Wireless Adapter Issue

[truoc]

Not sure if this is the correct place to post this so if it isn't feel free to move it to wherever it was supposed to be. Like the title says I am having issues with wireless adapters I have for my desktop computer. Currently I have a TP-Link TL-WN722N and an Asus PCE-N15. Obviously I don't use them both at the same time, but I have two because I thought something was wrong with one of them so I purchased a different model and brand and am having the same problem. My desktop is Windows 8 Pro 64 bit and I can't play any games because my ping is through the roof, can't stream anything because of buffering issues and so forth. Speed tests (speedtest.net) show I can barely get to 10mbps download on my desktop where I get 28mbps on an older macbook (wirelessly), a Windows 8 machine that is hooked up via ethernet, and my Xbox streams and plays games fine. I have tried these adapters in a seperate machine that runs Windows 7 and everything plays fine which leads me to believe that it is a Windows 8 driver issue. I have tried the official drivers from tplink.com (a beta driver is the only one available for Windows 8 I might add) and asus.com (the driver is the first release and hasn't been updated since march) and neither of those help. Also have tried the official driver from the Realtek website for the Asus adapter, but still the same issue. I am unable to move the router from where it is right now so that isn't an option either. I am out of options other than purchase another adapter in hopes the drivers will work with Windows 8, reinstall Windows 7, or suffer until next month when I can get MoCa adapters and use those. Anyone have any ideas/thoughts/opinions?

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
My humble logic says it'd be W8 related problem(maybe flaky driver or not true 64 bit driver) I am using El Cheapo Linksys RE1000 USB dongle and works fine on W8 Pro This thing works well w/o issue on Linux too.

 

[truoc]

Hi,
My humble logic says it'd be W8 related problem(maybe flaky driver or not true 64 bit driver) I am using El Cheapo Linksys RE1000 USB dongle and works fine on W8 Pro This thing works well w/o issue on Linux too.

Well I bit the bullet and just reinstalled Windows 7. The Asus adapter I have still doesn't really perform like I think it should, but the TP-Link USB one is now getting the speeds it should so I do believe it was a driver issue in Windows 8. I would think an internal card would be more powerful than a USB one, but not the case in my situation.

 

[stevech]

Internal WiFi PCI slot card - antennas are often quite disadvantaged in placement from an RF viewpoint.

 

[truoc]

Internal WiFi PCI slot card - antennas are often quite disadvantaged in placement from an RF viewpoint.

Yeah the more I think about it that makes sense. Antennas at the back of a metal case, probably not the best thing. Would be in my best interest to probably get an internal card that had a wire that ran to an antenna I could put on top of the desk or even higher.

 

[stevech]

trouble with antenna cables is that at 2.4GHz, the cheap small diameter coax is quite lossy. Net-sum is that a USB adapter, placed on the end of a 4 ft. USB extension cord, elevated a bit, can meet/exceed.

For a desktop, the best is to buy a WiFi client bridge, a.k.a., game adapter. That connects to the PC via the ethernet connector on the PC. I used a Buffalo (brand) 11g bridge for years, to connect stuff in the home theater to the WiFi network. Bridge was on top of a tall cabinet, out of sight.
I replaced that with MoCA (IP over existing TV coax).

 

[sfx2000]

I used a Buffalo (brand) 11g bridge for years, to connect stuff in the home theater to the WiFi network. Bridge was on top of a tall cabinet, out of sight.

Buffalo has the best consumer bridges in the market, hands down - I like them as they do their own HW, and their SW is based on OpenWRT for the most part.

Bit fiddly to set up, but once they're up, good to go...

 

[truoc]

trouble with antenna cables is that at 2.4GHz, the cheap small diameter coax is quite lossy. Net-sum is that a USB adapter, placed on the end of a 4 ft. USB extension cord, elevated a bit, can meet/exceed.

For a desktop, the best is to buy a WiFi client bridge, a.k.a., game adapter. That connects to the PC via the ethernet connector on the PC. I used a Buffalo (brand) 11g bridge for years, to connect stuff in the home theater to the WiFi network. Bridge was on top of a tall cabinet, out of sight.
I replaced that with MoCA (IP over existing TV coax).

You know I was wondering about this. On one hand I was going to just buy one of those bridges, but wasn't sure if it would be dramatically different in terms of speed than what I have now. But then I heard about MoCA and that seems to be the way to go yeah? Are there any drastic special requirements I would need in order to use MoCA?

 

[stevech]

MoCA.. only issue is having or getting TV coax near enough to connect to the MoCA box, then Cat5 from it to the PC or other thing. Same at Router end.

Buffalo - I liked my 11g client bridge. Worked very well. Absence of 11n was not an issue. You can find these on eBay at far less cost than a new 11n bridge.

 

[truoc]

MoCA.. only issue is having or getting TV coax near enough to connect to the MoCA box, then Cat5 from it to the PC or other thing. Same at Router end.

Buffalo - I liked my 11g client bridge. Worked very well. Absence of 11n was not an issue. You can find these on eBay at far less cost than a new 11n bridge.

Guess I'm lucky in the fact that the coax is really close to the cable modem with the computer by it, then in my room (which is wireless right now) the coax is literally right next to my desk so I guess that shouldn't be an issue. I figured MoCA would be the way to go, but wanted to ask first. Another question I have is can you run a switch off the MoCA adapter? The reason I ask is because if I have the 2nd MoCA adapter here on my computer I'd like to be able to hook up my Xbox as well and have it essentially hard wired instead of relying on its wireless (which isn't all that bad really but hard wired is better in many cases). Any brand recommendations for MoCA?

 

[stevech]

Yes, you can put an ethernet switch on the MoCA's ethernet port. Perhaps some have a built-in switch.

I use a 5 port switch on mine.

 

[truoc]

Yes, you can put an ethernet switch on the MoCA's ethernet port. Perhaps some have a built-in switch.

I use a 5 port switch on mine.

Good deal. I will probably pick up a kit next month. Thanks for the help!

 

[stevech]

survey the TC coax runs first. Draw out how the two ends connect to each other, etc. You may need different splitters.