Hey everyone!
Just wanted to share my DIY home networking setup that I’m pretty proud of! I’m definitely no IT professional, but I decided to tackle this project myself and learned a ton along the way. I still have some cable management and cleanup to do, but everything is up and running!

A little background:

My property is a triplex with two rental apartments in the main house and my owner-occupied apartment above the garage. My goal was to provide reliable, high-speed internet to all three units while keeping everyone’s networks private and separate.

Garage / My Apartment:

Rogers Xfinity 1.5 Gbps internet connection, with the modem/router located inside the grey enclosure in the garage.
TP-Link 5-port Gigabit switch.
Four hardwired Cat6 connections for my security camera NVR, office printer, Xbox, and outdoor TV on the deck.
My apartment uses the Rogers Xfinity Wi-Fi for wireless devices.
A Cat6 connection runs from the garage switch to the mechanical room in the main house.

Main House / Two Rental Apartments:

The incoming Cat6 connection feeds a TP-Link ER605 router.
The ER605 connects to an 8-port PoE switch that distributes the network throughout the building.
Two TP-Link Omada EAP650 Wi-Fi 6 access points, one dedicated to each apartment.
One apartment also has two hardwired Ethernet ports for tenants to use however they like.
Each apartment has its own dedicated Wi-Fi network and IP subnet.

Network Configuration, VLANs & Firewall Security:

This was by far the most challenging and rewarding part of the project!
I configured the ER605 router with separate VLANs, IP subnets, and six IPv4 firewall rules to isolate the rental networks from each other and protect my personal network.
Here’s how I configured the firewall rules:
Main Floor - Basement: Blocked
Basement - Main Floor: Blocked
Main Floor - Management LAN: Blocked
Basement - Management LAN: Blocked
Main Floor - Rogers Private Network: Blocked
Basement - Rogers Private Network: Blocked
I also created a custom IP group (ROGERS_PRIVATE_GROUP) covering 10.0.0.0/24, which is the subnet my personal Rogers network uses.
This was important to me because I didn’t want either rental apartment to have access to my personal devices, security camera NVR, printer, or anything else connected to my Rogers network.
My apartment operates directly on the Rogers network, while both rental apartments connect through the ER605 with their own VLANs and firewall restrictions.
I performed connectivity tests after configuring the rules. Attempts to reach the Rogers gateway from a rental network timed out, consistent with the firewall blocking access. I still have some additional testing to do to fully verify the management-network restrictions and isolation between all devices.

Network Performance:

The results have been fantastic so far!
I’m getting approximately 820mbps and 19ping across all apartments consistently using the EAP650 access point.
All three apartments share my Rogers Xfinity 1.5 Gbps connection, which costs me just $80 a month in Canada.
This was my first time doing anything this advanced with networking. I handled the Cat6 wiring, terminations, switches, access points, VLAN configuration, IP addressing, and firewall setup myself.
There were definitely some frustrating moments trying to get everything communicating properly while also keeping the networks separated, but I learned a lot throughout the process.
I know my cable management could use some work, and I’m sure there are things I could improve, but I’m really happy with how everything turned out!
My goal was to create something reliable, secure, and expandable without having to hire a professional networking company.
Would love to hear everyone’s thoughts, suggestions, or recommendations for improvements. Especially from those of you who work in networking professionally!

I've been trying to help out a friend with getting her router set up with an SSID on a schedule so it shuts off at night. To cut a long story short her kid is smart but has medical intervention grade impulse control problems. Ended up in the hospital over playing games every night all night after mom and dad were in bed. So we want an SSID that she can connect anything to and it will just stop working during sleep time. The kicker is that we still need the iot devices like the doorbell and mom's phone to function during the blackout. Most of the scheduling features just disable the radio completely.

I've considered a second router with a kill switch but the router isn't physically secured and the kid is smart enough to click a power button.

I'm just trying to figure out the cheapest plug and play option for this, but not sure where the "it has scheduling" and the it has a guest network you can schedule apart from the main SSID line is. Any insight?

Cost is a major factor so she is looking as cheap as possible, but at this point I'm more curious for myself at what point the switch happens... Honestly I'm considering buying a unifi dream router and saying Merry Christmas.

So I live in a rural area with my mom and she bought Att Air which has been an upgrade from our old internet router with them. It’s faster and more consistent. HOWEVER I cannot connect my switch to it and my Xbox barely reaches 14 mbps while downloading games. Xbox wouldn’t even download a game until I changed the DNS configuration. Switch is still a no go.

I have no clue what any of these things truly mean, but I think it’s because Air essentially doesn’t provide me with a unique IP address? And Xbox and Nintendo need these things? But I read somewhere that routing the internet through VPN could solve this? I have NordVPN. How can I make this work or do I need to purchase/set up something else?

Idk if it’s helpful but whenever I try to connect the switch, it says it needs registration and takes me to a Java log in page, but I don’t know the username or password or how to set one up. Please see photo.

Please also be kind. I have no background in tech or coding. This is another language to me and also very frustrating. Thank you!

Hi everyone! I'm looking for advice on how to fix our home Wi-Fi setup. I'm not very tech-savvy, so please be kind to a newbie like me.

Back in 2021, our cable internet connection could only reach the first floor of our house. To solve this, we bought three Tenda mesh Wi-Fi units. They helped extend the internet connection to the second and third floors, and our CCTV cameras around the house were also connected through this setup.

Recently, two of the three mesh units stopped working. Because of this, we've lost internet access on the second and third floors.

To make matters worse, we can no longer access the email accounts or credentials that were originally used to set up the Tenda mesh system. We don't remember how to add or configure a replacement unit using the old account.

The only remaining working mesh unit is still connected to our CCTV cameras, and we're hoping not to disrupt that setup.

My questions are:

1. Can I keep the remaining Tenda mesh unit connected to our existing CCTV cameras and set up a completely new mesh system to restore Wi-Fi coverage on the second and third floors?

2. Would the new mesh system interfere with the old one or the CCTV cameras?

3. Is there a way to set this up without accessing the old Tenda account or resetting the remaining working unit?

I'd really appreciate any advice or recommendations on the easiest and most affordable way to fix this. Thank you!

The wired connection between my mesh router and satellite went out so I went into my crawl space to investigate. I found this damage right where the cable enters the basement from the crawl space. I live in the woods and there are a lot of mice around so it seems likely that they chewed the cable. But the dark coloring around the damage looks like maybe a short circuit and burning/melting? I’m not use PoE so I thought that would be unlikely with a basic data only cat6 cable.

Anyway what is the best way to fix this and make sure it doesn’t happen again? Should I use conduit for all cable in the crawl space? Can I splice in a length of cable here (there are slack loops on the other side) or should I replace the whole cable? Thanks!

I need to use a Cat6a cable already in place for non-Ethernet communication, but would like to know this even in general:

Given the Cat6a twisted pairs all have different rates of twist (such as on this pic, green is visibly tighter than brown), does it mean the 4 pairs of conductors will have different length? Or the less twisted pairs are looser such that all 8 conductors all about the same length? By "about" I mean less than say 1" difference over 100ft run. Thanks!

EDIT: a big THANK YOU to everyone who's responded. Regarding the particular non-Ethernet use about which some folks were curious, it's a subwoofer line input, and I was looking at a tradeoff of whether to use one twisted pair to carry the signal (higher resistance) or several in parallel (length mismatch).

I understand that even for a full-spectrum sound the sub wouldn't need to be using, 1% of the 3rd harmonic of 20KHz is 167 nanoseconds, whereas 3ft difference at light (electric) speed in copper is 3.3 nanoseconds.

Based on your insight and ideas it'd induced, what I'll do is:

1. short each pair together at one end and compare their DC resistances measured at the other, thus obtaining the particular cable's difference between pair lengths.
2. I'll use the two closer twisted pairs to carry the signal in parallel, lengthening the shorter one of the two by the appropriate distance of slack at termination on the receiving end, making them even length before soldering it with the other one, stripe to stripe and solid to solid.
3. The remaining two pairs will act as an extra floating shield of sorts; I'll short them to ground on the source end.

I just realized that I bought and installed an unshielded field connector on a shielded CAT6. I use this cable for an access point in my house. Should I replace it with a shielded connector?

Hello all,

I am planning on a big networking project for my home to install security cameras and ethernet drops to various rooms throughout the house. I plan to put my server in the laundry room. I am wondering if the amount of cameras, ethernet drops. if ap placement is adequte for my home and if my server gear is appropriate. Each ethernet wall jack will have 2 connections.

I am planning to use Cat6a S/FTP and routing most of the cables in the crawlspace underneath the house. There is some attic access above the bedrooms as well.

I am planning a camera at least on each corner of the house + 1 on the shed aiming toward the back entrance + 1 door bell.

Thanks

Im decently tech savy and can follow instructions, but pretty lost on this one. None of the posts Ive read make sense.

I have two cheap LG TVs that I want to block from doing everything a TV is not supposed to do. All I use it for is streaming on the TV (peacock) and via an attached computer. Everything else (spying, ads, updates) can all get blocked.

My understanding is I need to do something on the router, but Im seriously confused as to what. Its a NetGear router that I own.

The rest of my network is just computers, phones, and a few wifi outlets.

Edit: Disconnecting the internet is not a solution. I still need the streaming apps on the other TV to work. As well as airplay on both TVs.

My broadband speed is fine, but a couple of rooms still get weak Wi-Fi and buffering.

For anyone who had the same issue, what helped more: moving the router, adding mesh Wi-Fi, or upgrading the plan?

Hi all, first time posting here, would like to seek advice regarding my intended Wifi setup for my new place with 4 rooms in a high-rise flat. I have been informed of potential (highly likely) “dead zones” in similar flat layouts, and would like to not suffer from any angst as a result of it, if possible.

Adopting the access point (ceiling-mounted) method instead of relying on mesh nodes.

I’m totally not a technical person :’)

The broadband plan:
- Gonna recontract soon & also relocate to a new place at the same time. My ISP is giving a free Amazon eero Pro 7 10 Gbps Router for 10Gbps plan. From their website, it shows that the router has 2 10Gbps ports, a USB-C power slot and a reset button. (WAN is auto-sensing, ok to connect to any port)

Inside the DB box (have not bought the hardware yet):

- Patch panel & Fiber Termination Point wall box already installed by network infrastructure provider.
- TP-Link TL-SX105 5-Port 10G Desktop Switch
- TP-Link Omada POE380S 10G 90W PoE++ Injector
- Amazon eero Pro 7 10 Gbps Router and modem (from ISP)
- External USB fan for ventilation
- 4-way or 5-way power strip extension cord

Mounted on the ceiling:

- TP-Link EAP787 BE15000 Ceiling Mount Tri-Band Wi-Fi 7 Access Point
- A cat6 cable will extend from the DB box to the false ceiling (somewhere in the middle of the hallway) and connect to the ceiling-mounted Access Point (does not require a power point as an external PoE injector will “power” it)

Is the setup ok? Some of my fam work from home and do light gaming. We don’t have a smart TV or surveillance cams yet. Thanks for reading!

So I just moved into a new build and have a Spectrum fiber.

I purchased MoCa Adapter and tried this.

Modem -> Router -> MoCa adapter -> Coax -> MoCa Adapter.

But Coax didn't light up and I tried every Coax in the house but none of them were connecting adapters.

So I realized that I have 7 cables hanging outside wall and did the DIY Coax installation and connected with MoCa compatible splitter and plugged them into all OUT ports. Nothing in IN port since I'm just connecting it from the modem. But still not connecting MoCa adapters.

Am I still missing a step or is there something else outside of my control that I need to call an electrician?

I've been trying to find the cheapest possible router that allows VLAN/VAP, Ad/malware blocking, Encrypted DNS and tools to help with bufferbloat while gaming (wired) in a 1300sq ft apartment (need wifi for phones as i get no signal in my apartment due to it having a metal roof). That can handle a 500/25mbps connection that will be upgraded to a 500/500mbps connection at some point in the future. I also didn't want to use OpenWRT, so thought my only real option was the Express 7 for $200+ or the Dream Router 7 for $300+. I'm no network expert, but can someone tell me if my thinking here (and Gemini) is correct when it comes to something like the new MikroTik hAP be lite. Since it supports opensource adblock/malware lists that means it has better adblocking and malware blocking than the Dream Router 7 for $80 only? It also supports CAKE, while the Express 7 and Dream Router 7 have a 300mbps limit on smart queueing. CAKE should have no issues Smart Shaping on a 500/25 or 500/500 connection to help with bufferbloat? I was also looking at the hAP be³ Media which is another new MikroTik router that supports running containers on it. I was originally going to buy this as i thought i needed something like AdGuard Home to get proper adblocking/malware blocking and encrypted DNS, but now that RouterOS supports the adblock/malware lists this would be a huge waste of $180 for me? Does AdGuard Home really use the same blocking lists that you can just add to RouterOS now? Can someone who has a better understand of all this confirm that my thinking/gemini is correct and the HAP Be Lite would be the perfect router for my apartment while saving me $100-200+?

Hello. I am in the market for a singular access point for my “den” room in the back of my house. My house is L shaped and my rg is currently in a far corner bedroom. I’ve struggled with wifi in the back of the house for awhile and just recently pulled two cat6 cables back there with the intention of having a single access point to help with wifi in that room and my shop in the backyard. Shop is within ten feet of the back wall where the access point will be.

I’ve read good things about unifi but wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations first. Thank you all

Hey guys,

I have a Linksys LN1301 WiFi 6 Router that's connected in the living room to the internet (Sonic) but connecting to the wifi from my room is really, really spotty and weak. I bought an Amazon Eero 6e Pro off FB Marketplace and reset the thing, and was wondering if I can place that in my room to help out with the wifi signal/strength. I'm unsure if I can have two different kinds/brands of routers to make this work, and how to actually make it exactly work if I can.

Thanks in advance and sorry if it sounds like a dumb question.

🧠 Los dos pilares técnicos de sping

¿Por qué funciona sin sudo siendo más avanzado?
El comando ping tradicional surgió cuando los sistemas operativos exigían abrir un socket RAW para enviar un paquete ICMP Echo Request. Como estos sockets permiten falsificar cabeceras y observar la red, Linux exigía privilegios de administrador. Para evitarlo, el binario clásico suele usar el bit SUID (se ejecuta como root oculto), lo que supone un riesgo de seguridad.
sping lo resuelve desde la base:
Emplea sockets de datagramas ICMP sin privilegios (net.ipv4.pinggrouprange), una función moderna del kernel de Linux con soporte nativo en macOS y Windows.
En lugar de pedir acceso completo a la tarjeta de red, solicita al kernel que gestione el envío del paquete ICMP de manera segura en el espacio de usuario.
Resultado: sin riesgos por escalada de privilegios, ejecución limpia en contenedores Docker minimalistas y cumplimiento de las directrices de seguridad actuales.

¿Por qué es tan brutalmente eficiente?
El ping clásico suele ser síncrono y lineal: envía un paquete, aguarda el tiempo de espera y luego lanza el siguiente. Si se intenta un ping masivo a múltiples IPs con un script en Bash, el sistema debe abrir docenas de procesos en paralelo, saturando la tabla de procesos.
sping aprovecha la arquitectura moderna de Rust:
Motor asíncrono con Tokio: usa un bucle de eventos ligero. No genera un hilo del sistema operativo por cada host; gestiona miles de objetivos en paralelo dentro de un único proceso mediante tareas virtuales muy eficientes (Green Threads).
Gestión de memoria sin coste: Rust elimina la necesidad de un recolector de basura. sping determina con precisión su uso de memoria en tiempo de compilación. Por ello, al vigilar decenas de servidores simultáneamente, su consumo se mantiene en unos ~4 MB de RAM y el uso de CPU es inferior al 1%.

Just wanted to show off my server rack. I've finally gotten it to a point I'm happy with until I can get kubernetes clusters. Ask any questions of specs etc.

Greetings, I’m sure this has been asked and solved but I wasn’t able to find something that pertained to my exact situation. I’m looking for something advice on extending my WiFi to my shop(metal building). I previously had Starlink at my house and set up a mesh node in my shop, and with the roll up doors open I could get about 20-30mbps download speed which I was fine with. I have recently got fiber installed so I dropped the star link, the router I have now won’t reach reliably out to the shop (about 75 feet from the house) and I’m looking at getting some kind of WiFi adapter/extender/bridge. I’ve done a little research on the topic but can’t really find what the best solution would be. I’d like to be able to use the WiFi in the shop with the doors closed ideally. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

is there reliable way how to transfer images or stream video from security camera over Wi-Fi (or any other wireless technology/network) between 2 points 150m away with mostly direct view? There is only one big tree between both points. But it is in the city where are hundreds wifi networks...

thank you

I have a StarTech rack, and am at the point where I get to begin installing my hardware.

I think these dealies just pop into the holes in the rails up and down the rack, and then I screw whatever I want like shelves, patch panels, into them….is there anything more than that?

Tp link omada

As the title says I'm looking for suggestions for a large and pretty old brick farm house. It's my grandparents place, theyre finally getting wired with internet and want my help. Problem is, I've only ever lived in small apartments so I've never had to worry about signal and therefore I just get the cheapest router with high speeds.

I've tried doing a bunch of research but I'm not very tech savvy, and the jargon just confuses me lol.

Looking for something that is able to handle streaming, and when the family visits for holidays maybe have 2-4 people on it at once (otherwise typically just 1 device at a time).

House in question is around 2800 sq ft.

Access point where comcast will be running the wire is in the far corner of the first floor.

I'm looking for something easy to set up- but most importantly it needs to be stable. I will be the one who has to go fix it when their internet goes down lol

Unfortunately hardwired is not an option.

Thanks in advance for your help!