Noob needs help

[Darwin503]

So it's been a long time since I upgraded my router, and I'm getting overwhelmed. Hopefully, someone can point me in the right direction.

I have a plex server that streams to multiple chromecast in my 2 story home. It is pretty reliable if I keep it under 8mbps, but even then occasionally lags. I would definitely like my next router to handle at least 20mbps.

I'm currently using a trendnet range extender, which I assume degrades the signal to the far end of my house. I would like the next router to be able to cover the house on its own. The farthest point is only about 40 feet from the router, but it is on a different floor.

My price range is 120ish max.

Thanks for any help.

 

[stevech]

If you needed the extender ("repeater", WDS), then most likely you'll need it with a new router. The client devices transmitters are what they are and a new router of any kind won't work miracles.

I suggest that you change that extender to be a WiFi access point (AP). This does not halve the throughput as does a repeater. The AP creates new coverage - but it connects to the router via wired means, not wireless. The wired means can include
cat5 cable in attic, under house, etc.
IP over power line (HomePlug and other names).
MoCA - uses existing TV coax in the walls to move IP data at frequencies on the cable that don't affect TV.
The latter two above are the topics of discussion in a forum section on that technology.

So if you don't stream 1080i wirelessly, I suggest getting a good 11n WiFi router and wait until your client devices are 11ac capable before investing in a more costly 11ac router.

The router rating charts here might help.
I use a plain 11n product, ASUS RT-N12 that can be an AP, bridge or router as you wish. It serves the iPone, iPad and android phone in this house, with coverage concentrated in the most-used room for those devices.

The WiFi centric people here will guffaw at this $40 WiFi router, but it gets my ISP's 35Mbps to my devices and that's all I need. Indeed, the portables rarely "need" more than 5Mbps or so.

 

[AdvHomeServer]

Chromecast can cast quite well from a dedicated chromecast app. Even a smartphone can nicely cast a movie from a dedicated chromecast app. It takes a PC with a lot of power, i5 for example, to tabcast from Chrome reliably. The router won't make a difference in this case.

I take it a little further. I have a router configured as a 5GHz media bridge. the 2.4GHz radio on the media bridge has a unique SSID. Anything connected to it uses the 5GHz radio as a kind of tether to the main router. The end result is that I can put some 2.4GHz traffic on my main router and indirectly force the other 2.4 GHz traffic to 5GHz by pointing it to the 2nd SSID.

This reduces 2.4GHz contention when all devices want to use it at the same time. Chromecast, voIP, and all wireless media uses the 2nd SSID on my network. Normal traffic uses the main router.