Recommendation for 802.11a 5.8GHz Access Point

[n0fx]

I was wondering what you guys would recommend in terms of a 802.11a wireless access point/router? It's going to be used for a small office with 5 laptops connected to it. Currently, they have a Sonicwall firewall with the built-in wireless but it's only running at the 2.4GHz frequency. There is atleast 5 other wireless networks that run nearby the office that I currently have the wireless router.

I've been having some lag with the cloud application on the laptops connected via wifi, so I'm thinking it might just be too much congestion on the 2.4GHz frequency and I want to switch it up to the 5GHz band, since it's not as popular (yet). I have two other desktops connected via wired and the cloud application works great with no lag issues (windows taking forever to popup). I'll be also upgrading the laptops wifi PCIE cards to the Intel PRO/540 Mini PCI-E cards, so that it will be able to connect to this new access point.

I'm looking for any good models that might be suffice for this situation. My budget is around $100 to $250. I don't mind spending a little more for something that is more robust and will last for a few years.

Thanks for any help.

 

[stevech]

If you're upgrading the laptop cards, you could opt for 802.11n for 5.8GHz, and then get a dual-band WiFi router that will match.

802.11a itself is obsolete. Its status is kind of like 802.11b

 

[n0fx]

If you're upgrading the laptop cards, you could opt for 802.11n for 5.8GHz, and then get a dual-band WiFi router that will match.

802.11a itself is obsolete. Its status is kind of like 802.11b

Thanks for the suggestion. I guess I'll just buy a different wifi card. I totally forgot about that one. I'll just get the Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 Pci card. I was thinking of just getting an Asus RT-N56U router. The router is strictly going to be used an access point, do you think it would be suffice?

 

[stevech]

Good user ratings on
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320062

Watch out for dual-band, simultaneous both bands vs. one at a time. The latter costs more.

You can find an 11a (if you still want that vs. 11n), on eBay, like a Cisco Aironet model.

But the cost premium for 11a, or 11n in 5.8GHz is steep - are sure you need that?

 

[n0fx]

Good user ratings on
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320062

Watch out for dual-band, simultaneous both bands vs. one at a time. The latter costs more.

You can find an 11a (if you still want that vs. 11n), on eBay, like a Cisco Aironet model.

But the cost premium for 11a, or 11n in 5.8GHz is steep - are sure you need that?

I'll give the RT-N56U a try. I strictly want to use it to test to see if it will help with the lag in the application I'm using at the office. It seems to respond pretty slow and windows take a while to refresh. It could be our internet, wifi or the server that were connected to. For $100, it's not bad to spend.

The reason why I'm suspecting it's the wifi because there is around 15 to 20 2.4GHz wifis around the office. The channels very from 1, 6, and 11. There's only 2 wifis running at the 5.8GHz range, so I figure it would have less interference at that range.

 

[stevech]

Connect same PC that was on WiFi via wired.
Test.
Decide if WiFi was the cause.

Process of elimination.

 

[n0fx]

Connect same PC that was on WiFi via wired.
Test.
Decide if WiFi was the cause.

Process of elimination.

Yeah, we did that over there. The wired pcs don't have the lag, so we're suspecting the wifi is the problem, that's why I wanted to switch it to a less crowded spectrum, to see if it would help.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for the suggestion. I guess I'll just buy a different wifi card. I totally forgot about that one. I'll just get the Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 Pci card. I was thinking of just getting an Asus RT-N56U router. The router is strictly going to be used an access point, do you think it would be suffice?

the 6300 card requires three antennas. If you only connect two antennas to it, you will get erratic link rates with Three stream routers, I.e. N450, N900 and AC1750 classes.

For two antennas, use the 6200 card.

 

[n0fx]

the 6300 card requires three antennas. If you only connect two antennas to it, you will get erratic link rates with Three stream routers, I.e. N450, N900 and AC1750 classes.

For two antennas, use the 6200 card.

Would if be ok if I bought a separate third antenna? I looked up the specs and I saw the additional antenna, so I bought this one:

http://www.oxfordtec.com/us/wireles...allation-no-need-to-open-the-base-or-lcd.html

It looks like something I can just add in without requiring opening up the LCD to access the internal antennas. I've already ordered it and waiting for my Ultimate-N card to come in to test it.

 

[thiggins]

You could. Personally, I would go with the existing antennas and the 6200 card.

 

[sfx2000]

I was wondering what you guys would recommend in terms of a 802.11a wireless access point/router? It's going to be used for a small office with 5 laptops connected to it. Currently, they have a Sonicwall firewall with the built-in wireless but it's only running at the 2.4GHz frequency. There is atleast 5 other wireless networks that run nearby the office that I currently have the wireless router.

I've been having some lag with the cloud application on the laptops connected via wifi, so I'm thinking it might just be too much congestion on the 2.4GHz frequency and I want to switch it up to the 5GHz band, since it's not as popular (yet). I have two other desktops connected via wired and the cloud application works great with no lag issues (windows taking forever to popup). I'll be also upgrading the laptops wifi PCIE cards to the Intel PRO/540 Mini PCI-E cards, so that it will be able to connect to this new access point.

I'm looking for any good models that might be suffice for this situation. My budget is around $100 to $250. I don't mind spending a little more for something that is more robust and will last for a few years.

Thanks for any help.

ethernet cables are damn cheap - 100BaseT is faster than 802.11n, and lower latency...

Tim