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itchybumba · 06-12-2012, 15:24

I will try to keep this brief!

Current set up:

Virgin Superhub. Connected to it via ethernet are 2 computers.

Sometime wireless client devices (phones / laptops etc...) connect to the Superhub.

All of the above i will term network 1. All of the below i will term network 2

Also connected to the Virgin Superhub is a WN2000RPT Netgear wireless repeater. To get to the repeater the signal from the hub travels through 2 brick walls and a floor.

The repeater lives in the part of the house where the majority of my network use happens (well middway between that part and the Superhub). Connected to the Repeater there are normally 3 or 4 wireless client devices (phones / tablets etc..)

In addition, connected to the Netgear repeater via wireless i have an old Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT in client bridge mode which lives behind a TV. Connected to the Linksys via ethernet cables i have a WD TV Live hub, a sky HD box (yes i have sky TV with Virgin broadband!), and an XBox 360.

Everything above, whether in network 1 or 2 can communicate with each other for file transfers etc... In addition, all devices on both networks can access the internet. This is how i want it to be connectivity wise however, network 2 is far to slow. I am happy with the speeds i get between devices on network 1 - whether wireless/wired or both. But copying files between network 1 and 2, copying files between devices on network 2 and accessing the internet on network 2 is far to SLOW!!

I think the main problems are:

1) The signal on the Virgin Hub is pretty weak (as i have read) and is not good enough to reliably push through the 2 brick walls and a floor.

2) When any files are transferred between network 1 and 2, or multiple devices on network 2 are accessing the inernet, all this data has to go over the 1 wireless connection between the superhub and repeater, creating a serious bottleneck. I am also guessing that when I transfer a file between 2 devices in network 2 the data is sent all the way to the Virgin Super Hub and then back, effectively crossing the bridge twice. I may be wrong on this point but it would make sense bearing in mind the awful speeds I get between 2 devices in network 2

3) The repeater halves bandwidth due to having to pick up the data then transmit it – I think this is a problem with all repeaters

4) The Linksys that is in bridge mode and connects my tv live hub, xbox and sky box to my repeater is an using wireless G which is pretty slow compared to the newer technologies.

So i need to get faster speeds and to do that i need to invest in some new networking toys. Problem is i am not that great when it comes to knowing what i am talking about with regards to networks. I am by no means awful (the set up above i set up myself including installing DD-WRT) but i am not really sure what some fundermental things do (like MAC addresses etc) so please go easy on me!! As such i need someone to look at what i was thinking below and let me know if this is likley to work as above (but faster) or whether there is a better way of acheiveing a faster network. Things that are not an option are moving the internet connection to network 2 (i need the wired PCs to have the fastest connection possible) and i cant run a wire between network 1 and 2, it has to be done wirelessly. Also, i cant use the power line network adapters to bridge network 1 and 2.

Pop the Virginsuper hub into modem only mode and connect via ethernet to a ASUS RT-AC66U. This would be the main hub of network 1 with the 2 PCs connected via ethernet and the occasional wireless device.

I would buy a second ASUS RT-AC66U which i would put into media bridge mode (i assume this is the same as a client bridge) and put in the middle of the 2 networks (currently where the repeater is). This way the bottle neck that i had before would be somewhat improved as it would be a 5GHZ AC connection.

Then, to get wireless around Network 2 i would get either a dualband wireless N router or access point (suggestions would be most welcome), which i would connect to the network via an ethernet cable to the bridged ASUS RT-AC66U. This idea here is to effectively make my own repeater out of the 2 routers and hopefully this would get rid of the halving of bandwidth that repeaters cause. Problem is i do not know if you can connect a router/access point to a bridged router via ethernet and expect it all to work!

Finally, get another wireless N router which i will put into bridge mode to replace the Linksys WRT54G and provide network access to the WD Live TV Hub, Sky box and xbox.

I was thinking dual band wireless N routers for network 2 as i have a variatey of devices that use various different wireless tech - but none that use AC. As such would be saving some money here but i think wireless N should still give fast enough transfer speeds across network 2 that i can live with. I was thinking of spending big to get the AC bridge as that would help eliviate a bottle neck on the network. I am also hoping the devices on network 2 would communicate directly with each other, so when transferring a file the data would not go over the bridge to the main hub and back again.

This might all be a really rubbish idea and thats why i need some help please - i really dont want to go spending this money to find out that there is no way this is going to work.

Thanks in advance!!

06-12-2012, 15:24	#1
itchybumba Inactive Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 3	Help - I need to speed up network. I will try to keep this brief! Current set up: Virgin Superhub. Connected to it via ethernet are 2 computers. Sometime wireless client devices (phones / laptops etc...) connect to the Superhub. All of the above i will term network 1. All of the below i will term network 2 Also connected to the Virgin Superhub is a WN2000RPT Netgear wireless repeater. To get to the repeater the signal from the hub travels through 2 brick walls and a floor. The repeater lives in the part of the house where the majority of my network use happens (well middway between that part and the Superhub). Connected to the Repeater there are normally 3 or 4 wireless client devices (phones / tablets etc..) In addition, connected to the Netgear repeater via wireless i have an old Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT in client bridge mode which lives behind a TV. Connected to the Linksys via ethernet cables i have a WD TV Live hub, a sky HD box (yes i have sky TV with Virgin broadband!), and an XBox 360. Everything above, whether in network 1 or 2 can communicate with each other for file transfers etc... In addition, all devices on both networks can access the internet. This is how i want it to be connectivity wise however, network 2 is far to slow. I am happy with the speeds i get between devices on network 1 - whether wireless/wired or both. But copying files between network 1 and 2, copying files between devices on network 2 and accessing the internet on network 2 is far to SLOW!! I think the main problems are: 1) The signal on the Virgin Hub is pretty weak (as i have read) and is not good enough to reliably push through the 2 brick walls and a floor. 2) When any files are transferred between network 1 and 2, or multiple devices on network 2 are accessing the inernet, all this data has to go over the 1 wireless connection between the superhub and repeater, creating a serious bottleneck. I am also guessing that when I transfer a file between 2 devices in network 2 the data is sent all the way to the Virgin Super Hub and then back, effectively crossing the bridge twice. I may be wrong on this point but it would make sense bearing in mind the awful speeds I get between 2 devices in network 2 3) The repeater halves bandwidth due to having to pick up the data then transmit it – I think this is a problem with all repeaters 4) The Linksys that is in bridge mode and connects my tv live hub, xbox and sky box to my repeater is an using wireless G which is pretty slow compared to the newer technologies. So i need to get faster speeds and to do that i need to invest in some new networking toys. Problem is i am not that great when it comes to knowing what i am talking about with regards to networks. I am by no means awful (the set up above i set up myself including installing DD-WRT) but i am not really sure what some fundermental things do (like MAC addresses etc) so please go easy on me!! As such i need someone to look at what i was thinking below and let me know if this is likley to work as above (but faster) or whether there is a better way of acheiveing a faster network. Things that are not an option are moving the internet connection to network 2 (i need the wired PCs to have the fastest connection possible) and i cant run a wire between network 1 and 2, it has to be done wirelessly. Also, i cant use the power line network adapters to bridge network 1 and 2. Pop the Virginsuper hub into modem only mode and connect via ethernet to a ASUS RT-AC66U. This would be the main hub of network 1 with the 2 PCs connected via ethernet and the occasional wireless device. I would buy a second ASUS RT-AC66U which i would put into media bridge mode (i assume this is the same as a client bridge) and put in the middle of the 2 networks (currently where the repeater is). This way the bottle neck that i had before would be somewhat improved as it would be a 5GHZ AC connection. Then, to get wireless around Network 2 i would get either a dualband wireless N router or access point (suggestions would be most welcome), which i would connect to the network via an ethernet cable to the bridged ASUS RT-AC66U. This idea here is to effectively make my own repeater out of the 2 routers and hopefully this would get rid of the halving of bandwidth that repeaters cause. Problem is i do not know if you can connect a router/access point to a bridged router via ethernet and expect it all to work! Finally, get another wireless N router which i will put into bridge mode to replace the Linksys WRT54G and provide network access to the WD Live TV Hub, Sky box and xbox. I was thinking dual band wireless N routers for network 2 as i have a variatey of devices that use various different wireless tech - but none that use AC. As such would be saving some money here but i think wireless N should still give fast enough transfer speeds across network 2 that i can live with. I was thinking of spending big to get the AC bridge as that would help eliviate a bottle neck on the network. I am also hoping the devices on network 2 would communicate directly with each other, so when transferring a file the data would not go over the bridge to the main hub and back again. This might all be a really rubbish idea and thats why i need some help please - i really dont want to go spending this money to find out that there is no way this is going to work. Thanks in advance!!