Best wireless router for 3 story house...? - Page 2

TheNorm · 08-03-2007, 12:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicendice

Interesting site....thanks for that!

You're welcome!

Quote:

...However, one thing I read there is that performance is seriously degraded if Homeplug devices are plugged into extension blocks rather than directly into the wall. ..

Well, mine work through ordinary extension sockets, and I've not noticed any degradation of signal. However, I wouldn't attach it to a "surge protector".

Nikesh · 08-03-2007, 12:27

I've never tried homeplugs but they do sound interesting...

If you still want a wireless router, the Linksys WRT54GS is definitely worth looking at. The range is good on it but if you need to increase it even more you can flash it with DD-WRT firmware. I'd recommend the DD-WRT firmware anyway...

I've flashed my Linksys WRT54G router with DD-WRT and I get signal from the end of my street!! Didn't believe it was possible by just using different firmware!!

AndyCambs · 08-03-2007, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikesh

I've never tried homeplugs but they do sound interesting...

If you still want a wireless router, the Linksys WRT54GS is definitely worth looking at. The range is good on it but if you need to increase it even more you can flash it with DD-WRT firmware. I'd recommend the DD-WRT firmware anyway...

I've flashed my Linksys WRT54G router with DD-WRT and I get signal from the end of my street!! Didn't believe it was possible by just using different firmware!!

I just use my WRT54G with the firmware it came with, and get a good signal at the neighbours and over the road. Might be interesting to see just how far I could go...

Wireless also brings up the subject of security, and I think I'm fairly secure, changing the name and using a MAC filter. How are the homeplugs for security (never having used one)? Would it be possible for example for a neighbour to use your internet connection?

08-03-2007, 12:47

ive been using Homeplug for difficult installations since 2005 with very good success. Ive just given up on wireless for my daughter in the room above the router and even thats poor but ive gone hardwired as I had cable handy lol

TheNorm · 08-03-2007, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyCambs

.... How are the homeplugs for security (never having used one)? Would it be possible for example for a neighbour to use your internet connection?

The ones I use have a facility to use internal device encryption.

slicendice · 08-03-2007, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikesh

I've never tried homeplugs but they do sound interesting...

If you still want a wireless router, the Linksys WRT54GS is definitely worth looking at. The range is good on it but if you need to increase it even more you can flash it with DD-WRT firmware. I'd recommend the DD-WRT firmware anyway...

I've flashed my Linksys WRT54G router with DD-WRT and I get signal from the end of my street!! Didn't believe it was possible by just using different firmware!!

Sounds interesting! Do you have any details on how you did this?

Nikesh · 08-03-2007, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicendice

Sounds interesting! Do you have any details on how you did this?

Yep, I was actually helped by other members on this forum.

Flashing Linksys WRT54Gv5 router

What model is your router?

Have a look at this site:
DD-WRT

slicendice · 08-03-2007, 17:00

OK, due to my lack of dedicated sockets I think I'm going to have to go with the wireless approach rather than Homeplug. I'll try the Linksys WRT54GS and see how it goes - if I can't get a decent signal upstairs I'll try the DD-WRT thing....

Thanks for all the info everyone (and please feel free to provide some more if you think it necessary!

)

TheBlueRaja · 08-03-2007, 17:27

Any wireless will work "down the street" if it dosent have many walls to go through.

Graham M · 08-03-2007, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBlueRaja

Any wireless will work "down the street" if it dosent have many walls to go through.

You obviously have something against Wireless?

lordy · 08-03-2007, 19:15

An alternative to polluting your living environment with strong radiowaves,
is to get two cheap WRT54G's off ebay. Flash them with 3rd party firmware eg dd-wrt (This is easier with the older models but doable with new ones)
-
then set them up using WDS (ie they both extend the same network).
Then you can have a low strength signal that is closer to the shape of your house rather than having an over-strong signal flooding one room in an effort to trickle upstairs.

slicendice · 09-03-2007, 09:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordy

An alternative to polluting your living environment with strong radiowaves,

I think my living environment is already polluted with radio waves....when I switched on the wireless on my laptop the other day it found 4 wireless networks in range!

(Two of them were unsecured as well!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordy

is to get two cheap WRT54G's off ebay. Flash them with 3rd party firmware eg dd-wrt (This is easier with the older models but doable with new ones)
-
then set them up using WDS (ie they both extend the same network).
Then you can have a low strength signal that is closer to the shape of your house rather than having an over-strong signal flooding one room in an effort to trickle upstairs.

D'you mean have one downstairs connected to the cable modem and then the other upstairs to boost the signal?

TheBlueRaja · 09-03-2007, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeph

You obviously have something against Wireless?

Yes and no, i have found it to be unreliable anywhere there are (thick) walls involved, fine otherwise.

Siliceanddice is talking about a big house - i think he will run into problems.

lordy · 10-03-2007, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by slicendice

D'you mean have one downstairs connected to the cable modem and then the other upstairs to boost the signal?

Yup. More strictly it extends the wireless network.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireles...ibution_System

The dd-wrt firmware has WDS capability.

A cheap 2nd hand wrt54G on each floor, directly above each other, on a low power setting should give you good coverage over the whole house.

Doing this also allows you to plug your wired equipment (printservers, Xbox etc) into a WRT54G which is then connected wirelessly.

Lordy

awibble · 11-03-2007, 22:13

Strange, ive found homeplugs to be unreliable, mainly because i do use surge protectors.

I always buy netgear when it comes to wireless routers, cange a few settings from the default ones, change the IP onto a different netblock (i normally move to 10.10.10.x

Securty isnt a problem, and distance ive never had a problem with, people that do have distance problems tend to of poistioned the routers in a bad place.

you always want to be as close to central to the area you want to cover as possiable. Thick walls can easily be overcome just by upgrading the antenna, you can actually get 4mile antennas for most netgear routers, and if that isnt enugh for you, then you could be looking at your own radio tower.