Router for University Dorm/House

[saladcrack]

So I am currently staying in student accommodation at my university (first year) and I payed about $65 for the fastest wifi/internet speed you can get.  Connecting is like hotel wifi where it connects and sends you to a web page and you log in blah blah blah.  Anyway the wifi strength/connection is HORRIBLE.  My iPad can get 2/3 bars most of the time and my phone can barely keep a connection.  My PC is hard wired because in the rooms you get an Ethernet port thank god.  So I am looking at getting a router that can sit nicely on top of my PC (Phanteks EVOLV ITX case) and that has Ethernet ports so I can still hard wire my PC(I know most do but just making sure).  On Amazon they have the best selling router as a TP-LINK TL-WR841N (https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-WR841N-300Mbps-Wireless-Router/dp/B001FWYGJS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1475111784&sr=8-2&keywords=router)  and I think TP-LINK is a good company and makes good products but I don't know because I've never used any of their stuff.  So is this a good high speed router to get or should I spend more on a better one? And which better one should I get? Getting one that costs hundreds of dollars is a maybe because I could save up or ask for it for my b-day or Christmas and I want all that money to be worth it. I do a lot of online gaming in games like Arma 3, GTA, CS:GO and Rocket League so I need a fast stable connection. I also don't know how to setup a router with the password and all that jazz but I can learn or I'll just post on here about it.  And to anybody thinking this is dumb, getting a router for a dorm, at least three people in my flat already have routers and there own wifi setup.  Anyway thanks for whatever help or advice you can provide!

[LukeS]

Ethernet?

[saladcrack]

Just now, LukeS said:

Ethernet?

Yes I have Ethernet but I can't connect my phone or iPad to an Ethernet cable.

[LukeS]

2 minutes ago, Gamessys said:

Yes I have Ethernet but I can't connect my phone or iPad to an Ethernet cable.

can you launch a hotspot? (if you have windows 10)

 

Routers suck. You guarantee lose 40% performance from using one. I've had more connection problems due to people not installing the latest routers, bad latency, etc because of routers than any other type of connection.

Edited September 29, 2016 by LukeS

[asapansh]

http://www.howtogeek.com/214080/how-to-turn-your-windows-pc-into-a-wi-fi-hotspot/

[saladcrack]

1 minute ago, LukeS said:

can you launch a hotspot? (if you have windows 10)

 

Just now, asapansh said:

http://www.howtogeek.com/214080/how-to-turn-your-windows-pc-into-a-wi-fi-hotspot/

But will it work when my PC is shut down?

[LukeS]

Just now, Gamessys said:

 

But will it work when my PC is shut down?

Why would you shut down your PC?

[asapansh]

Just now, Gamessys said:

 

But will it work when my PC is shut down?

 

no

[saladcrack]

Just now, LukeS said:

Why would you shut down your PC?

Uh idk maybe I don't want my PC running when I am sleeping or out for the day?

[saladcrack]

Just now, asapansh said:

no

Yea so that's a problem.

[gtx1060=value]

asus nethawk

[asapansh]

if t-mobile is your carrier for your phone then the cellspot is $99 and is a rebranded  Asus RT-AC68U

https://support.t-mobile.com/community/coverage/personal-cellspot/wi-fi-cellspot-router

[saladcrack]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

asus nethawk

There is no such thing on Amazon.

[gtx1060=value]

what's ur budget

[gtx1060=value]

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1475113600&sr=1-1&keywords=routers

 

sorry got my names mixed up, its this one

[saladcrack]

1 minute ago, asapansh said:

if t-mobile is your carrier for your phone then the cellspot is $99 and is a rebranded  Asus RT-AC68U

https://support.t-mobile.com/community/coverage/personal-cellspot/wi-fi-cellspot-router

I have T-Mobile in the US but I use a different carrier in the UK.  Getting it from Amazon would be the easiest though because there is an Amazon locker in my building.

[LukeS]

What's your ISP? Comcast can give you a free router (I think. You need to push the right buttons). Avoid AT&T, Comcast, and Frontier at all costs though #GoogleFiber(needs to come to the north east). I'd truley avoid routers. But as we've all said, turn your PC into your router. You shouldn't shut down your PC anyway.

[asapansh]

1 minute ago, Gamessys said:

There is no such thing on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6 

this is what he meant

[saladcrack]

1 minute ago, gtx1060=value said:

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1475113600&sr=1-1&keywords=routers

 

sorry got my names mixed up, its this one

Ah ok that looks good.  My budget is kind of variable because right now it's like max $50-75 but if I wait until Christmas it can be like $200 or more depending on how useful my parents think this will be -.-

[saladcrack]

2 minutes ago, LukeS said:

What's your ISP? Comcast can give you a free router (I think. You need to push the right buttons). Avoid AT&T, Comcast, and Frontier at all costs though #GoogleFiber(needs to come to the north east). I'd truley avoid routers. But as we've all said, turn your PC into your router. You shouldn't shut down your PC anyway.

I am going to uni the UK so those companies straight up don't exist over here but why avoid routers?  And why shouldn't I shut down my PC?????

[tt2468]

10 minutes ago, LukeS said:

Routers suck. You guarantee lose 40% performance from using one.

Possibly the most ignorant statement I have seen in months. Am I missing some sort of context?

[LukeS]

Just now, Gamessys said:

I am going to uni the UK so those companies straight up don't exist over here but why avoid routers?  And why shouldn't I shut down my PC?????

Routers are a pain in the bum. Plus you can receive alot of latency, especially if other people near you are using a different wifi (I just had that problem). You lose a significant amount of download speed by having a modem (I lost 60+ MBPS due to using a router).

 

As for not shutting down your PC, it is truley a personal preference. Unless your computer is high risk for overheating, shutting it down is normally optional. The only issue would be if your desktop fans suck in alot of dust. I think LinusTechTips has a video on this topic. I personally don't shut down my laptop; I do hibernate it once in a while though.

[saladcrack]

Just now, tt2468 said:

Possibly the most ignorant statement I have seen in months. Am I missing some sort of context?

No context missed I think but I've got no input on if routers slowing the connection down I thought it was just cause of the shitty router the ISP gives you.

[LukeS]

1 minute ago, tt2468 said:

Possibly the most ignorant statement I have seen in months. Am I missing some sort of context?

Haha I've had a rough year... Forgive my ignorance. I'm taking some college courses online and due to the use of the placement of our router, I was losing performance capabilities. It was significantly annoying. It matters where you live, I guess, and the size of your house/apartment.

[saladcrack]

1 minute ago, LukeS said:

Routers are a pain in the bum. Plus you can receive alot of latency, especially if other people near you are using a different wifi (I just had that problem). You lose a significant amount of download speed by having a modem (I lost 60+ MBPS due to using a router).

 

As for not shutting down your PC, it is truley a personal preference. Unless your computer is high risk for overheating, shutting it down is normally optional. The only issue would be if your desktop fans suck in alot of dust. I think LinusTechTips has a video on this topic. I personally don't shut down my laptop; I do hibernate it once in a while though.

So do you put it to sleep or just leave it going 24/7 which just sounds crazy to me.  And I am just looking for something to plug into an ethernet port that can spit out wifi and can have a pass through for my PC.  I don't care if it's a router or whatever else it could be. I am going to be no more than 6-7 feet away from where it'll be so I am not worried about walls or distance eroding my connection or speed.