What wireless modem to get?

[DarkBlade2117]

We need a wireless modem since time warner charges a $8 rental fee a month. A ton of people are hooked up to this modem and we have another one to have two separate modems but the problem is it doesn't have a cable line to hook up to it. So we need a modem that can hook up to cable. The house is 2650 Sq ft and that's spread out evenly through 3 floors. A basement, the main floor, and the up stairs. It's no cement walls stuff just regular dry wall and plaster. The house is Kindda like a rectangle so on the ends of the house the modem we have barely reaches, 1-2 bars max. Budget... Whatever is cheap but has quality. Cheap as in like hopefully $60-$80. Like I said we have another modem to put for the upstairs.

[The_Doctor7019]

do you already have a wireless router or is the thing that you have from time warner a modem router?

[Oshino Shinobu]

Are you sure you mean modem? Typically, you'll have one modem for the line in (unless you have multiple lines in?) with a router attached to that modem. Unless it's a modem/router combo. 

 

If you're wanting to extend wireless coverage, you're looking for access points (which routers will have built in). 

[Oshino Shinobu]

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Archer-C5-Wireless-Gigabit/dp/B00JZFG6QS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437615104&sr=8-1&keywords=tp-link+archer+c5&pebp=1437615095404&perid=03EPJ0YBAW3ETWK70BDJ  However, you might want an extender like dis http://www.amazon.com/Securifi-Almond-Touchscreen-Wireless-Extender/dp/B0087NZ31S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1437615169&sr=1-1&keywords=almond+extender can get it used in your budget.

That's a router, not a modem. (I think the OP is thinking of routers/access points, but still) 

[Trik'Stari]

Personally, I'd advise against going full wireless, but only because my experience with wireless is absolute shite.

 

Better to just buy an 80ft ethernet cable and run it to a router on the other end of the house from the main modem (I've done it, in this old ass house). Have it be a wireless/wired router if you want (most routers, as far as I know, have wired and wireless options)

[Aniallation]

Are you sure you mean modem? Typically, you'll have one modem for the line in (unless you have multiple lines in?) with a router attached to that modem. Unless it's a modem/router combo. 

There's modems like mine that have wireless built in so yes "wireless modem" would be the combo unit

[Oshino Shinobu]

There's modems like mine that have wireless built in so yes "wireless modem" would be the combo unit

So a modem/router. As far as I know, just pure modems with wireless built in don't exist. 

 

EDIT: The majority of provided ones are modem/router combos. Even though they're actually more than that, as the router isn't actually the wireless part of it and such. Mine was provided by my ISP, and it's very hard to find any modems here in the UK, so you have to use the combo units. So I just use the one my ISP gave me as a modem only and pass through to an ASUS RT AC67U.

[DarkBlade2117]

do you already have a wireless router or is the thing that you have from time warner a modem router?

Are you sure you mean modem? Typically, you'll have one modem for the line in (unless you have multiple lines in?) with a router attached to that modem. Unless it's a modem/router combo.

If you're wanting to extend wireless coverage, you're looking for access points (which routers will have built in).

I feel like a non-techie but I know nothing in this area of tech. The thing we have has a cable line going in for the Internet and phone. We have a DSL cable coming from it going to the house phone and it's got 4 Ethernet ports on it. It may be a router.. It's quite big.

http://www.ubeeinteractive.com/products/cable/voice-gateways/dvw326-wireless-voice-gateway I found it. We get charged $8 a month for this thing @Oshino Shinobu

[Oshino Shinobu]

The second one though is an extender/router.  It can extend his range of the base unit.

True, but it also decreases bandwidth and most of the time will use a separate SSID, which is a pain if you're moving around the house and have to change connection. 

 

If he's just looks to extend coverage, I would just use Access Points around the house, as they can be configured with the same SSID to allow for seamless roaming, as well as not reducing bandwidth, unlike extenders do (unless they take a hardline in). He can either run cables to the Access points, or he can use powerline adapters to essentially do the same thing. He may need to invest in a switch though, most routers will only have 4 ports or so. 

[Mushious]

R8000. No exceptions.

 

http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/R8000.aspx

[Oshino Shinobu]

   I feel like a non-techie but I know nothing in this area of tech. The thing we have has a cable line going in for the Internet and phone. We have a DSL cable coming from it going to the house phone and it's got 4 Ethernet ports on it. It may be a router.. It's quite big.

http://www.ubeeinteractive.com/products/cable/voice-gateways/dvw326-wireless-voice-gateway I found it.

That's essentially a modem/router combo, as well as performing some other functions. 

 

What you'd be looking for is access points if you want to extend your wireless coverage. How easy it is to set up will depend on how your house is wired for Ethernet. The majority of houses don't have ethernet wired up very well (which I don't really understand, I'm getting my house sorted out right now), which means you'll either have to run cables on the outside of the house or through walls, using faceplates where you want the connections to come in, or you can use powerline, which will use the existing wiring to carry ethernet through to adapters. 

 

You may also want to invest in a small Gigabit switch (you can pick up 8 port ones for around $40 or so) as it will allow you more room for connecting devices. 

 

If you're on three floors, I would get two access points, one for the top floor and one for the middle floor. You can set them to the same SSID (just need to know that it's the name of the access point when connecting to it. Having them as the same will enable seamless roaming, so you don't have to manually connect to different ones). 

 

UbiQuiti UniFi would be my recommendation. They're not too pricey, work well and actually don't look ugly, unlike a lot of networking stuff. 

[DarkBlade2117]

@Oshino Shinobu the problem is they wanna charge us $8 a month for this, We have another wireless modem that we can run a Ethernet cable to, already holes in the walls in the basement as we are redoing and we have a hole in the floor from direct Tv a few years back being to lazy. Most of the devices are on the main floor and soon to be basement.

[Oshino Shinobu]

@DarkBlade2117 If you want a replacement for that device, you're going to be looking for a Router/modem combo or a modem and router on their own. 

 

You'll either need a cable or DSL modem (most likely DSL, but you might want to ring your ISP to confirm that is what you need). If you only have a single socket in that carries both the phone and internet signals, then you'll need a DSL filter that splits the signal to a telephone line and a DSL line (RJ11/12 cable). 

 

Here's some DSL modems (some are router combos) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=s9_acss_bw_ct_refTest_ct2_a2?rh=i%3Acomputers%2Cn%3A172282%2Cn%3A541966%2Cn%3A172504%2Cn%3A284715%2Ck%3Amodems%2Cp_n_feature_six_browse-bin%3A6812731011%7C6812728011&ie=UTF8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_r=1CFV4098MWEB4BJP2V69&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2091493642&pf_rd_i=172504

 

And some routers (AC) http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=s9_acss_bw_ct_refTest_ct1_a1?rh=i%3Acomputers%2Cn%3A172282%2Cn%3A!493964%2Cn%3A541966%2Cn%3A300189%2Cp_n_feature_keywords_three_browse-bin%3A8514071011%2Cn%3A!493964%2Cn%3A!493964&bbn=300189&ie=UTF8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_r=1CFV4098MWEB4BJP2V69&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2091493642&pf_rd_i=172504

[Oshino Shinobu]

@Oshino Shinobu the problem is they wanna charge us $8 a month for this, We have another wireless modem that we can run a Ethernet cable to, already holes in the walls in the basement as we are redoing and we have a hole in the floor from direct Tv a few years back being to lazy. Most of the devices are on the main floor and soon to be basement.

Do you know the model of that other device? It may be all you need if it's a router/modem combo. If it has wireless, it will definitely be a router something, but may not be a modem. 

[DarkBlade2117]

Do you know the model of that other device? It may be all you need if it's a router/modem combo. If it has wireless, it will definitely be a router something, but may not be a modem.

http://www.timewarnercable.com/en/support/internet/topics/buy-your-modem.html Is a list of tested and approve ones, My grandparents don't wanna pay the rental fee they've got with the modem. I will add a access point to somewhere in the basement and run a Ethernet cable to the spare modem we've got for the basement then add access point. Some things will be Ethernet like my PC but I'll also have a ps4 in my room to use as a blue ray player and playing with console friends. Also it runs through cable not DSL, I can get pictures tommorow but my grandmas sleeping.

How do these access points work as I'll also have my Lumia 735 and .ipad 2 in the room.

[Oshino Shinobu]

http://www.timewarnercable.com/en/support/internet/topics/buy-your-modem.html Is a list of tested and approve ones, My grandparents don't wanna pay the rental fee they've got with the modem. I will add a access point to somewhere in the basement and run a Ethernet cable to the spare modem we've got for the basement then add access point. Some things will be Ethernet like my PC but I'll also have a ps4 in my room to use as a blue ray player and playing with console friends. Also it runs through cable not DSL, I can get pictures tommorow but my grandmas sleeping.

How do these access points work as I'll also have my Lumia 735 and .ipad 2 in the room.

You'll need a cable modem in that case. Amazon has quite a few. I would advise going for one of the supported 300Mbps models, even if your current line doesn't go that fast. 

 

You'll then need to plug in a router to the modem. If this is going in the basement, then you will not need an access point down there (unless it's a very large basement). Instead, an access point on the floor where most wireless devices are is a good idea. Access Points provide a Wifi signal, but they must be connected to the router in order to actually connect to the internet and basically function at all. 

 

Access Points are actually what a router will use in order to create a network for WiFi devices to connect to. The router itself just performs the routing functions, along with an access point for wireless. 

 

Basically, it will go like this:

 

1 Modem that will connect to the line in

1 router which will connect to the modem

n Access points, which will be connected to the router. How many you'll need will depend on how strong the signal is from the router. You want to put them in places where the signal either drops out, or is very weak. They do need a wire that runs back to the router, so placing them far away either requires cabling to where they need to go, or powerline adapters. 

[DarkBlade2117]

@Oshino Shinobu it's late at night, I'll come back with a few pictures tommorow to try and explain what I think I might end up doing since I don't wanna wake my grandma up.

[Oshino Shinobu]

@Oshino Shinobu it's late at night, I'll come back with a few pictures tommorow to try and explain what I think I might end up doing since I don't wanna wake my grandma up.

Pfff, late?

 

It's 4AM and I'm writing reports on the Distribution of User Rights and account management

[DarkBlade2117]

Pfff, late?

 

It's 4AM and I'm writing reports on the Distribution of User Rights and account management

well it isn't late to me but I don't wanna be roaming around the house while everyone sleeps taking pictures lol

[DarkBlade2117]

@Oshino Shinobu I was unable to get pictures as the camera on my tablet sucks. So my plan is to get another modem/router and hook it up. We have a wireless modem that we used to have for DSL and if I hook a Ethernet cord up to that we can use that in the basement for my cousin who has a ps4, Xbox, and soon to be budget PC for a few games. So I could run a Ethernet cable from that wireless modem to the acces point for where my room will be.

Is the access point extending the wireless coverage or will it be like a little modem for wifi in my room that I connect to separately? Idoesn't matter eather way.

[Oshino Shinobu]

@Oshino Shinobu I was unable to get pictures as the camera on my tablet sucks. So my plan is to get another modem/router and hook it up. We have a wireless modem that we used to have for DSL and if I hook a Ethernet cord up to that we can use that in the basement for my cousin who has a ps4, Xbox, and soon to be budget PC for a few games. So I could run a Ethernet cable from that wireless modem to the acces point for where my room will be.

Is the access point extending the wireless coverage or will it be like a little modem for wifi in my room that I connect to separately? Idoesn't matter eather way.

A modem is what converts the line in to a digital signal that can be used with PCs, I think you may be confusing it with a router. You should only have one modem on your network, which will be connected to the line in.

 

An access point can be set up to both extend the signal by using the same SSID as your router (basically, the same name as your current WiFi) or a separate signal if you use a different SSID. 

[DarkBlade2117]

A modem is what converts the line in to a digital signal that can be used with PCs, I think you may be confusing it with a router. You should only have one modem on your network, which will be connected to the line in.

 

An access point can be set up to both extend the signal by using the same SSID as your router (basically, the same name as your current WiFi) or a separate signal if you use a different SSID.

Ohh my bad. What are some acess points you suggest? We will use it to just extend the coverage also. So basically we gotta run Ethernet cords to them right and it's pretty self explanatory to setup. I'll need some Ethernet cords also.. Some pretty long ones. Ones that like 75 feet and another that's around 25 feet. I don't know if this exist but is there something that we can use so we don't have to run a Ethernet cord to everything? Something's like my PC, the ps4, and a few other devices I want hooked up to Ethernet. Obviously still gonna run one to the access point.