Need Recommendation...I'm sick of this

[iball]

I can't do this anymore...do i have to bend over backwards? Ever since the move (2 years ago) to wireless n my wireless life has been a nightmare. Every router i get i am lucky to keep my 108Mbps. Don't get me wrong i have get 300 every now and then but my connection eventually drops.

Right now my desktop is on wireless because the router is connected downstairs to serve the whole house. All the wireless G'ers in the hourse (Mom/Dad, Bro, Grandma, etc) do just fine...me up in my room i get nothing. This is the layout:

Using DLINK DIR-628

Basement:Brother (G...good connection)
1st floor: Grandma (G...Good connection)
2nd floor: Mom/Dad (G...excellent connection) **Router is here**
Top Floor: Me (G...excellent 54Mbps no drop, N...bad 30-108, sometimes 136-300 frequent drops, 5GHZ HORRRIIIBLLEEEE)

I am using DWA 160. But i have used A LOT of different router/adapter combos and its all the same.

Please someone tell me the strongest router i can get under $200? Even if have to buy extra antennas.

Please help.

 

[overdrive31]

mixed is bad for health...

take a look at http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
as well, why are you worried about wireless N speeds when all relative network hosts are running wireless G, where would wireless N benefit you is the question? without an expensive extremely fast link from an ISP and no network hosts running similar speeds, whats the point?

 

[iball]

I do not understand what you mean by "without an expensive extremely fast link from an ISP and no network hosts running similar speeds, whats the point?

 

[overdrive31]

I do not understand what you mean by "without an expensive extremely fast link from an ISP and no network hosts running similar speeds, whats the point?

average speeds delivered by ISPs doesn't even hinder wireless G so much as to require need of wireless N nor in your case the potential of file sharing...no other wireless N clients...why use it if wireless G works just fine?
also look over http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=2506

 

[thiggins]

5 GHz range is always going to be less than 2.4 GHz. There is no N router that has better 5 GHz range than another.

As for your problem, set the router to 20 MHz channel mode, not auto or 20/40. Using 40MHz mode eats up spectrum and actually results in worse performance under low signal conditions.

 

[iball]

So then why do people buy wireless n? When i use G everything is so much slower. I just want a really strong N router, i have no interest in 5GHZ.

 

[thiggins]

An N router isn't going to work miracles and generally won't extend your range. N provides higher throughput than G under strong to medium signal conditions. With weak signals, it falls back to using G and even B speeds.

As Overdrive31 pointed out, for best results, you need G clients on a separate network so that they don't slow down N clients. Even using 20MHz channel bandwidth will provide higher throughput than you'd get with 11G, if you have a decent signal.

 

[kot1rc5]

I have read that Buffalo products have higher power. dd-wrt and similar firmware may allow turning up the power on compatible devices.

I have been looking at http://www.ubnt.com/ bullet series and RocketDish to bridge 5ghz/MIMO 2miles to my brothers house. They have some other higher power devices that may meet your needs (price?) and reheat your pizza .

Careful, the FCC has limits on 2.4/5gz transmit power, for your safety and so you don't overpower other wireless devices.

I agree that separating G, N/20/40, N/5 to different devices is a best practice.
Additionally, use non overlapping channels http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels when you have multiple access points.

Have you considered pulling cables?

k

MS tips http://www.microsoft.com/athome/setup/wirelesstips.aspx

 

[iball]

what if i bought a good n router, attached it to my modem as a different SSID, and attached a G router to it, and keep it the old SSID that way i can be n and the g'ers can have their own.

 

[overdrive31]

what if i bought a good n router, attached it to my modem as a different SSID, and attached a G router to it, and keep it the old SSID that way i can be n and the g'ers can have their own.

again I ask what is the point, if you have no need for N...why use it? just cause...is not an answer. sharing files on your network wont be any faster with N because everyone else is using G, unless your download max from ISP is more than say 25mbps then wireless G covers that just fine. what slows down??? I don't see what could be slowed by using what works...wireless G.

 

[iball]

All the usual reasons why a consumer would use it. But if it wouldn't help normal usage why do every day consumers even buy it? What is the point of a gamer buy a 200 dollar DLINK gaming router with dual band if it doesn't help them.

side note: when i use g mode...for some reason my router/adapter fail and i have to reconnect when i try to download two or more files at once. Any help?

 

[woodscomp]

Gaming over wireless is an oxymoron, if you are wanting to game your best experience will be using it hard wired.

 

[iball]

Obviously, but for me, that is not an option. my desktop is nowhere near a router nor can i drill holes in the wall to do it.

 

[woodscomp]

Honestly if evereyone else is using up the 2.4GHZ spectrum with G devices you might be SOL on the 2.4 channels trying to use N. I know from my WRT610N that anything on the first floor of the house where the router is located does absolutely fine. I mean I can take my netbook across the street and have perfect reception. Move upstairs and it is a whole different story, I get dropped connections a lot and we are talking no more than 9 feet from the router through one floor directly above it.

If I were you I would invest in a PCI N card and just use the 2.4GHZ. Or if you just need a solid connection to play try an older WRT54G(S, L or regular) with dd-wrt flashed to it and use it as a bridge. One of the great things about those old 54g routers are there ability to reach and hold a signal, albeit will not be N but nobody else in the house is using N and you might have diminishing returns investing your own money into the N thing while 4 others could be slowing you down.

Drilling holes might seem like a chore and might be frowned upon, but if you plan it out well enough it could work. I rented a place before and drilled right through there hardwood floors to get a connection routed. No questions asked upon leaving, however I left the cable coming out of it as if it were there before me.

 

[iball]

Honestly if evereyone else is using up the 2.4GHZ spectrum with G devices you might be SOL on the 2.4 channels trying to use N. I know from my WRT610N that anything on the first floor of the house where the router is located does absolutely fine. I mean I can take my netbook across the street and have perfect reception. Move upstairs and it is a whole different story, I get dropped connections a lot and we are talking no more than 9 feet from the router through one floor directly above it.

If I were you I would invest in a PCI N card and just use the 2.4GHZ. Or if you just need a solid connection to play try an older WRT54G(S, L or regular) with dd-wrt flashed to it and use it as a bridge. One of the great things about those old 54g routers are there ability to reach and hold a signal, albeit will not be N but nobody else in the house is using N and you might have diminishing returns investing your own money into the N thing while 4 others could be slowing you down.

Drilling holes might seem like a chore and might be frowned upon, but if you plan it out well enough it could work. I rented a place before and drilled right through there hardwood floors to get a connection routed. No questions asked upon leaving, however I left the cable coming out of it as if it were there before me.

Ok thank you. As for the holes...its not my house, it's my father's. Rather than coughing up the extra 10k or so to live on campus at my college, I'm staying at home (I only live 20-30 min away by subway). MY father would kick my butt if i did that...however I will be have a meeting with him about it because there are some other issues. One being that we need to replace the cable wires leading into my room because they are out of date and messing up my tv. I could try telling him that we could run ethernet cables through the wall that way he could use his computer through ethernet as well (all computers in house are wireless).

As for the pci card that deeply interests me because of a have a horrible one in my comp right now (disables it) and i would like to get a good one and by some strong antennas. Where can i read up on PCI wireless cards? Which ones are good and etc?

 

[woodscomp]

There you go, politic for him to have cables pulled, it would be so much more worth it.

If you want to look for a PCI N card I would just get the cheapest one you can find. Honestly I don't think wireless clients are that far apart in performance. Most of the time you can bypass the manufactures drivers and get them direct from the chipset manufactures, Ralink is very good about that, not sure about Atheros.

 

[tipstir]

Bad or poor wireless routers and Windows XP wacko IPV4 is most of the downfalls.