Does Number of Router Antennas Matter? (Multiple WiFi gadgets using 1 router)

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Level 1

12 points

Does Number of Router Antennas Matter? (Multiple WiFi gadgets using 1 router)

- My house is a 3-story 5-bedroom single family home. There are 4 people living in the home and each person has atleast 3-4 wireless items that rely on our home wi-fi network. The wireless items include 2 iPhone 6's, 3 iPhone 5's, 2 iMacs (one older one and a new one), 1 airbook, 1 MS Surface, 2 older Apple laptops (the old 1" thick white ones), 2 iPads, 1-2 Kindles, 1 wireless picture frame, 3 wifi printers, 1 Sony PlayStation4 (using wifi), and more.

Our current router is a dual (2.5 and 5) and we're using both, and we recently had a technician change the channels so we're not competing with neighbors. Router signal strength is strong in the house in most places.

My question: with so many devices, would it help to have multiple routers with multiple antennas to accommodate all of this demand, or does this even matter?

My current router has 3 visible external antennas. I read that the Airport Extreme has 6 internal antennas. I'm prepared to go buy the Airport Extreme if the 3 additional antennas will help, or if I can use both routers for a total of 9 antennas (if this matters).

Our broadband service is xfinity and we have one of their fastest options. Not quite the 105, but around 80.

Any suggestions?

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on May 31, 2016 6:50 PM

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Answer 1

May 31, 2016 7:42 PM in response to DadMac72

Multiple wireless routers will tend to work better than one monster super multi-antenna gothic chair looking router.

But they all need to be connected with ethernet.

Read how to get excellent wireless in your house.

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/basics/wireless-basics/31576-the-best-way-to-get- whole-house-wireless-coverage

External antennas tend to be more effective than internal but the actual number of antennas is easily overrated.

Most antennas used on routers now are dual band.. meaning inside the plastic they have sections for both bands.. so one antenna is really two.

Our current router is a dual (2.5 and 5) and we're using both

What model is it exactly?? From the base label please.

we recently had a technician change the channels so we're not competing with neighbors. Router signal strength is strong in the house in most places.

This would have been correct for the first 5min after the Technician left the house and then totally irrelevant. Channel of all the equipment around you changes every day, every hour.. maybe every 5min. Although I don't disagree with fixing channels.. others will argue it should be left on auto. You will gain nothing much at all.

If signal strength is good over a 3 storey house you are incredibly lucky.

You cannot effectively add more routers unless you install ethernet to provide a backbone for the data flows.

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Answer 2

Bob Timmons

Level 10

185,036 points

May 31, 2016 7:42 PM in response to DadMac72

Any suggestions?

it's really pretty simple.

You need a router in each of the main areas of the house where people will be using their wireless devices. Line of sight to the router from a wireless device will produce the best results by far.

Connect all of the routers together using wired Ethernet cable connections. That will mean pulling cables throughout the house in many cases.

To give you a rough idea, my house is not that big.....about 2500 square feet all on one level. It takes 3 AirPort routers to get good fast coverage throughout the house. I use a 4th AirPort outside when the weather is nice to cover the patio and pool area.

Recently we had a family reunion and there were probably at least 30-35 wireless devices all connected at the same time. Everyone raved at how fast the wireless was with no dead spots anywhere.

The main problem that we have now is that relatives want to visit just to use the wireless.

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