Mounting Eero mesh outdoors to deal with THICK walls

[Mark Lewis]

My house has thick walls - up to a meter in places. A large number of Eero mesh units around the house means I get great Wifi anywhere though (internet via Starlink)

However, step outside and there is no wifi (or phone signal for that matter). This is a problem for a couple of reasons - first is that my ring cameras can't join the network and second, I get no signal in my barn that is 5m from the house (with it's own thick walls)

Solution 1 was to buy the Eero 7 outdoors but seems it's currently USA only.

Solution 2 is to get a waterproof junction box and mount it on the outside of the house - run a cat5 cable from an Eero inside to an Eero INSIDE the box outdoors! Now my cameras have wifi (as do I on the driveway) and by doing the same again on the barn I can pull a wifi signal into the barn.

Solution 3 is an outdoor point to point wireless link that is made for outdoors so a better solution but (i assume) it only talks to the other unit on the barn wall - thus linking house and barn but not putting a wifi signal outside for the cameras??

Is there something else I could do? And yes - hardwire to the barn is a solution but the more pressing is the cameras so thought I could kill two birds, etc

[megaphone]

Does the barn have power? Is it on the same supply as the house? If so you could try powerline adaptors to get a feed to the barn.

eg. https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/powerli...

[.:ian:.]

If you cannot see the rest of the mesh network when outside, there's no benefit to extending the network with eeros, just get one or two external access points and put them on the same ssid.

You can get ones that support POE so you only need to run ethernet.

[Mark Lewis]

.:ian:. said:

If you cannot see the rest of the mesh network when outside, there's no benefit to extending the network with eeros, just get one or two external access points and put them on the same ssid.

You can get ones that support POE so you only need to run ethernet.

How is an external access point different to my DIY version of mounting a mesh box in a waterproof container outside?

Also, I thought there was an issue with having a mesh system and then introducing alternative wireless stuff? They won't clash? Two things on the same SSID???

Edited by Mark Lewis on Thursday 28th November 09:40

[biggiles]

I have some mesh units in waterproof boxes outside, they've worked fine for several years.

I have a mix of buried ethernet, mesh-to-mesh and powerline systems to outbuildings. Mesh-to-mesh and powerline have both been reliable, but I'd personally prefer the powerline system over mesh-to-mesh - if you are lucky it will "just work" and then you can put a mesh device in your barn.

[Mr Pointy]

Mark Lewis said:

How is an external access point different to my DIY version of mounting a mesh box in a waterproof container outside?

Also, I thought there was an issue with having a mesh system and then introducing alternative wireless stuff? They won't clash? Two things on the same SSID???

He may have missed the point that you proposed cabling to the outside mesh point.

Is there any chance a couple of units in the loft space (pushed out into the eaves if possible) would give you exterior coverage? It might not sort the barn issue though.

[eeLee]

instead of going through, can you go up?

from your attic, the walls should not be an issue, you could mesh onwards from there.

[.:ian:.]

Mark Lewis said:

.:ian:. said:

If you cannot see the rest of the mesh network when outside, there's no benefit to extending the network with eeros, just get one or two external access points and put them on the same ssid.

You can get ones that support POE so you only need to run ethernet.

How is an external access point different to my DIY version of mounting a mesh box in a waterproof container outside?

Also, I thought there was an issue with having a mesh system and then introducing alternative wireless stuff? They won't clash? Two things on the same SSID???

Edited by Mark Lewis on Thursday 28th November 09:40

You can get one with POE, they might also be cheaper than another eero, and weatherproof box.

Mesh helps steer devices onto different nodes in the mesh, but if you cannot see the rest of the mesh nodes when outside, it's moot.

Devices will just connect to the network if it has the same ssid.