Time to upgrade router?

[I am an SSD]

I am getting -60dB at my desk where everything (including my PC and phone) relies on the wireless connection and there is no way I can use wired. 

 

The connection throttles down to just 20% at times while it maintains 100% most of the time. 

i also use to for streaming (only on LAN) and i have seen that scrubbing in video and things like that is sometimes sluggish. 

 

I am 5 ft away from the router but there is a concrete wall separating it from my devices and the router. The router is a Linksys E1000 if that helps. 

 

Is it time to change my router (its 5 yrs old) ? Can they drop signal strength over time? Or is it just because of its poor placement?

 

 

[Supersahen]

Use something like wifi analyzer on android to see if there is other wifi networks fighting for the same channel and change to free channel if so, although it probably is just poor placement.

[I am an SSD]

Just now, Supersahen said:

Use something like wifi analyzer on android to see if there is other wifi networks fighting for the same channel, although it probably is just poor placement.

I checked...and while there are a fair no. of networks, it should be pretty standard ...i live in an apartment complex

[paddy-stone]

If you can't drill through the wall, or pass it through the ceiling/under the floor, then next best IMO is to get homeplugs of some kind, iI have some 1200Mbps ones that are pretty great and cost around £80 for the pair.

I think that if you go with another wifi router/access point you'll only be disappointed again after a while.

[I am an SSD]

Just now, paddy-stone said:

If you can't drill through the wall, or pass it through the ceiling/under the floor, then next best IMO is to get homeplugs of some kind, iI have some 1200Mbps ones that are pretty great and cost around £80 for the pair.

I think that if you go with another wifi router/access point you'll only be disappointed again after a while.

Its a rented apartment, cant do anything like that  

 

what about repeaters? that should help yes?

[paddy-stone]

1 hour ago, I am an SSD said:

Its a rented apartment, cant do anything like that  

 

what about repeaters? that should help yes?

You can't use homeplugs/powerline?

 

Repeaters aren't great in my experience.

 

[Omon_Ra]

3 minutes ago, I am an SSD said:

I checked...and while there are a fair no. of networks, it should be pretty standard ...i live in an apartment complex

? I'm not sure you understand what @Supersahen is saying. Say you're using the 2.4 ghz band, and everyone one of your neighbors are using the 2.4 ghz band (which they probably are) you're going to have a lot more interference. Within the 2.4 ghz band though, there are channels from 2.412ghz to 2.462ghz (1-11...this one goes to 11!) which, one or several of them may have less traffic. Same goes for 5ghz, but there are just more channels. You do get more bandwidth through 5ghz, but it also doesn't cover as much area nor travel through walls as well, so 2.4ghz may be best for your situation. But @paddy-stone did make a good point in trying to get some PowerLine adapters to help your issues. Depending on where your repeater/AP would be, that could work as well too.

[I am an SSD]

Just now, Omon_Ra said:

? I'm not sure you understand what @Supersahen is saying. Say you're using the 2.4 ghz band, and everyone one of your neighbors are using the 2.4 ghz band (which they probably are) you're going to have a lot more interference. Within the 2.4 ghz band though, there are channels from 2.412ghz to 2.462ghz (1-11...this one goes to 11!) which, one or several of them may have less traffic. Same goes for 5ghz, but there are just more channels. You do get more bandwidth through 5ghz, but it also doesn't cover as much area nor travel through walls as well, so 2.4ghz may be best for your situation. But @paddy-stone did make a good point in trying to get some PowerLine adapters to help your issues. Depending on where your repeater/AP would be, that could work as well too.

I understood what he said...but since its an apartment complex, I cannot expect anything better with the 2.4 band really...

 

I checked the 5 Ghz band and there is much less interference there...but that would mean I have to get another router yeah? + I dont know really...as you said it doesnt travel through walls as much, it would have little to no effect....

 

As for powerline, I dont have any mains sockets free...and apparently i cannot plug it into an extension if I want maximum benefit from it...

Also power line wouldnt help for my exclusively wireless devices would it?

[Omon_Ra]

2 minutes ago, I am an SSD said:

I checked the 5 Ghz band and there is much less interference there...but that would mean I have to get another router yeah? + I dont know really...as you said it doesnt travel through walls as much, it would have little to no effect....

 

As for powerline, I dont have any mains sockets free...and apparently i cannot plug it into an extension if I want maximum benefit from it...

Also power line wouldnt help for my exclusively wireless devices would it?

Yeah, and your devices need to be able to support it as well (most do now). You still may want a new router. Newer ones probably have better and stronger antenna arrays and also 5ghz support, should it work in your apartment. I've heard good things about Ubiquiti's AP's (http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Enterprise-AP-Unifi/dp/B00HXT8R2O), though I personally haven't used them. It sounds like that may be the way for you to go.

[I am an SSD]

Just now, Omon_Ra said:

Yeah, and your devices need to be able to support it as well (most do now). You still may want a new router. Newer ones probably have better and stronger antenna arrays and also 5ghz support, should it work in your apartment. I've heard good things about Ubiquiti's AP's (http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Enterprise-AP-Unifi/dp/B00HXT8R2O), though I personally haven't used them. It sounds like that may be the way for you to go.

Alright thanks for the help