware versions; best idea would be to use multiple WAPs of the same brand/model and run the same firmware/version.

Other schemes described here (different channels, SSIDs/passwords, subnets etc) can also work for a small environment (and even provide superior performance in a small setup), but they're not the way you'd do it in a commercial environment - where transparent operation/roaming for the users would trump point-to-point throughput for casual access.

There's an implied assumption is that if sheer speed were that important, you'd either sit next to the AP or use a wired high-speed connection :)

You going to come run the cable? ;) I'd rather not if I can avoid it!

Thinking about this though.... i could put the router downstairs, but then will my coverage just suck upstairs? I'm just thinking about the way the signal comes out, is more going up than down?

WIFI routers typically do better at penetrating walls and suffer when penetrating floors/ceilings so your concern is valid.

However, the IEEE tightened up the standards for beamforming so the current crop of dual band ac routers that implement it, ASUS, D-Link, Apples Airport, are capable of "self tuning" based on a connected devices location.

All about beamforming, the faster Wi-Fi you didn't know you needed | PCWorld

Hmmm... Good to know... Our current router(a cheapo from amazon) is starting to act flaky. Time to get the Asus it looks like.

Just picked up this post... We are running on Cox internet right now, so yes its on the coax. Need to investigate this more

netgear is pretty much garbage.. Cysco / Linksys are arguably the best ones out there.

I wholly disagree. I had nothing but problems since Linksys was bought out. And my VOIP service would not work with a Linksys VPN Router.

I've been back to Netgear for the past 3 years (VPN Router at Work and House) and they have been great.

Extra routers are not too difficult to find.

Someone always has one that was not returned.

I picked up 2 extra FIOS routers for free simply by posting an in search of on our community Facebook trading post.

While any MOCA router should work I like to stick with the same provider/brand as it can make initial setup easier.

Cisco 1921 router, Cisco 5508 Wireless LAN controller and 3 3702i wireless access points. Various 2960 compact switches throughout the house for wired connectivity as well and a Cisco Catalyst 3650 as my core switch which once I rewire and get rid of the compact switches I'll be able to have it control the access points and power down the 5508 as well. I was using an ASA5512-x with Sourcefire for content filtering but I've moved to an Ironport VM to do the content filtering instead recently.

Most of the time you don't need to get an extra router, an AP will do just fine for less money.

Sid, they shape is more torus but in our distribution at work, they penetrate better up than they do down and that is through pre-stressed concrete floors. You can also get external antennae to help with reception.