Up for a challenge? Can I pick your brain?

[jessenj]

I have been a long-time home network builder and have been a wifi user since the first Linksys 802.11b routers, and remember upgrading to a WRT54G and thinking (man, this thing will last me forever). Then I got into DD-WRT and breathed new life into my aging router, but as time and technology changed, so did my needs. Now, I'm having the hardest time figuring out what would suit my needs best. Here's my needs, and hopefully someone can help me revamp my current setup.

1. With Comcast HSI, I have about ~62mbps down / 15mbps up, and have a dyndns address to remotely connect to my home

2. I have a dedicated static ip'd server that is my main box, that is a gigabit NIC'd box with the following services that I need remote access to, preferably via port mapping:
RDP
Subsonic
Emit
SFTP
Splashtop

3. I have a few network devices that need NAT'ing (ie SlingBox, IP Webcam, Pogo)

4. I have 3 modern laptops with 802.11b/g/n NIC's

5. I have 2 802.11n Android Phones

6. I have a wireless-G Brother color laser

7. I have 2 Tivo's

8. I have 2 WD TV Live Plus

I use WPA2-AES with MAC filtering and have about 45 devices to allow all the other devices that occasionally connect (Wii, Nintendo DSi, etc) and friends laptops.

What I need is a router that can handle all of this. I currently have a Netgear WNDR3700 v1. I've gone through a few different routers, but haven't been able to find anything that's kept up. I continuously have wifi drops, and at best, I never see above 54mbps. I do understand that the 802.11g devices are keeping me tied down, and not letting me see 300mbps, but this is where I need advice.

Do I get a better router? Do I keep a separate router for just the G devices, and put it behind a dedicated N router? Do I wait until 802.11ac routers come out?

Basically, I need some help from a seasoned vet who has a full view of the industry who can give me a pointer or two.

Thanks in advance (and thanks for just reading this entire blurt),

Jesse

 

[TonyH]

I have been a long-time home network builder and have been a wifi user since the first Linksys 802.11b routers, and remember upgrading to a WRT54G and thinking (man, this thing will last me forever). Then I got into DD-WRT and breathed new life into my aging router, but as time and technology changed, so did my needs. Now, I'm having the hardest time figuring out what would suit my needs best. Here's my needs, and hopefully someone can help me revamp my current setup.

1. With Comcast HSI, I have about ~62mbps down / 15mbps up, and have a dyndns address to remotely connect to my home

2. I have a dedicated static ip'd server that is my main box, that is a gigabit NIC'd box with the following services that I need remote access to, preferably via port mapping:
RDP
Subsonic
Emit
SFTP
Splashtop

3. I have a few network devices that need NAT'ing (ie SlingBox, IP Webcam, Pogo)

4. I have 3 modern laptops with 802.11b/g/n NIC's

5. I have 2 802.11n Android Phones

6. I have a wireless-G Brother color laser

7. I have 2 Tivo's

8. I have 2 WD TV Live Plus

I use WPA2-AES with MAC filtering and have about 45 devices to allow all the other devices that occasionally connect (Wii, Nintendo DSi, etc) and friends laptops.

What I need is a router that can handle all of this. I currently have a Netgear WNDR3700 v1. I've gone through a few different routers, but haven't been able to find anything that's kept up. I continuously have wifi drops, and at best, I never see above 54mbps. I do understand that the 802.11g devices are keeping me tied down, and not letting me see 300mbps, but this is where I need advice.

Do I get a better router? Do I keep a separate router for just the G devices, and put it behind a dedicated N router? Do I wait until 802.11ac routers come out?

Basically, I need some help from a seasoned vet who has a full view of the industry who can give me a pointer or two.

Thanks in advance (and thanks for just reading this entire blurt),

Jesse

Hi,
Can't you let fast -N mode clients onto 5GHz only? Version 2 of that router has bigger memory so it may be beneficial. Also Tried OpenWrt on your current router? I learned a lot from playing with an old WRT54GS version 2 using serial console and Jtag. If you decide to wait newer ones coming out all the time so the question is how long to wait or when to stop waiting.

 

[jessenj]

I have tried OpenWRT but I find it lacking in certain aspects. One big issue is that most Android phones don't support 5ghz wifi, and just have a 2.4ghz N antenna. Because the few G devices I have all downgrade the 2.4ghz speed to 54ghz, I'm seriously taking a hit on all the other devices, so my only choice would be to physically separate the 2 signals, and since there are no dual-channel 2.4ghz routers out there, and just 2.4/5ghz, I'm guessing a completely dedicated box is the only option. What I want to know tho is whether or not the 802.11ac devices will be worth waiting for? Should I just get a couple cheap Asus routers and call it a day?

 

[wfines]

You're interested in getting >54mbps connections going to your android phones?

In your post, I see only two real problems being experienced. One is that you have flaky signal strength (this is a tough one, and I'm not touching it. You need to provide a ton more data to help address this problem. You ARE pretty close to the point where the number of clients connected to the router are causing resource issues... even $200 consumer routers start to choke after 10-15 devices. I have yet to see a coffee shop with more than 20 users successfully connected without complaint. Are your modern laptops with 5ghz N not connecting at higher than 54mbps ANYWHERE in the home??). The second problem appears to be that your 2.4ghz N devices are not connecting at maximum speed because you have 2.4ghz G devices.

Honest question: Why do you need higher connection speeds on your android phones, when the current connection is damn near what your line is rated at? I cannot fathom a situation, beyond wireless backups and massive wireless copying, that requires such a beastly connection. Unless you mean to say that the entire network is operating well below 54mbps perhaps. Sounds like you have some sort of reflection/interference going on if this is the case.

Anyways, you're already damn near the top of the line for routers. I have an e4200 that seems to kick copious amounts of butt with a slightly less loaded setup. Few bugs, as far as consumer routing goes... but you may want to start looking at commercial grade equipment. Used, you might be able to pick up something in the $300 range that will put that little netgear to absolute shame. Not to mention offer neat features like multiple SSID's, etc.

Anyways. Good luck.

EDIT: This is an interesting topic. Simultaneous dual band routers like yours were introduced to address G clients nuking N client speed (which I always mentally attributed to the radio having to switch frequencies to the "slower" [WRONG] 2.4ghz , which has nothing to do with it in hindsight)... but obviously 2.4ghz N clients are still going to be affected, which I'd never considered. Remember that the speed will only be affected WHILE a wireless G client is transmitting or recieving data... and that all your issues may be attributed to dead spots or weak signal strength.