WiFi on new build...

Belisarius

Belisarius

Belisarius

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Joined
27 Aug 2007
Posts
207
Location
Whitley Bay
My new PC arrived today. All rather spiffing bar one thing. No WiFi card installed. It was on the original list but despite my looking at the order pdf I didn't spot it was missing!

I have an ancient USB dongle that has managed to get me up and running and a BrosTrend AC650 which also works but is rubbish... I only get 10mbits max out of it... The older dongle gets to 1.5 but is still rubbish... So thought I'd ask about options here. My phone on the same WiFi connection gets about 30mbits on a broadband speed test compared to the 10 or so the USB dongle gets. Any suggestions for better USB dongle? Or should I get a PCI one?

But other than that, really pleased with the new build. RGB lighting works rather well and it is so quiet compare to my old PC...

Cheers

A
 
I'd thought of something like that before but thought it depended on all the sockets being on the same circuit? The router is connected to the ground floor circuit and the PC I have is in the attic on a totally different circuit. Or assu.e it is as has separate switch on the main fuse box? I have a wireless extender that boosts the signal to that part of the house and that seems to help with my phone.

A
 
If it’s all on the same circuit which sounds like it should be, it’ll work. They don’t need to be running on the same fused spur.

Just order a pair on the rainforest site, keep packaging all neat and if don’t work for any reason send them back.

But I imagine they’ll work pretty well usually.
 
Sparx said:
If it’s all on the same circuit which sounds like it should be, it’ll work. They don’t need to be running on the same fused spur.

Just order a pair on the rainforest site, keep packaging all neat and if don’t work for any reason send them back.

But I imagine they’ll work pretty well usually.
Click to expand...

Have you got a link to the 'rainforest' site? Is it the same sort of kit as the TP_Link already suggested?
 
Can’t name or link competitor sites unfortunately. Surely you know which one I’m talking about? The big popular one everyone uses for Prime etc :D

But yeah just search on it TP-LINK power line adapters there are plenty of models rated different speeds, pass through plugs, some have WiFi extenders, etc. If your internet speed is only 30Mb+ odd then any would do if they work.
 
My understanding is that it's a little different with Amazon as they sell pretty much everything. You can mention Amazon just fine but don't link to stuff on the Amazon website that OcUK also sell.
 
Sparx said:
If it’s all on the same circuit which sounds like it should be, it’ll work. They don’t need to be running on the same fused spur.

Just order a pair on the rainforest site, keep packaging all neat and if don’t work for any reason send them back.

But I imagine they’ll work pretty well usually.
Click to expand...

You sure about that? Generally speaking each floors sockets will be on a different breaker, unless it’s some sort of cowboy job. Powerline doesn’t work well at the best of times, it really doesn’t work well over multiple breakers, it might do what op needs as we are talking quite low speeds here, but realistically it’s not something that should really be top of the list of recommendations except in very specific situations, this probably isn’t one of them.
 
I've had a bit of a read around and the impression I get is they should work with my setup. I'm probably not describing it well... They arrive tomorrow so I will report back...

Worst case is I have to buy a PCI wifi card and hope I get a better connection than the ***** BrosTrend one I have...

A
 
Avalon said:
You sure about that? Generally speaking each floors sockets will be on a different breaker, unless it’s some sort of cowboy job. Powerline doesn’t work well at the best of times, it really doesn’t work well over multiple breakers, it might do what op needs as we are talking quite low speeds here, but realistically it’s not something that should really be top of the list of recommendations except in very specific situations, this probably isn’t one of them.
Click to expand...

Not the best scenario no, in an ideal world we'd have all devices hard wired with Cat6. But I imagine OP's scenario that's not feasible or as straight forward for him to do.

Powerlines can work and be helpful in a lot of situations though... I used them no problems for 2 years, before I got round to hard wiring with Cat6.

I don't know OP's house wiring, hence the idea to order from rainforest and return if they're problematic. I've set up powerlines personally in maybe 5-6 homes, it worked in all of them bar one. And the locations were ground floor to second floors, a loft and one was in a garden office too. The only one that didn't work was another loft one where it was on a separate circuit, think it spurred from the boiler or something daft. But another loft worked fine.

My approach is simply if you really can't hardwire with Cat6, then try powerlines and return if they're no good. Then you'd have to look at either a solid WiFi connection where possible, whether it's using stronger antennas/APs, or having to go the extra mile to make hard-wiring possible.
 
I have above and took little card out it (PCI-E lanes to GPU drop if other slot is occupied) and fitted to my Mobo dedicated slot, primarily I do not use WIFI on PC much but use BT every day which is now officially updated to 5.1.
 
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