@EddieL I like the eero hardware but before you make any changes, you should first get to a point where you have a working Ignite TV installation with standard Rogers-supplied hardware. If your Wi-Fi worked before, it should still be working now, especially if you are still using the same Wi-Fi channels that worked well for you with your previous setup.
What router do you currently have and what service did you use before you switched to Ignite TV?
@EddieL wrote:
Thanks for your reply. So you do recommend the eero?
Yes, I do. Here's another online review where the eero Pro (What Rogers call the Hub) + 2 Beacons was their top pick: https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-mesh-networking-kits/
However, I'm still very surprised (and a bit concerned) that your speed tests were so slow with the XB6's Wi-Fi.
Where in your house is the XB6 located? Is it a relatively new house with modern construction or an older home with plaster-on-wire-mesh walls?
@EddieL given that your house is fairly new, does it happen to have structured wiring installed? That is a cable bundle with one run from the structured wiring cabinet in the basement to each room where telephone/cable/ethernet services are required. The bundle usually consists of two RG-6 cables for satellite/cable services, one Cat 5e or Cat 6 cable for ethernet, and one Cat 3 (possibly Cat 5e) for telephones. If you look behind a wallplate that has a cable/ethernet/telephone port on it, you might just see the other cables sitting behind the wallplate, waiting to be discovered and put to use.
If you happen to have structured wiring installed, then its a matter of installing the correct keystones and wallplates so that the entire wiring system can be put to use. That makes data distribution in the home much easier to accomplish.
@EddieL The only problem with your old modem is that it's old and its slower hardware won't be able to move traffic at Gigabit rates. It's also probably not getting security updates anymore so that's another good reason to either replace it or stop using it.
FYI, Rogers' supported configuration is to put the eero hardware into bridge mode, disable Wi-Fi on the XB6 and leave the XB6 modem in gateway mode. You will still be using the XB6's firewall. You might get better wireless performance than you do with the Pods but no other advantages. Rogers does not officially support enabling Bridge Mode on the XB6 and running Ignite TV with its set-top boxes connected through any 3rd-party router, including the eero when it is acting as such.
I also don't recommend leaving the XB6 in gateway mode and attaching your own Wi-Fi router to your network in its current configuration, whether you are using the eero in its default mode or any other router. Your Internet traffic will be passing through two firewalls so your IPv4 traffic will be double-NAT'ed and you'll likely run into issues with IPv6 traffic. Plus you'll have to deal with running two wireless networks in your home in parallel, making sure that they do not interfere with one another.
If Rogers provides you with the eero hardware, they will likely take back the Pods, and they definitely will if they provide you with the eero at no charge.
If you do decide to go with the eero, don't place the Hub (eero Pro) right next to the XB6 in your furnace room. Run an Ethernet cable to another floor, especially if you have poor wireless connectivity to your furnace room from the rest of the house. If the Beacons cannot get a strong wireless connection to the Hub, your Wi-Fi performance will be horrible.
If you decide to try putting your XB6 in bridge mode and connect everything (including the Ignite TV set-top boxes) through your own router, Rogers will not be able to support you in this configuration. If you should experience any technical problems, you will need to put your Ignite TV hardware back into its original supported configuration before calling Rogers Tech Support.
@EddieL wrote:
Thanks, there's a lot of valuable information in this reply. I had to read it several times to make sure I fully understand all your recommendations.
No problem. We are all here to help!
Our house has three levels, basement, main floor and second floor. We need internet on all three floors. In the basement the kids have their teenager cave with their gaming computer. There are TVs on the main floor and the second floor, so we need Internet there as well, not to mention all the iPads, smart phones and all the other devices that connect to the internet.
The XB6 modem has only 2 Ethernet ports and one will be used by your eero Hub. I would ask the technician to provide you with an Ethernet switch (it's free of charge and will give you additional LAN ports) so that you can connect your gaming computer (and any other devices with an Ethernet port) to that switch with an Ethernet cable.
So you are saying that the main eero hub should be on the main floor. I am guessing that the two beacons should be in the basement and on the second floor.
That would be my suggestion but it all depends on your layout, location of ducts in your basement and anything else that could be impeding a wireless signal, etc. The one thing that you absolutely must avoid is a marginal signal between your Beacons and the main Hub.
We also have a security alarm system with CCTV cameras. This system is not provided by Rogers. In order for us to be able to see the cameras over the Internet, the cable modem must be placed in bridge mode, but you say that that configuration won't be supported by Rogers. That kind of leaves us in a pickle. Will see what the technician has to say once he/she comes over.
Regardless of whether you put the XB6 into bridge mode and connect your own router or remain with a supported setup with the XB6 in gateway mode, you'll have a "firewall" active that protects your internal home network from the "bad people" on the public Internet. The typical default security policy allows devices on your home network to access Internet sites but blocks inbound connections from the public Internet to your internal network... unless you configure a rule change.
What you will typically need to do to enable this access is first configure your security system with a static IP address and then create port forwarding rules in the XB6 (or router) to allow inbound connections on specific ports to that static address.
Which security system are you using? Does the vendor provide any guidance for the system's Internet connectivity requirements? What did you have to configure in your old router to enable Internet access to your security system in your previous setup?
@georgeous wrote:
the only down side of those guys is the lack of wifi 6 support.
If you are about to spend that much on a hardware, it would be nice if those were more up to date with the new standards. 🙂
There is one advantage to renting the Hub and Beacons from Rogers: you do not own it and can upgrade when newer and better tech becomes available.
Besides, the main advantage that Wi-Fi 6 (might) offer in the real world (outside of controlled laboratory conditions) is better security, although you won't get the full benefits until you get to the point where you have an all-WPA3 network. The latest security "improvements" were also developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance in a vacuum, without rigorous vetting from security experts, and a number of vulnerabilities in WPA3 have already been discovered with more likely to follow. Tech sites have also published articles about this back in April and August , 2019.
Meanwhile... Wi-Fi 6e is already in the works. (more info here)
At this time, I don't see any reason to rush to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 or purchase any bleeding-edge Wi-Fi 6-capable network gear or devices.
Just to add to the discussion, Wifi 6 is not certified and won't be certified until Nov 2020, if the IEEE holds to its current schedule. Any slippage in that schedule would probably result in delaying the certification until spring or summer 2021.
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