Hey peeps...

For the last year or so.. our wireless router has gone to crap. Frequent disconnects, lack of signal throughout the house, etc... the router is a Netgear MR814.. which has been out of date for the last 3 years.

So.. i need to try something new. We have (2) PC's and (2) laptops. House is about 3,000 sq. ft... and i we need something that will be reliable, and work in every corner of the house. We do very little, if any, file sharing on a computer-computer level. All computers are used for regular internet surfing.

I was looking into both the Linksys and Belkin Pre N wireless routers + the network adapters for the computers.. but i don't want to get something if its going to be too "spiffy" for what im going to be using it for. Anyone have suggestions on what kind of setup would be best? All the computers in the house are constantly switching over to the neighbors connection, since its stronger than whats sitting in the same room. its retarded.

thanks
Sean [samson]

 

what software are you using on the PC's to connect. if the windows connection manager, you can set it to connect to only your network. for the router i'd suggest a linksys wrt54gs. mine has been up for going on 2 years with 2 resets ever and that's only because my cable provider side hung up and in turn hung up the router.

 

you can find a linksys wireless b for like 5-10 bucks these days

 

Just get an antenna amplifier or a higher output antenna. Cheaper and better quality.

edit: plus, you don't have to change any of your wireless cards.

 

linksys B is the old signal, G is the new one out. i have a wireless broadband router G, WRT54G. got it recently at BestBuy has 2 mail in rebates totaling $30 so the router is $39.99.. u can get it with speed boost for more $.. i have it linked to 2 computers a 5 yr old dinasour and 2 yr old both Dells.. seems to be working fine.. i have a linksys etherfast pci adapter LNE100TX and wireless G USB network adapter WUSB54G.. im new to broadband just got it this month using bellsouth dsl ultra..had to replace my surger got APC PF11VNT3 ran out of plugs..

 

if he only uses it for internet and no file sharing then a b should work fine
otherwise he can use usb drives
i mean i got mines for $5

 

i don't see any reason to buy an antenna for my current router.. because theres gotta be something wrong with it. For the first couple years.. it worked great anywhere in the house. Now, you walk 10 feet away from it, and the connection drops completely.

______

I do have a question though.. i want to upgrade to Verizon FIOS as soon as its available here (its available 5 miles from me already...).. what kind of router would i need for this?

 

2 things.

Yes, an antenna would help out. Your wireless signal is probably being overrun by other wireless signals near by. You just said your neighbors is stronger than yours and you are in the same room. You can get an antenna for less than $15 that will give you a 5db or higher gain. Every 3db is like doubling your power.

2nd, no special router is needed. For basic internet stuff, even if it's FIOS, a router is a router is a router. You won't be able to tell the diffrence between your several year old one and a brand new $200 one. Why? Because the max limits on the old one and new one are well above what your internet connection is.

Now if you go with the super FIOS, the 15mb and higher services, then you might need to at least upgrade from 802.11b to something like 802.11g. But you won't see a huge diffrence unless you do a lot of big downloads.

 

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/ant...2400_in.php#rd

Depending on the type of connector your antenna uses, $8.95-12.95.

You'll be close to a 4x increase!

 

most home application wireless routers use SMA connectors.