Quick question, how much range can I expect from an almond+?

[lucentg]

I'm trying to avoid the use of a range extender if possible, I have a 4000 sqft space, distributed by 3 levels (so i suppose 4000/3 for each level). OF course there are multiple rooms with drywall, wood frame, etc.

In the past using a range extender resulted in intermittent switching between wifi signals as the source signal would overlap with the extender signal, and that resulted in connection drops. I'd prefer to just get one solution, could I expect the almond+ with its current firmware to cover the space mentioned above?

Anyone with experience using the almond+ so far test its range?

Thanks!

[xaminmo]

The radios are:
* QCA9880 - 802.11ac 5GHz
* AR9580  - 802.11n 2.4GHz
* 3x3 internal antennae (one on the board, 5 are tiny patch antennae around the perimeter).

Range is relative, and there's no way to know for certain without actually mapping out your space and testing it.
The 802.11ac beamforming should roughly make up for the range attenuation of 5GHz vs 2.45GHz.

Line of sight, no interference, expect 20 meters (160ft) at 15MByte/sec for 2.4GHz and 3x that for 5GHz.
Subtract out for any interference, obstacles, and attenuation.
Drywall with wood studs will attenuate around 3 meters worth - more at an angle.
Wooden floors attenuate around 4 meters worth, more at an angle.
Wiring, plumbing, metal grating, or computer cases will block 80% or more of what passes through them.

Since radios don't make square bubbles, they're sort of like squished balloons,  expect the corners furthest away from the router will suffer more.

The beamforming is per client, so the more active wireless nodes you have, the more latency there is in beam reforming.  Latency = lost bandwidth.

While there are not external ports, there's nothing preventing you from installing better antennae.  The existing ones are attached with U.FL connectors, and you can pick up U.FL to RP-SMA pigtails with securing nuts for about $2.50 each from Amazon or similar.

You may connect at a greater range but with lower bandwidth.
Surfing is usually good over 8Mbit (1MByte) per second.
Music is good around 192kbyte/sec.
Video depends on resolution, compression, etc.  But a 1080p video in MP4 might need 1.5MByte/sec.

As to my experience, unfortunately, I don't have a way of showing DBM, or testing actual thruput.
My house is about 1250 per floor, almost a perfect cube, plus an attached garage, lots of interference
(central walls, computers, and unknown RFI that breaks most 2.4GHz - Probably the neighbor's huge channels).
With the Almond + in play, I was able to have solid connectivity all over my house.  I was really happy.
Some of this is because 5GHz isn't messed up, so YMMV.
I'm sorry I'm not able to make a DBm map, but this does handle multiple, tightly clustered walls, with computers and appliances and such.

[mr23]

Is there a 'best app' to map wifi space (as a 2D or 3D map)? Not multiple wifi sources, but signal strenght and throughput from a single source?

The radios are:
* QCA9880 - 802.11ac 5GHz
* AR9580  - 802.11n 2.4GHz
* 3x3 internal antennae (one on the board, 5 are tiny patch antennae around the perimeter).

Range is relative, and there's no way to know for certain without actually mapping out your space and testing it.
The 802.11ac beamforming should roughly make up for the range attenuation of 5GHz vs 2.45GHz.

Line of sight, no interference, expect 20 meters (160ft) at 15MByte/sec for 2.4GHz and 3x that for 5GHz.
Subtract out for any interference, obstacles, and attenuation.
Drywall with wood studs will attenuate around 3 meters worth - more at an angle.
Wooden floors attenuate around 4 meters worth, more at an angle.
Wiring, plumbing, metal grating, or computer cases will block 80% or more of what passes through them.

Since radios don't make square bubbles, they're sort of like squished balloons,  expect the corners furthest away from the router will suffer more.

The beamforming is per client, so the more active wireless nodes you have, the more latency there is in beam reforming.  Latency = lost bandwidth.

While there are not external ports, there's nothing preventing you from installing better antennae.  The existing ones are attached with U.FL connectors, and you can pick up U.FL to RP-SMA pigtails with securing nuts for about $2.50 each from Amazon or similar.

You may connect at a greater range but with lower bandwidth.
Surfing is usually good over 8Mbit (1MByte) per second.
Music is good around 192kbyte/sec.
Video depends on resolution, compression, etc.  But a 1080p video in MP4 might need 1.5MByte/sec.

As to my experience, unfortunately, I don't have a way of showing DBM, or testing actual thruput.
My house is about 1250 per floor, almost a perfect cube, plus an attached garage, lots of interference
(central walls, computers, and unknown RFI that breaks most 2.4GHz - Probably the neighbor's huge channels).
With the Almond + in play, I was able to have solid connectivity all over my house.  I was really happy.
Some of this is because 5GHz isn't messed up, so YMMV.
I'm sorry I'm not able to make a DBm map, but this does handle multiple, tightly clustered walls, with computers and appliances and such.

[Talard]

In order to analyse wifi I use Wifi Analyzer https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer&hl=fr_FR.
With it you can have the straight of signal and lot more things but it won't create you a 2D, 3D map.

[mmalluck]

With it you can have the straight of signal and lot more things but it won't create you a 2D, 3D map.

This one will give you a 2D heat map of your wifi signal. Just walk around and click the map where you are.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slowchop.wifiheat.paid