My wireless router sucks !!

[turftoad]

It's a Linksys - Wireless-G Broadband Router with 4-Port Ethernet Switch

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Linksys+-+Wireless-G+Broadband+Router+with+4-Port+Ethernet+Switch/9602713.p?id=1218130476881&skuId=9602713

I hardly have any range with this POS. I need to do something before the football season starts. I ussually use my laptop about 50 feet from the router and it only has to go through two walls. The walls are just sheetrock and insulation. If I go into the kitchen which is about 20 feet closer to the router, I have great signal strength but move the same 20 feet back and can't even connect. :mad:

Anyone have any good ideas or suggestions??

[BroncoJoe]

It's a Cisco-Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router.

I hardly have any range with this POS. I need to do something before the football season starts. I ussually use my laptop about 50 feet from the router and it only has to go through two walls. The walls are just sheetrock and insulation. If I go into the kitchen which is about 20 feet closer to the router, I have great signal strength but move the same 20 feet back and can't even connect. :mad:

Anyone have any good ideas or suggestions??

I use a powerline adapter for rooms in my house that don't get a good wireless signal. Kind of costly, but worth it.

[BroncoNut]

quit bitching and be happy with what you have. Alot of people have it worse

[turftoad]

I use a powerline adapter for rooms in my house that don't get a good wireless signal. Kind of costly, but worth it.

I don't care what it cost's Joe. Fill me in. I'm sick and tired of not being able to connect.

[BroncoJoe]

Do a google search for powerline adapter. They basically use the electrical wiring in your home to create a "wired" network. It is not as fast as a direct connection to a modem, but it is reliable and typically faster than wireless. Around $75-100 to purchase. Places like Best Buy usually carry them.

[Thnikkaman]

Either install tomato on your current router:

http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

Or buy one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833314065

[Davii]

Do you have an external antennae on your router? If so, hit up radio shack and get a higher gain antennae. They also sell ones that are somewhat directional that will wind up boating the signal in a certain direction.

[BroncoJoe]

Either install tomato on your current router:

http://www.polarcloud.com/tomato

Or buy one of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833314065


Do you have an external antennae on your router? If so, hit up radio shack and get a higher gain antennae. They also sell ones that are somewhat directional that will wind up boating the signal in a certain direction.

I tried both of those options - spent a lot of time and $$ trying to get a better signal to certain rooms in my house. After going the powerline route, I've NEVER looked back.

[turftoad]

Do a google search for powerline adapter. They basically use the electrical wiring in your home to create a "wired" network. It is not as fast as a direct connection to a modem, but it is reliable and typically faster than wireless. Around $75-100 to purchase. Places like Best Buy usually carry them.

Sounds good but I don't see why I can't just get a better wireless router with more range or an extender of something. Would be alot easier.

[BroncoJoe]

Sounds good but I don't see why I can't just get a better wireless router with more range or an extender of something. Would be alot easier.

Easier than plugging two things into an outlet?

[turftoad]

Easier than plugging two things into an outlet?

I don't understand Joe.

[BroncoJoe]

You buy them in a pair. Plug one into an outlet near your router, and use a Cat-5 from it to the router. Plug the other one into an outlet near where your laptop is, and Cat-5 it to your laptop.

Done.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=powerline+adapter&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1403810688589685739&sa=X&ei=_U9eTpScG9KdgQft8vX4AQ&ved=0CE8Q8gIwAg

[turftoad]

You buy them in a pair. Plug one into an outlet near your router, and use a Cat-5 from it to the router. Plug the other one into an outlet near where your laptop is, and Cat-5 it to your laptop.

Done.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=powerline+adapter&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1403810688589685739&sa=X&ei=_U9eTpScG9KdgQft8vX4AQ&ved=0CE8Q8gIwAg

This sounds good. I'm going to look into it a little further. Thanks, Joe.

[Thnikkaman]

I tried both of those options - spent a lot of time and $$ trying to get a better signal to certain rooms in my house. After going the powerline route, I've NEVER looked back.

I own the router I linked and I have great range all over my house and out into my yard. And it would really be cheaper to run Cat-5 in your house than buying a power network adapter (for me at least since I know how to run Cat-5).

However for someone who doesn't know how to run cat-5 the power adapter should be fine, however I worry about line noise and how long the adapter runs filtering out the 120v AC out of the network signal.

[Magnificent Seven]

I have D-Link: DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router. It is very powerful and very happy with it.

You can check this out. http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=530

[BroncoJoe]

I own the router I linked and I have great range all over my house and out into my yard. And it would really be cheaper to run Cat-5 in your house than buying a power network adapter (for me at least since I know how to run Cat-5).

However for someone who doesn't know how to run cat-5 the power adapter should be fine, however I worry about line noise and how long the adapter runs filtering out the 120v AC out of the network signal.

In some cases its not a matter of "knowing how" but how the house was built, stories, finished basement etc. Also, the drywall used in my home hs the foil backing. Great for additional insulation but a killer for wireless. My MBR also has mirrored door closets which also interfere.

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[gnomeflinger]

I have D-Link: DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router. It is very powerful and very happy with it.

You can check this out. http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=530

I returned the POS Linksys that Turftoad dedicated this thread for. I have this router and so far no complaints.

[Canmore]

I had the same problem you are talking about, no range. I have a two story house with a basement for three floors. Got a Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Bang Gigabit Router and it works great. No problems with signal strength on either floor. It was a lot cheaper than the other comparable dual band routers at Best Buy. Still about $100. Maybe this helps.

[Davii]

I had the same problem you are talking about, no range. I have a two story house with a basement for three floors. Got a Netgear N600 Wireless Dual Bang Gigabit Router and it works great. No problems with signal strength on either floor. It was a lot cheaper than the other comparable dual band routers at Best Buy. Still about $100. Maybe this helps.

That's a good router.

Honestly Turf, I think your best bet is going with a better quality router. The power adapters work, but don't help if what you're after is a wireless connection.

Keep in mind while searching that the dual band routers (2.4 and 5ghz) work great and are probably better moving forward as 5ghz will more than likely become the standard. The 5ghz range is better for speed as there's not as much interference at that frequency (based on your distances I would bet that your problem is interference related) but 5ghz also has a slightly shorter range.

Additionally, if your laptop doesn't support wireless N (5ghz) then getting a better simultaneous dual band router won't make a difference as you'll still be connecting 2.4 (B/G).

IF that's the case you might want to look into a wireless range extender, best buy has a netgear extender for about 75$.

Give me some more details on your equipment that you wish to connect, distances,.etc and I'll try to tell you what's best.

[Thnikkaman]

That's a good router.

Honestly Turf, I think your best bet is going with a better quality router. The power adapters work, but don't help if what you're after is a wireless connection.

Keep in mind while searching that the dual band routers (2.4 and 5ghz) work great and are probably better moving forward as 5ghz will more than likely become the standard. The 5ghz range is better for speed as there's not as much interference at that frequency (based on your distances I would bet that your problem is interference related) but 5ghz also has a slightly shorter range.

Additionally, if your laptop doesn't support wireless N (5ghz) then getting a better simultaneous dual band router won't make a difference as you'll still be connecting 2.4 (B/G).

IF that's the case you might want to look into a wireless range extender, best buy has a netgear extender for about 75$.

Give me some more details on your equipment that you wish to connect, distances,.etc and I'll try to tell you what's best.

Actually its not all that difficult to upgrade a laptop to a dual band minipci card if your notebook allows you to access the current card.

[Davii]

Actually its not all that difficult to upgrade a laptop to a dual band minipci card if your notebook allows you to access the current card.

It's very easy, but it's just more to buy, and more to do, especially if one isn't adept at disassembling laptops.