Dual Band Router Help

[saz_1]

So I've tried and failed miserable at creating my own wifi nirvana. I upgraded my desktop to a wireless N card (Rosewill). My laptop has intel 5300 agn. So I recently tried to add a wireless n router to my network. I was using the Motorola modem/wireless router that Fios gives you. The reason I wanted to upgrade was that I do stream movies from my PC to my xbox (xbmc).

So I first tried the Linksys 160n. Tried the OEM firmware and WW-DRT. I got connected at 300mbps but the transfer speeds were very slow. In fact worse than using the fios router.

I then tried the Asus rt-16n. Tried is both with the OEM firmware and Tomato, and it had similar results as the Linksys.

I scanned my area for wireless networks and there are a few around, but not enough to cause inteference. My phone is DECT 6.0. And then it finally hit me that the two baby monitors we use in our house both operate on 2.4GHZ.

So that brings me here. What I would like is a recommendation for a router that would operate on dual bands simultaneously as I have some older devices that still need g (printer and iphone). I'd like to stay under $150ish. Also, USB connectivity would be really nice for storage.

Thanks in advance.

 

[claykin]

IMO your best option is the Netgear WNDR3700.

Have you tried updating your client drivers? Here's the link for Rosewill http://www.rosewill.com/support/download.aspx

Depending on your laptop OEM you may or may not be able to easily use the Intel reference drivers. First check the laptop OEM support site.

 

[stevech]

So I've tried and failed miserable at creating my own wifi nirvana. I upgraded my desktop to a wireless N card (Rosewill). My laptop has intel 5300 agn. So I recently tried to add a wireless n router to my network. I was using the Motorola modem/wireless router that Fios gives you. The reason I wanted to upgrade was that I do stream movies from my PC to my xbox (xbmc).

So I first tried the Linksys 160n. Tried the OEM firmware and WW-DRT. I got connected at 300mbps but the transfer speeds were very slow. In fact worse than using the fios router.

I then tried the Asus rt-16n. Tried is both with the OEM firmware and Tomato, and it had similar results as the Linksys.

I scanned my area for wireless networks and there are a few around, but not enough to cause inteference. My phone is DECT 6.0. And then it finally hit me that the two baby monitors we use in our house both operate on 2.4GHZ.

So that brings me here. What I would like is a recommendation for a router that would operate on dual bands simultaneously as I have some older devices that still need g (printer and iphone). I'd like to stay under $150ish. Also, USB connectivity would be really nice for storage.

Thanks in advance.

Baby monitors and WiFi can co-exist if you set each to channels that don't overlap in frequency.

Simultaneous 5.8GHz and 2.4GHz - very few products. Very costly. Better to get a 2.4GHz wireless router and if you must use 5.8GHz, buy an 802.11a access point and connect it to the w-router.

 

[Osamede]

The legazy devices that you want to keep on 2.4ghz (iphone and printer) have very little need for significant bandwith or speed. So why not keep the existing router for them and just add a 5GHZ access point for the rest of what you want to do.

This one here (Netgear WHNDE111) is less than 50 bucks:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00126V3EI/?tag=snbforums-20
If you parse through the reviews of it on Amazon and Newegg you'll find that most people who were not satisfied didnt understand what they were buying and the limitations of it. For you it will offer a decent shot at streaming your movies. If it doesnt work for that purpose, I doubt that a more expensive dual band device would help.

So just try adding that in and see how it goes.

As for the USB storage, IMO you need to separate that from your router/access point entire. Yes many of them tack it on, but how many of them do it well or reliably? Few if any at all. No surprise there - you are looking at devices barely powerful enough to do their main job let alone to replace a dedicaed NAS. And these days you can get a used previosu generation 1 or 2 drive NAS for a hundred bucks that will at the very least match the puny output you will get from a USB tack on to a router, and in all probability the used NAS will do far better.