[Kushan]

Originally Posted by jd001k0598

Why do I not need to upgrade if I mainly stream? I apologise for what you may think are daft questions but I am new to all this downloading and streaming.

---------- Post added at 23:16 ---------- Previous post was at 22:55 ----------

And would a 200Mbps Homeplug be adequate?

Streaming even HD doesn't require the 25mbit you could probably reliably get from those homeplugs, which is the only reason I suggested that you could possibly stick with them. I'm still of the opinion that it's better to upgrade them to make the most of your connection though. Apologies if I didn't make that clear.

Originally Posted by jd001k0598

Thanks, I have purchased the 500's.

I checked the speed on my Laptop last night and I was getting 72.0 mbps & was told this was wireless speed. I checked my main desktop this morning and I am getting between 24 and 48 Mbps on a wireless dongle of 150Mbps. The desktop is a couple of feet away from the Sky Router.

My question is what size wireless dongle should I be looking for if I was going to purchase one (I will be using a Homeplug), just out of interest.

The Super Hub 2, I am told, offers a far better wireless connection which is why I am asking.

VM offer speeds of up to 100Mb I presume thats Mbps?

---------- Post added at 09:22 ---------- Previous post was at 09:06 ----------

Also, according to VM, my area is already 120Mb ready, so I presume I will go straight onto this speed?

When it comes to wireless, not all dongles are created equally so here's a quick sort of overview of what things you need to know:

There are a few different wireless standards, from a, b, g, n and the very latest ac (ac is still in "draft" stage, so it's not officially finalised yet). The Superhub 2 is rated as Wireless-N. G, the predecessor to N, was rated at about 54Mbit which is why you're seeing that number a lot. Then along came N and muddied the waters a bit. Each standard (with the exception of Wireless-a) is backwards compatible, so Wireless-G equipment will work on Wireless-N networks unless you specifically force the router to be "N-only".

Wireless-N is generally rated much higher than G, but it uses multiple antennae to achieve this so the ultimate speed you get will depend not just on the environment, but the quality and design of the Wireless-N equipment you're using. A lot of cheap dongles, for example, may say Wireless-N on the box but only actually have a single antenna so won't get much higher than Wireless-G equipment (I think that can only hit 72Mbit but don't quite me exactly).

When you shop around for dongles, play close attention to what it's rated at. Dongles that don't indicate this are usually super cheap and crappy, like the above. Quite a few are rated at 150Mbit which is ok but to make the most of what you've got, try to get one capable of 300Mbit - that sounds like a lot, but remember that wireless is very prone to environmental effects so in an average home, that 300Mbit will probably drop to less than 150mbit (depending on range, interference, etc.).

You're not done yet though, there's more - the wireless frequency. Up until now, pretty much all wireless ran on the 2.4Ghz frequency - not just Wi-fi, but things like baby monitors, bluetooth, wireless mice/keyboards, even Microwaves and all those devices clog up the airwaves and cause drops in speed. Never mind all your neighbours crap as well. However, good wireless equipment can also run on the 5Ghz frequency. The Superhub 2 is one of these and in actual fact, you get two separate wireless networks with the Superhub 2 - one running on the usual 2.4Ghz and one running on 5Ghz. 5Ghz is great, the signal doesn't quite penetrate as far but it is MUCH less congested and prone to interference, especially as it's unlikely many of your neighbours will have upgraded to it yet which ultimately means getting much closer to that 300Mbit theoretical speed.

Wireless dongles that support 5Ghz are usually listed as "dual band" as they always support 2.4Ghz as well. If you're buying new wireless dongles, get a dual band one and really make the most of your new Superhub.

In short: Look for a dongle capable of connecting to 5Ghz networks (i.e. Dual Band) and rated for 300Mbit or more. They'll be a bit more expensive, but worth the extra.

EDIT: This is an example of what I'd say is a "good" dongle. I believe it's the one most people recommend.