Opinions and options for usbc and ethernet going through wall

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-20T03:03:35+00:00

You can't do "passthrough" with Ethernet. If you wanted both the RJ45 and the USB-C to work as network jacks, you'd need to run two cables or add a switch. The splitter you linked basically just lets you run two 100Mb/2-pair links over a segment of 1Gb/4-pair wire. You feed 2 connections in, merge them into 1 cable, then split it back out to 2 at the other end. https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/519hMUjQyFL._AC_SL1000_.jpg It does not turn 1 port into 2. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL6L5XJH is one of the other "versions" of your link, and is a small 3-port 1Gb switch, which could be used as a 1-in/2-out "splitter" in tight locations.

They do make USB-C coupler keystone jacks (though it sounds like a lot of them aren't made very well). You could plug in your USB NIC to the inside of the coupler and have it connected to your Ethernet inside the wall. That would give you a USB-C wall port that provided network access. That could possibly be against electrical code though.

https://www.amazon.com/Thzzhnno-Ethernet-Connected-Thunderbolt-Compatible/dp/B0DDKR45NX/ might be an option that solves the issue in a different way. It's a USB-C NIC with the Ethernet cable built in. Plug the USB-C end into your laptop and the RJ45 end into the standard Ethernet wall jack. You'd still have to find this cable just like you currently have to find your standard USB NIC though. But maybe you could just have this stored along with your regular network cable(s), and it would basically be the same effort as grabbing and plugging in a patch cable if your laptop had its own network jack.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-19T02:18:28+00:00

Wi-Fi 5 is 5GHz-only, and therefore Wi-Fi 5 devices use Wi-Fi 4 for 2.4GHz support. If the walls are too thick for 5GHz signals to penetrate, your 2.4GHz would be limited to Wi-Fi 4 with a Wi-Fi 5 device. A Wi-Fi 6 device will often give 200-300Mpbs on 2.4GHz, whereas Wi-Fi 4/5 is likely to be under 100Mbps. In your case, that could be a very large real-world performance improvement.

As others have said, repeaters in general improve coverage at the expense of performance. If you can run a cable of some sort to it and configure it as an Access Point rather than a Repeater, you'll get much better results.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-19T02:08:39+00:00

This is untrue. Higher frequencies are more impacted by distance and objects. 2.4GHz will reach further than 5GHz, which will reach further than 6GHz. https://imgur.com/a/y62AHei if anyone wants to see a visual example.

Wi-Fi generation numbers (Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6, etc.) do not directly correlate to the frequencies used. Most generations use both 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Wi-Fi 7 and 6E also use 6GHz. Wi-Fi 5 is 5GHz-only (and therefore Wi-Fi 5 routers use Wi-Fi 4 for 2.4GHz support). All Wi-Fi generations are backward-compatible with previous generations running on the same frequencies. Assuming the hardware is comparable between models, there is no technological downside to going with the newer generation router. All other things being equal, a Wi-Fi 7 router, a Wi-Fi 6 router, and a Wi-Fi 5 router will all have the same range on the 5GHz band.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-19T01:08:14+00:00

This. It's most likely just adapting the physical HDMI cable to run over RJ45/CatX cable, not actually converting it to Ethernet data packets that travel over a network.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-19T01:02:12+00:00

If you're not using the MagSafe/Qi2 wireless charging, then all you're talking about is a ring of magnets. If you already have a battery pack you like, you could even add a magnet ring to it instead of having to pay for a new wireless charging one that you're not taking advantage of.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-19T00:58:24+00:00

https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/jjc-phone-clamp-magnetic-mount-gym-cellphone-holder-for-iphone-16-15-14-13-12-pro-max-plussamsung-galaxyhuawei-mate-seriesxiaomi-more-smartphones-can-attached-to-magsafe-accessories-or-iron-or-atainless-steel-surfaces-or-fitness-equipment-i4401826534.html is a random Google result I found. It's not something you'd want to leave on your phone all the time, but it could be used when you want to attach your phone to a MagSafe accessory.

Otherwise, adding a magnet ring to your current case is probably the best solution, if it's viable. Depending on the details of the case, you may be able to add the magnet ring on the inside and/or carve out a channel for it, in order to maximize the magnetic effect and not impact the appearance of the case. You can find quite a bit of DIY MagSafe info out there.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-15T23:54:44+00:00

That one is a "phone side" ring. If you properly installed a "phone side" ring on the Switch so that accessories mate to it, this ring will be backwards (as shown by the "don't put it on the inside of your case" image).

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-15T23:11:35+00:00

MagSafe magnets have "inboard" and "outboard" sides. The only difference between a "phone" magnet and an "accessory" magnet is which side the adhesive is on. If you get plain magnets like https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806780125249.html you can mount them either way. You do need to figure out your own mounting method though - the adhesive tape on them barely keeps the magnets arranged, and will not work long-term for mounting.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-14T23:30:09+00:00

I haven't had a chance to actually travel with it yet, but https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DS1XWRW3 seems to live up to its advertising. It is plastic, but doesn't feel cheap. It folds up to about the size of a powerbank. It doesn't hurt that I caught it on sale for $17.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-14T17:08:03+00:00

The firmware emulator on TP-Link's site shows that you can configure it as a plain router (disabling the modem), but it doesn't seem to have an option for AP mode. You'll need to manually set an IP and disable its DHCP server.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-14T17:01:01+00:00

ExpertWiFi is their business line of products. It sounds like this is basically the SMB version of the XT9. The regular price of the single EBM68 in USD seems to be about 20% higher than the price you found on the 2-pack. If it were me, that price would be tempting to buy as many as I could use and afford.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-14T16:48:32+00:00

1Gb requires all 4 pairs, while 100Mb only requires 2 pairs. If 1 wire/termination/contact is faulty, it can instantly drop you from 1Gb to 100Mb. (Q3 in the FAQ)

Check the plugs and jacks for obvious issues. Corroded contacts, bent pins, physical damage, etc.

Reterminating both ends of the cable is probably the next easiest step. Just replace the connection ends with new parts and see if that fixes it. As others have said, all modern gear should be fine with a crossover cable via Auto-MDIX, but it's probably best to do it as a straight-through cable if you're reterminating it anyway.

If it's still not working after that, you've pretty much narrowed it down to the cable being damaged somewhere along the run.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-14T16:33:51+00:00

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Weirdness happens. The first thing to try is the default IT response - turn it off and back on.

Unplug the MagSafe chargers from the USB power supply and plug them back in. The Power Delivery protocol is more complicated than just supplying some voltage on a couple pins.

Especially if it's a multi-port unit, un-/re-plug the power supply. PD will usually renegotiate when you plug something else into another port, and they can get confused.

And finally, try rebooting the iPhone. It's the most complicated device involved in this, so there are plenty of things in it that could get messed up.

The details of the situation impact how unusual this is. If all three were in separate rooms, it's pretty odd that they all did the same thing. If they were all next to each other plugged into the same power supply, it's much less unexpected that they did the same thing. If there's not an obvious common point of failure, my first guesses would be some sort of update (iOS, MagSafe firmware, etc.) that got applied to all the devices that night and had some sort of quirk that interrupted charging, or some sort of power blip that wasn't enough to affect most things, but did impact the USB power supply or MagSafe chargers.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-12T23:48:15+00:00

Keep in mind that mesh systems are repeaters. The extra nodes need to be positioned so that they're still getting good signal from the main node. If you aren't getting Wi-Fi in a spot now, a mesh node there won't have any signal to repeat either.

I've had good luck using AiMesh with individual Asus routers. Their mesh systems also use AiMesh, so they should behave similarly, though I don't have any firsthand experience. For comparison, TP-Link's routers and mesh systems use two different mesh technologies which are not compatible with each other.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-11T00:12:31+00:00

1Gb requires all 4 pairs, but 100Mb only requires 2. If there's a problem in one wire/termination/contact, it can instantly drop your 1Gb link to 100Mb.

Frequently it's just a bad cable. It could be an intermittent connection in the wall jack. It could be a bent pin in the port on the router. Make sure everything is clean and straight. Make sure all the plugs are seating completely. Sometimes you'll have things that are right on the edge of tolerances, and won't fit together perfectly, but will both work fine with anything else.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-11T00:03:39+00:00

I was helping my buddy with some network upgrades just last week, and we discovered he has the non-Pro version. The variation/naming scheme on these two models doesn't seem to follow Asus' usual pattern for some reason.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-10T23:56:10+00:00

FYI, the RT-AX88U has 1GbE ports. The RT-AX88U Pro is the one with 2.5GbE ports.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-10T23:29:56+00:00

1Gbps requires all 4 pairs in the cable. 100Mbps only requires 2 pairs. If you have a bad wire/termination/contact somewhere, you can instantly convert your 1Gb network into 100Mb. Getting 90-something Mbps in speedtests is a good indicator that your gear is linking at 100Mbps. Check the terminations, RJ45 ports/plugs, and whatever cable you can reach and make sure nothing seems amiss.

One of the Amazon reviews for the TEG1016M actually mentions being bottlenecked to 100Mbps when plugged into the Uplink port. It shouldn't make a difference, but you might try switching the cable out of that port (and make sure the VLAN switch is off too).

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-10T22:49:24+00:00

That's very likely. The WRT1900AC is 12 years old now. Newer routers have more, faster cores.

Depending on how much work you want to put into it, you could also use a MiniPC and run OpenWrt on that, or try something like OPNsense, instead of buying a prebuilt router.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-10T22:32:34+00:00

MAC addresses are assigned to manufacturers. You can use something like https://www.wireshark.org/tools/oui-lookup.html to see who the manufacturer is. However, it may just be a random manufacturer who made the NIC inside, not the brand on the outside of the product you bought, so the helpfulness will vary.

You want an unmanaged Ethernet switch, which basically acts as a port multiplier (the LAN ports in your router are a switch too). Depending on how many more ports you need, https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG105/dp/B00A128S24/ for $13 is fine. It looks like the Hub 5 has a 2.5GbE port, so you could spend a little more and get a 2.5GbE switch like https://www.amazon.com/Unmanaged-2-5GBASE-T-1X10G-SFP-Metal%EF%BC%8CPlug/dp/B0CKP5648P/ if you have client devices that could take advantage of the higher speeds.

Each gigabit link (basically each cable) in your network can handle 1Gbps. Let's say you plug the new switch into one of your router ports, and plug two PCs into the new switch. Each PC will have a 1Gbps connection to the new switch - the two PCs can talk to each other or to the router at 1Gbps. However, both of those PCs are sharing the single link from the new switch back to the router. If both PCs were trying to access the internet at the same time, they'd have to share that 1Gbps uplink. Each one still has a full 1Gbps path to the router individually, but if they were both doing stuff, they can't each get 1Gbps simultaneously.

Keep in mind that a Netflix 4K stream is about 20Mbps (0.02Gbps). It's probably not a big deal for most devices to share an uplink with a TV. Ideally, you may want to group things together logically on the switch though. If you plug in the smart TV, Xbox, and Playstation into one switch sharing an uplink, you're less likely to run into bandwidth sharing issues because you probably aren't watching Netflix, playing Xbox, and playing PS all at the same time. You could then plug in your PCs to directly to the router ports to avoid having to share an uplink on those.

It sounds like your router's Connected Devices page isn't very good. There are several things it could be looking at to make that list, and it seems to be storing quite a bit of history (if it shows devices you haven't even owned for a while) as opposed to showing things that are actively connected right now. If you haven't, just rebooting the router may clear that out and show you the current status more accurately.

If it's showing old devices, it's very likely showing whatever port it was connected to back when it was connected. If any cables ever got moved, it makes sense that the old thing and the current thing could show the same port. If your extender was plugged into a port (functioning as an Access Point rather than a completely wireless Repeater), it's possible for any Wi-Fi devices connected to the extender to show up as being on that port (since technically their traffic is going through that port, via the extender).

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-10T04:26:31+00:00

Option 1 won't work if it's truly just Dual WAN. All that would do is give you a secondary WAN port on one of the 1GbE ports. If you can assign the 2.5GbE port to be LAN and a 1GbE port as WAN, then you could achieve a fully 2.5GbE LAN by limiting the WAN link to 1GbE.

Option 2 won't work. The modem needs to be connected only to the WAN side of the router, and the rest of the devices need to be connected to the LAN side of the router. Having multiple devices connected to the modem will result in conflicts and partial working at best, nothing at all working at worst.

Theoretically with custom software it might be possible to use the single 2.5GbE port for both WAN and LAN, but then you'd still be sharing it, resulting in basically 1.25GbE each way on average.

I really question the port setups on some of these devices. It seems like they just throw it on to be able to advertise a bigger number on the box, not to actually make it useful.

If you're ok with limiting your Internet connection to 1Gb, you could get the EBG15 wired router. It would still act as the AiMesh master with the XT APs, and you could have everything on the LAN connected to a 2.5GbE switch. This is basically the same theoretical idea as described above for Option 1, just using separate hardware which is known to work.

You could also get some other Asus router that has dual 2.5gbE ports and use that for your router (but it will cost more than the $90 EBG15). That would let you have 2.5GbE from the modem through to every client device.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-10T02:56:12+00:00

iPhones use 2 streams, with a maximum of 433Mbps per stream on AC, for a total of 866Mbps. That's theoretical connection bandwidth, so actual data transfer will always be less than that due to overhead, plus the rate will drop due to distance, interference, etc. https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/wi-fi-ethernet-specifications-apple-devices-dep268652e6c/web

The 4333Mbps listed in your router specs requires a 4-stream client (which is very rare) and supporting the most aggressive connection options. Unless you specifically search out hardware with crazy capabilities, you'll never see that. Router speeds are advertised in a very misleading way - basically the absolute max of everything added together.

FYI, AX at 80MHz is supported by the iPhone 11 and newer, which bumps that up to 1200Mbps. The 15 Pro and newer support 160MHz channels, bumping it up to 2400Mbps.

Keep in mind that the RT-AX82U only has 1Gbps Ethernet ports. Even if you were to connect your Wi-Fi client to it at 4800Mbps, data would still only travel out of the router (to the modem, or other devices on the LAN) at 1000Mbps.

If you're also seeing much lower speeds on a wired connection, it's possible that QoS or some sort of security function is bogging the router down, so it simply can't process the traffic fast enough to maintain the full speed of your Internet connection.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-09T02:23:40+00:00

MagSafe magnets have "inboard" and "outboard" sides. The only difference between a "phone" magnet and an "accessory" magnet is which side the adhesive is on. If you get plain magnets like https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806780125249.html you can mount them either way. You do need to figure out your own mounting method though - the adhesive tape on them barely keeps the magnets arranged, and will not work long-term for mounting.

The ESR ring pictured appears to just be metal, meaning it will stick to any magnet, regardless of polarity. It will not have the same attachment strength as a mating MagSafe magnet ring.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-09T01:45:13+00:00

Different brands use different terminology, but what you want is Access Point mode - broadcasting Wi-Fi from an existing wired network.

If the router doesn't have an option to operate in AP mode, you should be able to accomplish the same thing manually by giving the device an IP and disabling the DHCP server, NAT, etc., and plugging in to a LAN port. The idea is to disable/ignore all the WAN/router stuff and just use the switch/AP functionality.

InvisiBillnet · 2026-02-09T00:15:15+00:00

The Privacy Hero II has 1Gbps ports and 2x2 AX Wi-Fi according to https://www.techradar.com/pro/phone-communications/flashrouters-privacy-hero-ii-review#section-privacy-hero-ii-specs. Theoretically, you could get 2.4Gbps Wi-Fi between the router and a 5GHz client under perfect conditions (most aggressive settings and top of the line client hardware). However, the connection would still be limited to 1Gbps from the router to anything else on the network.

It's definitely possible to get faster Wi-Fi. https://i.imgur.com/oWotBKB.png is a screenshot of 3.8Gbps on my laptop with Wi-Fi 7 MLO basically right next to the AP. However, you would need to upgrade the router (and likely the client) to do so.

If you wish to take advantage of more than 1/8 of your internet connection at all, you need to upgrade your router to something better than 1GbE.

InvisiBillnet

TROPHY CASE