Recommended router and network card for gaming within a shared multi PC network?

[sastusbulbas]

Hi all,

I am thinking of upgrading my old router and getting rid of the old wifi USB adapters.

I see more of the new routers have USB attached storage, and are DLNA certified, which sounds like an easier way to achieve a simplified home network with shared storage and streaming for all devices.

Due to constraints at home, I find wireless more convenient, but my wireless network is in a family home with three PC's plus phones and game devices sharing the wireless void. This can be noticeable if someone is watching Netflix or such while I game.

I currently have an old D-Link router that came from Virgin, and use D-Link USB adapters. The connection is currently 50mb but supposed to be getting the 100mb upgrade,

Are the new 802.11ac routers and PCI-E cards of benefit? How would one of the newer Asus Dual Band Gigabit routers with an Asus AC1750 PCI adapter compete with the new Virgin Super hub?

 

[FatRakoon]

I myself have recently gone Gigabit with my entire network, but in truth, its a complete waste of time for everything other than copying loads of data acrossthe LAN... Gaming etc makes no difference at all, or at least I have not noticed any.

My Hardware/Setup is basically this :-

House Phone socket in kitchen, splitter to phone and then cable through to living room
The cable is exactly 37 feet, hidden in trunking and this goes to my Modem/Router.

Netgear DGN3500 - I do have issues with it and occasionally have to use my DGN1000 ( Flawless after Netgear sent me an experimental firmware )

Port 1 - This is connected to my main PC right next to it.

Port 2 - Empty ( Used to be to my garden shed where the kids could play )

Port 3 - Another cable going to my homeplug
My sons Xbox 360 has another HomePlug where he plays his xbox360
My dzughter did have a 3rd one but that has recently failed so she is now wireless.

Port 4 - Cabled all the way up the stairs and into the LAN Room Switch

The LAN switch ( Netgear 5 port Gigabit )has 3 PCs connected to it, as well as a Linksys 4 port WRT for the lessused PCs.

I have ( when the kids have friends over ) had us all playing UT3 or COD4 and none of us have experienced any form of lag EVER.

My Daughters PC being wireless does of course even though she is N300 ( 150 on the DGN1000 ) and thats absolute rubbish conidering its supposed to be faster than 100 LAN, its clearly not, but its only tremporary until I get another setup, or spare Homeplug

I would not worry about how fast your internet connection is.. im only on 8MB with the post office and like I said, I can have half a dozen of us playing UT, oh and my son playing COD on his xbox360 and we have no issues, so I would say that getting rid of wireless will really be all you need to do.

As for USB on the Router, I have this on the DGN3500 but also I have it on the Linksys WRT610N ( No longer used since getting the DGN3500 ) but I never turn my main PC or my server off and so I have no use for it as the USB drives are never turned off either ( Seagate jobs that seem to be staying nice and cool )

Im waffling so ... tara!