Runamok81
New Around Here
I'd love some help from the gurus, or maybe just some re-affirmation on my small network design. This thread can be discussion. I'd like some help picking the best equipment and any corrections I need about the best network structure for my home network. I'm open to flashing firmware, NAS, etc... Here's the situation.
Environment
I have a small house (800sq ft) with 3 people living in it. We have a mix of N and G laptops and smartphones. There are two locations of interest. One is where the DSL (6Mbs down) enters the wall in a bedroom, and is connected to flakey motorola DSL modem. The other is 30ft away in the living room. It has an entertainment center with my HDTV, the HTPC and and Xbox360. I expect these to be able to receive streams of 1080P content from the N connected laptops (to the best possible ability.. yes, I've read the stickies).
My Plan...
I will need to purchase two routers and wirelessly bridge them to avoid running cat5 cable. One powerful router behind the entertainment center that acts as the wireless AP, and ehich physically wires (gigabit) together the HTPC,Xbox360. Also, optware and the ability to add additional USB devices, is preferred. The other purchase will need to be any dumb "wireless bridgeable" router connected to the DSL modem in the bedroom.
Questions....
1. Since, creating a wireless bridge effectively halves the throughput, do I need to worry about arranging my routers in this manner? I.E. bridged router in the bedroom next to the modem. Is this possible? I mean, even at half rate, the houses internet traffic traversing from the AP behind the entertainment center won't saturate the halved connection, correct?
2. I fear my ageing Motorola DSL modem is a failure point. It runs hot. Seeing as how I need to purchase a "wireless bridgeable" router to connect to this modem, should this be replaced with a combo DSL modem/router? Or should I purchase two separate devices for this room? Which device(s) should purchase?
3. Assuming I have no worries with router layout in question number 1, which router should I purchase to go behind the entertainment center?
Recap...
Need to prep an internet connected entertainment center and some laptops for 1080P streaming and files sharing. Help me build my small network.
Budget $200
P.S. I work in IT. I'm comfortable flashing firmware etc.
...Thinking Asus RT-16N or Linksys E3000 behind the entertainment center.
Environment
I have a small house (800sq ft) with 3 people living in it. We have a mix of N and G laptops and smartphones. There are two locations of interest. One is where the DSL (6Mbs down) enters the wall in a bedroom, and is connected to flakey motorola DSL modem. The other is 30ft away in the living room. It has an entertainment center with my HDTV, the HTPC and and Xbox360. I expect these to be able to receive streams of 1080P content from the N connected laptops (to the best possible ability.. yes, I've read the stickies).
My Plan...
I will need to purchase two routers and wirelessly bridge them to avoid running cat5 cable. One powerful router behind the entertainment center that acts as the wireless AP, and ehich physically wires (gigabit) together the HTPC,Xbox360. Also, optware and the ability to add additional USB devices, is preferred. The other purchase will need to be any dumb "wireless bridgeable" router connected to the DSL modem in the bedroom.
Questions....
1. Since, creating a wireless bridge effectively halves the throughput, do I need to worry about arranging my routers in this manner? I.E. bridged router in the bedroom next to the modem. Is this possible? I mean, even at half rate, the houses internet traffic traversing from the AP behind the entertainment center won't saturate the halved connection, correct?
2. I fear my ageing Motorola DSL modem is a failure point. It runs hot. Seeing as how I need to purchase a "wireless bridgeable" router to connect to this modem, should this be replaced with a combo DSL modem/router? Or should I purchase two separate devices for this room? Which device(s) should purchase?
3. Assuming I have no worries with router layout in question number 1, which router should I purchase to go behind the entertainment center?
Recap...
Need to prep an internet connected entertainment center and some laptops for 1080P streaming and files sharing. Help me build my small network.
Budget $200
P.S. I work in IT. I'm comfortable flashing firmware etc.
...Thinking Asus RT-16N or Linksys E3000 behind the entertainment center.