Hub or Modem?

[loobyloo1us]

Hi Everyone, I haven't been on here for years so please be gentle.  I have had a home office built in the garden for my daughter.  An ethernet cable has been installed to it and is working.  There has been a longstanding issue with the signal (at home) dropping consistently hence the ethernet connection in the garden office.  Now it appears that we need a stronger signal. I can't remember what the speed should be (have looked at the contract but was for 1990s.  It says on the bill that we have Volt M200 which is news to me.  My question is how can I up the signal/speed for the garden office without spending a further fortune. I have done a speed test and its 93 download and 21 upload.  We have 1PC, 1 Laptop, 3 mobiles. my daughter has been told to get a Router for the office and change our router to a modem (I don't want that) so what is the answer.  Thanks in anticipation. From a very grateful OAP.

[Roger_Gooner]

If your Ethernet cable isn't cat 5e or better then you have a problem.

[loobyloo1us]

Hiya, thanks for your reply. How can I tell whether we have a cat 5e or not. Thanks.

[loobyloo1us]

Hiya,  I've just checked the Specs the installer of the cable gave me and it is Cat 5 but no letter after it.

[goslow]

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@loobyloo1us wrote:

Hiya,  I've just checked the Specs the installer of the cable gave me and it is Cat 5 but no letter after it.

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Some further questions to clarify ...

Can you see any of the ethernet cable linking down to the office room? If so, have a look on the side for the cable specification. It is usually printed on the cable. Not impossible, but it would be unusual for anyone to install Cat 5 cable these days.

What sort of cable length is involved approximately from the VM hub to the garden room?

How are you carrying out your speed tests? Over wi-fi or via a wired connection to some device in the office room?

Are you just connecting a device (such as a laptop) onto the end of the ethernet cable in the garden room or is there more networking equipment in the garden room such as a network switch or wireless access point?

If you are getting a 92 Mbps on a wired connection that might be a limitation of the network card in the device you are testing with or somewhere else along the connection operating at 100 Mbps.

[loobyloo1us]

Hi GoSlow,  Thanks for your reply.  I will try and answer them in order, oK?

1.Can you see any of the ethernet cable linking down to the office room? If so, have a look on the side for the cable specification. It is usually printed on the cable. Not impossible, but it would be unusual for anyone to install Cat 5 cable these days.

It's a Cat 5 ethernet cable and is connected to the Hub, it is laid under the floorboards of the house to the back garden and the office is at the bottom of the garden.  We anticipated that it would be approx 35 metres.

2.How are you carrying out your speed tests? Over wi-fi or via a wired connection to some device in the office room?

Speed test from my PC in house from ethernet cable connected to Hub. The reason why we installed ethernet to the garden office was because WiFi was dropping in and out all the time.

3.Are you just connecting a device (such as a laptop) onto the end of the ethernet cable in the garden room or is there more networking equipment in the garden room such as a network switch or wireless access point?

The laptop is connected by ethernet in the garden office. The only other equipment is a printer which is also plugged in via the laptop.

4. If you are getting a 92 Mbps on a wired connection that might be a limitation of the network card in the device you are testing with or somewhere else along the connection operating at 100 Mbps.

If this is the case, what do I have to do to sort this out. Increase the speed on the network card, new Hub, signal booster etc.

Thanks for your time and look forward to your advice. 

[goslow]

OK there seems to be a few variables here inc. the type of cable to the garden room and the spec. of the network cards in your PC and of the laptop.

If I have understood correctly, you have got the 92 Mbps from a PC connected direct to the hub in the house and not over the garden room ethernet cable.

Are your PC and laptop both running Windows? If so, what versions? (It should be possible to check the ethernet cards spec. in Windows)

If you have the laptop plugged into the long ethernet cable in the garden room and you run a speed test in the garden room using a wired connection to the laptop, what speed do you get wired via the laptop?

[loobyloo1us]

Hi GoSlow

"If I have understood correctly, you have got the 92 Mbps from a PC connected direct to the hub in the house and not over the garden room ethernet cable. 

Correct

Are your PC and laptop both running Windows? If so, what versions? (It should be possible to check the ethernet cards spec. in Windows)

We think it is Windows 10 on both machines. Sorry, I've been retired 7 years and it's been a long time since I had to find out this kind of info.

If you have the laptop plugged into the long ethernet cable in the garden room and you run a speed test in the garden room using a wired connection to the laptop, what speed do you get wired via the laptop? "

Can't do this at the moment, as my daughter is not able to help until tomorrow. She has ME and has run out of energy.

I've checked with the guy who installed the cable and my husband has checked the cable and it is Cat 6e and not Cat 5 as previously told.

Thanks for your help in this matter, it is much appreciated. 

[jbrennand]

Cat5 cable is specced to 10/100 so is capable up to 100Mbps. Some actually do go higher. But it should work fine but just be speed limited somewhat.  However 100 is more than enough for most users.  Only 4K video streaming is really "hungry" ~15-15 Mbps - but HD streaming is only ~5Mbps and everything else is way less.

Try connecting the existing router in "bridge" mode.  If thats not good I would just put something like this WAP on the end of the cable and see how it performs on wifi and ethernet connections in the garden office. If its good enough then you are sorted

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-Wireless-Access-Business-WAC104-100UKS/dp/B01LWUJU8H/

[loobyloo1us]

Hi John

Thanks for your message.  I've since found out that the cable is Cat6e. Does that alter the WAP you have suggested. Also, sorry I don't know what a WAP is or does. Thanks for any advice.