Need advise on home network setup

[mikeyyve]

Hi guys I have been having some trouble with slow internet connection speeds on my home network and have decided it is time to do some upgrading.

 

Currently we have a Linksys g router ( I know very old) and it is located in the basement. 

 

We have a lot of devices on this network including 3 iPads, 4 iPhones, 4 laptops, 2 gaming desktops, 2 xbox 360s  and 3 bluray players with integrated media hubs for netflix and things of that sort. 

 

I have a few different options. The first is to move the current wireless router up into the middle floor of my house and then run a cat 6 cable to a switch on the second floor to run 4 cables to connect the 2 gaming desktops and consoles. Doing this I would not be able to afford to buy a new router on top of the cost of the cables and the switch. 

 

The second option is to just replace the wireless router with something newer like an Airport Extreme or Time Capsule and put it on the middle floor.

 

To be totally honest I would rather just buy the router and not have to run all these cables especially considering we may be moving those consoles and desktops to another room in the next year. I just do not want to deal with such slow network speeds and I would like to know what you guys think.

 

Should I go with the better wireless router or run wires through the house? What would the speed difference be between something like an Airport Extreme and a wired connection?

[Gorgatron]

You can buy a new router (like the Asus RT-N66U) and probably use it downstairs, then you can install DD-WRT or Tomato on the linksys router and set it up as a bridged repeater which would eliminate then need for 25ft+ long Ethernet cables because you could use the four ports the router has.

[tp95112]

Move the routor cause your going to connect it to your computers and because is going to be closer to your other floors

[mrenusso]

You say you have a slow internet connection, yet you didn't tell us what your broadband speed is. It may simply be slow because you have too many devices connected to the internet at the same time and your internet speed is just used at its maximum. You would have to upgrade your LAN equipment only if you were experiencing slow speeds on your LAN. Might just be time for a plan upgrade, not a modem/router/access point upgrade.

 

EDIT : grammar

[solomongrundy]

Get a newer beefy router a good amount horsepower to run all your devices and replace your LInksys in the basement.  If you find that the signal is not strong enough to reach top floor or whatever, turn your Linksys into a wireless repeater bridge using DDWrt. This is assuming that you have one of those DDWRT capable Linksys routers. This way the newer router can do it's routing and the Linksys will take the wireless signal from that router and redistribute it.

 

 

 

Hi guys I have been having some trouble with slow internet connection speeds on my home network and have decided it is time to do some upgrading.

 

Currently we have a Linksys g router ( I know very old) and it is located in the basement. 

 

We have a lot of devices on this network including 3 iPads, 4 iPhones, 4 laptops, 2 gaming desktops, 2 xbox 360s  and 3 bluray players with integrated media hubs for netflix and things of that sort. 

 

I have a few different options. The first is to move the current wireless router up into the middle floor of my house and then run a cat 6 cable to a switch on the second floor to run 4 cables to connect the 2 gaming desktops and consoles. Doing this I would not be able to afford to buy a new router on top of the cost of the cables and the switch. 

 

The second option is to just replace the wireless router with something newer like an Airport Extreme or Time Capsule and put it on the middle floor.

 

To be totally honest I would rather just buy the router and not have to run all these cables especially considering we may be moving those consoles and desktops to another room in the next year. I just do not want to deal with such slow network speeds and I would like to know what you guys think.

 

Should I go with the better wireless router or run wires through the house? What would the speed difference be between something like an Airport Extreme and a wired connection?

[mikeyyve]

You say you have a slow internet connection, yet you didn't tell us what your broadband speed is. It may simply be slow because you have too many devices connected to the internet at the same time and your internet speed is just used at its maximum. You would have to upgrade your LAN equipment only if you were experiencing slow speeds on your LAN. Might just be time for a plan upgrade, not a modem/router/access point upgrade.

 

EDIT : grammar

My internet plan has an 18 MBPS download speed. Would that be good enough or is an upgrade to something like a 24 MBPS?