I've been struggling with a really poor Wi-Fi connection in my new home. I'm currently connected through a Wi-Fi extender, but the performance is still terrible. I bought a new Wi-Fi adapter hoping it would help, and while it's faster than my old one, it remains unstable. I often get disconnected from Discord calls, and I frequently have to reset my internet. I've thought about asking my landlord if I can run an ethernet cable, but I doubt that's feasible since their router is on the third floor and I'm down on the first. I also considered using a powerline adapter, but the wiring in the house seems old, and I'm unsure if it's on the same electrical phase. As a student, I can't really set up a new internet plan for myself. What are my best options here?
5 Answers
Consider getting a mesh Wi-Fi system like Eero; they work well in tricky home layouts and help cover multiple floors effectively.
I had a boss who faced similar Wi-Fi woes due to peculiar house construction—thick plaster walls that acted like a Faraday cage. They ended up using several repeaters to make it work. Just something to keep in mind if the walls are also unusually thick in your place!
Yeah, the Wi-Fi trouble is likely because of the distance from the router. The ideal solution is getting an ethernet cable run from the router down to your level. Since you're a student and your landlord probably knows that, it might be worth talking to them about your internet issues. They might be willing to help with the cable installation, which can be up to 100 meters long and still function well.
I'd recommend trying out a powerline adapter first. They generally work better than extenders. If that doesn't improve things, see if your landlord might let you run a long ethernet cable along the wall. Both options are fairly cheap and usually provide stable connections.
If you have coaxial cable available, check out MOCA adapters—they can be quite effective. Powerline adapters are a good option too, especially if you’re on the same phase of your electrical wiring. I managed to get 200 Mbps using powerline with older aluminum wiring, but be mindful of potential limitations with older homes.
That sounds rough! My walls are pretty thick too, which complicates running ethernet. I really need to talk to the landlord about it, but I’m shy and haven’t approached them much in the three months I've been here.