Too many boxes!

[SenorBlanco]

Hi there,

I'm currently using an old wired Linksys router, to which I later added a Linksys access point to supply wireless B/G connectivity. I use WPA-PSK/TKIP for security.

Here's my problem: I schlep around a lot of multi-gigabyte video files between my HTPC to my desktop and my laptop, and 100MBit wired performance is feeling a bit slow. Hence, I'd like to upgrade to GigE (all of my machines support it, but the router doesn't).

I could get a GigE switch, but then I'd have 3 boxes, which is really getting out of control. So I've been really tempted to replace everything with a single DraftN, GigE wireless router (like the DLink DIR-655). However, I won't be upgrading any of the clients to Draft-N any time soon, and the posts on this site about degraded support for WPA/TKIP and mixed networks have me wary of using a Draft-N router for only 802.11G clients.

The other option is to buy the DIR-655 for GigE, and keep the G Acess Point for wireless (basically disable the Draft-N until I have some draft-N clients). Two boxes, but perhaps less degraded than 1 for a mixed network.

Is this only a problem for mixed G/N networks, or if I'm still all-G is using a draft-N router ok?

Thanks,

Senor B

 

[thiggins]

Sounds like some "My stuff is feeling kinda old" rationalization going on there, Senor B!

If you don't need more routing speed and don't have draft n clients, $30 for a 5 port gigabit switch is the way to go. Any of the wireless routers with gigabit switches are going to run over $100. The boxes really aren't that big!

You can use a draft N router with only b/g clients. I'd suggest, however, that you set the router to G or B/G mode only to prevent potential incompatibility problems that could knock down throughput.

Don't make the jump to draft 11n now if you don't need to. Newer and cheaper options (including dual-band) will continue to appear.

 

[SenorBlanco]

Thanks for your comments. I'll switch to B/G only if I do decide to go that way, that's a good idea.

It's not so much the number of boxes per se as the cable complexity and number of wall warts, whose reduction in turn improves the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor). It's all quite scientific.

Senor B

 

[Brandon]

whose reduction in turn improves the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor). It's all quite scientific.

It's just a matter of finding your own space! The trick is putting it where she won't run accross it a lot. Take closets, baddd place to put anything you don't want her to see.

My basement sounds like a small NOC, and it's on it's own breaker, so no one cares when I blow one (Only happened two.. maybe three times..). I currently have a 48U server rack with six mounted servers, and a few PC boxes stuck inside it here and there. Two of the servers are HP DL580's which turned off even make an ungodly ammount of noise (Quad processor mamoths).

Just find a place she doesn't go often, basements are a plus! (Bugs/Spiders/Dust keep wives/girlfriends away, but your equpment needs air filters..)

 

[Bart]

If you explain it to your wife, you may find that CEH (Cost of Expensive Hobby) supercedes WAF.

Buy the switch.

 

[scotty]

Tell her you could always go out and buy a 20 or 30 thousand dollar motorcycle, in which case the switch is pale in comparison. Unless of course, you already have one!

3 small router sizes boxed isn't really a big deal. As brandon says lots of IT and computer guys have full racks worth of stuff in their basement.

And some neat and tidy cabling goes a long way, too. Makes it look more high-tech and important. Just tell her it's needed to keep the flux capacitor running so your PC doesn't run out of halogen fluid.

 

[Brandon]

And some neat and tidy cabling goes a long way, too. Makes it look more high-tech and important. Just tell her it's needed to keep the flux capacitor running so your PC doesn't run out of halogen fluid.

Er.. *cough* yeah.. *cough* neat and tidy too!..

Just tell her it's to fix the BLT drive!