Need advice: In-home wifi gaming streaming

[urik]

I have CenturyLink and am forced to use the Zyxel q1000z modem/router. In truth, this router has worked fine for me over the past year. On a typical evening, I have my desktop hooked up via ethernet and two smartphones, two iPads, and a laptop connecting via WiFi.

I'm an avid gamer and have been using the desktop PC (i5-2500k, GTX 670, 16GB RAM)for most of my needs. However, we just got a baby and the office is basically off-limits for gaming once he's asleep at night. So.... I'm looking for different options. (I don't wanna rely on the TV b/c it's frequently occupied.)

Yesterday, I tried using Steam's In-home streaming with a 2008 MacBook via Wifi. I was streaming TombRaider 2013 and Bioshock Infinite from the desktop PC. Both games had constant stutter and were almost unplayable. I realized in retrospect that someone else was streaming YouTube on another laptop at the same time.

What am I missing from my setup? Do I need another router dedicated to game streaming? Or get a three stream router and put the Zyxel modem/router into bridge mode?

I'd also consider a PS4 with a PS Vita doing Remote Play.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

 

[JoeJoe]

Putting your CL DSL modem into PPPoE bridge mode connected to another router would be the best way to go forward. Consider an ASUS router with external antennas.

 

[urik]

Putting your CL DSL modem into PPPoE bridge mode connected to another router would be the best way to go forward. Consider an ASUS router with external antennas.

Would the Asus RT-N66U do the trick? What about getting something weaker but dedicated solely to streaming games, while the Zyxel is busy handling everything else?

 

[System Error Message]

You're missing QoS. See if the zyxel has it, if not routerOS has some very nice QoS that beats consumer routers QoS. The only way around this is with QoS.

 

[CaptainSTX]

Before purchasing a new router check a couple of things.

What is the bandwidth you are paying for from your ISP? If you don't have a big enough pipe coming into the house to handle both games and video streaming a new router won't help you.

Second check you download speeds and latency by running speed tests.

Also load a utility and run a LAN speed test to see if your LAN might be the problem.

Finally take the laptop you are having problems gaming with and connect it directly to your router or modem and see what happens. If the gaming is OK then your LAN (WiFi ) is probably the problem. If you still have problems when connected using an Ethernet cable them your circa 2008 doesn't have the processing power.

 

[System Error Message]

My way is easier, just use QoS. When there isnt enough bandwidth QoS keeps the applications you set for lower latency and to give it the bandwidth that it needs.

Many people think they need a new router but the only real reason to get a new router are 2 reasons
1) need more performance (internet/LAN)
2) need more features (parental, firewall, usb, etc)

If you dont have QoS than you need a new router that has.

 

[urik]

Thanks for the awesome feedback guys. I will check on the QoS angle. I didn't think to go this route since the games basically streamed locally and I'm not doing multi-player or anything. But I will see if can force the Zyxel router to prioritize Steam over other apps, etc.

I will also double-check if an ethernet cable fixes things.

My Centurylink ISP is 40/20 in theory.

 

[JoeJoe]

My Centurylink ISP is 40/20 in theory.

With that speed, QoS wouldn't be needed and could cause more trouble than it is worth.

Yes, an Asus RT-N66U is a good router, which does QoS if you want to venture that way one day. One step up is the RT-AC66U.

Put the DSL modem into bridge mode, disable wifi on the modem, then you will have wireless control of a high quality.
The modems that CenturyLink supplies are very poor for WiFi and have lots of bugs. I use mine in PPPoE bridge mode, a thousand times better internet streaming, everything is better.

 

[huotg01]

Yes, an Asus RT-N66U is a good router, which does QoS if you want to venture that way one day. One step up is the RT-AC66U.
.

Just to complete: there is also the RT-ac56u (2 core cpu, but with internal antennas), and the RT-ac68u or P (also with a 2 cores cpu, with 3 external antennas, but a lot more expensive)

 

[System Error Message]

QoS works for any speeds even LAN. I have seen CCRs used in a QoS heavy environment with thousands of users and queues and they work fine. It all depends on how it is implemented.

There is L2 QoS too. In environments where stacking bandwidth is limited (i.e. switches connected to each other with 1Gb/s but serve many gigabit link clients) so things like VOIP and latency important things can still run in LAN.