Networking upgrade

I want to upgrade a home network, a place where only two computers and 1 laptop is sometimes connected at once. Was wondering if anyone have any idea best way to just upgrade router, Ethernet ports, and dsl modem, to get the best possible performance, without it necessarily being the most expensive way either. Would love to use a wifi connection instead of a 50 foot wire to connect to the internet but theres no way to do it. Wifi connection constantly seems to be soo much slowly than the wired.

 

Starting with your DSL modem, is it a modem only (1 Ethernet port out) or a combo router/modem (4 or so Ethernet out)?

If a modem only, purchase a decent 300 "N" Wi-Fi router. Read user reviews carefully on sites such as Amazon or NewEgg, even if you buy it locally. It's the pros and cons of a specific model that count, not the brand name. If you have a multi-story house, the reviews will help you single out the models with a better range.

If you have a combo DSL modem/Wi-Fi router, you can still upgrade it from "G" to "N" with a device like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156232

A "300 N" speed Wi-Fi receiver card should give you decent download speeds (again, it depends on distance and the quality of the hardware). To get a better signal using a USB Wi-Fi adapter on a desktop PC, purchase a 6' USB extension cable (about $3) and place the adapter at desk level or higher (the same principle as raising a TV antenna to improve reception).

A decent 300-N router shouldn't be much over $60; good 300-N USB adapters are normally available for under $30 each.

Hope this helps.

 

is just a single connection, and i already got a old wireless n router. the problem with the router is its damaged now and needs replacing and the modem is old and i want one for myself. Curious is it possible to make a wireless connection as fast as a wired connection if i am 20 feet away

 

Good catch on the breaker box thing. When I worked in electronics retail many salespeople forgot to mention this - as such, both returns and disgruntled customers were quite common. :drool

To be clear, the modem is the device that connects to the telephone jack (DSL) or coax (Cable). You can only use one modem per ISP account. If you add a second modem it requires a second monthly account with the phone or cable company.

If your current wired Internet and download speeds are adequate there is no need to replace the modem.

If the old router is damaged this may be one of the reasons you're getting a slow wireless connection.

What speed is the Wi-Fi card on the PC you state is slow? If it's a "B" or "G" card, upgrading to a 300 "N" USB adapter stick should speed things up.

I'm running a Fry's FR300N router (about $30) on a Sony VIAO notebook with built-in Wi-Fi "N" and have received real-world download speeds up to 3MBs and bandwidth tests in excess of 20MBs.

A few other things to keep in mind:

*The "maximum" speed for Wi-Fi "G" (54MBs) and Wi-Fi "N" (150-300MBs) are based on wild lab theory - your odds of getting even 1 or 2MBs on a "G" connection are worse than winning the Powerball Lottery jackpot.

* Actual download speeds (wired or wireless) are affected by many factors including network traffic. Paying for a "6MBs" ISP service does not mean everything you download will be at or near this speed.

*A connection on an "N" router with a "G" or "B" receiver defaults to the lower of the two speeds.

*Power adapter boxes (such as the one mentioned by plodr) aren't a cure all. I have seen cases where electrical wiring or interference issues greatly diminish their actual speed.

 

I understand what a modem is very well. I thought it was possible to buy a commercial dsl modem, and replace the current one I have since its all connected by just ethernets anyhow. At least thats what I have done a long long time ago. I currently have N. Its just one of the first N's that came out. My wired speeds download speed testing average out to 35.06 mbps download at 8.08 upload, while my wifi connect goes down to 7.56 mbps download to .9 upload. Washington, NewYork, Tokyo, Saint Petersberg, and New Delhi, were locations i chosed or chosed around on multiple download speed websites. Speedtest.com, testmy.net, pcpitstop.com, dslreports.com/speedtest, and performance.toast.net were the places I tested. Now I know my upload is throttled in some ways, thats understandable, butwifi connection is being killed, and all these tests were done while the other computer in the house was downloading a 10 gig steam game at 2 megs a second.had a sister watch them to make sure it kept downloading too. Main thing is, my wifi is outright being killed, and people are tripping on my wired cord snaking along when it falls sometime. Doing work on the house is not an option since its only a rental. And it needs to be replaced I believe because after a period of time the router will get so hot my internet will shut off and I have to unplug it and wait for it to cool down. Also when the modem was new and router was new we were getting 3.7 negs a second download. Its just frustrating right now figuring out where tis all at.