Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos

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Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos
Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos
2019-05-13 21:01:09
Model: RE200  
Hardware Version:
Firmware Version:

Hi,

 

First time poster. I'm the proud owner of a couple of RE200's and an Archer 1200 router. I've switched my Virgin Superhub 3 to Router mode due to it not playing nicely with Sonos / Hue / Tado / Phones / Laptops / Chromecasts / Firesticks. All is much better now, it had literally ground to the halt an needed rebooting hourly.

 

However, it isn't perfect. Sonos controller / YouTube on phones / firestick / Chromecast - all occaisionally drop the signal. I'm posting on here - because I'd like to know the best set-up. For example - I've got the same SSID throughout the house. I figure I need this in order to be able to control chromecast with my phone - they have to be on the same network right? I read on another post the first thing to do is set up a separate SSID ... I'd like to know why? and what drawbacks this might have? 

 

I've also noticed that the chromecast and firestick appear multiple times in the attached device lists ... 4 times each, with subtly different mac addresses, all very close to each other. They also connect to the router, and to the range extender. (obvs the extender is closer to the tv, and the one I want it to use.) I tried blocking the devices with the router, thinking this would force connecting to the Extender - however, this blocked it entirely. Should I care what the device connects to?

 

Any advice appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

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#1
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Re:Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos
2019-05-15 02:36:48

Hi,

 

What is the current network topology/diagram?

 

If there is only one main router/DHCP server existed, then the devices connected to the virgin hub or Archer C1200 still in the same network and can access each other even though they have the different network name; while you do not have to switch wifi network manually by giving them same network names. 

 

For the unstable connection, what about other devices/common network activities? Like browsing or downloading on cellphone/laptop?

 

Have you ever tried to change some wireless settings on the main router, like wireless channel and wireless channel width yet?

 

Besides, what are the current hardware and firmware versions of the RE200 and C1200?

 

Thanks in advance, and have a nice day. 

 

 

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#2
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Re:Re:Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos
2019-05-15 07:36:11

Hi,

 

Thanks for the response. Current network topology is as follows:

 

Virgin Superhub 3 (in modem mode) -> Archer C1200 [2.0.2 build 20180118 rel 38979] ... This is the only router - this connects to a number of wired devices, that I assume aren't relevant?. 

The two RE200 range extenders connect to h c1200 (although at one point they were daisy chained one off the other). One of these is near the TV, and should supply wifi to the chromecast and firestick.The other is used for phone wifi access at the opposite end of the house. [the Tether app doesn't give me hardware firmware versions of the RE200, sorry].

 

Can you elaborate on why having different network names would make things better? 

 

Regarding channels - in order to keep the wifi away from Sonos, I've put the home network on 1, and Sonos on 11. I've set up QoS to priority, for Sonos, ChromeCast, and the Firestick.

 

There's occaisionally a lag in browsing the internet - so it's a generic wifi issue. This doesn't happen with wired devices, and happens even when connected to the router wifi, not just via the extenders. A reboot last night, of one of the RE200's has made a difference, but I was after general advice about the best way to set things up, and whether to / how to force devices to use the RE200's network rather than leaping to one further away? and whether I need to do anything to prevent them connecting to each other?

 

Thanks in advance

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#3
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Re:Re:Re:Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos
2019-05-26 15:26:50

Anyone got any advice on this - I keep getting issues where the range extenders connect to each others, rather than each connecting to the router?

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#4
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Re:Re:Re:Re:Best Set Up Range Extenders - Chromecasts & Firesticks & Sonos
2019-05-28 06:10:33

Hi,

 

Even though you created the different network name for the 2 extenders, as long as they are connected to the main router, they will be the same network, and you can control the chromecast.

 

And considering the  Half-duplex feature of wifi connection and the interference, with the 2 extenders daisy-chained, the performance of the 2nd one will be affected a lot. Instead, it is suggested to connect both extenders to the main router directly, like this way: RE200 )))(((C1200 )))(((RE200.

 

May it help and have a good day. 

 

 

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