Second Modem?

[austinwade912]

Hello, I was wondering if i could use a second modem in my house. We have a computer in the basement, which is plugged into our modem/router. My new computer is up in my room(two floors above the basement) and the wifi signal is almost none. I have a phone cord in the room though, so could i get a second modem and run that to my computer. We use AT&T DSL.

 

[tigsounds]

Hello, I was wondering if i could use a second modem in my house. We have a computer in the basement, which is plugged into our modem/router. My new computer is up in my room(two floors above the basement) and the wifi signal is almost none. I have a phone cord in the room though, so could i get a second modem and run that to my computer. We use AT&T DSL.

Modems cost money and limit you to one connection at a time.
You said your router is in the basement. Stock antennas are lame at best for most routers.
Put a better antenna at the router and get the signal upstairs and back again so your home
network will be complete without the bailing wire and duct tape solution.

[strike]Good[/strike] Excellent antenna? Get a Hawking HAI15SC corner reflector, mount it to
point up and watch the physical orientation as this will case a polarity issue if the upstairs antenna
is not also pointed in the same direction, which will be horizontal, but must also point the same North/East/South/West
direction as the Hawking Corner reflector. If this is not enough, add one of these antennas to the computer upstairs,
pointed down toward the router so two of these antennas are firing into each other.
This will allow a typical 5 story building to get a strong signal from basement to roof.

You can read more about this antenna at
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=58&ProdID=152

I use two of them myself to send wfi more than 2 miles with excellent signal levels at both ends.

 

[horsefever]

I was thinking of doing the same thing at our house. Adding a second modem. Even if our Wi-Fi signal is Excellent with Full connectivity, it is still not as fast as my wired connection: 54mb wireless vs. 100mb wired.

Does anyone out there actually have 2 modems in a single house?

We would not be trying to use the modems at the same time. But I wonder, would you actually have to turn one of them off when it is not in use?

 

[Catsrules]

Depending on your router, you can hack it and put custom firmware on it, and increase the power of the signal. Down side it will also increase heat, so make sure it is in a well ventilated area, basements are usually cooler then the rest of the house so that will help.

Also horsefever I am betting your wireless is faster then your internet, unless your are paying $100 or more, or live out side the US.

But to answer your question, How I think it works I am not sure, it depends on how you ISP has set everything up, Some do it on a account base (i think) so the modem will auto log in to there system, giveing your access, and setting limats on how fast and how much your can transfer stuff., Others like comcast, it based on s/n numbers or something on the modems. but I am sure ether way you can only connect one at a time or only one period.

If I were you, I would look in to upgrading to Wireless N giving you 150mb to 300mb over wireless. If your clients don't support N I would get a N bridge, the clients can directly plug in to.

<to Tigsounds> I like that Antenna by the way

 

[dEAne]

I was thinking of doing the same thing at our house. Adding a second modem. Even if our Wi-Fi signal is Excellent with Full connectivity, it is still not as fast as my wired connection: 54mb wireless vs. 100mb wired.

Does anyone out there actually have 2 modems in a single house?

We would not be trying to use the modems at the same time. But I wonder, would you actually have to turn one of them off when it is not in use?

Some called it port teaming - this is really depends on your ISP how fast it is depends on the type of technology use. Why do you want to add a second modem? Most modems has a switch at the back and you can turn it off.

 

[dEAne]

Hello, I was wondering if i could use a second modem in my house. We have a computer in the basement, which is plugged into our modem/router. My new computer is up in my room(two floors above the basement) and the wifi signal is almost none. I have a phone cord in the room though, so could i get a second modem and run that to my computer. We use AT&T DSL.

Tigsounds is right - their is another way for that it is called bridging (wireless bridging) you install an access point upstairs and it will get the signal from the router downstairs.