Which Media Bridge to Pair With Asus-RT-N66U

[christnp]

As the title indicates, I am looking for a good Bridge to pair with my (new) N66U router. As way of introduction, let me explain my situation:

I have cable internet (12 Mbps) connected to my N66U in the dinning room area. My HTPC, Xbox and TV are all located ~10ft away in the livingroom. I have been having problems with keeping stable connections on my PC and Xbox, and have no connection at all with my TV. (Note: all devices were connected directly to the gigabit ports at one time, prior to moving the modem.) My solution is to purchase a "Media Bridge" instead of getting the "xBox wireless N adapter" and "PCI/e wirelss adapter" or "USB Donggle" and hooking up the unusually looking "Panasonic USB Donggle." (I am still invstigating the (ideal) possibility of running Gigabit ethernet to the central location, but that is TBD.)

With that background, the top two devices I have been considering (and have researched) are:

(1) BUFFALO AirStation AC1300/N450 4-Port Gigabit Dual Band Wireless Ethernet Bridge and Gaming Adapter

(2) ASUS (EA-N66) Dual Band N450 Ultra-Fast Wireless 3-In-1 (AP, Repeater, Ethernet Adapter) Adapter

Naturally, one would think the EA-N66 would be best paired with the N66U (since that is what Asus optimized it for); however, I'm not to keen on the design/look of the little device to be displayed in the living room. And I don't like that I would have to pair that with a gigabit switch. (Also, the EA-N66 does not get great reviews on sites like Amazon or Newegg.)

On the other hand, I really like the "style" of the Buffallo AirStation and think it would fit well in my living room, and it has a 4-port switch! It also supports the "latest and greatest" (draft) AC standard, which is good for planning ahead (though, by the time I purchase a new router there will likely be a new "standard" (chuckle))

With several years of experience building computers, I am fully aware that purchasing electronics solely on design is not a good idea; which is why I have joined this forum .

Being that the Bufallo AirStation is rather new to the market, I have only found a handful of reviews; all of which pair the AirStation with its companion AirStation router.

I am intersted in comments on pairing my N66U with the AirStation Media Bridge and any other input on which "Media Bridge" I should buy. I'd also entertain the idea of buying a router to put in Bridge Mode, though I had no succes when I tried this in the past (had bad interference issues). (Note: If I understand correctly, the AirStation can only use one frequency at a time, 2.4GH OR 5GHz, which may be a deal breaker.)

Please, enlighten me!

Thanks!

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
I will chime in with one more option. The Trendnet TEW-680mb is a nice unit too.

Own;
RT-N66U
EA-N66
TEW-680mb

With both units you can select which band to use (2.4 or 5), yes only 2.4 or 5 band, not at the same time. The TEW-680mb has been working fine here, (TV, blue-ray, and directv dvr receiver) I have the EA-N66 working at another location with a directv dvr connected. It works good too. I do wish it had more ports. So, yes, you could then daisy chain a 5-port switch off it to feed all your items.

 

[stevech]

Buffalo's bridges - worked fine for me.

A bridge supporting dual bands is, IMO, an overkill. The streaming video or audio will not use both bands concurrently due to the layer 3 protocols. So use a 5GHz capable bridge if you don't plan to use 2.4GHz for streaming to the bridge.

Media Bridge is a marketing term. "Client Bridge" is more accurate and there are lots of these on the market. Key is positioning the bridge, or use of a gain antenna at the bridge, to get a really strong signal from (and to) the WiFi router/AP so the data rate will be highest feasible for the distance and walls/floors.

Instead of a WiFi bridge, you should consider too the less problematic use of MoCA or HomePlug - to avoid wireless all together.

 

[sfx2000]

I second Steve's comments...

Buffalo has these things well sorted - haven't seen their most recent effort, their earlier devices are very good once sorted out...