Two Wireless Routers - Same House - Different Floors

I'm hoping to get some help as SVTP always has the answers! Our current home is a ranch with a finished basement. My family stays upstairs with my home office, guest bedroom, storage, etc. is downstairs. We use a 'standard' Xfinity router upstairs which works fine until I'm downstairs i my home office where the reception is terrible. I was recently gifted a Motorola MG7540 modem/router in one and was thinking of setting it up as the downstairs network, but have zero idea as to how to do this. The way that will work best for my family and I is to have it as separate networks, opposed to our devices connecting to the strongest signal.

What is the best way to accomplish this? Thanks in advance for your help!

Unless you feel like pulling some Cat6, get some power line to ethernet adapters.
Have one plugged into one of the regular lan ports on the back of the main router upstairs and then downstairs plug another powerline to ethernet adapter in and connect the ethernet from it to the wan port on the Motorola. Follow the instructions on the adapters as you will have to "pair" them.

With the Motorola being a combo modem/router it will complicate things. You might not be able to disable the modem portion and just use the router, which makes it as useful as a brick. Most only will act as a modem or a combo. You'll have to do some reading.

If the Motorola can work, (let you disable the modem/ keep router) Then you should be able to setup a router downstairs however you want. You might want to change the channels on both to the opposite sides of the available frequencies ie channel 1 upstairs and 11 downstairs on 2.4ghz (same for 5ghz if you have it on the Motorola.)

Easiest solution would be a powerline to WI-fi adapter Amazon.com : powerline wi-fi adapter One module connects to your Xfinity router with an ethernet cable and also plugs into a nearby AC outlet. The other module goes in an AC outlet downstairs. Set up your new wireless connection and you're done.

To use the Motorola router it would need to be configured to turn off the modem and DHCP, which may not be possible. And as stated above, you still need a way to connect it to the Xfinity router upstairs (powerline adapters or cat6).

You can set up a mesh network with wireless access points. You would have a primary router hooked up to your ISP and then other access points backhauling the traffic to the primary access point.

How to Set Up a Mesh Network for Your Home or Small Office - ExtremeTech

You can use power line ethernet adapters, but personally I have never used them and from what I have heard the speeds you will get are are going to vary wildly based on the electrical infrastructure in your house. I believe you will also be able to set up the second access point with its own SSID if you actually want two separate networks. Either that or your devices should automatically switch between the access points depending on signal strength.

What you have, can work, BUT, you need to know what to do, and it will need a wire from the router, to the Motorola. Then you need to turn off the routing in the motorola, and set it up as an access point. etc etc etc. Again not hard with experience. BUT if the mototrola is old, it may not even have much throughput to want to even use it.

You do not want more than one SSID in your home (you mentioned 2 "networks")

Do your self a favor, get an Eero, or the comcast repeater(s). These are both easy DIY solutions to expand wifi in your home.

VENOM1 said:

but have zero idea as to how to do this.

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Thanks for everyone’s help and pointers. I’m fairly tech savvy, but struggle with this particular category. I’ll research each of your suggestions and go with the easiest route!

Doing something similar to this in my house. So ditched the Comcast setup, which I was paying $15 a month for. I ended up with Eero mesh routers. So far I only have one hooked up, but huge improvement over the crappy Comcast one. The routers will mesh together, however I plan on running ethernet to the second one to help improve speed.

Fish some cat6 cable and install a Ubiquiti access point.

I put an ASUS AC3100 in an upstairs closet when I moved in to my current house and I get wifi all over the house and detached garage.

7upstang said:

Doing something similar to this in my house. So ditched the Comcast setup, which I was paying $15 a month for. I ended up with Eero mesh routers. So far I only have one hooked up, but huge improvement over the crappy Comcast one. The routers will mesh together, however I plan on running ethernet to the second one to help improve speed.

Click to expand...

That's what I've been using for the past 2 years. I love the Eero routers. I have the Eero Elite (tri-band) but you can get the dual-band for less. Very easy to set up and then forget they're even there. They work really great with each other.

This.

Op, try a stronger router?

Stanley said:

I put an ASUS AC3100 in an upstairs closet when I moved in to my current house and I get wifi all over the house and detached garage.

Click to expand...

Sent from my SM-G892A using the svtperformance.com mobile app

1996slowbra said:

You can set up a mesh network with wireless access points. You would have a primary router hooked up to your ISP and then other access points backhauling the traffic to the primary access point.

How to Set Up a Mesh Network for Your Home or Small Office - ExtremeTech

You can use power line ethernet adapters, but personally I have never used them and from what I have heard the speeds you will get are are going to vary wildly based on the electrical infrastructure in your house. I believe you will also be able to set up the second access point with its own SSID if you actually want two separate networks. Either that or your devices should automatically switch between the access points depending on signal strength.

Click to expand...

This. I prefer Ubiquiti AP’s.

Another advantage of the mesh setup for me is that I can add additional routers to increase my Cat6 cable ports. I'm installing 4 Ring security cameras Monday and the Cat6 cables are already installed. So all I have to do is mount the cameras at each corner of the house and plug the cables into the two new Eero routers I bought. The routers don't have to be in specific locations. As long as there is an electrical outlet I'm good.

I'm a fan of mesh. Personally, I went Samsung, but there's tons of them out there.

Sent from my SM-G975U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

If your network requires more than 4 ports, which is the limit on most consumer grade routers, buy a switch to handle network traffic. If you're adding cameras, WAPs, or any other devices that requires power, go with a PoE switch.

DD-WRT it and setup one as an access point. I ran that for years before Mesh. I am running an Ai-Mesh now and it is wonderful.