The information are for typical average apartment and house floor area and layout.
If you have very large floor area, land size, mansion or castle, you should consult with professional tech or company.
Primary Objectives:
* Max out your WAN throughput (ISP plan) performance
* Home Wi-Fi signal coverage
* Devices’ placement
* Security
* Budget
It won’t dive into deep technical details.
Home Internet Service Provider:
You pay your ISP a monthly fee for home internet service based on contracted download and upload speeds. Download and upload speed can be the symmetrical or non-symmetrical.
Download speed is often higher than upload.
E.g. 500Mbps download vs 100Mbps upload.
Home Internet Service Provider Plan
Internet plans vary by location, and ISPs typically differentiate them mainly by download speed and monthly cost.
ISP will provide equipment, such as modem, router and access point for connecting back ISP then to Internet.
Plan type:
1. 900 Mbps and below
2. 900 Mbps ~ 2Gbps
3. 2Gbps ~ 4Gbps
4. 4Gbps and above
Foundational Best-Practice Guidelines
1. Set your ISP provided router as bridge mode.
2. Inspect your house layout, floor plan & size
3. Use direct physical cabling between network devices if possible
4. Purchase reputable brand routers and network hardware.
5. Wi-Fi network device placement
6. End device consideration
Will talk the above points in further detail.
Why You Should Avoid ISP-Provided Routers and Devices
Avoid using ISP-provided routers or devices whenever possible. These often have limited configuration options, weaker security controls, and reduced performance compared to consumer-grade equipment
The biggest concern is that ISP-provided devices rarely receive firmware updates—if at all—leaving critical security vulnerabilities unpatched.
I have my ISP ‘s home fiber gateway router for more than two years. Firmware version stay the same.
Why purchase reputable brand routers and network hardware?
In contrast to ISP-provided equipment, consumer-grade routers and network devices offer greater flexibility and advanced configuration options. Most importantly, manufacturers regularly release firmware updates to address vulnerabilities, improve stability, ensure compatibility, and deliver feature enhancements.
Inspect your ISP’s entry point
The location of the ISP’s entry point to your home can vary—for example, in a corner, the garage, near the front door, under the stairs, or in a crawl space. This not only affects where the ISP-provided equipment is placed but also impacts your own setup and overall Wi-Fi coverage.
Inspect your house layout, floor plan, size & building material
Reliable Wi-Fi is essential for every household, and the above factors will influence wireless signal coverage.
Try to find the pre-wired cable drop for physical wire connection.
Note: If your property is extensive, such as a mansion or ranch, seek advice from a qualified professional.
Use direct physical cabling between network devices
Whenever possible, use direct physical cabling for your home network devices, such as routers (wired or wireless), mesh routers, access points, Wi-Fi extenders, and switches.
Why using direct physical cabling?
Better Speed and Stability: Wired connections provide consistent, high-speed data transfer without interference, unlike Wi-Fi which can suffer from signal drops.
Lower Latency: Physical cables reduce delays, which is crucial for gaming, video calls, and streaming.
Improved Reliability: Wired setups are less affected by obstacles like walls, furniture, or building materials that weaken wireless signals.
Enhanced Security: Wired connections are harder to intercept compared to wireless signals.
When Physical Cabling Isn’t an Option
While wired connections are strongly advised, they may not be feasible in certain cases, such as rental homes, limited budgets, or challenging layouts and construction materials.
A “mesh network” is the recommended solution, and we’ll cover it in depth shortly.”
Plan your home Wi-Fi network setup
Check how many current end-devices in household and Wi-Fi standards, as well as future purchasing. Eg phones, tablets, laptops, PC, IoT (security cameras, smart plugs, monitoring sensors, etc.), etc.
Budget your home Wi-Fi network setup
As previous slide, a well planned with adequate network device, it will typically serve your environment at least three to five years. It is strongly recommended to spend more for the long run.
Device Network Port Speed
This applies both to physical WAN port for ISP and LAN (Local Area Network) port .
100Mbps: Obsolete
1Gbps: Current mainstream standard
2.5 Gbps: Upcoming mainstream
5 Gbps: Expensive
10 Gbps: Expensive
Router Network Port Speed
You’ll likely need to use a network cable to physically connect your ISP’s gateway or router to your own router.
If your internet plan exceeds 900 Mbps, choose a router’s WAN network port that supports speeds greater than 1 Gbps to fully accommodate your plan. E.g. 2.5 Gbps.
Router Network (WAN/LAN) Port speed selection
1Gbps: Current standard.
2.5 Gbps: Upcoming consumer grade standard. If you have data storage device at home, you should at least one 2.5Gbps LAN ports.
5 Gbps: Skip it, because cost is very close to 10Gbps and not popular.
10 Gbps: Industrial standard.
Router WAN Port speed selection for ISP plan
1. 900 Mbps and below: 1Gbps
2. 900 Mbps ~ 2Gbps: 2.5 Gbps
3. 2Gbps ~ 4Gbp: 5 Gbps
4. 4Gbps and above: 10 Gbps
Why choose router WAN Port speed selection as last slide mentioned?
In real-world speeds are typically lower, around due to network overhead, protocols (like TCP), packet size, CPU, storage speed, and software, often capping at 90 ~ 94 % of network card specification speed. Same as 2.5Gbps and 10Gbps network port.
This applies to LAN ports as well.
Real-world network card throughput speed
1Gbps Network card throughput
– 940 Mbps (117.5 MB/s) upload/download
2.5Gbps Network card throughput
– 2,370 Mbps upload/download
10Gbps Network card throughput
– 9,490 Mbps upload/download
– 9,470 Mbps upload/download
Basically about 94%.
Router LAN Port speed selection:
2.5Gbps & 10Gbps
You should really consider purchasing router LAN port with at lease with one 2.5 Gbps or even 10Gbps port for future proof.
2.5 Gbps cost is close to 1 Gbps.
10 Gbps cost more and it is up to your own budget or planning.
Router LAN Port speed selection:
Why no 5Gbps
You should avoid 5Gbps devices, basically it is not much cost difference compared to 10 Gbps.
5Gbps is consumer grade.
Enterprise backbone grade starts with 10 Gbps.
Wi-Fi versions – standard released year.
Wi-Fi 5: AC – 2013/14
Wi-Fi 6: AX – 2019
Wi-Fi 6E: AX – 2020
Wi-Fi 7: BE – 2024
Wi-Fi available band / Operating Frequency
Wi-Fi 5 AC: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz
Wi-Fi 6 AX: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz
Wi-Fi 6E AX: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz
Wi-Fi 7 BE: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz
Wi-Fi available Channel Width
Wi-Fi 5 AC: 20MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz
Wi-Fi 6 AX: 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz
Wi-Fi 6E AX: 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz
Wi-Fi 7 BE: 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz
*** 2.4Ghz band Pros note ***
1. Longest range, much better penetration and good for large area.
2. Compatibility: Most devices support 2.4 GHz, including older hardware.
3. Low power consumption: Idel for IoT.
4. Theoretical maximum speed is up to ~600 Mbps, speeds are lower compared to 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands.
*** 2.4Ghz band Cons note ***
1. Lower Speed: Typically maxes out around 300 Mbps (depending on standards), slower than 5 GHz.
2. More Congestion: Many devices (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microwaves) use 2.4 GHz, causing interference.
3. Limited Channels: Fewer non-overlapping channels, leading to higher chances of overlap.
4. Higher Latency: Not ideal for gaming or high-bandwidth applications.
*** 5Ghz band Pros note ***
1. Faster speeds: Typically, 300 Mbps to 1300 Mbps or more
2. Reduced Interference: The 5GHz band offers more non-overlapping channels, reducing interference from other devices (e.g., microwaves, Bluetooth) and neighboring networks. This is especially beneficial in crowded environments like offices or apartments.
3. Better Performance in High-Density Areas:
With more available channels and bandwidth, 5GHz handles multiple connected devices more efficiently, maintaining consistent speed and reliability in busy IT environments
4. Lower Latency: Ideal for real-time applications such as video conferencing, VoIP, and gaming, where low latency is critical.
*** 5Ghz band Cons note ***
1. Shorter Range:
Higher frequency means weaker penetration through walls and obstacles, limiting coverage compared to 2.4GHz. This can be problematic in large homes or offices with many partitions.
2. Higher Power Consumption :
Devices operating on 5GHz tend to consume more power.
*** 6Ghz band Pros note ***
1. Massive Bandwidth & More Channels:
The 6 GHz band adds up to 1200 MHz of spectrum, enabling 7 new 160 MHz channels. This reduces congestion and interference, making it ideal for high-density environments like offices and smart homes.
2. Faster Speeds & Lower Latency : Supports multi-gigabit speeds (up to ~10 Gbps) and latency as low as 1 ms, perfect for 4K/8K streaming, AR/VR, gaming, and video conferencing.
3. Cleaner Spectrum:
The 6 GHz band is reserved for Wi-Fi 6E and newer devices, meaning no interference from legacy devices or household appliances. This results in a more stable and efficient network.
4. Better Performance in Crowded Networks:
Ideal for environments with many connected devices—supports more simultaneous connections without performance degradation.
*** 6Ghz band Cons note ***
1. Shortest Range & Poor Wall Penetration:
Higher frequency signals have limited range and struggle to penetrate walls and obstacles. Large homes or multi-floor offices may require additional access points, increasing complexity and cost.
2. Device Compatibility Issues:
Only devices supporting Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 can use the 6 GHz band. Older devices will fall back to 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, creating mixed environments that complicate network management.
3. Higher Deployment Costs:
More access points and upgraded hardware are often needed for full coverage, making initial setup expensive for businesses.
4. Not Backward-Compatible on 6 GHz :
Legacy devices cannot operate on the 6 GHz band, which may require complete device upgrades to fully leverage benefits.
*** Building materials that significantly block Wi-Fi signal ***
Metal: Acts as a barrier by absorbing and reflecting signals. This includes metal doors, rebar in concrete, and even
some foil-backed insulation.
Concrete and brick: These dense materials absorb a significant amount of the signal.
Water: Large bodies of water, such as a fish tank, can absorb Wi-Fi signals.
Ceramics and tile: Large areas covered in ceramic tile can also weaken the signal.
*** Building materials that have a moderate impact ***
Glass: Regular glass is not a major obstacle, but modern or tinted windows may have a metallic coating that reflects signals.
Plaster and drywall: These materials are less obstructive, but thicker walls and combined materials can still weaken the signal.
Wood: Similar to drywall, thick wood walls will absorb some signal, especially when combined with other materials.
*** Quick comparison of Wi-Fi bands: 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz vs 6 GHz ***
2.4 GHz: Best for range and older devices, but slower and more interference.
5 GHz: Balanced speed and range, good for most modern uses.
6 GHz: Ultra-fast, low latency, ideal for high-performance environments—but requires new hardware and has limited range.
*** How signal frequency affects penetration ***
2.4 GHz: Has longer wavelengths and is better at penetrating walls and physical obstacles than the 5 GHz band.
5 GHz: Offers a balance of speed and range for most modern setups.
6Ghz: Delivers ultra-fast speeds but works best in open spaces or with multiple access points.
*** Real-World Example: How Signal Frequency Impacts Door Penetration ***
Door – Thick solid wood vs Hollow Core:
Thick Solid wood door effects Wi-Fi more.
“Hollow core” means a structure, usually a door or concrete slab, with an empty or honeycomb-like space inside, making it lightweight and inexpensive, but less durable and insulated than solid alternatives, commonly featuring thin wood/fiberboard skins over a cardboard or plastic grid for interior doors.
*** Real-World Example: How Signal Frequency Impacts Wall Penetration ***
Wall – Concrete and Tiles vs Drywall:
Concrete and tiles impact higher frequencies (5Ghz and 6Ghz) make much weaker wall penetration compared to 2.4Ghz. Especially Wi-Fi signal has pass through 2 or more concrete walls. End-devices won’t be able to transmit required Wi-Fi back to router.
A single drywall partition may reduce signal by 3–5 dB, while multiple walls can cause 10–20 dB loss, leading to slower speeds or dead zones.
For high-frequency bands (6 GHz), even one wall can noticeably degrade performance, making mesh systems or additional access points necessary.
*** Real-World Example: How Signal Frequency Impacts Wall Penetration ***
House layout / floor plan
Based on the above Wi-Fi characteristic, house floor size, layout, and building material will have a huge impact on Wi-Fi performance. Specially building material are concrete and bricks.
If your house has aquarium tank or chimney in the middle, this will impact dramatically as well.
*** End Devices Wi-Fi standard support ***
Your end devices must support Wi-Fi band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)and Channel Width (20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz)to take full advantage of router’s full performance (upload/download speed). E.g. cellular phones, tablets, laptops, PCs, etc.
*** End devices must be able to send Wi-Fi signal back to router through walls or obstacles ***
Router placement
based on the above information, place your router in a central location, if possible, to minimize the number of walls and large objects the signal must pass through.
However, the ISP entry point is typically located at the edge or corner of the residence, often within a low-voltage box. In certain situations, it may not be feasible to run a physical cable to the router.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: main
Routers range from USD$40 to over USD$350 depending on several factors.
1. WAN and LAN network port speed
2. Technology, Wi‑Fi Standard and supported “bands” and “bandwidth”.
3. Coverage Area
4. Hardware design, Performance & Speed
5. Special Features
6. Brand & Build Quality
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: CPU – 1
Routers contain a CPU, sometimes referred to as an NPU (Network Processing Unit), along with various integrated circuits and electronic components.
CPU manufacturers offer products across different performance tiers:
High-performance CPUs: Deliver top speed and capabilities, but come with a premium price tag.
Mid-range CPUs: Provide balanced performance at a moderate cost.
Entry-level CPUs: Offer basic functionality with slower performance and lower pricing.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: CPU – 2
Routers CPU / NPU manufacture name vs price
Boardcom = Qualcomm > MediaTek > others
Higher performance and expensive CPU/NPU provide much more network traffic throughput for both physical WAN/LAN network port and Wi-Fi speed.
Wired-only routers are typically less expensive than Wi-Fi routers with the same CPU/NPU performance tier.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Network port speed – 1
Routers physical network port speed price.
10 Gbps >5 Gbps >>> 2.5 Gbps > 1 Gbps
WAN port connect to ISP and the other LAN ports for your internal network.
Some routers only has one 2.5 Gbps network port which can be used for one high speed connection. However, it is recommended to have at least two 2.5 Gbps network ports.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Network port speed – 2
Super important note:
Routers’ CPU/NPU handles network traffic and effect throughput performance.
A low-cost router with an entry-level CPU/NPU and a 2.5 Gbps network port can perform well over 1.5Gbps , but its throughput will still fall short of the port’s real-world maximum of 2.3 Gbps.
Please refer to slide #20 ~ #22
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Network port speed – 3
If you have a home NAS (Network Attached System), then you should have 2.5 Gbps network port.
If your NAS is high performance with multiple disks or SSD RAID, then you should consider 10 Gbps network port.
Your desktop tower PC can add Wi-Fi card.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Wi-Fi standard & Channel Width
*** New Wi-Fi standard routers do not cover larger area or penetrate multiple concrete walls better. It is the nature of Wi-Fi band.
Price range:
Standard: Wi-Fi 7 > Wi-Fi 6E > Wi-Fi 6 > > Wi-Fi 5
Band: 6GHz >>> 5GHz > 2.4 GHz
Channel Width: 320 MHz >>> 160MHz >> 80MHz/40MH
Please refer slide: #25 ~ #40
Home Wi‑Fi Router antenna
External vs Internal
Internal Wi-Fi antennas get you Wi-Fi coverage (almost) shaped like a ball, while external shaped like doughnut.
* Internal Wi-Fi antenna has better cover for up and down direction (ball shape).
* External Wi-Fi on the other hand, cover wider same floor area aerial gain (doughnut shape).
General speaking, lots Wi-Fi routers design to use external antennas. In contrast, most MESH routers use internal antenna design to cover top and bottom signal.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Coverage Area
Routers’ Wi-Fi coverage vary, single unit from:
93m²(1,000 sq. ft.) ~ 140m²(1,500 sq. ft.) ~ 250m²(2,700 sq ft)
Measure your floor plan and check manufacture model’s specification online.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Brand & Design
Brand higher router price models are usually consisting the following:
* Better over-all design/layout, CPU/NPU, IC and electronic components which offer better throughput performance.
* More advanced and adjustable setting.
* Much longer firmware (security) support.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Security Support
Router is the main gateway between your home and internet. It is extremely important the router you bought received vulnerability firmware update as soon as discovered on internet.
Your personal computers, phones, and other end-devices contain lots your personal and credit card information.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Update Support
How frequent do vendors release their router’s firmware?
1. Cheap, white-label, generic or obscure brand most only came with initial firmware.
2. Cheap entry level brand router may have up to 3 years upon initial release date.
3. Mid. To high end brand router may have more than 5 years of firmware update support.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: Update Support
How frequent do vendors release their router’s firmware?
Some vendors release one or two firmware updates per year. Very few release update quarterly.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: MESH – 1
1. Wi-Fi Mesh is a system of multiple interconnected nodes that work together to provide seamless wireless coverage across a large area.
2. It eliminates dead zones by creating a single, unified network, allowing devices to stay connected as you move throughout your home or office.
3. Ideal for large spaces, multi-story buildings, and environments with many obstacles.
Why Home Wi‑Fi Router Prices Vary: MESH – 2 ***
1. Wi-Fi MESH network contain at least two nodes (devices), which means you have to buy at least two unit at a time and initial cost is more than just buying one router.
2. Most MESH node devices use internal antenna.
3. Same as router, MESH came with different price tier as well as network port and Wi-Fi throughput speed.
Wi-Fi 7 vs Wi-Fi 6: Key Advantages
Lower Latency: Ideal for real-time applications like gaming, AR/VR, and video conferencing.
Wider Channels: Uses 320 MHz channels for greater bandwidth.
Multi-Link Operation (MLO): Enables simultaneous connections across multiple bands for improved reliability. Wi-Fi 6 can only operates at one band.
Better Efficiency: Enhanced QAM (4096-QAM) for faster data transmission.
Optimized for Dense Environments: Handles more devices with less interference.
Household End Network Device
1. Cellphone
2. Tablets / iPads
3. Laptops
4. Computers with Wi-Fi
5. Smart watch
6. IoT (Internet of Things): Thermostats, speakers, lights, doorbells, fitness trackers, alarms, Home Automation, etc.
7. Home alarm system, sensors, camera, etc.
8. etc.
Check your current end devices’ Wi-Fi spec and future devices.
Typical House Type & size
Apartment – single floor:
studio, 1B, 2B, 3B, etc. 600 ~ 1,500 Sq Ft
Ranch house – Single floor:
3,000 ~ 5,000 Sq Ft
Multi-story house:
1,000 ~ 1,500 Sq Ft per floor
Three or more story house or apartment
Router or MESH recommendation
Let’s pick router or MESH to accommodate ISP internet plan speed and Wi-Fi speed and cover for your home.
Dual band (2.4GHz & 5GHz) Wi-Fi 7 router or MESH with minimum two 2.5Gbps network port is strongly recommended for starting point.
Optimal router WAN port speed selection, please refer slide #20.
Apartment – Single Floor
Floor plan: Studio, 1B, 2B, 3B
Floor size: 600 ~ 1,500 Sq Ft
Single router with 2.5 Gbps network port. One for WAN and the other for LAN.
Wi-Fi 7 is recommended.
Two-story House:
Floor size: 1,000 ~ 2,000 Sq Ft per floor
If the building material is drywall, single router placed at the center of house, should work fine.
If far end experiencing slow speed, MESH is a good solution.
Three or more multi-story house or apartment :
MESH is usually the final solution. There are multiple walls or even concrete walls which block Wi-Fi dramatically.
MESH with wire backhaul is a perfect solution.
If wire backhaul is not an option, wireless backhaul with proper position is the choice.
Ultimate Comprehensive Guide: Securely MAX OUT your home internet plan speed & Wi-Fi coverage.
– The End
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