Home Networking Advice - Wired & Wireless

[aoommen]

Hi,

Need help with some home networking connection speed problems, got a few questions, which I'm going to describe in as much detail as possible below!

I just finished my new system build and was planning on using a wireless adapter for my internet connection, I first tried with a PCI e adapter - ASUS PCIe N-13, which did work right out of the box and the system connected, however connection was patchy at best and the speeds were horrible! See speedtest.net results here - PCIe N-13 results.

So i returned that thinking that it was the card's problem and got a Rosewill USB adapter -mainly for the extendable base (which I thought would help position the adapter a little higher and slightly closer to the router located a level above the basement!). This seemed like it was working until I tested the speed again it proved that nothing has changed - see speedtest.net reults here -Rosewill USB adapter results

What I don't understand is that my gateway laptop uses the same wireless network, from the same desk at which the desktop is and gets considerably great speeds (compared to the two above) - Gateway Laptop Wireless Results , so does all my Home Entertainment systems, ROKU, PS3, XBox Kinect,TV etc , I know this because I stream a lot of HD movies from Netflix, Hulu and Amazon VOD, and they all have great quality!(all of this equipment is located in the basement hardly a few feet away from the desktop and connected wireless to the same router) - how is that possible? Is it a problem with the adapters I used then or something wrong with my router itself!

What blew me away was when i connected the laptop to the modem using a Ethernet cable (wired connection) - see speedtest.net results here - Wired Connection Results. This was awesome compared to the wireless speeds, is that much of an improvement possible when you switch from wireless to wired? I knew it would be faster but this was close to 10x the best speed I got from the laptop using wireless.

So i got all excited and tried to relocate the modem to the basement where the desktop is and there was a coaxial cable lying there unused, so I was quite sure that I can connect the modem to that but after the hookup was done, it did not work, only the power light and one other light (DP) was blinking (not stable)! So I called my provider (Comcast) and they said they will send someone to look at it, but that would cost me, so I am trying to do some trouble shooting myself (although I have scheduled a tech visit next week, I'm planning to cancel it, if I can figure a solution out before they get here), any help on answering the questions below would be greatly appreciated:

1) Can I do something to make my desktop wireless connection faster (at least within comparable range to the wired connection)?

2) Is there something wrong with my Router, I use a Netgear Rangemax Wireless - N, router?

3) How can I relocate a modem to the new location, without calling and paying the Comcast tech guys, would I have to do something at the junction box outside, I'm not very familiar with the wiring/cabling, so I don't if I'll be able to understand what I see when i open it up, but i'm willing to try?

4) I also have a phone line going to the Modem (as I have Comcast voice and internet), how can I relocate that or can i just connect that directly to the base of the phone rather than the modem?

That's it for now guys! Sorry about the long post, but thought I'll provide as much info as I can.

Any help (pronto) is appreciated, ? Please include links if any in your replies to articles or products!

Thanks again!

 

[RocketTech]

Your post is too long and I'm too tired to address everything, so I'll just shotgun it. Most wireless speed issues are attributable to interfernce- 2.4GHz products to be specific. Cordless phones, baby monitors, cordless mice, bluetooth, etc around your computer can cause interference, not to mention the 5 million access points on your block. I wire up everything stationary and provide WiFi for everything mobile.
I haven't had good luck with Netgear, I know plenty have. If your other WiFi devices are doing OK, it's probably not the problem.
As to not having to pay for the service call- if you are not able to use their service through no fault of yours, they won't charge you. I'd make sure the cable you want to use is actually connected to something on the other end. If you can find the splitter, swap the cables around and see if that helps..
If you have a cordless phone, you don't want it anywhere near your WiFi.Is there a phone jack near the new modem location? Iyou can plug the phone line in anywhere and have phone service throughout your home.

 

[E4g1e]

I cannot vote yet because none of the four options even closely match my current usage. Like a lot of people, I have a combo wired/wireless home network that's used by two computers (one PC connected by Ethernet and the other PC connected wirelessly using 5.0GHz N300). I have not played any games (local or online) with either one of my systems of late, and network connectivity on my systems is relagated to Web surfing and software updates.

 

[aoommen]

@ RocketTech - Thank you for trying to answer. Yes I know the post was long, but since it was a question and request for help, did not want anyone willing to help having to guess! But looks like it was too much for your to read, but anyways thanks for trying to answer.

It was none of the issues you had mentioned, interference to the signal, should have degraded wireless reception for everything using wireless in the same area, but as mentioned in the long post, my laptop worked well on the same desk where my desktop was (got up to about 4-5 mbps DL speed on test results), which was much better than the 0.23 Mbps I was getting on the desktop!

Anyways, I had posted the same question on another forum and someone who did read through and posted an answer, with a brilliant suggestion to a something which was exactly what I wanted.

The answer to my dilemma was - POWERLINE ADAPTERS or homeplugs - picked one of these up from amazon, and here are the current speeds:

So problem solved!

@ E4G1e - was just experimenting with the poll, thanks for taking the time to check the poll!

 

[c0brakai]

How do those things work?

 

[aoommen]

Read my review on amazon here

I've explained it over there, although it does not need a lot of explanantion, you just buy 2 and plug one in to the wall near your router and connect it to the router using the Ethernet cable provided and plug the other into the wall near your device (desktop in my case) and connect that to the device using the Ethernet cable provided! That's it and you are on!

If this is confusing there are scores of video demos on at youtube, check them out.

 

[timreichhart]

I will be testing this kit out tomorrow soon as I get them for my wireless setup then I also ordered netgear MoCa setup so I am going to test them soon as I get them.

 

[Grentz]

I wire as much stuff as possible, just makes life easier once it is all wired up.

Wireless is only for mobile devices/laptops.

 

[Lancer]

One problem most people have when they setup a wireless network is they leave their router on the default settings. For wireless N, if all of your wireless adapters in your network are N make sure to disable b and g outputs from your router. Most are set default to broadcast all three and it will make your speeds take a serious dive.

While broadcasting all three my wireless N 300 Mbps connected system could only sustain a 1.7MBps file transfer from my server, but regulating the router to N only and putting it on a relatively clear channel it am now able to sustain a 9MBps transfer speed on the same file to th le same location. Basically what happens is your router is dedicating bandwidth to b ang g that aren't needed.

Wifi can work pretty well but most plug it in out of the box then get disappointed.

 

[valve1138]

Or just get a true dual band router.

 

[Lancer]

Replace equipment vs properly setting up what you have....,

 

[/usr/home]

I do wired for my desktops and servers and xbox and WDTVs. Everything else is wireless since it's portable. If it stays in one spot, it gets wired.

 

[E4g1e]

One problem most people have when they setup a wireless network is they leave their router on the default settings. For wireless N, if all of your wireless adapters in your network are N make sure to disable b and g outputs from your router. Most are set default to broadcast all three and it will make your speeds take a serious dive.

While broadcasting all three my wireless N 300 Mbps connected system could only sustain a 1.7MBps file transfer from my server, but regulating the router to N only and putting it on a relatively clear channel it am now able to sustain a 9MBps transfer speed on the same file to th le same location. Basically what happens is your router is dedicating bandwidth to b ang g that aren't needed.

Wifi can work pretty well but most plug it in out of the box then get disappointed.

This is true if the router is a 2.4GHz-only wireless router. A dual-band wireless N router operating in the 5GHz band can still suffer if the 5GHz band is set to broadcast both A and N.

 

[PTNL]

I do wired for my desktops and servers and xbox and WDTVs. Everything else is wireless since it's portable. If it stays in one spot, it gets wired.

I use the same philosophy at my home. None of the existing poll options match this.

 

[madrebel]

i dont see the button for "use the one that works best for the given situation".

the trendnet tew-692gr i recently got has been great as has the tew-687-ga that connects to it at 405mbps.

would i prefer wired? sure, but i'm not going to rip apart my walls for it.