Which kind of device do I need?

[pinkfloydhomer]

I have a Netgear CG3000 DOCSIS router from my ISP that provides 100 Mbps/10 Mbps on my cable tv cable. It is also my only wifi provider in my home. Unfortunately it sucks at wifi, so I want to buy something better for wifi and connect it to the CG3000, and then disable the wifi on the CG3000.

I was looking at something like this: http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?model=TL-WR1043ND
or this: http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/?categoryid=2166&model=TL-WDR4300

But:

1) Do I even need a router, when the CG3000 is already a router? Are there other kinds of devices that I should be looking at?

2) For this purpose, can you recommend some good actual models, routers or otherwise? Top priority is good wifi speed. OpenWRT/DD-WRT support would be a nice-to-have.

 

[thiggins]

If you just want better wireless, you only need an access point. Consumer access points tend to be kind of pricey. But some wireless bridges, like the ASUS EA-N66, can also support access point mode.

You can also convert any router to an access point and connect it to your main router.

 

[pinkfloydhomer]

If you just want better wireless, you only need an access point. Consumer access points tend to be kind of pricey. But some wireless bridges, like the ASUS EA-N66, can also support access point mode.

You can also convert any router to an access point and connect it to your main router.

Can you recommend a specific router/bridge/access point that will make a good access point? I need speed!

 

[thiggins]

Can you recommend a specific router/bridge/access point that will make a good access point? I need speed!

What are the link rate capabilities of the devices you are connecting?

 

[pinkfloydhomer]

What are the link rate capabilities of the devices you are connecting?

The most important device that needs faster wifi than the CG3000 can provide is this

http://www.tp-link.dk/products/details/?categoryid=240&model=TL-WN822N

I specifically need SMB/CIFS sharing from this device to be faster.

 

[thiggins]

Wireless is not the way to go for fast file transfers. What file transfer speeds are you currently getting? What is the link rate that the TP-Link adapter is reporting?

 

[pinkfloydhomer]

Wireless is not the way to go for fast file transfers. What file transfer speeds are you currently getting? What is the link rate that the TP-Link adapter is reporting?

Typically 130 Mbps, but if I move it closer to the router, I can get 300 Mbps.

Actual file transfer speeds over SMB/CIFS i much slower than 130 Mbps, though. More like 6-7 Mbps real life. I know SMB/CIFS (and TCP etc) has overhead, but still.

Do you think that TL-WR1043ND or TL-WDR4300 would be better at this than the CG3000 is?

 

[thiggins]

Are you sure file transfer it 6-7 Mbits/sec or MBytes/sec?

As long as you are dealing with an N300 router, I don't think throughput will change much.

If you want high file transfer throughput, use Ethernet or try powerline.

 

[pinkfloydhomer]

That's 6-7 Mbits/sec, unfortunately.

 

[thiggins]

Do your file transfer speeds improve when you move the adapter closer to the router and get a 300 Mbps link rate?