Let me know if this is a wortwhile upgrade:

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Fully [H]
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Sep 28, 2007
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Current network setup is Netgear WGR614 wireless router for the main PC on the second floor.

Two floors down away from it is a second PC running on Netgear's matching USB adapter: http://www.netgear.com/Products/Adapters/GWirelessAdapters/WG121.aspx

^^ The PC that's reliant on that adapter gets mediocre performance, at best. The Netgear isn't a bad router all told but I'd like better performance, range, and security. All I've got right now is old WEP and nothing else.

I'm thinking of going with the either the Dlink 655 or waiting for the 855 as my wireless router and using one of their PCI DWA 522's for the PC two floors down and, if necessary, helping that second PC out with one of their ANT 24-0230 antennas for a boost.

Does this sound like a good plan, overkill, or what?

All advice appreciated. :)
 
i'd see if ur current router can be flashed with dd-wrt.

then buy another one and flash, and bridge the routers and up the xmit power, then run the wire to the desktop.
 
marley1 said:
i'd see if ur current router can be flashed with dd-wrt.
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Doesn't look like it.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21610&highlight=wgr614

^^ That guy's thread has been sitting there for 8 days as of now and no one's touched it.

That speaks for itself that it's probably a no-go. The WGR614 isn't listed anywhere in any of their documentation.





then buy another one and flash, and bridge the routers and up the xmit power, then run the wire to the desktop.
Click to expand...


^^ Good concept, but I think dd-wrt is a no-go here for me with this particular router.
 
then id just buy 2 buffalo hp-g54 which will be cheaper then one of the draft ns. dd-wrt em and bridge.

i've been doing this on many installs and its great
 
marley1 said:
then id just buy 2 buffalo hp-g54 which will be cheaper then one of the draft ns. dd-wrt em and bridge.

i've been doing this on many installs and its great
Click to expand...

Pardon my noobishness on this, but:

How would I setup what you're talking about here? I've never set up a a bridge like what you're referring to. You have two PCs seperated by two floors. The first PC would be hard wired into the main router like what I have now. Where would your second router come into play?

Thanks. :)

I also notice that no one so far has really glowingly endorsed the idea of going wireless n.

If cost weren't a serious issue would wireless n be better than what you are suggesting or basically a wash for the most part?
 
in dd-wrt its pretty damn easy. you make one router the main router make it 192.168.1.1 and then you grab the second router make it 192.168.1.2

on both of them go to WDS and copy teh mac address down of each.

on the main router just go to WDS do Lan and type in mac addy of the 192.168.1.2

on the second router, disable dhcp and pase in mac addy of the 192.168.1.1

make wireless settings the same (same ssid, channel, and password).

crank up xmit power on both.

now see what the signal is like in that room or just move the access point somewhere else in teh house, and it can be a middle point between the 2nd and 1st floor.
 
yeah dd-wrt is pimp i like running it and cranking up xmit to gain a litlte distance.

but it should give you stronger signal to that computer downstairs, and extend ur wireless range.
 
This is definitely an idea I'll consider seriously. :)

I've read and heard a lot of things about USB adapters like what I'm using on that second PC simply not being that good, in general.

If that USB adapter is kind of a "bottleneck", should I maybe make that thing my primary target instead?
 
Without knowing the composition of your building, interference sources, etc. it's hard to say whether or not buying an N router+adapter would solve the problem you're experiencing. Speaking only of the specs, getting an N router+adapter would theoretically offer you better range. That said, I do think that your current adapter is somewhat of a bottleneck in that it only has one antenna rather than diversity support.

You could try grabbing a Buffalo WHR-HP-54G and flashing it with DD-WRT and using it as a repeater - that would solve the issue for the moment but adds complexity to the design. Up to you - if you can get the DIR-655 and adapter locally and return it if it doesn't improve your situation, go for it.
 
Orinthical said:
Without knowing the composition of your building, interference sources, etc. it's hard to say whether or not buying an N router+adapter would solve the problem you're experiencing.
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The short answer is: A good two floors' worth of wood, electrical, probably some concrete. Lots of distance. Lots of obstacles. ;)


Speaking only of the specs, getting an N router+adapter would theoretically offer you better range. That said, I do think that your current adapter is somewhat of a bottleneck in that it only has one antenna rather than diversity support.

You could try grabbing a Buffalo WHR-HP-54G and flashing it with DD-WRT and using it as a repeater - that would solve the issue for the moment but adds complexity to the design. Up to you - if you can get the DIR-655 and adapter locally and return it if it doesn't improve your situation, go for it.
Click to expand...

We shall see. I think I can. Clearly getting away from that bottleneck adapter is part of whatever answer happens here. The repeater idea is really good, but it still means that bottlenecked USB adapter is in play anyways, if I understand all of this correctly? EDIT: Clarified. Answer is no.

Definitely some great advice in this thread! :)
 
if u use the repeater, that actually acts are ur wireless point for the computer.

u just run a cat5 line from the 2nd router to the computer. the benefits are that with dd-wrt you can crank up teh xmit and 2 routers talking to each other should be stronger then just a wireless point + usb key
 
marley1 said:
if u use the repeater, that actually acts are ur wireless point for the computer.

u just run a cat5 line from the 2nd router to the computer. the benefits are that with dd-wrt you can crank up teh xmit and 2 routers talking to each other should be stronger then just a wireless point + usb key
Click to expand...

Alright, thanks for that clarification. :)
 
Some deliberate thread necromancy here. I'm essentially in the same boat that I was when I originally put this thread up. There have been some changes in the networking scene since all of this was posted and talked about.

Basically, it's the still very first Netgear WGR614 with its companion USB adapter in use and I'm ready for an appreciable upgrade across the boards. Pretty much everything discussed in this thread on my end is still the same.

I'm just curious to see if any folks' ideas or recommendations have changed much since all of this. Thanks! :)
 
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