What's the best prep for upgrading everything to "next gen"?

[technicko]

Mobile network 3G expires next year. Wifi 6 is here. Apple M1 chipsets. Smart home devices. Traditional routers vs. mesh. ...

How can one prepare for keeping up with the tech? 4G LTE has been around for a while, but when will 5G be the norm?

If I get a new Wifi 6 router, do I have to upgrade everything from my computers to smart home devices and everything else connected to a router?

Do mesh routers interface with ddwrt firmware?

(Is there a fracture in the meta-matrix-verse? ok, being facetious now.)

But seriously, how does one keep up with all this stuff? My router is over 6 years old and lately signal seems weak, and I'm wondering "Is it time to upgrade... everything?"

 

[Saga Lout]

Check up to see if Fibre is heading your way because if you have to change suppliers, you'll get a better router.

 

[technicko]

In America? I doubt it.

Unless it's 5G ISP like Starry Internet, US infrastructure is baked in by region. If one has Spectrum Cable ISP, there is no other cable company in the area providing its ISP service through cable. But I live in outer metro area, so I think getting Fiber, like Google, is less likely.

 

[USAFRet]

Mobile network 3G expires next year. Wifi 6 is here. Apple M1 chipsets. Smart home devices. Traditional routers vs. mesh. ...

How can one prepare for keeping up with the tech? 4G LTE has been around for a while, but when will 5G be the norm?

If I get a new Wifi 6 router, do I have to upgrade everything from my computers to smart home devices and everything else connected to a router?

Do mesh routers interface with ddwrt firmware?

(Is there a fracture in the meta-matrix-verse? ok, being facetious now.)

But seriously, how does one keep up with all this stuff? My router is over 6 years old and lately signal seems weak, and I'm wondering "Is it time to upgrade... everything?"

There is nothing to "prepare" for.

5G? Well, when it is available in your area at some point in the future, then maybe change.
You can't do anything until then.

How is your wired situation?
Cable/fiber/DSL?


Currently, with whatever your particular connection is, are you having "problems"?
If so, what type?

 

[technicko]

Spectrum Cable. ddwrt netgear router.

Main issue: signal is weak and intermittent on my end.

My room is on the far end of the house.

When the house was built, all the central "hub" (just bunch of jumbled telephone wires, cables, and built-in alarm system) was in the closet in the off-center middle of the house with very hollow walls.

Few years ago, I started using a range extender, and it worked for a while. And since then after reseting home network a few times, either the extender isn't working or I forgot how to set it up.

Also, I'm not tech savvy with jargon... so repeater bridge, client bridge, forwarder. I can't get it into my head what the difference is.... In the past, I usually download or buy some PC product and read forums to the best of my understanding for how to configure things, mainly by copying what other people have written.