VM 50 meg and WiFi

[heavyside]

I'm thinking of switching my ISP to Virgin. Currently I'm with Be Unlimited and only getting about 20% of the speed I pay for. Copper phone wires being what they are I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

The only thing that's holding me back is a practical issue. As I understand it, the broadband feed comes into the home at or near where the cable that feeds the TV does. My computer couldn't be further from this in my place. It's on another floor and on the opposite side of the building. Mine is an open plan flat and it would be ugly and impractical to have tens of metres of wires trailing everywhere.

I may be able to get around this by using WiFi. My question is, if I install a WiFi card in my computer(s), would this reduce the 50 megs that arrives at the modem/router by the time it gets to my computer? Anyone have any experience of this?

Thanks.

[Peter_]

You will get a D Link DIR615 N router and a USB N adaptor that you can use in your flat as part of your package.

Or you can try Homeplugs, just google them for prices.

[Sephiroth]

.....

I may be able to get around this by using WiFi. My question is, if I install a WiFi card in my computer(s), would this reduce the 50 megs that arrives at the modem/router by the time it gets to my computer? Anyone have any experience of this?

Thanks.

This is a very good question. There is plenty of anectdotal evidence on this forum (you can trawl for that) reporting sluggish wi-fi speeds on 50 Mbps modem. The subject is quite complex, actually.

The first point to make is that you are unlikely to get 50 Mbps receive speed at all times of day. So you'd want to test your wi-fi for maximum throughput at a non-peak time or when you've ascertained 50 Mbps downstream speed is actual for the time of day.

Next, the D-Link 615 has 'n' speed wireless and you should give it a go. You'll need an 'n' speed ethernet card in your PC and for reasons I'll explain, make sure it's a DUAL BAND card.

There is contention on wireless channels from neighbours, DECT phones and so on. If you're not getting 50 Mbps wi-fi on the DIR-615 but you are getting 50 Mbps wired (yes I know - lugging your PC around!), then there will be little or nothing more you can do with that router in 'n' mode.

The DUAL BAND factor is this. The DIR-615 (and other low end routers) provide 'n' mode on the 2.4GHz band; better routers offer DUAL BAND - that is additionally the 5 MHz bandwidth which has much less contention risk.

So your best bet of getting 50 Mbps wi-fi is operating 'n' @ 5 MHz.

Then looking at the homeplug/powerline option. I use that solution as well as wireless. But I don't have 50 Mbps so apart from saying I'm pleased with the homeplug, my own experience is not relevant to you. There is discussion in the forum on whether or not 50 Mbps is delivered with the appropriate homeplug model. The flavour I have grasped from the discussion is inconclusive --> No. Nobody that I can recall (and I may be wrong) has said "Wow - my Homeplug delivers 50 Mbps".

So, there you have it. The full-ish skinny.

[heavyside]

Thanks, Moldova.

My question was really, can I expect 50 megs (or thereabouts) on my computer using WiFi? Is WiFi less efficient than Ethernet?

[Kymmy]

Yes Wifi is less efficient than ethernet but ethernet can currently do speeds of 1000Mbps+

Read Sehpiroths post as it's totally relevant to your situation and by following it you should get most if not all of the 50Mb speed

[heavyside]

Thanks, Seph. There's quite a lot in your reply to absorb.

I've just Googled 'homeplugs' and it seems there are several flavours to choose from - 85 mbps, 200 mbps and 1000 mbps. Any idea which one I'd need if I go down this route? There's also the question of 'future-proofing' should VM offer greater speeds in the future.

[Sephiroth]

Thanks, Seph. There's quite a lot in your reply to absorb.

I've just Googled 'homeplugs' and it seems there are several flavours to choose from - 85 mbps, 200 mbps and 1000 mbps. Any idea which one I'd need if I go down this route? There's also the question of 'future-proofing' should VM offer greater speeds in the future.

Search in this forum on "Homeplug" and "Powerline" and come back with your own views. From my recollection, the Devolo 85 Mbps comes out as very reliable, but nobody claims 50 Mbps from it. Then you move up the price range and in theory, the 200/1000 devices should deliver your requirement subject to noise ingress from fridges, central heating pumps etc.

[Stephen]

You could ask them to put the cable modem near your PC?

[Sephiroth]

You could ask them to put the cable modem near your PC?

Yeah - but ;ong coax isn't good either. Then there's weather proofing ...
.

[jono_h]

As you're in a flat it may or may not be possible, but could you install the modem at the cable entry point, then run an ethernet cable from the modem out the wall, around the outside of the building and then back in to a point by your PC?
I've done this as I wanted a cabled connection in an extension that was built after I had cable installed. There may be some concerns on cable degradation from rain etc, but I've been running it for three years without a problem.

[heavyside]

Thanks, Jono. Your solution is impractical for me. My flat's on two floors, basement and ground. The TV cable arrives in the basement - the architect had it all built into the wall when I had the place converted. If it was all on the ground floor then it would be a good solution.

[Stephen]

What I was trying to say in my previous post is that my cable entry is on the ground floor for the TV but I have my PC and modem upstairs and a cable running up the front of my house to where they installed the modem.

You don't have to put the modem where the TV is.

[heavyside]

Stephen,

When I talked with VM they informed me that they use the same cable that carries my TV service. To get from the basement, where this is, to where my computer is on the ground floor is my problem. Homeplugs seem to be the frontrunner at the moment as my wiring is modern and all on the same fusebox.

[AbyssUnderground]

Just a correction to post #3, it's 5GHz not 5MHz :) You made the mistake twice, so you might want to change it.

[Sephiroth]

Thanks, Jono. Your solution is impractical for me. My flat's on two floors, basement and ground. The TV cable arrives in the basement - the architect had it all built into the wall when I had the place converted. If it was all on the ground floor then it would be a good solution.

Then the Homeplug solution makes more sense.

[Stephen]

Stephen,

When I talked with VM they informed me that they use the same cable that carries my TV service. To get from the basement, where this is, to where my computer is on the ground floor is my problem. Homeplugs seem to be the frontrunner at the moment as my wiring is modern and all on the same fusebox.
They would split the cable and run it to where you want. Best bet is to ask the tech that comes if they could put the modem at the PC.