Internet Options for my Mom

[riptides]

I am using an eero mesh setup on our farm. I have a firestick in another building at 150 feet away picking up the network. That is going through two walls and into a concrete old style mesh parge wall and a wall mounted TV. I also pick up the network in there for browsing.
I would try a mesh system first.

So I ordered another beacon, to extend the mesh a little farther. I am looking at another 50 feet to the barn, so the current mesh services out to there, but of course the signal is weak. I am hoping this will give me a workable (stream, browse) network out to about 300 feet covering 2 houses and 3 out buildings (barn, milk house, pool house). Total coverage of living area should amount to just close to 10,000 square feet. That should make hiding from the wife more palatable.

 

[garry1p]

What I intended was to give Eddie an alternative to try for less than $50 before spending hundreds for what he said was a back-up.
He may have an old router that could be used as a repeater or access point and solve his problem at zero cost.

He asked for options and I gave him one.

 

[JasperFrank]

All these tech issues are well addressed. But what is missing from this conversation is that older people do not know how
Vicious and sneaky spammers are. So the first thing isn't a tech solution. Is is that you have to have a long conversion, of how scams work. I didn't have this conversation with my uncle that I set up for broadband internet. So the first thing that happened, was he got the fake Microsoft call and followed it. I had to do a face plant when I found out about it, and the credit card company made him whole again. But it was a close call. Gift Cards you don't get to recover from. I can easily say 70% of all my computer repairs were turning off Remote Access and wiping machines back to its updated OEM OS, after scanning all the personal info for backdoors. It made me feel sad in a way, cause I had to charge time for this, adding insult to injury. And then I would have to have the conversation with the client, to assure them that they were not stupid, but they needed to be aware of the tricks and how they work.

 

[ponytug]

All these tech issues are well addressed. But what is missing from this conversation is that older people do not know how viscous and sneaky spammers are. So the first thing isn't a tech solution. Is is that you have to have a long conversion, of how scams work. I didn't have this conversation with my uncle that I set up for broadband internet. So the first thing that happened, was he got the fake Microsoft call and followed it. I had to do a face plant when I found out about it, and the credit card company made him whole again. But it was a close call. Gift Cards you don't get to recover from. I can easily say 70% of all my computer repairs were turning off Remote Access and wiping machines back to its updated OEM OS, after scanning all the personal info for backdoors. It made me feel sad in a way, cause I had to charge time for this, adding insult to injury. And then I would have to have the conversation with the client, to assure them that they were not stupid, but they needed to be aware of the tricks and how they work.

I agree. Hence the earlier suggestion to get a better router and lock down her access...

 

[EarPlug]

Eddie, This just appeared in my news feed today,

Eero's Outdoor 7 long-distance mesh unit solved our yearslong Wi-Fi quandary in 10 minutes | TechCrunch

So far in life, I haven't needed be a "mesh guy." A well-chosen and carefully placed Wi-Fi router has worked fine in our modest abodes, but one particular

techcrunch.com

 

[EddieWalker]

Mom's internet has been really bad, and I feel that I need to do something right away. My wife is worse than my mom about informing me over and over again that it needs to be fixed!!!

I've clicked on every link, read each page, and watched dozens of Youtube Videos. I still feel out of water on this, but I think I understand the basics.

This morning, I ordered this Point to Point system from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BZ7W4G1J?psc=1&smid=A1H9J6ER4P7CI1&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

They all seem so similar to each other, and I just had a happier feeling about this one from reading the reviews over the others.

I also ordered 100 and 50 feet of Cat 6 Ethernet Cables. My plan is to run the 100 foot cable from my Router to the other side of my house. Straight distance is 48 feet, so that gives me plenty of extra to hide it.

At my Mom's house, I'm going to run the 50 foot cable across her garage and connect it to our old wifi modem, which will be about 20 feet from where she sits with her tablet.

Right or wrong, I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[LittleBill21]

hopefully they throttle back, those are too powerful for the distance your shooting. You created a lot of extra work for yourself. Hope it works out.

 

[ponytug]

hopefully they throttle back, those are too powerful for the distance your shooting. You created a lot of extra work for yourself. Hope it works out.

Yes, they throttle the gain back. Those are 5.8GHz units that do have some issues with heavy rain ("rain fade"). As this is Texas we are talking about, I suspect @EddieWalker's units will need the gain occasionally.

@EddieWalker I would still try to limit your mom's connections to just Facebook, and no international connections. Failing that, at least get her an Apple iPad, and turn on as many privacy options as you see. A fairly tech savvy elder relative was only saved from a malicious "Support Team" scammer because he wasn't running the type of computer that the scammer thought he was. It still left a fair amount to clean up.

All the best,

Peter

 

[LittleBill21]

Yes, they throttle the gain back. Those are 5.8GHz units that do have some issues with heavy rain ("rain fade"). As this is Texas we are talking about, I suspect @EddieWalker's units will need the gain occasionally.

I have units similar to this on a 1 MILE shot. there is a limit too how much they throttle back (about 50% is max pull back) on shorter runs we actually misalign the antenna's to get the power down more (-50db is about perfect). He's at 100 feet, these are massively overpowered. More is not remotely better in this case.

a mesh unit i recommended in each window would have been fastely superior, less hops, no wires minus 2 power cords, and probably better speeds and significantly less work, and not that it matters in this situation its going to either be either double nat or even triple nat and a lot more configuration and apparently cost.

 

[ponytug]

@LittleBill21 I get your general point, and time will tell.

I certainly have units able to turn down more than 50%, but I have no experience with his particular model. However, practically speaking, I can't recall if I have ever had an RF overload issue on a point to point system. The last time I had to deal with an amplifier overloaded by an RF input was long, long ago. If there is an overload issue, shifts in the antenna orientation are an easy fix. I've used multi-mile units a hundred feet apart, when there were other reasons to use the multi-mile devices, with no issues. YMMV.

All the best,

Peter

 

[LittleBill21]

@LittleBill21 I get your general point, and well time will tell.

I certainly have units able to turn down more than 50%, but I have no experience with his particular model. However, practically speaking, I can't recall if I have ever had an RF overload issue on a point to point system. The last time I had to deal with an amplifier overloaded by an RF input was long, long ago. If there is an overload issue, shifts in the antenna orientation are an easy fix. I've used multi-mile units a hundred feet apart, when there were other reasons to use the multi-mile devices, with no issues. YMMV.

All the best,

Peter

I really only use Ubiquiti and Mikrotik for my wireless/router needs. Just going off those units.

Based on the questions, as you know there is some configuration needed, hopefully it works out for him.

 

[Lgim]

My biggest complaint with the industry is that different manufacturers use different terminology for the same thing, a WIFI Access point and a WIFI Router in Bridge mode and a WIFI Router in Access mode are all virtually the same thing.

That being said your plan should work with the possible exception of your "old WIFI modem". A modem will not work, but it is probably a WIFI Router which can be changed in its setup so that the Router part and the WAN port which used to hook up to the internet are both dead. The WIFI and the LAN ports still work, so your connection from LAN port on your new router to LAN port on the old will make a WIFI that can be connected to your mom's tablet.

Gary

 

[EddieWalker]

It arrived on Tuesday and I had it up and running in about an hour. I could of done it faster, but I was following the instructions step by step.

At first, I just unrolled the Cat6 cable along the floor of my house, then mounted the A unit to my exterior window frame. I mounted the B unit to the frame around my Mom's garage door and powered it with an extension cord. It looks redneck, but it's temporary. I connected that to the old Orbi Router that we used before getting Fiber Optic in my house, and that's about all it took. They units paired up with each other in about a minute, and she's been on her tablet, catching up with everyone.

Now I'm working on hiding all the cables and making it look nice.

I gotta admit that this was new territory for me and a little overwhelming, but thanks to all the advice I got from everyone here, I was able to figure it out and make it happen!!!

Mom is 84 years old and it's a really nice feeling being able to do something nice for her. She is happy that she won't be paying $60 a month for an internet service that wasn't reliable. When Mom is happy, we're happy!!!!!

Thank you for all the helpful comments and emails!!!

Eddie

 

[ultrarunner]

It arrived on Tuesday and I had it up and running in about an hour. I could of done it faster, but I was following the instructions step by step.

At first, I just unrolled the Cat6 cable along the floor of my house, then mounted the A unit to my exterior window frame. I mounted the B unit to the frame around my Mom's garage door and powered it with an extension cord. It looks redneck, but it's temporary. I connected that to the old Orbi Router that we used before getting Fiber Optic in my house, and that's about all it took. They units paired up with each other in about a minute, and she's been on her tablet, catching up with everyone.

Now I'm working on hiding all the cables and making it look nice.

I gotta admit that this was new territory for me and a little overwhelming, but thanks to all the advice I got from everyone here, I was able to figure it out and make it happen!!!

Mom is 84 years old and it's a really nice feeling being able to do something nice for her. She is happy that she won't be paying $60 a month for an internet service that wasn't reliable. When Mom is happy, we're happy!!!!!

Thank you for all the helpful comments and emails!!!

Eddie

Your a good son and kudos to your wife...

Many seniors simply give up when it comes to tech.

My brother had a windows 98 computer with lots of programs years ago and he said he was upgrading and mom asked about the old one and he said he was getting rid of it and she asked if she could have it and he said yes...

Several months went by and she asked if his new computer was set up and he said yes a long time ago... she then asked to pick up the old one and he said it went to e waste... she was disappointed and he was baffled.

In her mind she wanted to learn but only if she could do no harm on something of no value... and this is how a lot of seniors think...

She never had any interest after that... her thing was to look up running race results and stay in touch with distant family...

 

[EddieWalker]

My mom was always a letter writer. She's from Canada, and she loves hearing from everyone up there. Now that she has her Tablet, she gets to stay in touch with all her friends from school, and the family. Her favorite is seeing pictures!!!! Not being able to get online every day was really sad for her, so we're hoping this will be a lot more reliable.

 

[ultrarunner]

Amazing the tech now at the tip of a finger...

Back in the day it was often 6 weeks from the day mom sent a letter to grandma and grandma answered...

Now the second cousins text instantly back and forth virtually free.

Remember needing to call California from grandparents farm which meant a trip into town to the post office to make the call...

 

[California]

My mom was always a letter writer. She's from Canada, and she loves hearing from everyone up there. Now that she has her Tablet, she gets to stay in touch with all her friends from school, and the family. Her favorite is seeing pictures!!!! Not being able to get online every day was really sad for her, so we're hoping this will be a lot more reliable.

Now with unlimited Internet access it's time to warn her again about downloading additional search engines, investment scams, messages from fake Microsoft or Apple tech support, and 'Grandma I need bail money' messages. So many elders get scammed!

 

[California]

..., and 'Grandma I need bail money' messages.

But then there's the time I got a call from Visa: "Can you verify a motorcycle rental in Barcelona Spain?"

Uh - what?

That's younger daughter's name but I thought she was visiting France.

After a moment's thought - Ok. That sounds like something she would do. I didn't know she had me listed as contact person for her credit card.

And we soon got emails with photos of her motorcycle touring in beautiful country.

So not all those calls are bogus.

 

[EddieWalker]

We're always nervous about Mom falling for a scam. She came close once when she got a call from a friend from church that told her about some money the government was giving to Seniors. She thought she recognized her voice, so when she said that she needed Mom's bank info so she could get the money too, Mom gave it too her. But the "friend" reacted oddly, and Mom realized that something wasn't right.

She hung up, called her friend and learned that the call was from somebody, or AI, that was impersonating her friend.

Mom was in a panic, but we were able to contact her bank before anything happened and shut down all her accounts. Ever since then, she has been very guarded and hopefully, smarter about being scammed.

 

[grsthegreat]

I made the mistake of giving my parents a computer years ago. I lived a long ways from them, and it was never ending calls to get them to fix issues that were happening. The. One day i got the call that my mom got tired of all the files on the thing, so erased everything. I mean everything.

I had them box up the computer and ship it to me. I rebooted the thing back up, took away their administration privileges and installed software so i could manage the computer from my house. That solved lots of the issues.

Me, as i get older (even though i grew up around computers and even built my own desktops over the years ) i can keep them running. However im getting sick and tired of them. I dont like the fact that everything wants me to connect it to my phone or have apps. Getting overwhelmed.

Missing the days of rotary phones.