I am planning to hook up my Router to my Mac across the wall, so in that case would I use Cat5e or Cat6? I am also wondering what is the difference between the MI424WR Rev. E and the new FIOS Advance Router?
Cat5e is good for 1Gbps max. Cat6 will do 10Gbps. If you're pulling cable through walls, Cat6 will be more "future proof," however Cat5e has plenty of life left. Google "cat5 vs cat6" for tons of info.
The "advanced router" has 1Gbps wired Ethernet ports while the older router is 100Mbps only. The new router has 802.11n vs. 802.11g on the old router. There are some other improvements, but these two are the big differences for most users.
Have Fun.
I forgot to mention that I would be using Steam In Home Streaming. Currently frames are getting cut off using wireless, but if I use the Advance Fios Router or Cat6 will it help?
The Actiontec rev I (the "advanced" router) runs at 1Gbps. Cat5e and Cat6 will both work the same with this router. Cat6 provides an upgrade path if you think a 10Gbps Ethernet network is in your future. It provides no difference in performance or operation at 1Gbps. For most people, Cat5e is fine.
802.11n runs faster than 802.11g (130Mbps vs. 54Mbps), however in my experience the range is lower with the Actiontec rev I. It may work better for you, but there is no way to tell in advance due to all the variables the effect WiFi performance. A wired connection will give you the best performance.
Note that a 100Mbps Ethernet connection is faster than most speed tiers on FiOS. Unless you have a service above 100Mbps, you don't need a 1Gbps Ethernet to get all the speed out of your internet connection. 1Gbps is helpful if you are going to be sharing lots of data between devices in your home, but does little for the link to the internet. In short, if you're concerned about internet connection speeds, the old 100Mbps router is quite fast when using wired Ethernet.
Have Fun.
Other users have hit the main points.
Only thing I'd add is that by and large you are better off buying a new 3rd party router than buying a new Actiontec from Verizon. You can just hook up your 2nd router behind the Actiontec you already have and set the new one up in access point mode (look up how to do so in the manual). If your Actiontec is hooked up to the Verizon ONT (big box) via ethernet, you can just replace it. Just make sure you either turn off the WiFi on the Actiontec or use far away channels.
Aciontec Rev. I "Advanced Router" isn't the worst router out there, but my experience and general consensus, is that for your money you can do better. You can get dual band router which gives you the option of using the 5ghz band, less range but faster, and still leaves the regular band for when you need the range. In raw range, I think most routers also preform better.
There are a ton of routers, but to name 2 (one slightly pricer and one slightly cheaper than the Actiontec): Asus RT-N56U and ASUS RT-N66U.
FYI: If you are seeing slow speeds on a wired connection with Cat5e, your problem is something other than your router/cable. A wired cat5e connection to the Rev E should be plenty fast.
@quangvu wrote:I am planning to hook up my Router to my Mac across the wall, so in that case would I use Cat5e or Cat6? I am also wondering what is the difference between the MI424WR Rev. E and the new FIOS Advance Router?
You can use regular old cat 5 up to 100 metre runs (330 feet). It has always been rated fot gigabit. I have runs in this house up to a couple of hundred of feet and have no issues.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
