Am I better to add another access point or upgrade my router?

jackp311

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Feb 1, 2009
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18,510
I have an Asus RT-N66 router. As the name suggests, it utilizes 802.11n protocol. In addition to a few iPhones, I have a home theater micro PC that will also run 802.11ac.

My router is currently upstairs in a far corner of the house. Am I better to put a new AC router there or add another N router? The placement is mandated by design/floorplan and coax cable locations.

The additional N router would be placed at the diagonal opposite of the house. The first floor other side of the house, if I went that route. It would connect via a powerline adapter to ethernet. Otherwise, I could add an AC router in one of the locations and keep the N, as well.
 

kanewolf

Titan
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You will probably be limited by the powerline segment of your network. Get the latest AV2 MIMO devices. You should get 100Mbit reliably on the powerline segment. I would still get a second Asus -- even another N66 if you like it. Then the user interface will seem familiar.
 

jackp311

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Feb 1, 2009
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Cool - thanks for the tip. So, right now I have...

Cable modem ---> ooma device for VOIP ---> Asus N66 ---> Powerline and Wifi ---> Powerline ends up at PC downstairs

So I would be doing...
Cable modem ---> ooma device for VOIP ---> Asus N66 ---> Powerline and Wifi ---> Powerline ends up at N66 downstairs where PC is hard wired in.

Do you think the $50 premium is worth it for the AC version? Or would the fact that I have an N router in the mix already negate that?

Thanks in advance!