I'll second the AnyDesk recommendation. It works great, lightweight, free for personal use, and hits all your requirements. Also, here's a good resource I like to use to find alternatives to software.

https://alternativeto.net/software/teamviewer/

not sure I'd trust that, since the pairs are supposed to be twisted.

I'd say to go for something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Ethernet-Cable-White-Flat/dp/B018BCJKE0

It's "flat" but maintains the twists required for Category cables. It's a bit thicker than what you have there, but if you can get it passed the door somehow, you'll be better off than what you've posted, IMO.

I like the old hub and router trick. But unless you can find them for just a few dollars, I would just get one of these instead: https://www.amazon.com/Tenda-N301-Wireless-Router-300Mbps/dp/B0167N0B70/ref=sr_1_37?keywords=wifi+router&qid=1558747600&s=gateway&sr=8-37

​

It has an interface you can go in and limit the bandwidth. And with this router, you wouldn't be limited to just 10mbps. You could choke them down to 5mbps which is what I would do if they don't want to contribute to the bill.

​

Actually... I would limit them to 4mbps. Because there are 5 people, 5mbps is free. So as a resident of the house, you are entitled to your 1mbps. So 46mbps for you. They can fight over the remaining free 4 mbps.

​

Also, note that you can probably set the SSID of the google router to be "hidden" which means it won't even show up. You just have to know that it is there. That way no one is noticing a second wifi connection will full bars and wondering why.

Fiberglass rods - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G9DSWRD

These are useful for fishing cables through walls and ceilings.

Edit: yea i brought mine from harbor freight and got 3ft length rods, didn't notice on phone these where shorter than normal sorry.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-16-inch-x-11-ft-fiberglass-wire-running-kit-65327.html

I love these compared to fish tape, so much easier to keep it rigid as i push/pull cables

You want a switch. If you don't need anything faster than 100mbps, they are extremely cheap: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FNFSPY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JuMmCbWG1TY5R

Gigabit ones are slightly more expensive but are worth it if your router supports gigabit.

That is a keystone jack, sometimes referred to a "female" RJ45 connector.

This is what you want; this is a far better way to terminate than putting an RJ45 plug on the end.

Using a jack like this gives you a lot of options to neatly mount the keystone jack.

You could put it in a wall plate:

https://www.amazon.com/Legrand-Q-WP3401WH-Single-Keystone/dp/B0034XRLGQ/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Keystone+Plate&qid=1624401253&sr=8-4

Or put it in a keystone patch panel:

https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Keystone-Shielded-Rackmount-TC-KP24S/dp/B07M5QBPN8/ref=pb_allspark_dp_session_sims_pao_desktop_6/138-2059868-9357839?pd_rd_w=og92U&pf_rd_p=3ac2ce50-9d75-4bd3-868d-72b252a0623c&pf_rd_r=3HSYJQ8MHTRSC8CZPEN6&am...

Your installer did you a solid. Give him a high 5 if you ever see him.

Seconded. Some cut-rate electrician did this instead of an actual networking person. What you really want to do is find a local network installer and pay them to wire these up into a patch panel. The the leading cable can be zip-tied down and you can live a life of gentle civilization. Earl Grey tea is optional.

If that's out of your price range, this is something you can do yourself, but it's not easy, and will require some research, equipment, and trial and error. Take my word for it, I'm a professional: The patch panel, once installed, will make your networking life immeasurably easier. It will also, assuming it's not a disaster, improve the value of your home.

AFAIK that's a power supply for a signal booster. If you trace the coax cable from the wall outlet you'll probably find something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EKCGT8. That product page even shows a coax power supply.

Ideally, replacing the cable is best. Second best is to do as u/thingsomething suggests. It doesn't have to be a junction box. A low voltage bracket would do. Maybe use a splice, like this or put a keystone jack on one end and a plug on the other. Then put a blank wall plate on when done. In the future if there is a problem with that line, the wall plate will allow you access to the connection, if you need to do a further repair.

Yes - you're looking for PFSense. There are other options too, but I'm a big fan of that one. I use something similar as my current router, a Core i3 PC with a pair of dual-port server NICs, running PFSense. It has no problem handling NAT, firewalling, Squid proxy, blocking lists of known bad actors, etc.

Get a cheap gigabit switch like a NetGear ProSafe (there are cheaper ones that only have 5 ports too): https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Lifetime-Protection/dp/B00MPVR50A

Connect it via a cable to one port of your router, connect everything else to the switch. This will allow gigabit traffic along your local network (except wireless).

For me it's fast, but not the fastest. Used this tool to benchmark a number of DNS servers - OpenDNS and Level3 were both faster for me and the google servers were only a few hundredths of a second behind them.

Technically, if you only need 100Mbps you CAN split CAT5e. 100Mbps only needs 4 wires to work. You need to do it at both ends, however. https://smile.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-2-Pack-Splitter-Ethernet/dp/B01DJOE4PU/

Maybe terminate cables in keystones and then use blank panel:

https://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-Rackmount-Unshielded-N062-016-KJ/dp/B01MRS11M3

Easier if you need to make changes in future

Keystone punch downs easier than patch panel, easier to make changes

Get high quality keystone jacks

The simplest way would be to visit a website such as https://www.dnsleaktest.com and it will show you what DNS you are using.

P.S. Make sure to reboot the router AND all devices after you set it to 1.1.1.1, for the changes to take effect

Just wanted to echo this comment. I did the same thing when I was leeching off a restaurants internet across the street. The were port blocking a lot, but as /u/Phreakiture says, they can't block that without blocking just about everything on the internet.

I also have Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN; and it has the ability to connect to VPN servers on TCP/443, and other ports. You just need to download the PIA Client and go into the connection preferences.

PIA/NordVPN/ExpressVPN are all servers running elsewhere, and YOU are the client.

​

A VPN server YOU run is YOURS on YOUR network.

​

How would one of those services provide access into YOUR network, when you are connecting to theirs?

You need something like this. Once those are installed, you connect something like this to the unit connected to the guest house.

Very simple, you need outdoor rated cable.

Something like this : 200ft Cat5e outdoor rated cable.

The rooftop won't be too harsh of an environment for the cable. The main issues will be temperature, UV rays and water, but since the cable won't be moved repeatedly or physically stressed, it shouldn't be a problem.

If you need something even more resistant, you can get industrial grade cabling. You can have it made with the same kind of metal armor electrical cables come with. Belden has a wide catalog of industrial ethernet cabling : here. Something like 7921A would be good in your application. Be advised though that it will probably cost far more than the Amazon cable.

Ubiquiti US-8-150W

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01G55FYU4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Managed switch, really nice piece of kit.

A little costly but well worth it.

What people are getting at but nobody has said outright... You have two tools for cable testing... One will test that A signal will get through, that's a cable tester. They can be as cheap as ~ 10$... The other tester is an OTDR. This is the only thing that will tell you WHERE exactly the failure occurred... however they're like $10k minimum.

So do you want to spend 10k to learn where the failure is? Or just test it and replace it if it fails the cheap tester?

99% of the time failure on ethernet cabling is in the termination. Get the 10$ tester. if it shows a failure of any sort then reterminate both ends of the cable. If it still shows failure, maybe give it one more go... after that, just call it quits and run a new cable.

There's no point in know where along the cable it actually failed. If there's a failing point then you have to replace the whole cable anyway and the 10$ tester will more or less give you enough information to make that decision.

I would just go with the UPS, to me it's just extra insurance for your electronics. However, you can get non-rackmount ones with more capacity for about the same price.

APC UPS 1500VA Battery Backup & Surge Protector

Install a floor outlet with a keystone ethernet jack? That would be the cleanest solution, if you can manage fishing a cable to that spot.

Cheap shit cable.

And Cat7 is not a standard really, and it's not Cat7 after you put rj45 jacks on it.

The flat cable may have been damaged when you routed it to your room.

OP, is this what you bought, "shielded?"

https://www.amazon.com/Jadaol-Ethernet-Shielded-Internet-Computer/dp/B01B4A2N6S

If it's shielded, that's another issue, that adds problems.

For 100 feet, a cat5e cable is fine for 900mbps.

Are you in USA Saad? and happy cake day!

1) The GigE spec was built specifically with Cat5 in mind.
2) Cat5e and Cat6 can operate in 10/100 mode.
3) These devices (Splitter, Injector) are notoriously 10/100. Unless it specifically states 1GigE you're likely not going to get gig. Has nothing to do with the cable. You can't magically get 1000 Mbps through devices that don't support it.

Edit: Thanks /u/Xertez

I am using an Obahi box with Google Voice. The Obahi box is pretty easy to get going, and Google Voice is free.

https://www.amazon.com/OBi200-1-Port-Adapter-Support-Service/dp/B00BUV7C9A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523231427&sr=8-1&keywords=obahi

You're probably going to be dissatisfied with wifi coverage from an all-in-one router solution with a house of that size. You'd get better coverage by hard wiring wireless APs, one per floor.

This sub loves it some UniFi, 3 of the AC Lite APs and the USG for the router/firewall would put you right around $400.

For outdoor use, the Ubiquiti models are fairly solid, and are designed to be water resistant

Buyer's Warning: the initial configuration is not a walk in the park, but once you have it setup, you can set it and forget it. I use these as part of a small business deployment. There are plenty of guides for setup, you can even use your smart phone to set it up. Once configured, you just plug a LAN cable from your router to it and it extends the service

Here is one that I personally use https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-M-US-Unifi-Access-Point/dp/B01N9FIELY

Here is the link to the mobile app to configure the WAP. I advise reading up on this process to see if this is a product that you want to buy.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubnt.easyunifi

There are basic POE switches (i mean powered by POE not providing). There are also several repeaters/extenders that can be powered by POE. I'm looking up one I've used before, I'll edit when I find it.

Something like this though: https://www.amazon.com/BV-Tech-Single-Port-Gigabit-Extender/dp/B01N07XM50/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1523511458&sr=1-3&keywords=poe+extender+repeater

Edit: clarification on "Note: There is no power in the attic (where cabling runs) except at the corners." Does this mean you can get a BIT of power relatively close to the last AP? If so.. you could use an injector at that point if you want to. It would reset your 100 but you could ALSO daisy chain from AP4 -> injector -> AP5 from AP4's 2nd port (it doesn't carry POE)

I'll take yours and raise you a plug plug.

https://www.amazon.com/eLink-EMF-Neutralizer-Protection-Device/dp/B00TRM0UI4/ref=bmx_3/146-6222523-0832012

Technically possible, but that's a totally overengineered solution with a lot of potential problems that could arise. Just use a switch. There's pretty much always one on sale for $15 or less.

1TB Samsung 860 QVO SSD

Amazon - $87.99

Just started using windows to go, this could work great for it if you get an adapter

Your tv probably has DLNA. If you install plex and organise your libraries, it works as a DLNA server and you will be able to see them from your tv.

​

Hope that helps.

​

​

Just had a quick google and you don't even need plex as win 10 can e configured for DLNA: https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-enable-dlna-server-in-windows-10/

Using something like iPerf between your home computer and a 3rd party that has gigabit ethernet could prove fruitful.

If you're competent with using Linux command line, Linode have a neat article detailing how to use it here

I am an AV tech, best tip I can give you.

Get an actual label maker, they aren't expensive. print the label twice without cutting it. Put it around the cord length wise like a tab. This is the easiest way to see things and won't come off.

I deal with a lot of cables on a daily basis. Please label your cables if they are all close together and all the same color.

2nd best tip if you are in a hurry. Don't use gaf tape, get a set of colored electrical tape, this is a fast and easy way to mark both sides of a cord, no writing necessary.

I use this trick often when labeling mics and they might be moved around, most AV techs use this trick.

I want to caution, depending on your technical experience, Mikrotik can be daunting at first. Once you understand the menus and accept that it really is low level networking access, it gets much easier.

I'm making a few assumptions on how you expect it to be physically connected so I'm going to lay out my opinion.

Mikrotik should be the "edge router" for your network, meaning ISP Modem -> Mikrotik -> Everything else. You're going to want to use the Mikrotik's DHCP server for all devices on the network, turning off the DHCP on your ISP modem. The Mikrotik will then be able to process queues (QoS) for different devices/traffic and this is how you'll decrease latency. Your existing router will then become a client of the Mikrotik. The existing router will have DHCP/DNS/any network service disabled aside from the wlan functions.

​If you could spare an extra $20, I would suggest a RB951 which includes a wireless 2.4 adapter. Your issues may simply by worn out adapter on your existing router. This would upgrade not only the network but wi-fi as well. I understand $20 may be a lot, so that was just an additional idea.

Powerline Networking isn't great...but I think it's better than WiFi...

They're not super expensive...Something like this would work: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=powerline+network&qid=1610564144&sr=8-3

TP-Link Archer C7. It's the only sub-$100 wireless router worth getting. There are cheaper routers that are good, but there aren't cheaper wireless routers that are good.

This x1000. Keystones are far and away the best option for home networks for a lot of reasons, flexibility being the biggest one. In a lot of cases you don't need all 24 keystones and can use them for other uses such as HDMI , Coax/RG-6, Audio, etc.

I would highly recommend this keystone patch panel that I bought for my home network since it has very convenient wire tie mounts behind the keystones. Helps make cable management a lot easier.

For someone not super deep into networking, I would highly recommend looking at a DNS level and I recommend Pihole - https://pi-hole.net/ - as a DNS server for your network. This will do a double things, 1: tell you where your clients are communicating (assuming not direct to IP address) and 2: block (some) advertisements on the internet. all you’d need to do is install on a Linux host or vm and point dns for your clients to that ip, then check the management console.

Edit: do you run malware protection/scanning on your computer? Wonder if a key logger was installed on your pc.

Can't you just buy a good router, install ddwrt, connect to theirwifi on one of the bands and brodcast your own signal on the other band. And have a VPN running on the router to tunnel your usage through the internet?

This. They restricted even further with iOS 11: https://www.fing.io/support/mac-addresses-ios-11/#.

I love the iPhone but this is a HUGE reason why I always debate going with a new Pixel every time they’re released.

I don't know anything about this botnet or raspberry pi, but this article (https://www.splunk.com/blog/2016/10/07/analyzing-the-mirai-botnet-with-splunk.html) suggests that this botnet or something connected also targeted default raspberry pi accounts.

How did you lock your pi down?

For a temporary solution how about running an Ethernet cable from the existing router to the room directly underneath your office. Then connect a decent WiFi access point to the cable and aim it up to your office through the ceiling/floor?

The Ubiquiti UAP-AC-Lite costs around $80 and comes with it's own power-over-ethernet adaptor so you don't have to use a power outlet at the AP end.

Later on you can install it on the ceiling of your office or anywhere else you need better WiFi signal.

For the VPN, I also use Private Internet Access, however I wouldn't pass all traffic through it 100% of the time. Plenty of websites and services block PIA IPs. Netflix is a good example, Google may start asking you to fill in captchas when doing searches.

You'll want to be able to turn that on/off as needed. you figure out split tunneling to direct specific traffic (Which I still haven't figured out).

Cable cover to lay on the floor?

https://www.amazon.com/D-2-Rubber-Duct-Cord-Cover/dp/B002C8IH9E/ref=sr_1_4/132-6381068-1053700?ie=UTF8&qid=1545952172&sr=8-4&keywords=floor+cable+guard

If you have room for a switch, you can get one that is powered by power over ethernet. Ubiquiti makes one that even has POE pass through.

Ubiquiti US-8 Unifi Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ32B1B

Those domains have never been registered before. It's possible that they could be used as backup domains for C2 servers in the future, for some malware you have now. You should start scanning your Windows PCs and consider something like /r/tronscript or using an 'offline' anti-virus boot tool (offline in this case meaning that the hard disk is offline that you're scanning, not that it can't connect to the Internet and update).

Same goes for your phones and whatever AV solution you'd like to use.

Failing that the easiest solution will be to configure a DNS server/proxy and check its logs or analytics as to which client on your network is making these requests so you can factory reset/reimage/whatever that client. Something like PiHole is easy enough to set up with a RaspberryPi but also could run in a VM.

The standard is any arbitrary data, although in normal use cases it would be UTF-8 (see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4919889/is-there-a-standard-that-defines-what-is-a-valid-ssid-and-password). So knock yourself out with any UTF-8 character you want, even emojis. It's what I use to differentiate between 5GHz and 2.4GHz networks: https://i.imgur.com/CnzOByo.png

I have this patch panel to terminate all the Ethernet drops. Chopped off the excess cable.

Legrand - OnQ AC1068 8-Port Cat 6 Network Interface Module https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078B5PXXM/

That goes to a dumb network switch. Switch goes to my router. I’m running pfSense on a Protectli, and an SB6190 cable modem. I also have a RPi for piHole DNS and unbound, and a CyberPower SL700U UPS battery backup for everything. Downstairs in the living room I have a UniFi U6-lite access point wall-mounted and providing wifi to most of the house. I have a UniFi UAP-AC-M operating on mesh providing wifi to the garage for the Tesla and Nest camera.

Yes I did do this myself, over some time and a few revisions along the way. You can do it too with a little patience and a little learning. I enjoyed doing it, but my wifi thinks I spend too much time on it and complains when the internet goes down and she can’t watch Netflix.

You can't use an "Ethernet splitter" but you can buy a small home switch.

You can get them for under 30$ at your local electronics store or on amazon.

I'd suggest a model like this one.

Try manually setting the router to a different 5 GHz channel. Use Wifi Analyzer to check for the current and recommended channels.

Private Internet Access (PIA) is, in fact, located in the USA. As far as them being forced to give up information? They can't give up what they don't have! :)

There's plenty of links, so please cast your "google"y eyes toward a search engine, and search for "private internet access subpoena". They give up all information, but they don't keep any information. :)

To OP: I made my choice based on this:

There are many such comparisons out there, but looking at that will give you an idea of the "important things" to be considered when choosing a VPN. I tried Mullvad first, but had speed problem, then I switched to PIA. Try several VPNs, because many have a free period so you can try them out.

EDIT: PIA allows you to place their client on up to three computers (with one subscription). If you used a proxy and send all your home's traffic through that, you only need one client on a computer to encrypt all your home's traffic. Also, good answer, /u/Anxnx!

Bitcoin nodes are not very process intensive. It's mostly storage and bandwidth. Your job as a node is to host a partial or full copy of the block chain.

Source

I agree and use OpenWRT when I can. DD WRT uses proprietary code from manufacturers for some routers, resulting in more features or better performance.

"Devices with Broadcom WiFi chipsets have limited OpenWrt supportability (due to limited FLOSS driver availability for Broadcom chips). Consider this when chosing a device to buy, or when deciding to flash OpenWrt on your device because it is listed as supported. See Broadcom WiFi for details."

https://openwrt.org/toh/hwdata/asus/asus_rt-ac68u

I'll take FLOSS over proprietary any day, but I have to do what I have to do to get the most out of my router.

I would suggest a cheap pi-hole setup. It will do 2 things for you; lower your device "phone home's" and lower your advertisements on your devices, thus lowing data usage. It can also show you what devices are frequently using your bandwidth and data. For example, Roku will try and send usage logs 1000's of times each day. Blacklist it and it won't get past your pihole. Pick up a cheap RaspberryPi for $25 - $50 and follow --> https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/pi-hole-raspberry-pi/ or https://pi-hole.net/

That cable should be fine. I've been using Monoprice.com cables for decades so they are my go-to even if it is a dollar or two more.

This will do the trick. You're looking for just a low capacity UPS. Luckily they're pretty cheap from a decent brand.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FWAZEIU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_MWYZ6KP8AJ6E9CPNG1P0

The issue comes in if you plug network gear into outlets in both sides. If you run regular metal wiring you're creating a grounding loop and could damage a ton of things if there's ever lightning, or anything.

Fiber would run between the buildings and is non-conductive. So it eliminates the issue. You would need media converters to do that though. Or a similar setup. You can get cheap cables on fs.com as well. Here's a media converter I've used which worked great:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Converter-Supporting-MC220L/dp/B003CFATL0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=media+converter&qid=1621027345&sr=8-3

Even a cheap one can save a ton of headaches.

I may pick this one up myself. :)

Im in Canada so our amazon is a little different. But wouldn't I just need the following?

For the plugs that go into the PC, Gaming systems would be this one: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07451LPHR/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=AIR872D72ET51&psc=1

And for the wall plates it would be this one: https://www.amazon.ca/Cable-Matters-10-Pack-Punch-Down-Keystone/dp/B00IO3HEN6/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2CJZT4K8YAR9S&dchild=1&keywords=rj45+keystone&qid=1610163978&sprefix=rj45+%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-10

Am I wrong?

I like the Actiontec branded MoCA 2.0 Adapters. Here's a kit on amazon for a 2 pack.

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22DUYWK9R7PUL&keywords=ecb6200k02+kit&qid=1559834945&s=gateway&sprefix=ECB6200K02%2Caps%2C400&sr=8-1

I use them myself, and they work excellent. I get like 700-800mb down on my Apple TV when doing a speed test.

Coupler, or more reliable, a 110 punch-style junction box:

https://www.amazon.com/SF-Cable-Junction-Punch-listed/dp/B0059DRCGI/

What is in your walls that it would take more than one wireless access point for 1300 square feet? I've got probably almost 2000 square feet in a two story house plus a detached garage and two ASUS APs cover the whole house, backyard and garage.

I agree you need to get a heat map. Start with only one wireless router, your main one, plugged in and see how it turns out.

Edit: Try this. You can draw up a rough schematic of your home, then you walk around with a laptop and just click where you are on the schematic. It uses the wifi antenna to calculate signal strength in each area and builds a heat map. I would initially disconnect your two range extenders and see how you do with the one AP.

I have an ASUS RT-AC66U as a primary router and an N66U as an AP. I can go two houses down the street in either direction before my wifi disconnects.

Do you want the router to use a static DNS server for the WAN interface?

If so open up the console via ssh/web gui and type

configure

To stop the WAN interface from requesting DNS servers via DHCP from the ISP

set interfaces ethernet eth0 dhcp-options name-server no-update

To tell DNSMasq to use Google DNS

edit service dns forwarding set name-server 8.8.8.8 set name-server 8.8.4.4 top

To tell the router intself to use DNSMasq for name resolution (which in turn uses google's DNS as we just configured above)

set system name-server 127.0.0.1

To save

commit save

Finally, you need to renew the WAN IP to remove the DNS server provided to you by your ISP through DHCP

renew dhcp interface eth0

To confirm everything is in order type

show dns forwarding nameservers

You should see

-----------------------------------------------
Nameservers configured for DNS forwarding
-----------------------------------------------
8.8.8.8 available via 'statically configured'
8.8.4.4 available via 'statically configured'

-----------------------------------------------
Nameservers NOT configured for DNS forwarding
-----------------------------------------------
127.0.0.1 available via 'system'

You can run a DNS leak test to ensure you are truly using Google DNS. https://www.dnsleaktest.com/

Set up an OpenVPN server. You could install it on your existing Ubuntu VM (guide) or you could spin up a new VM and use something like pfSense.

You'd only have to forward a single port on your router (default is UDP 1194) and you need a certificate as well as a username/password to connect so it's secure. You can pick the level of encryption to use and it's very strong.

You'd then connect in from whatever device (there are OpenVPN clients for almost all platforms) and access everything via its normal LAN IP address. It's basically like you're directly connected to your home network.

You run a Speedify client locally that connects back to their "cloud" via however many disparate WAN connections you have. Like tunnels. If you have two WAN connections, you'd have two tunnels back to Speedify, one per WAN connection. On the Speedify side, they act as your Internet ingress/egress, then per-packet load balance traffic between the client (you) and server (them), effectively "bonding" your connections.

At least that's my five seconds of research explanation. I'm making a big assumption here that they're doing anything per-packet. They could just be acting as a complicated fail-over mechanism.

I have no idea how effective it is ... back in the day with T1s and MLPPP, performance depended on the fact that the bonded T1s were from the same POP or CO, which meant they had more or less the same latency, timing, etc.

I have no idea how a wired connection bonded with an LTE connection would shape up performance-wise.

This is a perfect setting for a router-based VPN. The purpose of the VPN in this case is to prevent your ISP from collecting your data. Fuck them!

The only issues is that many services, like Google, etc will throw users into captcha hell. You can tell them to use Duck Duck Go instead.

PIA is a good call because of the minimal information they collect. Bad because of the above reasons. I use PIA and love it. Also use ExpressVPN because they have a ready image for my router.

The scotchloks are for telephone signals only. Don't use anything like this for Ethernet.

If you want something permanent, you could use on of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0059DRCGI/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_2?smid=A8ZS0UANLEAA6&psc=1

(and ideally a 110 punch tool)

If you need waterproof, there are solutions.

Otherwise, just terminate it where it is and use a longer patch cable to your router.

We (spectrum) went all digital in 2014 (in Raleigh nc, other areas at different times)

Pros:

No more physical disconnects when the customer moves out out, or fails to pay the bill. (now, the equipment is just remotely disabled)

More bandwidth in the frequency spectrum for faster internet communications now that analog TV signals aren't hogging up so much of the frequency range.

(our top speed, when we still had analog TV, was 50x5 on 8x4 docsis 3.0. Initially it jumped to 300x20 on 16x4 docsis 3.0 over all digital, now we're up to 940x35 on docsis 3.1)

Cons:

More equipment, higher bills

(really though, you have so many more options for sourcing video entertainment than ever before, apart from live sports, which is really the only thing that NEEDS to be Live)

(also, after the reality TV boom of the early 2000s, original programming quality has gone straight downhill, now we have 10x Survivor derivatives, 100x NYPD Blue derivatives)

With the latest generation of basically iptv cable boxes, every box has a docsis 3.0 modem in it, so we're basically balancing signals across 3-4 + modems., which is why we need equipment like this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076BK1F86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_QfZ2FbT5HZ3E6

To combat this issue we have a Spectrum TV app for Roku Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV and Xbox one, so you don't need a $8/month cable box for every single TV.

I second Tripp-Lite. I have several of these for my ONT, Router, Wireless AP's, TV's/Streaming rigs, and Fish tank.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009TZTGWK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The battery is generally what goes in all UPS'es -- Enterprise grade or not -- in about 2 to 3 years. This model has a very user accessible and easily swappable battery. I've changed the battery in 2 of my 3 units so far.

These might be overkill for what you need, runs my networking gear for 60-90 minutes. This is plenty of time for me to get the generator out and wire things up.

Your TL-R600VPN does is not rated for gigabit speeds..

specifications

NAT Throughput: 680Mbps IPsec VPN Throughput: (3DES) 13Mbps

Also why do you have both a Verizon Modem and a Router?

I would typicly expect an ISP modem followed a high end home router, or simply an ISP combo device that does both.

Your setup of ISP Modem -> ISP Router ->personal router is a bit odd.

It is almost certainly your ISP throttling the video then. The only real solution to this (other than getting the ISP to change their policies) is to use a VPN service like AirVPN or Private Internet Access. Assuming they don't block or throttle these, all your ISP will see is an encrypted stream of bits between you and the VPN server, and throttle any particular part of it.

Are you making the proper distinction between mega*bits* and mega*bytes*? Connection speed (speedtest.net, etc) is usually measured in the former while individual downloads are measured in the latter.

If your connection speed measured 5.55 megabits, then your situation wouldn't be abnormal (= 694 kilobytes).

I acknowledge that you said it was faster at one point, but I'm just double checking. A connection can temporarily spike sometimes.

Other issues I can think of:

You might want to check to make sure nothing else in your house might be steadily downloading something. ISPs may have something along the line that's prioritizing the speed test. Depending on your router's firmware, you might be able to look at which devices are using bandwidth (dd-wrt has various monitors for this).

If you're connecting wirelessly, try plugging your computer directly into the modem and testing if you're downloading any faster. If there is a discrepancy and signal strength isn't the problem, and you have close neighbors, check that your wifi isn't colliding with theirs. There are tools like this that visualize the channels that access points in your vicinity are broadcasting on; if there's some overlap, you can try changing the channel in your router's settings. Channel overlap has definitely caused weird things to happen to me in the past.

>I tested Ethernet speed from each cable using an Xbox one s , PS4 and the tv (Netflix) and am only getting ~57mbps down from each cable.

For starters, don't use consumer entertainment devices for network throughput testing.

Use a PC or a wired laptop.

Use a variety of internet speed test sites- fast.com, speedtest.net, whatever has a local server.

Personally, I'd run the DNS provided by AdGuard, if it's fast where you live. Doesn't block all, but does a darn good job while not breaking the internet.

https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-dns-new-addresses.html

1Gb/sec is fairly easy to obtain termination wise. It should be the same as with 5e.

10Gb/sec in homes is fairly up in the air. It should be possible in shorter lengths on CAT6 and even CAT5e, however I think that will be a "wait and see how it works on consumer grade hardware when that time comes".

If it were me I would not invest in testing equipment for your home. It is expensive and overkill. Instead I would leave some slack (couple feet) in each of your runs (on both ends) to allow for re-termination if needed when that time comes (10Gb/sec).

I have had good luck with LanSpeed Test (http://www.totusoft.com/lanspeed1.html) to ensure the run is capable of 1Gb/sec. If you get close (900Mb/sec) with no packet loss, your termination job is just fine.

Zabbix would be my choice. You can set discovery rules quite easily.

​

https://www.zabbix.com/documentation/3.0/manual/discovery/network_discovery/rule

​

It requires some time to get used to but there's a good community and a lot of tools/plugins.

Essentially it determines if they can do a reverse DNS on you and find out who/where you are even if you are using a VPN.

Run the tests here: https://www.dnsleaktest.com/

Several relevant suggestions have been made but your reply to all of them has been this:

"Can I let someone else do this? I have no idea on how to do all this."

If you aren't willing to learn you either need to educate your users not to look for inappropriate content or you can try a managed service such as OpenDNS. If the users are smarter than you they could easily bypass this of course.

https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/

This instructable talks about adblocking by using a DNS server that blocks ads. I dont know how effective it will be.

I use a Raspberry Pi as an ad filter. piHole is the software I run on it, there are tonnes of guides for setting it up and it covers (or can, anyway) every device on the network, ie unrooted iphones or Android devices, it blocks ads in apps, youtube video ads, phishing scams, even social media buttons if you enable it.

MoCA works with splitters but I think it might cut the bandwidth? I think they also make MoCA specific splitters that work on a compatible frequency. It's been a while since I set mine up but I know I have 1 coax cable in my box running to my PC with 2 MoCA adapters, 1 on each end (I wanted my PC to be the only one on this adapter). And then the other coax cable is split between running to the consoles/tv downstairs and our bedroom upstairs. I can't say how well it works for more than 1 split though.

Maybe it only cuts the bandwidth when multiple devices are in use like a switch though.

I used this to map out my coax ends

I have MoCA adapters working with Verizon FioS. Its awesome. MoCA 1.1 gives 175 Mbps shared.

I have them next to each TV (3 total). Much better than Wifi. I do not see ocassional drops I used to see with wifi earlier.

I have had ocassional (may be 4 times in 8 years) when I have to reboot the moca adapter as it got out of sync but very rock solid otherwise.

I use Actiontec MoCA 2.0 adapters - no-referral Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013J7O3X0/

I would probably get RJ-45 connectors designed for stranded cables and terminate them that way. Then switch out your patch panel for a coupler type.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07951MLD4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pGLfFbS2ZQSNY

In addition to what /u/Liam_Neesons_Oscar said; label your work, but I would also install some sort of patch panel in the wall or where the cables should exit. The segment length is fine because it's under 350' but a plug is easier to deal with than a hanging cable. https://smile.amazon.com/Dshot-network-Mount-Surface-Patch/dp/B00NUXCHE6/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=ethernet+patch+panel&qid=1552384989&s=gateway&sr=8-9

I have an anxiety disorder, and so do a lot of my family members. Typically with these kind of disorders, feeding into them will only enforce them and make them stronger. I don't know anything about PPD though, so the above may not apply.

Depending on her threat-model (it seems like these would apply based on what you've said), TOR, a VPN, or both would great choices. It is something that she can see working too, so that's a plus. Let her visit before getting a VPN, and then let her visit it again after getting a VPN. Before doing that though, disable her WebRTC in Firefox (or get the official WebRTC limiter in chrome/chromium) so she isn't concerned about the WebRTC leaks that will show up on the site.

As for VPNs, PIA is cheap and actually proven to be safe. The U.S. government tried to get logs from them, but they had literally none. When she researches PIA, she'll see this and that it supports a bunch of other cool security/privacy/anonymity related stuff. The PIA killswitch also does not allow it to leak your real connection if your VPN connection is dropped. If she finds something wrong with PIA, tell her to look at Mullvad, and if there's something wrong with that, iVPN.

If you do not have a PoE switch, you can use a PoE injector. They cost around $20 US. https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PoE150S-Injector-Adapter-Compliant/dp/B001PS9E5I/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=poe+power+injector&qid=1667558144&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjcxIiwicXNhIjoiMy4zOSIsInFzcCI6IjMuMDMifQ%3D%3D&sr=8-3 Make sure you get a PoE enabled access point (or camera)

On windows at the cmd prompt -> ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew check with ipconfig /all.
On Mac OSX at terminal here's a guide to identify the interface then renew dhcp.

http://osxdaily.com/2015/07/30/release-renew-dhcp-command-line-ipconfig/

It’s possible you only got 2 full pairs terminated correctly, which is all that’s needed for 100Mbps. Can you check to see the link speed on your PC’s NIC?

Tutorial

Please let me know what it says and we can troubleshoot from there.

If it’s showing 100Mbps, you most likely need to re-terminate each end to get all pairs properly connected. I highly doubt the cable being tangled would cause an issue, unless there’s sharp bends, but it wouldn’t hurt to also untangle it.

That's just not true. I routinely get slightly above the speeds advertised by my ISP for the specific speed tier I pay for, as do many others that post here. I pay for a 50/5 line and, even though I have lots of little services that constantly check things on the internet, and am currently listening to a track on Mixcloud, I still got speeds over the 50/5...

Here's a not terribly out of date article.

Wireless-G is pretty out of date at this point though, so you'd probably be better off just selling them on ebay.

For a rock bottom solution many consumer routers offer scheduled internet access so it could turn off at bedtime and on in the morning. I have an Asus AC66u that has this although there are better options now. As far as filtering you could use something like opendns family shield which will restrict the general content that's available https://www.opendns.com/setupguide/?url=familyshield. From there just make sure all your kids devices are fed from that router.

I'm in the same situation with kids getting internet access and am looking at setting up Sophos UTM on an old computer I had lying around. This enables more control/logging/ and virus scans for downloads with a more friendly gui than pfsense.

Really it comes down to how much time/money you want to invest, how technical your kids are, and how much control/logging you want.

Have you looked at Owncloud? It's a package that has most of what you want all rolled up already. There are a number of good tutorials on the web as well. https://owncloud.org

Although this may not be your best fit if you don't want sync or the web front end.

So ... this is kinda vital knowledge that I wasn't aware of.

I mean ... if I take my ISP and then buy a random data SIM (or even a second ISP) ... it would seem obvious to me that they're not going to be bonded on the ISP side. I presume that's a special line intended for enterprise.

And yeah what you wrote makes total sense. I didn't think about how the returning packets would work. I just thought that whatever bonding magic made the bonding work on the receiving side would figure out which "pipe" to send the outbound traffic over.

Based on your answer, I'm guessing it's safe to write bonding off. And assume that in the vast majority of consumer cases load balancing is the best kind of a thing we can achieve.

(Your answer throws up only one question, though: how has Speedify figured out a way to apparently do this?)

If it’s only a few minutes, this should be more than sufficient:

APC UPS, 600VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector, BE600M1 Backup Battery Power Supply, USB Charger, Back-UPS Series Uninterruptible Power Supply https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FWAZEIU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KE2018XFQP3F2N2WCA0M?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I recently got the TP-link AC1900 "Archer C9". Its been fantastic. Can be had for $79 on Amazon. I have 8 devices connected to it, 2 of them hard-wired. I can have a hard-wired device and a wireless device both streaming HD video, and wireless gaming on a laptop. I will still pull a download speed of 40 mpbs on my phone on speedtest. My ISP service is 60 down/6 up.

You can you turn the exit point on the wall into a multi port faceplate like this. It will look good, terminate properly, and allow you to move the patch panel in the future by swapping w/ longer patch cables.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0859H2TSN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EOPzFb7NWXMS2

Yes but you must use Moca adapters (one at each end of the coax run) like this one: https://www.amazon.com/goCoax-Adapter-2-5Gbps-Ethernet-WF-803M/dp/B07XYDG7WN/

No, not usually, as these are "low voltage" and you can probably do something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Betts-SC100RR-Carlon-Voltage/dp/B000W09PQI/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-drs1_0?cv_ct_cx=low+voltage+box&dchild=1&keywords=low+voltage+box&pd_rd_i=B000W09PQI&pd_rd_r=859c16a1-0131-40b2-85fc-5d6fd31bf750&pd_rd_w=XcWJV&pd_rd_wg=xSrRb&pf_rd_p=055f7364-94db-4b93-80d6-346300592c66&pf_rd_r=DFE46ZV47AJ7426VGNT5&psc=1&qid=1594749656&sr=1-1-f7123c3d-6c2e-4dbe-9d7a-6185fb77bc58

on networks that block VPN traffic, an https tunneled VPN usually will do the job. Probably won't work for your gaming purposes but it'll bypass restrictions.

You can set this up manually or if you want a client that has this functionality built in, AirVPN has one.