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Computers & Hardware => Networking => Topic started by: bakis95 on September 27, 2021, 10:46:52 PM

Title: 2 main modems?
Post by: bakis95 on September 27, 2021, 10:46:52 PM
Hello,

I am not an expert in networking so I am seeking some help.

We recently moved into a 2-floor house with an attic. We had a broadband master socket on the ground floor. Additionally, we have cameras in the attic that can be connected only via Ethernet cable. So in order to connect those cameras to the internet, I followed instructions in this video  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xwTOl3PBKw&t=977s) and have extended my master socket to the second floor. Now, I have connected my cameras and modem on the second floor. Unfortunately, the Wifi on the ground floor became very poor. So I thought it would be a good idea to connect a second modem downstairs but apparently, you can't have 2 master sockets or 2 modems connected to the same internet connection. Is that true? Do I need to buy a router and extend the ethernet cable downstairs to connect my modem and new router?
Title: Re: 2 main modems?
Post by: Alex Atkin UK on September 27, 2021, 11:41:38 PM
Yes you can only have modem and its recommended to have as little phone wiring as possible, no extensions if you can avoid it.  So it would be better to have the modem/router at the master socket and extend via ethernet upstairs, rather than the other way around.

A common way we do it on the forum though is to have an actual modem (technically routers in bridge mode, they just convert the broadband into ethernet) at the master socket and the router somewhere more central for better WiFi.  Or keep the router at the master socket and run ethernet to a WiFi Access Point upstairs to broadcast a second WiFi signal on a different channel to the main one.

Some routers can be used as WiFi Access Points with the benefit there you can usually also then use the ethernet ports too in order to connect more wired devices.
Title: Re: 2 main modems?
Post by: Weaver on October 19, 2021, 04:17:14 PM
You can have two modems if you get two copper lines, have the right ISP and router, but it won’t be cheap! I have three modems ‘bonded’ to give triple speed in both directions, plus very high reliability, because one or two links can go down, but the traffic is just switched over to the happy link(s). I have an ISP that supports this and a special router.