Need a good wireless for HD streaming - suggestions?

[tedkord]

I've been perusing this site and forum, and I've got to admit that the average user here is much more knowledgable about networking than I, so I'd like everyone's advice.

I currently have a DLink DIR-655 (latest firmware - 1.35NA) in my small home (2 story, about 1200 sq. ft.). It covers the whole structure, no problem there. However, my HTC Thunderbolt has a custom Sense 3.5 rom on it, and it constantly drops connection and reconnects. (All sense 3.5 roms on my phone do the same). My wife's laptop has started disconnecting also lately.

What I would like is the best router for me to stream HD video throughout the house (Netflix, Amazon VOD, etc...), while other devices surf, etc... (My ISP is comcast, I get about 25Mbps down)

Here's what I need to be able to connect to the router:

Currently, I have my home PC, an OOMA hub, a verizon network extender and a Slingbox ProHD wired into the ethernet ports.

Wirelessly, there are 3 android smartphones, two laptops, 2 bluray players, one LED TV, an Epson Artisan 800 printer, a Cowon Q5W (blech!) and a Wii - not all connected at all times, but all could be at one time occasionally.


I've been looking, and the Asus RT-N56u looks like it has great throughput, but I'v read negatives about it, too. The Linksys E4200v2 looked interesting, but I've read that it's not a real improvement except for hooking a USB drive to it, which I currently don't do. I don't want to spend $400, but I could certainly go to $200 or a bit more for the right device.

I build and configure my own PCs, I'm not a total technotard, but I really haven't kept up on wireless routers (I was wired only until two years ago). I could definitely benefit from some educated opinions. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[stevech]

streaming HD on WiFi will disappoint you - intermittent dropped frames, glitches, etc.

If you cannot get a cat5 cable to the TV, try to use either MoCA or HomePlug - see forum here on those topics.

 

[eahm]

I stream 720p MKVs to my TV + Boxee Box at 30 feet (10 meters) away with a Cisco Linksys E4200v1 + Tomato (Shibby mod 083V) and I've never had one single problem. Everything is perfect, it doesn't even buffer. I only use 2.4Ghz 20Mhz WiFi.

It used to work perfectly with the E3000 as well.

 

[thiggins]

You won't get "whole house" HD streaming from any product. As stevech said, you should try powerline or MoCA before investing in another router.

The key to video streaming is to keep the stream bandwidth as low as possible. That's why people can stream Netflix "HD" wirelessly, but fail with Blu-ray rips.

Also keep distances as short as possible and keep interference as low as possible. The last one is a factor that you can least control if you are a lot of neighboring wireless networks.

 

[tedkord]

Thanks for the replies. I misexplained what I was looking for. The HD streaming would only be to the main tv, which is only 10 feet from the router. The rest of the house would be for laptops, phones, etc...for surfing, etc...

 

[stevech]

10 ft away - does the TV lack an RJ45 ethernet connection, i.e., you MUST use WiFi?

re the earlier comment on streaming 720 HD.. I think of HD as 1080i and 1080p.

 

[eahm]

10 ft away - does the TV lack an RJ45 ethernet connection, i.e., you MUST use WiFi?

re the earlier comment on streaming 720 HD.. I think of HD as 1080i and 1080p.

1080p works perfectly as well, I just get 720p movies/episodes because of the TV.

edit:
By the way, it doesn't matter what "you think" of HD. Even 480p is HD. You can say Full HD so people understand you mean ONLY 1080p.

 

[stevech]

HD streaming on WiFi - long term - depends on your neighbors!

 

[tedkord]

10 ft away - does the TV lack an RJ45 ethernet connection, i.e., you MUST use WiFi?

re the earlier comment on streaming 720 HD.. I think of HD as 1080i and 1080p.

The tv has the port, but my routers 4 ports are already taken by devices that do not have wifi.

 

[stevech]

to add ethernet ports, just purchase a $25 ethernet switch, connect to router. TV connects via wire, not wireless. Much better.