[TheFlash]

I was actually quoting Jake’s reply regarding Afterdark’s Munich promotion but somehow my message was out as a fresh reply

Gotcha.

 

[audiobomber]

I can get a switch to try this. However this brings a question – my extender has 4 ethernet jacks. I have 3 devices I need to plug in: monitor, computer and audio server. How do you recommend plugging these items in:

1. Computer and monitor into the wifi extender jacks, audio server into the switch? Or
2. All 3 devices into the switch

I heard that option 2 is preferred. The reasoning is that the extender is not a switch, and it will forward all IP addresses to the downstream devices, which will then need to sort and select the proper IP. This extra activity creates noise in the extender. The explanation makes sense to me because the main purpose of a switch is to sort and forward the proper IP address to each client, that is what it is designed to do, with minimal noise.

I suggest you try both configurations and let us know what you find. It's simple enough to do.

The EtherRegen makes this question moot, as it is in effect two switches. The A-side of my ER has an optical input from a NAS, PC and router, and outputs to a TV and Chromecast Audio. The B-side, which is galvanically isolated from the A-side, outputs to the renderer for my main system. I have listened carefully to my system with the TV and Chromecast Audio connected and disconnected, and heard no difference.

 

[TheFlash]

I heard that option 2 is preferred. The reasoning is that the extender is not a switch, and it will forward all IP addresses to the downstream devices, which will then need to sort and select the proper IP. This extra activity creates noise in the extender. The explanation makes sense to me because the main purpose of a switch is to sort and forward the proper IP address to each client, that is what it is designed to do, with minimal noise.

I suggest you try both configurations and let us know what you find. It's simple enough to do.

@tholt Indeed, may find you hear no difference between these setups or you may find having the switch dedicated to your streamer sounds better. You won’t hear that attaching everything to the switch sounds better!

The EtherRegen makes this question moot, as it is in effect two switches. The A-side of my ER has an optical input from a NAS, PC and router, and outputs to a TV and Chromecast Audio. The B-side, which is galvanically isolated from the A-side, outputs to the renderer for my main system. I have listened carefully to my system with the TV and Chromecast Audio connected and disconnected, and heard no difference.

All switches offer galvanic isolation between the input and output sides of course. It’s a question of degree, and there is more going on in a good switch like the EtherRegen than galvanic isolation (and I don’t mean clocking).

Before you do any of this though, please do tell us how far your extender is from your streamer, as where you put the switch is important. Thanks

 

[Mr Brett]

I'm curious as to the performance of my wifi extender.
Perhaps an idea to replace my TP Link RE650?

So, two questions:
1. Are there better performing wifi extenders
2. If I replaced with another router (as extender) to pair with my Asus RT-AX86U Pro, what to buy?
With the second router (if viable) would set up as wifi receiver only, and ethernet cable to switch/system.

 

[tholt]

@tholt Indeed, may find you hear no difference between these setups or you may find having the switch dedicated to your streamer sounds better. You won’t hear that attaching everything to the switch sounds better!

Hi, so you're suggesting to not attach everything to the switch? In that case, I would only connect the audio server to the switch and the other devices to the wifi extender. It would be easy enough to try either setup, however, if there is a better way to do it I'd rather try that way first. Just in my mind, it seems like it makes more sense to attach the non-audio devices to extender, and leave the switch solely for audio connection and isolation? Anyone's thoughts here are welcome

Before you do any of this though, please do tell us how far your extender is from your streamer, as where you put the switch is important. Thanks

The extender to streamer is about 3-4 meters. Was thinking about either:

1. Wifi extender > ethernet cable > SOtM CAT-6 isolator + short cable > switch > ~3m ethernet cable > server/streamer
2. Wifi extender > ethernet cable > switch > ~3m ethernet cable > SOtM CAT-6 isolator + short cable > server/streamer

1. Are there better performing wifi extenders

Also curious about this

 

[TheFlash]

Hi, so you're suggesting to not attach everything to the switch? In that case, I would only connect the audio server to the switch and the other devices to the wifi extender. It would be easy enough to try either setup, however, if there is a better way to do it I'd rather try that way first. Just in my mind, it seems like it makes more sense to attach the non-audio devices to extender, and leave the switch solely for audio connection and isolation? Anyone's thoughts here are welcome.

Correct.

The extender to streamer is about 3-4 meters. Was thinking about either:

1. Wifi extender > ethernet cable > SOtM CAT-6 isolator + short cable > switch > ~3m ethernet cable > server/streamer
2. Wifi extender > ethernet cable > switch > ~3m ethernet cable > SOtM CAT-6 isolator + short cable > server/streamer

Neither! That’s why I asked.

The switch must be just before the streamer. Think about it. The switch is not there to perform any digital magic. It is there purely to kill noise and you want it to kill as much noise as possible so you want it as late in the chain as possible.

First of all try (1) and (2) without the isolator (they are of course now the same).

1. Wifi extender > ethernet cable > switch > ~3m ethernet cable > server/streamer

so the contribution of the switch is what you’re hearing, and not the filter. (You can introduce this later when you have the switch in the best place).

Then try a new (2)

• Wifi extender > ~3m ethernet cable > switch > server/streamer

This will be much better than (1) without the isolator. I think you’ll be surprised by how much better.

Once you’ve settled on where the switch performs best (2!) experiment with the filter just before and just after the switch.

And of course report back.

 

[TheFlash]

I'm curious as to the performance of my wifi extender.
Perhaps an idea to replace my TP Link RE650?

So, two questions:
1. Are there better performing wifi extenders
2. If I replaced with another router (as extender) to pair with my Asus RT-AX86U Pro, what to buy?
With the second router (if viable) would set up as wifi receiver only, and ethernet cable to switch/system.

What do you mean by better performing?

 

[Mr Brett]

Better sound

 

[tholt]

Correct.

Neither! That’s why I asked.

The switch must be just before the streamer. Think about it. The switch is not there to perform any digital magic. It is there purely to kill noise and you want it to kill as much noise as possible so you want it as late in the chain as possible.

First of all try (1) and (2) without the isolator (they are of course now the same).

1. Wifi extender > ethernet cable > switch > ~3m ethernet cable > server/streamer

so the contribution of the switch is what you’re hearing, and not the filter. (You can introduce this later when you have the switch in the best place).

Then try a new (2)

• Wifi extender > ~3m ethernet cable > switch > server/streamer

This will be much better than (1) without the isolator. I think you’ll be surprised by how much better.

Once you’ve settled on where the switch performs best (2!) experiment with the filter just before and just after the switch.

And of course report back.

Cool, appreciate the thorough response, as well as the various advice I've received so far from all.
I think I have a lead on a good switch, so hopefully I can try this all soon.

Regarding @Mr Brett 's question on better sounding wifi extenders —are there? I always assumed wifi was just wifi and sonically 'clean' as long as the signal was strong enough. But maybe the more robust the extender receiving the signal, the better the sound?

 

[audiobomber]

I'm curious as to the performance of my wifi extender.
Perhaps an idea to replace my TP Link RE650

The RE650 has an internal switch mode power supply. An extender that allows an upgraded power supply should be better. Linear power is best, IME.

Really though, ethernet connection is better than wifi and fiber is best.

 

[TheFlash]

I'm curious as to the performance of my wifi extender.
Perhaps an idea to replace my TP Link RE650?

So, two questions:
1. Are there better performing wifi extenders
2. If I replaced with another router (as extender) to pair with my Asus RT-AX86U Pro, what to buy?
With the second router (if viable) would set up as wifi receiver only, and ethernet cable to switch/system.

What do you mean by better performing?

Better sound

Thanks. It wasn’t a trick question! I suspect many extender manufacturers might interpret or define “better performance” as a stronger wifi signal and/or longer range. In our use case of audio, such a device might actually be worse because it probably emits more noise in generating a stronger signal.

I found a TP-Link device which has no wifi at all! It requires a wired connection and this is just what I wanted. The guy in the shop had to blow dust off the top of the box as it had been sitting there for so long… and it works great.

 

[TheFlash]

Cool, appreciate the thorough response, as well as the various advice I've received so far from all.
I think I have a lead on a good switch, so hopefully I can try this all soon.

Regarding @Mr Brett 's question on better sounding wifi extenders —are there? I always assumed wifi was just wifi and sonically 'clean' as long as the signal was strong enough. But maybe the more robust the extender receiving the signal, the better the sound?

See below (above?) about this. The best for audio might be the worst for wifi… do you actually need wifi at all?

 

[tholt]

See below (above?) about this. The best for audio might be the worst for wifi… do you actually need wifi at all?

Unfortunately I do. The distance from the modem/router to my audio room is across the entire house, and it's impractical/impossible to hardwire my server into the main modem/router. I've also tried powerline adapters (sounded worse) and attempted MoCA, but could not find the connecting coax end to the one inside my audio room. So it's wifi only for me.

 

[TheFlash]

Unfortunately I do. The distance from the modem/router to my audio room is across the entire house, and it's impractical/impossible to hardwire my server into the main modem/router. I've also tried powerline adapters (sounded worse) and attempted MoCA, but could not find the connecting coax end to the one inside my audio room. So it's wifi only for me.

Apologies, my bad. The “extender” I bought was a powerline network extender not wifi extender - it’s in my man-cave apartment not my main home.
I use a first switch 0.5m after this extender, then a stupidly long 20m of Cat6 (soon will be Cat8) which goes into second switch (with linear PSU) just 0.5m before streamer. Sounds fabulous but I recognise that this will vary a lot from home to home.

 

[Mr Brett]

Yes, hardwired ethernet cable is the best solution.
But not always possible.