best wireless dsl router for this scenario?

smr · 14 Jul 2009 at 20:05

hi all,

my friend is trying to connect wirelessly to his thomson speedtouch *urgh i know* router from his laptop at the opposite end of his house.

I went around to see if my wireless dg834gv4 router was any better but really its not much different

It manages to get 1/2 bars at best.

The router will be about 50ft away and the laptop is 3 rooms away, going through relatively thick walls (old cottage house)...

I was wondering would a Netgear RangeMax N model be any better for this situation?

Thanks.

smids · 15 Jul 2009 at 00:23

It might be, but I doubt significantly better. What you really need is a wireless repeater. A DD-WRT compatible router would be a good bet as this is the setup I have running in my house to extend wireless range to those hard to reach areas. I have the Buffalo WHR-G125 which is a very good router with virtually the same hardware as a Linksys WRT54GL (but an upgraded chipset). This sets up a second SSID. You connect to the repeater which connects to the router. Takes about 10 minutes to setup and I've been running mine for months now (current uptime of 22 days - though this is down to 4 power cuts on the same night, 22 days ago).

On a side issue, speedtouch routers are actually quite good. I generally find them better than Netgear...

smr · 15 Jul 2009 at 12:15

smids said:
It might be, but I doubt significantly better. What you really need is a wireless repeater. A DD-WRT compatible router would be a good bet as this is the setup I have running in my house to extend wireless range to those hard to reach areas. I have the Buffalo WHR-G125 which is a very good router with virtually the same hardware as a Linksys WRT54GL (but an upgraded chipset). This sets up a second SSID. You connect to the repeater which connects to the router. Takes about 10 minutes to setup and I've been running mine for months now (current uptime of 22 days - though this is down to 4 power cuts on the same night, 22 days ago).

On a side issue, speedtouch routers are actually quite good. I generally find them better than Netgear...

Ok, would a netgear repeater work with a belkin router and vice versa?

smids · 15 Jul 2009 at 23:59

Yes, but I'd advise neither. I'd honestly recommend one of the following, which could be flashed with DD-WRT - Linksys WRT54GL or Buffalo WHR-G125 (my preference with the latter - I own both though). You would however need to be comfortable with flashing the router to DD-WRT and making the necessary configuration changes. It's all simple enough and well documented.

smr · 16 Jul 2009 at 12:19

smids said:
Yes, but I'd advise neither. I'd honestly recommend one of the following, which could be flashed with DD-WRT - Linksys WRT54GL or Buffalo WHR-G125 (my preference with the latter - I own both though). You would however need to be comfortable with flashing the router to DD-WRT and making the necessary configuration changes. It's all simple enough and well documented.

Do you mean I should just replace the existing Thomson with either one of these routers and it should have a much stronger signal without a repeater etc.?

tolien · 16 Jul 2009 at 12:34

You'd need to supplement the Thomson with one of those. Neither of them have an ADSL modem.

smr · 16 Jul 2009 at 15:21

tolien said:
You'd need to supplement the Thomson with one of those. Neither of them have an ADSL modem.

Ok thanks,

I'll purchase either one of those.

I have another friend who runs an MOT testing garage and has his house nearby.

He's currently got a Belkin Router in the garage and a Belkin repeater in his house but the repeater doesn't quite extend to one his computers at the rear of the house - if I was to buy another Linksys or Buffalo and replace the Belkin repeater would he get a better signal?

The house is about 100feet away from the MOT garage.

smids · 16 Jul 2009 at 19:13

I doubt there'd be a significant difference. Of the two I suggested, the Buffalo is cheaper and better, in my opinion. Better as it has an upgraded chipset which gives slightly better wireless range and because it can be bought for £23 delivered now if you shop around.

smr · 16 Jul 2009 at 20:03

smids said:
I doubt there'd be a significant difference. Of the two I suggested, the Buffalo is cheaper and better, in my opinion. Better as it has an upgraded chipset which gives slightly better wireless range and because it can be bought for £23 delivered now if you shop around.

ok thanks, would changing the router to a rangemax model with a longer range be any better ?

smids · 16 Jul 2009 at 20:31

Changing which router, the current ADSL router already installed? Do you mean to use this rangemax router with a repeater anyway?

Rangemax is good, undoubtedly, but I cannot say with much assurance that there is a significant difference in wireless performance. I've not had one myself though, so this is very much my own musings...

smr · 16 Jul 2009 at 21:09

smids said:
Changing which router, the current ADSL router already installed? Do you mean to use this rangemax router with a repeater anyway?

Rangemax is good, undoubtedly, but I cannot say with much assurance that there is a significant difference in wireless performance. I've not had one myself though, so this is very much my own musings...

Yeah, change his current Belkin ADSL router with a rangemax one and then use a Buffalo Repeater instead of his existing Belkin repeater...

I can't use Home Plugs as his house is on a different electrical circuit to his MOT garage. Really am perplexed as to what to do

smr · 16 Jul 2009 at 21:22

That's the geography

smids · 16 Jul 2009 at 21:39

It might work to improve the quality of the data 'flow'. Possibly not value for money though. You could also build some wifi directional aerials using foil and a sieve. Google for it. These would boost signal in one direction and may allow for the router to connect to an ethernet bridge (the DD-WRT enabled routers can operate in this mode too, instead of a bridge).