Wireless Routers

**BigHub** · 02-28-12, 09:54 PM

So I recently moved from Houston to College Station to live with my fiancee... She currently has the old school Linksys WRT54GL 802.11b/g Wireless Broadband Router..

Our house is fairly large (two story ranch house). The router, modem, and my gaming rig are all in the same room (located on the 1st floor in the NW corner of the house). Now, when it comes to my man cave upstairs in the loft area (practically in the center of the house), I have shitty wireless signal to my Xbox 360. The signal has to travel through 2 walls and a ceiling.

Now, I have been reading up on possible solutions and/or routers... and I was originally going to purchase the Cisco Linksys RE1000 Wireless-N Range Extender. Only problem with that is:

- Yes, it would do the trick, but we have also been having some minor problems with the Linksys Router. When I have my rig hard wired into the router, the wireless does not work in the upstairs NE part of the house. I don't know why that is, considering my Xbox 360 connects (loft area next door to that room), all of our smartphones, iPads, etc.. can connect with no problems as well. I just think the router is old (which it is) and I'm also sure the firmware has not been updated since it left the factory.

So after reading up on different brands/models from Linksys, Belkin, D-link, etc.. I went ahead and purchased the ASUS RT-N56U Wireless Router Dual Band (2.4GHz and 5Ghz) N600. I also got a 2 year extended warranty for $10, so the total came out to be $134, or somewhere around there.

Does anybody have experience with this router? Out of all the routers I have reviewed and researched on, this one has come out on top when compared to others (performance, wifi range, firmware, etc..)

Well, there is another ASUS Wireless Router that's even better than this one, but I did not feel like spending $180 alone on a router. I already felt like I was spending enough at $130.

Comments, suggestions, and opinions?

**HeavyG** · 02-28-12, 10:31 PM

I haven't done research on wireless routers in a while. I was having bad luck getting a good wireless signal in my living room, even when upgrading to Wireless N. It connection was good at times, but choppy at others. I eventually switched to powerline networking. This is where you use the copper electrical lines in your home to transmit a signal from outlet to outlet.

Newegg.com - TRENDnet TPL-304E2K Powerline AV Adapter Kit with Bonus Plug Up to 200Mbps

Once I got this, my networking problems were solved. Sure, it isn't as fast as Cat 5, but it sure is reliable. I can now stream netflix over the web in HD, use HBO GO without any problems, and stream movies from my HTPC in my living room into my bedroom. Different homes may get different results, but my results were very good.

This may not help with your other devices connecting properly, but this will likely help your connection to your man cave and give you a better gaming experience with your XBOX. You can typically get a 2 pack for $60-90 and expect another $40-50 for every additional access plug. I would seriously consider it.

**BigHub** · 02-28-12, 11:02 PM

Ya, I ran across the powerline networking stuff, just not too familiar with it.

Do you have to plug it in close to the router? Or just enough to be on the threshold of the signal?

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt

**HeavyG** · 02-28-12, 11:13 PM

Basically, you plug it into an OPEN wall socket, then run regular cat 5 networking cable to your router. Then in the man cave, you would run regular cat 5 from the OPEN wall socket to the XBOX. I stress OPEN because you are not supposed to plug it into a power brick or anything as it may not get the best signal. I have the one in my bedroom going about 10 ft from the wall to my PC and it works great.

As for the distance of the travel through the electrical lines, I am going from one side of the house to the other. I basically travel to 3 of the 4 corners in my house.

**roadhog0** · 02-28-12, 11:20 PM

It's not too awfully hard to hardwire your house (run it outside etc). This is what we did in my parents house because of wireless signal issues. For a few bucks you can buy a BIG role of CAT5 and some connectors and have at it! In my opinion the best option.

**Partyball** · 02-28-12, 11:23 PM

What kind of service is it? DSL? Cable? You wouldn't happen to have another modem would you? Could always put another wireless router in a different part of the house with the same SSID just make sure they are on different channels like 1, 6, or 11. Those are the ones most likely not going to over lap. I personally use Buffalo routers and put dd-wrt on them.

Might be able to lower the frequency and get more penetration. Your connection will just be slower. I don't know what an XBox needs as far as speed goes. Normally, slower the speed, greater the range.

**BigHub** · 02-28-12, 11:37 PM

Meh, the fiancee already gives me enough chores to do around the ranch... Otherwise I would.

I'm just glad I convinced her to let me put my PC in the bedroom (going to bite me in the ass if I want to game late at night). But, I would rather have that and be hard wired than buying a wireless card for the PC.

I would of just moved the modem and router... But being in the country, we only have DSL - so I am practically stuck with the location of the modem and router. There is another phone jack, but its in the kitchen, and she doesn't want it in there.

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt