Routers & Other Networking Stuff

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Jysin

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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There's a lot of settings i have no idea on, i did learn how to create a separate wireless SSID "WHOLEFOODSSUCKSYOUFAGGOTS", cuz i live right across from wholefoods and i could still see my SSIDS from their cafe, that's about the only thing i learned to do, other than that, all plug in play.
Some routers allow you to adjust the broadcast power of your WiFi. You could try and lower it so you aren't broadcasting as far as the caf?.
 

Deathwing

<Bronze Donator>
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Or, just tell it not to broadcast the SSID. You'll have to tell guests the SSID and the password, but whatever.
 

Lanx

<Prior Amod>
67,764
155,683
So, ran out of ports on my router(2x NAS, 1 computer, 2x Shields, maybe more to come). I assume I need to buy a switch, something like this?

8 Port 10/100/1000 Mbps Desktop Gigabit Ethernet Switch - Monoprice.com

Any recommendations besides monoprice that might be in stock in the next month?
i have this trendnet 4port switch, i'm guessing you want the 8port? or more, nice thing about it, is it's green, so whatever ports are unused or no activity, it doesn't use power.
Amazon.com: TRENDnet 8-Port Unmanaged Gigabit GREENnet Desktop Metal Housing Switch, TEG-S80g: Electronics

nearly perfect reviews.
 

Jysin

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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So, ran out of ports on my router(2x NAS, 1 computer, 2x Shields, maybe more to come). I assume I need to buy a switch, something like this?

8 Port 10/100/1000 Mbps Desktop Gigabit Ethernet Switch - Monoprice.com

Any recommendations besides monoprice that might be in stock in the next month?
Yep, you can just plug a switch in for more ports. Hell, I have a switch hanging off of another switch on my network. I think I am up to about a dozen hardwired LAN connections in my house.
 

ShakyJake

<Donor>
8,047
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I'm moving into a new home and need recommendations for wireless equipment.

Up to this point I've been mostly wired. I currently use a cheap wireless router to support my Chromecast and an old ass Nexus 7, and it's been sufficient for that. However, the office area in my new home does not have RJ45 or coaxial jacks, so I'll need to have the equipment (i.e. desktop computers) in that room on a wireless connection.

I'll probably go with Comcast Blast service (up to ~100Mbps). What is recommended for a wireless router that is both reliable and able to support speeds in that range? I'd also appreciate recommendations for wireless cards for the desktop computers. One runs Windows 10 and the other is the Plex server that runs on Linux Mint Debian.
 

Friday

Lord Nagafen Raider
870
104
I moved to a new area in Texas. My ISP is Grande Communications and I'm paying something like $50/month for 200/20 internet service. On 5 GHz wifi I was getting 209Mb down.

I love it.
 

jeydax

Death and Taxes
1,416
941
So, ran out of ports on my router(2x NAS, 1 computer, 2x Shields, maybe more to come). I assume I need to buy a switch, something like this?

8 Port 10/100/1000 Mbps Desktop Gigabit Ethernet Switch - Monoprice.com

Any recommendations besides monoprice that might be in stock in the next month?
Amazon.com: NETGEAR ProSAFE GS116NA 16-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch (GS116NA): Electronics

It took me about 2 days (mostly cause I didn't have the right tools) but I just ran a 200 ft Cat6 cable through the guts of my house to get this 16 port switch setup for my TV/AVR/Comcast/etc center. I bought an 8-port (TP-Link) version that should be arriving in a few days just in case I wanted a couple extra slots. So far I've had zero issues. Plug an ethernet cord from the router into the switch, plug anything else into the switch and *poof* instaconnection.

Pretty nice seeing the devices go from 50~ mbps on wireless to 175 mbps hardwired through the switch. Aww yeahhhh.
 

Nester

Vyemm Raider
4,987
3,185
So I got a Lynksys ac 1900 for $100 at a charity auction, they said it was worth $280 so seamed like a deal considering my old router is 5 years old and I had 3 wifi devices back then time for an upgrade.

So I set this thing up and am playing with the 5ghz. Do I understand this correctly the 5ghz is like an hov lane on the highway, dedicated traffic so less congestion?

I have the following

Iphone x2
Ipadx2
PS3
Ps4
Wiiu
3ds
Blueray
Smart tvx2
Steam link
PS TV
Roku2

Thinking of just putting the iPads on 5ghz as the get by far the most twice use, maybe the roku.

Am I doing it right?
 

brekk

Dancing Dino Superstar
<Bronze Donator>
2,196
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Higher frequency has worse penetration, 2.4ghz will actually be better. The advantage of 5ghz is when 2.4ghz is saturated. Either by too many devices on your own connection, or if it's located in a building/area with other competing wirelesses, like an apartment building.

Where is your modem/router now? I've found it most effective to place them with your TV entertainment electronics (already has a coax line) and hard wire those especially devices used for streaming. Phones and consoles (unless mid game download) will have very low demands for bandwidth wireless or not.
 

jeydax

Death and Taxes
1,416
941
Yeah what brekk said wasn'tentirelytrue (the advantage of the 5 Ghz band is in the increase of speed/throughput, regardless if 2.4 ghz is saturated or not).... buuuttt I'm too lazy to write a full explanation. I spent the better part of the last couple days setting up my network with a new router and using my old router as an accesspoint.

Nester start here:

First get something similar toWifi Analyzeron your phone. Check which channels in the 2.4 GHz are best for your home. Most routers are going to default to 6, so I'm guessing that may be the most crowded. If it is, then pick between the better of channel 1 or 11 (those may be crowded as well because some routers nowadays will automagically pick the best channel which is normally 1 or 11).

Do the same thing for the 5 GHz band but this will generally not be as crowded - I'd recommend the higher channels 149-161.

Set your 2.4 GHz band wireless so that it is ONLY using the 20 MHz bandwidth channel only. Set your 5 GHz to 40 MHz (or higher if you have that option). As far as what should connect to what, run some tests. My guess is with that router, unless you're way the fuck outside, the 5 GHz band is going to give you a faster connection than the 2.4 GHz. So set up everything you can to connect to the 5 GHz, if something ain't right, switch it over to 2.4 GHz.
 

Crone

Bronze Baronet of the Realm
9,714
3,211
After a few days with my new router (Amazon.com: ASUS RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router: Computers Accessories) I must say I love it. While I didn't buy mine that long ago, I didn't realize my old D-Link router was new all the way back in 2007. Feels good to upgrade!

Not much of a range increase on the 2.4ghz band, but my PC can now max out my Internet connection using the 5ghz band. Also, torrents isn't causing the router to shit itself constantly. All good things!
 

jeydax

Death and Taxes
1,416
941
^ Love that router. That is my "old" one. The only reason I got a new one was... well I'm an idiot and I like tech. Here's my new setup - I have about 20 open wired ports to fill on my network yet. I have way too much time on my hands and can't sleep right now. Also glad I don't make these things for a living, this one looks like shit but shows my network setup.

It is pretty fucking awesome that my phone and my wife's phone will switch between the access point depending on which one has the better signal at our location.

Edit: Just realized I don't show this correctly. The RT-N66U is actually connected to the Netgear switch, not directly through the old router. Oh well.

rrr_img_117539.jpg
 

Deathwing

<Bronze Donator>
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8,087
Lol, I'm such an idiot. I totally forgot I could just buy another switch instead of running many many more feet of cable. Oh well, it's already done. Though, a switch just for 2-3 devices does seem a bit overkillish.

Why cat6 instead of cat5e? By the time 10GbE becomes a standard AND feasible, cat7 will likely be really cheap. Also, I want say I read somewhere that cat6 was basically being passed over for cat7. But I'm not sure on that.
 

Jysin

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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...Why cat6 instead of cat5e? By the time 10GbE becomes a standard AND feasible, cat7 will likely be really cheap. Also, I want say I read somewhere that cat6 was basically being passed over for cat7. But I'm not sure on that.
Wouldn't say CAT6 is being "passed over", it has been out over a decade and used for many years now.
 

Deathwing

<Bronze Donator>
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Hmmm, looking at the price difference between cat5e and cat6, I'm not sure why I didn't just buy a box of bulk cat6 instead. I swear it was more than just an extra $25 per 1kft. Oh well, going to be fun rerunning this shit when 10GbE becomes necessary. Or maybe the next owner can deal with it, just like I dealt with removing the previous owner's retarded coax.