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EnGenius ESR9850

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ESR9850 or 7750?

Hi, I recently got Comcast as my ISP and I have a downspeed of 25mbps and upspeed of 4.5mpbs. Right now, I'm using an old Netgear G router that is cutting my speed down by 70%(5-6mbps downspeed) and I'm looking for a better N-router. I have a two-story house and I'm planning to setup the router downstairs while being connected to one laptop downstairs(G), another laptop upstairs (G), and two desktops upstairs as well (one G, one N). Which of the two routers will be better for a multi-story house?

I'm considering the 7750 for it's dual-band feature, but the lack of external antennas is holding me back. I know that performance goes down with poor signal, but if I only need a downspeed of 20-25mbps for the N desktop upstairs, I wouldn't need a full signal correct? My priority is just reaching my ISP's speeds (20-25mpbs) for the N desktop and not for maximum router throughput (90mbps?). The other G laptops and desktop do not need to reach max speeds.

The 9850 and 7750 are both $50 on Amazon and I was wondering which one would you guys recommend for my home network? Thanks in advance!

-Kokin
 
Well going have to wait for that review from me? I just got a notice saying due to bla, bla, and bla that the 2 items ordered have been canceled by the seller because they don't have any in stock! Yet I was charged anyway. This nuts! Anyway, so I'll have to find another one seller. I'll never order through that seller again. First time with them too. Dirty SOB have the items in stock! They're charging more for it and won't honor the price that was so dirt cheap yesterday when I ordered for both of them.


I'm not sure where you are in the world but Amazon, tigerdirect, buy etc., report good stocks all run about $50-60 US.
 
The 7750 has 2 radio bands, 2 and 5 GHz. If you don't have a 5 GHz client you won't be able to use that band. Alas, it isn't one radio for N and other for G.

I would give the 9850 more consideration since the router is downstairs and many clients are upstairs.

External and internal antennas don't matter in short distances, but external ones are a bit more flexible to maximize reception which could help in distant locations, which is your 'upstairs'.


Hi, I recently got Comcast as my ISP and I have a downspeed of 25mbps and upspeed of 4.5mpbs. Right now, I'm using an old Netgear G router that is cutting my speed down by 70%(5-6mbps downspeed) and I'm looking for a better N-router. I have a two-story house and I'm planning to setup the router downstairs while being connected to one laptop downstairs(G), another laptop upstairs (G), and two desktops upstairs as well (one G, one N). Which of the two routers will be better for a multi-story house?

I'm considering the 7750 for it's dual-band feature, but the lack of external antennas is holding me back. I know that performance goes down with poor signal, but if I only need a downspeed of 20-25mbps for the N desktop upstairs, I wouldn't need a full signal correct? My priority is just reaching my ISP's speeds (20-25mpbs) for the N desktop and not for maximum router throughput (90mbps?). The other G laptops and desktop do not need to reach max speeds.

The 9850 and 7750 are both $50 on Amazon and I was wondering which one would you guys recommend for my home network? Thanks in advance!

-Kokin
 
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So if the ESR9850 is weak in wireless as I am hearing I would be better off with the next model up the ESR9855 with it's 30,000 connections!
Why? When would you have that many connections active simultaneously? And even if you did, do the math on how much bandwidth each one would get?

Don't get sucked up into a numbers game on max simultaneous connections. This is pretty much a non-issue with current generation routers, since all have more than enough to satisfy P2P and gaming uses.
 
...but external ones are a bit more directional which could help in distant locations, which is your 'upstairs'.
External antennas are omnidirectional dipoles. Their only advantage over internal is that you can play with horizontal / vertical orientation without having to move the router body. And, of course, they can be upgraded if they are attached via connector.
 
External antennas are omnidirectional dipoles. Their only advantage over internal is that you can play with horizontal / vertical orientation without having to move the router body. And, of course, they can be upgraded if they are attached via connector.

Thanks Tim, again for the correction and oversight. What I meant to convey was the spread patterns were different and coverage could be better with the adjustable antenna.

From the SNB archives:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wire...k?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=

Here's another interesting photo of the antenna gain patterns using clay models:

http://www.rcexplorer.se/page14/gain/gain.html

The internal antennas are actually more focused and directional versus the dipole, and the 'hole' in reception caused by the the dipole antenna spread can be overcome by adjustment of the antenna orientation.
 
Didn't mean to be picky. But there is so much misinformation on the 'net that I don't want SNB to contribute to it.

I really liked the clay models! :) Thanks for that link!
 
Why? When would you have that many connections active simultaneously? And even if you did, do the math on how much bandwidth each one would get?

Don't get sucked up into a numbers game on max simultaneous connections. This is pretty much a non-issue with current generation routers, since all have more than enough to satisfy P2P and gaming uses.

Well can't find that model. So it going to be ESR9850 with it's 50mW TX. The one you tested would be the one to get. I have found to other vendors to get it from..
 
I'm not sure where you are in the world but Amazon, tigerdirect, buy etc., report good stocks all run about $50-60 US.

Well I had order the two from Amazon who charged my account where they were coming from Tigerdirect! Everything was in stock and I've been ordering though Amazon for some years now. This one more than one item order. Everything I got except for the two routers. Tigerdirect VP canceled the deals saying they're out of stock and no longer carry the item. BS I say! Doesn't matter I'll get it from another party. Amazon is no help in this matter since they're not selling the item it's a third-party deal.
 
Didn't mean to be picky. But there is so much misinformation on the 'net that I don't want SNB to contribute to it.

I really liked the clay models! :) Thanks for that link!

Thanks for being picky, it keeps SNB information quality very high. Even the archives are textbook quality. I do the same, and when available, I correct my errors as I just did.

EnGenius seems quite happy with SNB's testing of its 9850.
 
Made some calls to the big leads at TD on their Blackberry! It's the only way to get my stuff! :) So it might look like there is a change of direction with them getting my two ESR9850. Since EnGenius has a reduction going on for $8 bucks off this router. I'll find out more tomorrow since this was a weekend day and most big shots are out having a great all time. Anyway that 7750 model suppose to have 70mW in the dual band. What chipset is in their?
 
Made some calls to the big leads at TD on their Blackberry! It's the only way to get my stuff! :) So it might look like there is a change of direction with them getting my two ESR9850. Since EnGenius has a reduction going on for $8 bucks off this router. I'll find out more tomorrow since this was a weekend day and most big shots are out having a great all time. Anyway that 7750 model suppose to have 70mW in the dual band. What chipset is in their?

Glad to hear to know how to work the system, tipstir :D Sorry you're having issues getting your units.

Data sheet and more. I haven't opened the unit to confirm these, I'm waiting for SNB to do it :p


Ralink RT2880 266MHz (BB) +RT2850 (5G RF)
Ralink RT3052 384MHz SoC (BB+RF)

On the 7750 see reviews here so far:

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=18007&postcount=9
 
Glad to hear to know how to work the system, tipstir :D Sorry you're having issues getting your units.

Data sheet and more. I haven't opened the unit to confirm these, I'm waiting for SNB to do it :p


Ralink RT2880 266MHz (BB) +RT2850 (5G RF)
Ralink RT3052 384MHz SoC (BB+RF)

On the 7750 see reviews here so far:

http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=18007&postcount=9

Yes I do! :D Update just go off the phone with TD Corp both items are being shipped next-day air free to me. :D So I'll have them in my hands tomorrow. I'll put them to the test when I get them. Let you all know!
 
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Just to let you all know both of them have arrived early this morning.. TD works wonders! I'll have to implement both of them into the network integration shortly.

Selling points:

Speed Booster (hardware network engine) up 17% (real test for me is how fast will Cafe World on Face Book will be under netbook, laptop and quad-core desktop) Can it get any faster?
One Touch Setup (ya, ya)
P2P Enhanced Hardware
19000 Sessions
Hacker Shield Firewall

Nice graphic on the box shows you what P2P Enhanced features does. Still I'll put that to the test 5pm and see how faster it goes.
 
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Implementing ESR-9850 started

Okay so far 25% is active on my Gig side network and 802.11n laptop signal strength is only showing good 4 bars out of 5 though? Don't have the second ESR-9850 AP up yet? Down is my gig IIS 7 web server, well get that up shortly. Speed wise there if the hardware boost is turned on. I'll have to see how that effects media network streaming to the clients from the host server (SageTV MC in 1080P & 480i)? Fast Ethernet connections and that switch for that is not active yet that controls 4 print servers AP for G which will be Belkin N+ in 802.11g mode only. I'll have to see how much of downgrade if I let the master AP handle mix mode 802.11g/n. BT connections will have to wait until I can get 98% nodes online. Internet accessing sites seems tad faster than Belkin N+. Still have to test some more forums sites out.
 
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Wow! P2P was so quicker in downloading a 300MB file than I couldn't get to measure it. :D I already had it tweaked but the extra connections really was a delight. :D
 
Awesome. Keep them coming tipstir, I would never have expected your results.
 
Awesome. Keep them coming tipstir, I would never have expected your results.

At 80% active so far. I am still at it, had to stop and then come back. So far so good. I was able stream Live TV & recorded TV over the network without jitter or shuttering and that's with the network hardware engine enabled. Next to test 1080P streams over the internet to 1080P HDTV. All wireless N are showing 300mbps in the link speed from the master router. Still you need to go by what the router is showing though. WAN and WLAN monitor is off the charts. Speedtest and there is one I use from http://www.pcwelt.de/ashampoo-speedtest_/ both are showing the same. I'll test that later in the night.
 

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