WIFI booster? or add another router?

[Old Growth]

I want my internet and TV to work in the garage now that the coax cable is obsolete.

So I need a roku/firestick to receive signal out there. My wifi drops off about in the door way of the shop, so thats not working.

Should I use a booster or another router? My mobile has metal siding and my shop has metal siding so I worry about using a "booster".

Im leaning towards running a cat5/6 cable out there and adding another wifi router for the shop to get signal.

Any reason not to go this route? Or other suggestions?

[hartcreek]

Is you TV a smart TV and does it have a cat5 port? If so you could just direct cable the TV.

[Old Growth]

I dont have a new TV yet.

So I can just get a TV with a cat5 port and just plug the internet into the TV and thats all I need?

Id rather spend the router and roku money towards an nicer tv if possible!

[RocketScott]

I'd run a 5e wire and add a wireless router

That's what I have in my shop. It's got hardi siding and 30 feet away from the house but the WiFi signal doesn't carry between the two

[hartcreek]

Ask the sales person to show you how to do it with your cell phone.

[Guntrader]

You want to get a 5 port gigabit network switch or wireless access point for your garage (hooked up to the house via Cat5e cable).
That way you can add a laptop or something else out there with the TV.

I buy these 5 port switches, keep a couple in my truck for customers. $17 on Amazon Prime.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A128S24

For deals on TV's check out Bens Bargains.
Sometimes you can finddeals on new TV's for 50% off retail.
But you have to hurry, sometimes they only last a couple hours.
https://bensbargains.com/categories/tvs-58/

[Greenecho]

You want to get a 5 port gigabit network switch or wireless access point for your garage (hooked up to the house via Cat5e cable).
That way you can add a laptop or something else out there with the TV.

I buy these 5 port switches, keep a couple in my truck for customers. $17 on Amazon Prime.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A128S24

For deals on TV's check out Bens Bargains.
Sometimes you can finddeals on new TV's for 50% off retail.
But you have to hurry, sometimes they only last a couple hours.
https://bensbargains.com/categories/tvs-58/

That's what I did but using PoE switches for PoE IP Cams. I'm an Ethernet cable kind of guy.

[mcyclonegt]

I have the exact same problem. One day I will conduit out to the shop for cat6, an airline to the house, and a 4 wire Romex for hard wired smoke detectors. Until then I use an Wifi extender. It works as long as my shop door is open, but since it’s cold out my internet is shit. I am going to cut a hole up high and cover the hole with lexan, and mount the extender behind it in the shop. I am doing this in a few days. I’ll let you know how it works out.

[Massivedesign]

I have the exact same problem. One day I will conduit out to the shop for cat6, an airline to the house, and a 4 wire Romex for hard wired smoke detectors. Until then I use an Wifi extender. It works as long as my shop door is open, but since it’s cold out my internet is shit. I am going to cut a hole up high and cover the hole with lexan, and mount the extender behind it in the shop. I am doing this in a few days. I’ll let you know how it works out.

What's the distance from Shop to House?

[lamrith]

I had same problem at my place. Detached Gar is 45 ft away from house. I had to run a new power line as well, so when I ran conduit I ran a second one and pulled some cat6 shielded. I would recommend you go with the higher rated cat 6 while you are doing it. That way you are at least up with current tech cable wise and fully support gigabit.

Then I put a little switch like Guntrader linked. Not sure many TV's these days have an actual ethernet port on them, so you will still need an accesspoint, but the mini switch is still worth it as it gives you flexibility if you add more later and they are sill cheap. In my installation I am already using 3 ports on the switch as I went firestick (FYI they were $24 last I looked for a 4K version) and ethernet adapter, plus wifi access point plus my stereo tuner has internet abilities.

FWIW I would recommend Firestick/TV over the Roku. Be it built into TV or a separate device. Roku is not able to be jailbroken, and I have found a few times it cannot play certain media file types. With Fire you can load other apps on them that will let them play pretty much any file type you can imagine, plus other streaming programs to be able to go find movies, etc to play so you are not stuck just with what netflix, pandora and spotify have to offer. If you use a stand alone device fire also has an ethernet adapter so you can get a nice fast hardwire hookup for it and not have any loss with wifi lot cheaper than a wifi access point too.

Firestick 4K

Ethernet adapter

[mcyclonegt]

I have the exact same problem. One day I will conduit out to the shop for cat6, an airline to the house, and a 4 wire Romex for hard wired smoke detectors. Until then I use an Wifi extender. It works as long as my shop door is open, but since it’s cold out my internet is shit. I am going to cut a hole up high and cover the hole with lexan, and mount the extender behind it in the shop. I am doing this in a few days. I’ll let you know how it works out.

What's the distance from Shop to House?

80 feet. About 100 from my WiFi router.

[Brujah]

If possible I'd recommend you go the Cat6 route. If you need wifi in your shop from there you could add a small switch and an access point and a cable to your TV. If you decide to add an additional device to control the streaming I'd recommend looking at the google Chromecast ultra. I think all the major streaming apps have Chromecast functionality built in. If you want I've got an old ubiquiti access point laying around you could have for it.

[Guntrader]

Ya go with CAT 6. Guess I'm showing my age. Hahaha
Although I've ran miles of cable before, I haven't ran cable myself in years.
Usually just have a contractor do it.

[Old Growth]

I went and got a TV and router last night.

Couldn't find a 24" or 32" tv with an ethernet port so brought home a router to. The tv has Roku built in so that's done. 75 feet of cat6 was enough to get out there with no issues.

So to work so far.

[funugy]

If your shop/garage power is powered via the house breaker panel something like this may work as long as both outlets are on the same leg/phase
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0778 ... UTF8&psc=1