Hey everyone! I'm looking for suggestions on how to effectively combine two networks I have access to. One is my neighbor's Wi-Fi (he shared the password, but the signal isn't very strong in my place), and the other is a 4G SIM modem (ZTE MF289F) that I have wired up. My goal is to use the neighbor's Wi-Fi mainly for downloads since it's faster, while keeping my 4G data for everything else (I've got a 500GB limit monthly).
I'm considering getting either a Gl.Inet Flint 2 or an Asus TUF AX6000 router, which both support dual WAN and Wi-Fi WAN (WISP), so I can connect to my neighbor's network via Wi-Fi and also use the 4G modem via Ethernet.
I also have a Brostrend AX3000 extender that can convert Wi-Fi to Ethernet and I could set up two Ethernet WAN ports on the Flint 2. Alternatively, I have a Xiaomi AX6000 AIoT RA72 that could work as a repeater instead of the Brostrend.
What do you all think? Any suggestions or experiences to share would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Honestly, if you can connect to your neighbor's Wi-Fi, you might not even need a separate router. Just plug your device directly into the Ethernet whenever possible and switch back and forth as needed. It seems easier than setting up a whole system just for load balancing.
If you want to combine those networks, I’d recommend checking out routing policy options rather than just load balancing. You could set your PC to use the neighbor's Wi-Fi for downloads and have everything else use the 4G SIM. If you're using just one router, the Flint would be a solid choice since it supports multi-WAN and gives you more control over how devices are connected.
Thanks for the tip! I have a setup with multiple wired connections for Plex and gaming, which complicates things. My ideal scenario would be using Wi-Fi for downloads while keeping everything else on Ethernet. Do you think that's feasible?
I want to join both networks seamlessly, not deal with switching connections all the time. It'd be much easier to have everything connected at once.