Time for New Wireless/gigabit router i think, recommendations?

[the_vinman]

Quick detail of current setup
Motorola SB6120
WRT600N Linksys router

Have 4-5 wireless G devices (PC,Tivo,WII, etc)
2-3 Wireless N (PC)
NAS, HDTIVO,1 PC wired into linksys router

I have to bounce the router every day or so else the performance is BAD. I will usualy test around this (via azspeedtest.cox.com)

Download Speed: 65000 kbps (7934.57 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 6623 kbps (827.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Latency: 11 ms

but after day or so sometimes more or less it will drop down to less then 10k
i bounce router and all is fine again for some time. Ive had this router for few years so im thinking prob time for something new as other friends in same area with newer routers (dlink 655) not seeing this problem of having to bounce. So for all that equip what would be best performance and not have be bouncing every day or 2

thx for the help

-Vinman

 

[thiggins]

Are you doing any Torrenting or other heavy use? Could be your ISP targeting you for bandwidth control.

 

[the_vinman]

no torrents, i download via newsgroups sometimes. I pay for top tier so dont think that is an issue. also not sure if they were doing something why bouncing my router makes the problem go away. So any recommendations on new router to meet my needs ?

 

[thiggins]

One way to check is to take the router out of the loop and connect directly to the cable modem.

And, define "bounce", please. soft restart? power cycle? And do you do anything to the cable modem when you "bounce" the router.

If the DIR-655 is working for your friends, why wouldn't it for you?

 

[the_vinman]

ya i unplug it and then plug it back in. I am looking at that 655 one i just have considerably more devices in my house then he does, that is why im asking. no havent bounced modem in awhile. i originally thought was a modem issue, would bounce the modem and router , then thru testing would see that just bouncing router fixed. speed is fine for some time, it just seems to degrade over time. i have hooked directly into modem but i have to many things to just leave it like that for days, i work from home etc

thx

 

[thiggins]

Could be heat related. Is the router in a warm spot or stacked on heat-generating stuff?

The 655 is plenty fast enough. But if both your G and N devices are often active at the same time, you should probably have two routers anyway, one for G and the other for N (unless you're running your N devices on 5 GHz the the G's in 2.4). See Add, Don't Replace When Upgrading to 802.11n

 

[the_vinman]

ya dont think its really hot, its on top shelf in storage/component room, lots of airflow etc. ill look at that other detail, yes i have wife and 3 boys all on computers (g and N) at same time. so how is the best way to get 2 router setup? does that doc cover that? also getting new dlink 655 and using that for N and the hardwired stuff, and then using old linksys WRT600N for G? really just looking to get best performance for everyone

 

[the_vinman]

I just had a thought, really i only have 2 laptops that move around and 2 tivos that are wireless (one is N others are G). The PC in my office is hardlined into port on existing router, along with my NAS, HDtivo. In previous message was discussed the powerline tech? if i could hook up the 3 PC that are used by my kids via that (i guess you have to have hub or switch at one end or another) that might work. so would best bet be to have some kind of hub/switch off of the cable modem, have the hardlined stuff into that, then have the powerline to the other room (with 3 computers) and then wireless access point for the few "real" wireless things tied into hub? or am i making this to complicated. sorry just getting confused

thx for the help

 

[thiggins]

You're better off running Ethernet if you can vs. powerline or wireless. Powerline can be more reliable than wireless, but it's not perfect.

Here are the articles for setting up two wireless routers if you go that way:
How To Convert a Wireless Router into an Access Point
How To Add an Access Point to a Wireless Router

 

[the_vinman]

would love to go ethernet but cant find anyone who can do it , ive made few calls but cant seem to find anyone, who doesnt want a small fortune (in a basement house, older ) If i could find someone locally in AZ would be nice but havent been able to as of yet. ill look at thoe others for setting up

if ya know of anyone in AZ who does it let me know

thx
Vince

 

[thiggins]

If you just need to go to a next room, then drill a hole and run the cable yourself.

You can hire any electrician to fish the cable, then terminate the cables yourself. It's not that hard.

 

[odoketa]

Easy!

I just did this - the electrician wasn't cheap (turns out my house has fireblocks, which they had to drill thru), and it took a bit of explaining to get them to understand that all I needed them to do was run the wire, but now I have hard-wired internet to my HTPC, which was definitely worth the effort!

Terminating the wires is fiddly, but easy - I bought the plugs at some big box hardware store, and it came with a nice color coded key.

 

[the_vinman]

ya i did poke hole in the wall for my main gaming,etc computer (im typing on now) but those other computers are down the hall aways, in my basement. would like to have "pro" run some cable just need to find someone who knows what they are doing and hopefully not cost $$$$$$. i know it was a pain when we did my home theater, lots of big stuff they had to cut thru in ceiling etc. thus why i was thinking that powerline stuff might be good enough to hook in the kids computers down the hall , and use the newer router/gigbit thing to hook into

 

[the_vinman]

also just as thought, what do you recommend for new wireless/gigbit router for my general setup, that dlink 655 or is there something better?

 

[thiggins]

You can try powerline. You'll get 70 Mbps best case if you don't have AFCI breakers. If you do, throughput will be about half. The technology is also sensitive to noise from light dimmers and some motors. If you go this way, stick with HomePlug AV stuff. Don't go for the "HD" or Gigabit adapters. The technology is still on a learning curve.

A better deal would be MoCA adapters if you don't have satellite TV. More reliable bandwidth than powerline.

The DIR-655 should be fine, given that it works for your neighbors.