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Upgrade My Router

theblisses
Grafter
Posts: 67
Registered: ‎28-05-2007

Upgrade My Router

Currently I have a Netgear 834G Router/Modem, which has given good service for a number of years (and still is) at 8128 kbps constant speed.  However I need better wireless coverage throughout my house and an therefore looking for a  product which will provide me with a better range.  I would prefer to stay with a Netgear product if possible but the range of Roure/modems on offer is bewildering and some that seemed suitable have been discontinued.  The purchasers' feedback is also confusing as they vary from the ecstatic to the woefull!
My exchange is being upgraded soon to WBC which will also bring ADSL2+ speeds of up to 24Mbps, so my new unit will need to cope with this and any other protocols which are to be introduced.
I would be grateful for any advice and recommendations.
23 REPLIES 23
MrC
Grafter
Posts: 525
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎17-07-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

One thing to bear in mind when upgrading to a new wireless standard (eg 802.11n) is that you may have to upgrade the other devices (PCs, laptops, WHY) in use around the house. This can significantly bump up the cost and, especially for laptops that have built in 802.11b/g, may mean having to have external transceivers (usually USB).
Another option is to keep your existing modem/router, which is likely to work fine with ADSL2+, but use products that enable networking through your existing mains cabling (eg Netgear's Powerline products). Netgear even make a specific kit that accepts ethernet at the router end and provides a 802.11g access point at the other ( http://www.netgear.co.uk/wallplugged_range_extender_wgxb102.php.
theblisses
Grafter
Posts: 67
Registered: ‎28-05-2007

Upgrade My Router

Currently I have a Netgear 834G Router/Modem, which has given good service for a number of years (and still is) at 8128 kbps constant speed.  However I need better wireless coverage throughout my house and an therefore looking for a  product which will provide me with a better range.  I would prefer to stay with a Netgear product if possible but the range of Roure/modems on offer is bewildering and some that seemed suitable have been discontinued.  The purchasers' feedback is also confusing as they vary from the ecstatic to the woefull!
My exchange is being upgraded soon to WBC which will also bring ADSL2+ speeds of up to 24Mbps, so my new unit will need to cope with this and any other protocols which are to be introduced.
I would be grateful for any advice and recommendations.
As a follow-up question how do I turn a word like This into a hyperlink on this forum?
alanf
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,931
Thanks: 78
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎17-10-2007

Re: Upgrade My Router

Sorry I cannot help with the first part of the question.
For the last  part of the question <url=link_address>visible_text</url> but use [ ] instead of <>.
MrC
Grafter
Posts: 525
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎17-07-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

Um, it's generally seen as bad form to post the same question(s) in different forums (as in http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,78634.msg636375.html#msg636375 where I've already replied). A mod may be along in a minute or two to merge the two posts. (Or maybe not Smiley ).
As for your last question just click on the Insert Hyperlink icon (depicted as a world and a folded piece of paper) and then paste the link in between the two url tags that have been placed in your reply.
dvorak
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29,473
Thanks: 6,623
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Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

Moderators Note.
Duplicate posts merged together
Customer / Moderator
If it helped click the thumb
If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
theblisses
Grafter
Posts: 67
Registered: ‎28-05-2007

Re: Upgrade My Router

Please accept my apologies for that.  I was trying to reply to MrC and needed to use a hyperlink and thought I would get a swifter reply from the Community Forum.  Again sorry!
theblisses
Grafter
Posts: 67
Registered: ‎28-05-2007

Re: Upgrade My Router

Thanks alanf for your help; very useful. MrC, thanks for you reply, I did consider this but the number of negative comments put me off. This is what I mean.
Again I am sorry to have breached the etiquette rules; a 72 year old should know better!
dvorak
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 29,473
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Registered: ‎11-01-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

It's OK I wouldn't worry about it Smiley All areas of the forum have good coverage by knowledgeable members and if the posts are all in one place others can see what has gone before.
The broadbandbuyer reviews are just as mixed for that product.
These http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/Shop/Reviews.asp?ProductID=6178 fair a bit better.
I personally have run about 40 feet of CAT5 cable under my carpets to solve my issue.
Customer / Moderator
If it helped click the thumb
If it fixed it click 'This fixed my problem'
MrC
Grafter
Posts: 525
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎17-07-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

Unfortunately there's no real way of knowing whether any solution will work until you plug it in and try it at your house  Undecided
I know if I was going to try to extend a wireless network nowadays I'd be looking at a homeplug solution first as I've known many reports of it working quite successfully at a number of places. Re: the problems reported on the Netgear kit - that looks like a low number of reports for the total number Amazon have probably sold. I don't think I'd be looking at the Netgear kit myself as there's a number of other manufacturers around with similar or better specified products (Solwise and Devolo spring to mind). I thing I'd also be looking at splitting the homeplug and wireless networking parts, ie have two ordinary homeplugs with a separate access point.
However, if you are going for better wireless coverage for your house then, depending on the size, construction and layout of your house, there's a few options:-

  • currently the 'best' current wireless technology is 802.11n dual band. This unfortunately doesn't come cheap, especially if you have to get adapters for the other devices around your house

  • you could try slightly less well specified 802.11n models

  • use Wireless Distribution System (aka WDS) where you extend your wireless network by adding another wireless access point to boost the signal at points where your signal is lowest. Do check though that the WDS solution you look at supports WPA as older devices only supported WEP (unless of course your house is isolated and encryption isn't necessary). You may find that your Netgear DG834 already supports WDS.

  • if WDS isn't possible or too risky to try it might be worth looking into running an ethernet cable from your existing DG834 to a point elsewhere in your house and then add a separate wireless network by adding an access point. Single runs of ethernet cable (cat5e) can be up to 100m in length.


So there's lots of options - the only problem is picking one  Roll_eyes
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Upgrade My Router

has the 802.11n spec been ratified yet, I know not that long ago there were several versions in existence, bit like Betamax and Videotapes
MrC
Grafter
Posts: 525
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎17-07-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

Final 802.11n isn't due to be ratified until early 2010, and will depend on the final draft being issued in about Nov 09. However the Draft-N products are certified by the WiFi Alliance to the v2 draft of 2007 and should interoperate (ho ho).
theblisses
Grafter
Posts: 67
Registered: ‎28-05-2007

Re: Upgrade My Router

Maybe if I clarify my requirements a little it would help.  I have a 4 bedroomed house with 3 reception rooms, one being the study where my computer and router/modem is.; there is a large hallway and landing and many of the walls are solid.  I do not need at present any wireless access in the bedrooms, but the reception in the kitchen and in the lounge ( where the TV is and also the Wii resides together with a wi fi photo frame) is poor and laptops and net books have difficulty in receiving a signal.  I would like to purchase a quality router/modem to extend my range and overcome these problems.
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

Reception in bedrooms can often be better as the signal goes easily through wooden floors from a ground-floor wireless router.
Conversely, it can often be better to put the wireless base on the landing for access from downstairs rooms.  Wink
MrC
Grafter
Posts: 525
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎17-07-2008

Re: Upgrade My Router

Is your router/modem in a central position in the house? If not, can it be moved to a telephone extension that is?
If you don't require wifi access upstairs then another option could be to replace the existing omnidirectional aerial on the Netgear with a higher gain one that will strengthen the signal in the horizontal axis at the expense of that in the vertical axis. This does depend on the aerial in the Netgear being detachable of course  Cheesy This is a cheap option to try, although this only improves transmission from the Netgear to the satellite devices, not vice versa, however it may improve things to an acceptable point.