Wireless router- when do they need replacing?

6,510 Views | 46 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by tfunk02
Dr. Horrible
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I was having similar problems (although at an obviously different scale since I have 75mbps cable) in my living room, since my router is in the office. My ps4, Xbox, phones, etc in the living room would pull maybe 1-2mbps on speed tests. I thought I needed a new router. Instead, I picked up this guy: http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-range-extenders/EX7000.aspx

Loving it so far. Hard wired the game devices to the extender and get 60+ on speed tests regularly now. Phones, iPads, and computers all have better service as well. My guess is that I had a middling router that didn't pair well with weak device antennas, but my middling router pairs well with this, and my devices connect a lot better to this either wired or wirelessly for better overall service.

Just thought I'd share my experience in case it gives you something else to try.
BoerneGator
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AG
Prolly can't hurt, but my iPad is located no more than 20' from the router, and the Chromecast/TV is in between the two! Wondering about trying to plug the Ethernet cable directly into a MacBook and see what would result.
tamusc
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AG
Yeah, it sounds less like a router issue and more like an ISP issue now.
BoerneGator
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AG
quote:
Yeah, it sounds less like a router issue and more like an ISP issue now.
Is it wrong to make the analogy with water pressure/volume? A water main only carries so much water, and with each additional tap, the remaining downstream (from the source) users volume and pressure will diminish accordingly and proportionately. Am I wrong to assume their exists a similar correlation with data streams?
tamusc
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AG
That's not too far off, except in your case it's more like you're feed from the water main to your house is 1/4" (ridiculously small) pipe and then you have 1 1/2" pipe once in your house. Basically the pipes in your house (wifi router) are capable of carrying far more water than the tiny feed line you're getting from the water company (ISP).

BoerneGator
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AG
I'm just trying to understand/rationalize what's "changed" from before, and the ISP/phone company has hinted that development (demand) may have increased since this time last year (when these issues did not exist). It's just frustrating to be limited as I am, with no alternative without relocating. Anywhere I relocate will likely be more remote; not less. Reckon I hafta get used to no more streaming baseball on my TV. Anyone need a hardly used Chromecast?
Dr. Horrible
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Just bought one yesterday.
tamusc
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AG
Yeah, demand in your area increased and likely the ISP hasn't improved anything along with it. You were probably right on the edge before, so it didn't take much to knock it below watchable for you.
Hagen95
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AG
Keeping with your water example:

Your neighborhood is fed with a 2" line and it worked great when you had 2-3 neighbors, but now you likely have 20 neighbors all using water upstream of you and they are robbing your pressure so you get less water.

BoerneGator
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AG
Did you really just try to explain to me my situation using my own example as an illustration? (although you did change it somewhat from a 5" main to a 2" pipe)

I hoped that data supply was more in line with electrical service, wherein everyone has the same 220 volts delivered to their home via a system of booster stations and transformers, never mind the cumulative demand. But I reckon not.
crag
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quote:
If your router is that old, it may not have either 8.02.11g or n.

May as well upgrade to one that has gigabit as well.


I have that router and it supports G, which is 54Mbps.

Its a great router and I stream to 2 phones, a roku and a laptop with no problems whatsoever.

It only takes about 5 Mbps to stream a movie , and thats HD. That router has plenty of bandwidth to spare.
1836er
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AG
Speaking of wifi antenas, are any of them designed to strengthen the incoming signal of network cards integrated into a motherboard on a desktop?

I would just buy a new PCIe network card but I have no availabe slots for it... and I don't want to set up a seperate range extender nor do I want to go with a USB network card. Grrrr, I just want my existing network card to do a better job of pulling in the wifi signal, as all of my other devices get really strong signals and my router is brand new.
tfunk02
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AG
Synology 1900AC Review

Based on this review, I'd go for something other than the Synology. It was #14 out of 16 1900AC routers tested.
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