Thinking about getting a new router

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Dlepi

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Jan 18, 2014
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I'm not very knowledgeable about networking and even less so with wireless networks. My current router (Netgear WNR3500v2) works decently but I feel like I could do better. My home is two stories and also has a basement for a total of three. The router is on the main floor, my office in the basement and bedroom on the third.

My PC in the basement is hooked up to the router with an ethernet cable and a speedtest shows ~9 ping, ~90 down and ~12 up.

Using my iPhone 5 while sitting at my desk (basement), my ping is ~15, download is ~3-7 and upload sticks around 3.

Sitting on the couch on the same level as the router 10 feet away on my iPhone 5 I get roughly 24 down and 3 up.

In my bedroom on the top floor with an iPhone 5 I get ~20-25 down and 3 up.

Are these ratios about as close as I'm going to get wirelessly when considering my wired speed is ~90 down and ~12 up? Can I get closer to my wired numbers while using wireless in my bedroom? I'm really not too worried about getting my wireless speeds increased in my basement because I have several ethernet connections using one of these extenders (I'm not really sure what it's technically called?) coming from an ethernet cable hooked up to my router upstairs. I would really like to get higher wireless speeds into my bedroom mostly for my new Valve Steam Link. I still don't even know if I would be able to reach wireless speeds capable of decently streaming to my bedroom but I wouldn't mind increasing my speeds just for my phone and laptops anyways. With all the sales about to happen I would like to know what I should be looking for router wise. Am I going to increase my wireless speeds very much by purchasing a new router (for under $200) or will it just be wasting my time? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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Instead of a new router, add WIFI access point(s) on the other level(s). You already have an ethernet cable to the basement. Add an access point to that ethernet cable for optimum WIFI. Multiple access points will always work better than trying to "blast" a signal from a single point.
 
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Dlepi

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Right now it's going to be out of the question to run a *concealed* ethernet cable upstairs. Are you suggesting that I move the router from the first floor and move it into the basement and further away from the top floor? Or are you saying to hook up another router to the basement to increase the basement wifi? If I add another one in the basement would that give me a greater overall wireless strength everywhere in the house?

-Edit-

Nevermind, I'm seeing that there's a difference between routers and just access points. Are there any specs or anything particular I should be looking for to give me the most benefit?

 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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For the basement add a WIFI access point -- you have ethernet cable already. If you use a router as an access point (lots of articles on line for how-to) you will have a 4 port ethernet switch so you can continue to have your PC wired connected. For upstairs, if ethernet is not possible at this time, try a powerline network pair to a WIFI access point.

WIFI access points can help provide better total coverage. BUT, even using the same SSID and password, your devices may not seamlessly roam from AP to AP. That is just not a feature that consumer WIFI hardware supports. Commercial WIFI systems have behind-the-scenes controllers that hand off devices between access points.
 
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Kurz

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There is a bit that you need to read up on.
First how many of your neighbors networks can you see? Close to 10 you will want to get as many of your high bandwidth devices on ethernet as possible. It also depends if they are using 2.4 or 5Ghz.

2.4 Ghz (802.11 B, G, N) is slower but has a longer range, 5Ghz (AC) has shorter range and doesn't penetrate walls as well.
Currently all my Gaming computers and devices I have on the 5Ghz network, I do have some packet loss occasionally but it wasn't as frequent under 2.4ghz.
So you have to get a router that is AC compliant. I wish I wasn't renting I would put in my own ethernet network in the home.

I am a huge fan of ASUS routers, they are well built. They can handle my heavy torrenting when it does happen.
Their feature set is pretty awesome, and they have people making 3rd party firmware for them. They are much more expensive than your current routher $200 bucks for their latest and greatest, honestly for headache free network its worth it.


 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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I am a fan of Asus routers, because they EASILY (one button) toggle from a router to an access point. Dual band (2.4 and 5Ghz) is definitely what you want if you are buying anything new. AC routers (or access points) have a lot of hype right now. They have huge advertised speeds that won't happen for the average user because the connected devices aren't AC compatible. Most WIFI devices are wireless N (or older). The good thing about buying an AC router or AP is that it is guaranteed to be dual band.
 
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Dlepi

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I guess before trying to buy one of these access points I should ask if it's going to increase my wireless speeds. Even standing next to the current router the signal isn't strong enough to stream the Steam Link from my PC to my TV. The Steam Link and router are within 2 feet of eachother and it's not able to work unless I make it a wired connection. I'm guessing that the Acess Point is just going to help increase the signal range and coverage, but will it actually help raise the wireless download speed above what it currently is?
 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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Your current router is an "N300". Do you have it configured optimally? To maximize performance, the wireless should be set to WPA2 with AES encryption. Do you have the latest firmware for your current router?

For devices that support 5Ghz, like your iPhone 5, WIFI speed can increase by having new network hardware and using the 5Ghz band.

This is an old article but still relevant to maximizing performance -- http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/basics/wireless-basics/30664-5-ways-to-fix-slow-80211n-speed
 
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