Important Spec's

[observer]

Hi, I am new to the world of wireless and am looking at buying a new Router to move my internet access around the house. Before you click away, No this is not a 'what is the best router question post'. I am prepared to do the leg work, but just want to know what spec's would be important for me to consider as I know every location is different.

I live in a two story house with the access point in a corner of an upstairs room, not the best location I know. To add to this all my devices are downstairs with a wooden floor between them and what we call plasterboard walls, if that translates to something you are familar with as every country seems to give their wall linings a different name lol. I would be expecting to run everything wireless as I have lan cable available for that but want the TV's and smart devices i.e. Ipods I have to be able to connectto the web.

I am currently running a Buffalo airstation WHR-HP-G300N downstairs at the moment to connect to a couple of internet TV's down stairs, it is connected to the AP through Lan cables and a computer downstairs. I managed to stumble through setting it up and actually got it to work, plse dont take this as any kind of wireless know, more like painting by numbers. I tried connecting this straight to my switch upstairs via lan cables but couldn't get it to work so is has both connections to a desktop machine and the switch. No t sure if thats how you are meant to do it ,but it works so

So to get to my actual questions
1) Given the intended location of the router, what spec's are important to me when looking at the various reviews/testing?

2) I have read about repeaters or such like, could I use the Buffalo in this way and if so where can I find information on how to accomplish this. As previously mentioned wireless is new to me, but I can general follow instructions once I know where to find them and work my way though the various wierd names that I am sure they will cotain, eg jumbo frames and simultaneous dual-band router and enableing 40hz etc.

I was looking at CISCO 4200 series but don't like what I am reading about the iCloud control on some of the newer models or the ASUS RT-N56U, unfortuntely the RT66U still isn't available down in Australia/New Zealand
But this thread isn't about that.

Thanks for taking the time to read this novel.

 

[arkhitektor]

Not sure about your needs. What problem are you trying to solve? It sounds like everything is working now, though the computer thing downstairs shouldn't be necessary.

 

[observer]

Wireless Spec's

Hi, thanks for your reply.
Its not so much a problem I am trying to resolve its more of where to gain knowledge from. Since posting I have had a good look at the links on this site and found some great information about routers etc.

What I am trying to do is replacing an aging PC based router/firewall that I currently use to connect to the internet, with a newer wireless router. The new router will be doing the same job as the PC based one, but also giving me wireless opitions additional to the Buffalo wireless router I am currently using an prehaps should be using as an AP.

Interesting what you said about the wireless router not having to be connected to a PC, from reading and the limited knowledge gained would that because it is connected to a switch (via lan cabling) and switch is conneced to the PC router which is connected to the cable modem? So the buffalo router should be set as an assess point as it is connected directly to the switch, although it is not recieving a wireless signal, if that makes sense?

I hope this reduces any confusion.

Thanks