Helix Signal Stength & Pods

rpridham · ‎01-10-2021

I'm thinking of upgrading to Helix. Currently, I have Illico. I have a 2-story house with basement. My current Wi-Fi setup includes an Apple Airport Extreme located on the 2nd floor with 3 Airport Express extenders: one on the main floor (garage), basement and my pool cabana (all hardwired Ethernet). I get perfect signal no matter where I am, even in my back yard. My cable modem and Videotron router are in the basement.

Unless I run an Ethernet line to my main floor, the only spot for the Helix gateway is on the 2nd floor (where my current Wi-Fi router is) or in the basement. I do not have an Ethernet line on the main floor inside the house. I'm concerned about signal strength if the gateway is in the basement or on 2nd floor. I understand that I can buy these "pods". Do these pods serve the same purpose as the Airport Express? Do they boost the signal? I read that they do not provide the same speed as the gateway. Is that true? I can hardwire each pod to an Ethernet connection. Would I be compromising speed?

If I were to run an Ethernet cable to my family room and put the gateway centrally located on the main floor, will that be strong enough on its own to provide good signal strength for my entire house (+basement) and back yard? I will have an a TV and a Helix terminal on every floor.

CedrikS · ‎19-10-2021

Hi rpridham,

Regarding the Helix "pods", they are made to give you a connection in difficult areas in a house, they are not made for speed.

So let's say the WiFi network doesn't go well in a bedroom, the pod will push the gateway's signal further so you can have Internet in that bedroom.

As for the the installation of the gateway, the best place to put it would be where you use the Internet the most ( an area where most activities are being done ).