Netgear n600 connectivity

Your other devices probably don't support 5ghz band.

Thanks, I suspected that was the case and I can live with that limitation. It's the lousy range of connectivity that bothers me. I have a two story home and cannot connect to the downstairs area across the house. This is supposed to be a capability of this device.

also if you only have a G-wireless network card in the computer the range will not improve.

however check if your Linksys supports DD-WRT firmware and you can convert it to a bridge repeater.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/site/support/router-database

Plus 1 ^

No router can overcome certain obstacles or environmental conditions if too extreme. That's why switching routers doesn't always help. Not if local conditions are to blame.

Configuring the old Linksys as a wireless repeater is a great idea. However, even that isn't a guarantee. Again, sometimes there are just local conditions that make wireless very difficult to implement. In those cases, you might need to consider other options, such as running powerline networking between or across floors, then dropping wireless routers/APs where needed. IOW, instead of FORCING wireless to do what it can't, leverage and combine other technologies to build a hybrid solution that can.

I’ve also had customers who’ve had great success using MoCA networking in lieu of powerline. A bit expensive, but when it works, it flys.