Wireless signal strength
KSagal
Enthusiast - Level 1

My office and router is in my office on the 2d floor, south east corner of my home.  My son has fairly well started using our guest room as a game room (as he is 13, and we will not allow him gameing in his bedroom).  The guest room is in the northwest corner of the 1st floor.

Signal strength from the Verizion wireless router in my office is weak (too weak) in that room.  My phone does not loose signal, but a computer or his PS3 does not have the strength.  In the past, I ran a long cable to that room for his PS3, but he just got a new gaming computer, and we do not want to wire it.  

I own a good netgear router (Dual band N).  Can I replace the verizon router with this better one, or use my router as a booster in this guest room, with the already run wire?

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Re: Wireless signal strength
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

I'd suggest wiring a gaming desktop and a PS3. Most gamers prefer Wired over Wireless. If they find out what Steam is, expect the Wireless to get destroyed whenver a game is being downloaded/updated. I'm a PC gamer myself, so this isn't coming out of thin air. 🙂

Otherwise, use the existing Wired connection nearby to connect up that router in an "Access Point/Switch" setup if you have FiOS TV as well. Otherwise, yes you can replace the ActionTec router (you will need an CAT5e connection from the ONT) with your own. See this guide for more info: https://secure.dslreports.com/faq/16077

Be sure when you set up your router, that the 2.4Ghz band is using a channel the ActionTec is not using. The ActionTec will show you in the Wireless Status pages what it is using. You'll want to pick from Channels 1, 6, or 11 ideally. Overlapping can be used, but in more extreme circumstances. I would also avoid using 20/40Mhz "Auto" mode aka "Up to 300Mbps/450Mbps" on 2.4Ghz as due to noise, this can actually HURT your Wi-Fi more than improve the speed. For 5Ghz, leave it to defaults.

Re: Wireless signal strength
KSagal
Enthusiast - Level 1

Thank you Smith... for your response.  I am still digesting the data, but it sounds very good.

You gain credibility with your Steam comment, as it was one of the first things he tried with his new computer, as it was the breaking point of trying to use his mother's laptop on my wireless network, as it did cause havoc.

We were doing fine with setting up his new computer on my existing wireless network, till he tried to fire up the steam game again, and bingo!  we started getting issues that prompted me to make the post.

I think I may use my existing wire to set up the wired local hub in that room, instead of redoing the whole house.  

Thanks for the advice.  Like I said, I am still digesting it, and will hit that link to explore farther.

Thanks again.

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Re: Wireless signal strength
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

You're welcome. If you find with the Wired connection, Steam slows the entire FiOS connection down a little bit while downloading, that is expected as Steam uses servers very close to the "last mile" and also multithreads downloads. If it becomes unbearable, which it shouldn't since the downloads should finish up quickly on FiOS rather than take a whole day as it does for me (I'm on DSL, 5Mbps), Steam has a built-in rate limiter that can be used to control the download. I've got  a few folks here besides myself who also use Steam, and on top of all of the YouTube HD, Ventrilo, video and gaming traffic, bandwidth gets pretty tight here. Can't wait until FiOS shows up here.

Here's where the rate limiting deal is. Like I said, FiOS should download stuff fast enough to not have to use it. It's intended more for slow connections.

image

Let us know if you need any further help.

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Re: Wireless signal strength
KSagal
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have a wire going to that room, and it works.  I was looking for a wireless solution, but so be it.  The wire does work, but I need to splt the access between the gaming laptop and the ps3 he has.  He does not use both at the same time, but I want to put some sort of splitter or a/b switch in.

I tried using a router hub that I had, but it acted like a separate wireless LAN so I will need a different hub.

Other than that, I'm good.  Thanks for the advice.

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Re: Wireless signal strength
sezwhut
Newbie

I too have a similar situation, my router is in the back corner of my house, and I find the sinal strength in the front of the house weak. Is there a way to add an antenna or access point where I can boost the signal?

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Re: Wireless signal strength
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

@KSagal wrote:

I have a wire going to that room, and it works.  I was looking for a wireless solution, but so be it.  The wire does work, but I need to splt the access between the gaming laptop and the ps3 he has.  He does not use both at the same time, but I want to put some sort of splitter or a/b switch in.

I tried using a router hub that I had, but it acted like a separate wireless LAN so I will need a different hub.

Other than that, I'm good.  Thanks for the advice.


The router can be set up as a network switch. You just have to disable all routing functions, and also disable services such as DHCP and UPnP on the router. It can still be used as an additional Wireless access point if need be. The trick is, you must also connect this router to the primary router using one of the LAN ports. If you use the Internet/WAN port on your router, that's where you create the separate network effect.

But that would be the best solution in this case rather than Wireless. Gives everyone the best of both worlds (something you can do easily with existing equipment, and something that will give the gamer a reliable, and fast connection) despite the lack of convenience of Wireless.