Provding below to potentially help others optimize a multiple media streamer (i.e. Roku, Fire Stick) install.
AV SITUATION: 3k sq ft, 2-story, home with TVs in four rooms. Two TVs are upstairs and two downstairs, each with a Fire Stick providing content.
- Cut TV cable several years ago.
- Internet connection is Spectrum Standard (60-200 Mbps advertised).
WIFI SITUATION: Replaced older Linksys E4200 wifi router that struggled to cover entire house or provide decent video streaming with a newer TP-Link AC1750.
- TP-Link device has option to run two separate guest wifi networks (one 2.4GHz and one 5GHz) in addition to primary network. In my case, the router lives upstairs.
- As a refresher, 2.4GHz has lower data capacity, but better range and 5GHz has higher data capacity but poorer range.
WIFI TECHNIQUE: Connect each Fire Stick to one of the two guest networks, NOT the main network for three reasons.
1) Better security, FireSticks are no longer a potential entry point for malicious activity against important computers or files. All three networks have hidden SSIDs and are WPA2 password protected
2) Ability to assign (force) the Fire Stick to operate on the frequency band (e.g. 2.4 or 5 GHz) best suited to that TV's location.
3) Ability to better allocate wifi resources across available frequency bands.
- FYI, two guest networks have different SSIDs, but use same password for ease of use.
RESULTS:
A) TP-Link AC1750 was easy to set up, has an intuitive interface, and improved coverage/throughput all across the house.
- A five star rating in my book.
B) Based on signal strength and allocating resources as evenly as possible; the two upstairs TVs are on guest 5GHz network. The two downstairs (also furthest away) TVs are on guest 2.4GHz network.
C) Sling, Hulu, Amazon Video, YouTube and Disney+ apps all running faster, smoother, and clearer with no drops (thus far)!!
Cheers,
XEagleDriver
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