Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler - Attn: Networking Gurus... need suggestions

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | PC Support | Attn: Networking Gurus... need suggestions

DVA853
Senior Captain, B747-400
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2,181 legs, 6,337.3 hours
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Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 12:22 ET by Chris Hannigan

Hey guys,

I'm in the process of revamping my home network and would like some feedback before I make any big purchases. I live in a two story home where my computer sits upstairs and my PS3/TV combo resides not far away but downstairs. Both of these devices are consistently used on the network for various things so both need to be connected somehow. Up until recently, I simply had a cable modem and wifi router plugged in upstairs so we could connect anything via wifi anywhere in the house. This worked out good because we have a laptop and multiple iPhones in the house streaming at any given time. The PC itself was plugged into the router with an ethernet cable so it was not on the wifi, but hardwired in instead.

So here's the rub, I started having some streaming issues on the PS3 downstairs so we unplugged the modem and router from the PC upstairs and moved it downstairs next to the PS3. Now the PS3 works great, but my PC does not have a wifi card so it's sitting upstairs with no internet connection. If I need to use it for something, I need to move the modem and router back upstairs... which get's old quick.

Now for a solution, I was thinking of going one of three directions...

1) I could invest in a better wifi router and just keep everything upstairs with the PC - This might be the cheapest option but is it a better solution than the other two?

2) Buy a wifi card for the desktop, keep the modem and router downstairs - This was my first thought, but then after researching the web it sounds like wifi doesn't work too well over multiple story homes... especially when going from floor one to floor two.

3) Powerline - This has really intrigued me. I could invest in a Powerline adapter and plug in both via hardwire. I can experiment to figure out which way works out best but has anyone had any experience with this? Especially with gaming?

What do you guys think? Any comments to add? I'm really not sure what to do but I think what I really want is hardwired performance on both ends. I know when you change floor levels things drop quick, but what's the best option. And no sorry I can't move the computer or the TV... that's the wife's rules. smile

Many thanks folks!

Chris Hannigan

Senior Captain, B747-400

AFV313
Senior Captain, B737-800

Joined on June 11 2010
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Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 13:15 ET by Robert Armstrong

Easiest thing for me would be to wire an ethernet cable from the router upstairs... Or atleast thats what I would do

DVA3196
Senior Captain, MD-11
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Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 13:23 ET by Michael Brown

I use a D-Link DIR655 wireless router. I bought aftermarket antennas which gave me a 10dB improvement. Also bought a better wireless network card (with a larger antenna) for the furthest computer from the router. Works beautifully in my 2500 square foot CONCRETE home. smile

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833166056

That is the product I bought for my furthest PC. Saw a huge improvement.

What type of router do you have now?

Michael Brown (DVA3196)

DVA10641
Assistant Chief Pilot, B757-200
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Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 13:26 ET by Jason Boche

I like my PCs hard wired so my personal opinion would lean heavily towards option 1. Unless WiFi standards have changed, the access point should ideally be placed at the highest point in the house which is where you have it now. If you move the ap downstairs and add a WiFi card to the PC, I'm not sure how well that will work. One thing to me seems clear and that is interference has been added at some point between the two levels in the home so moving the ap from one floor to another while a wireless device remains upstairs is not the answer. Purchasing a better ap for the upstairs may solve the problem. Running an Ethernet cable through the floor would also solve the problem for the PS3. If all the wireless devices were having issues not related to bandwidth saturation then I'd move the ap to the lower level and run an ethernet cable thru the floor to accommodate your PC upstairs. I'd be much more in favor of running the Ethernet cable between floors to accommodate the PC upstairs than the PS3 downstairs because running a cable to your PS3 means you can't move the PS3 any longer without dragging the cable with it.

As you identified, there's a half a dozen ways to tackle this. Personally I'd try to stick with WiFi for its utility value to the PS3 and the iPhones but you'd need to figure out why the sudden loss in service on the lower levels. I'd also make sure you're using WPA or better with MAC address filtering to make sure your neighbors aren't leaching off your WiFi resulting in poor streaming.

Jason Boche

Assistant Chief Pilot, B757-200

Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 13:28 ET by Michael Brown

Jason makes a good point ... make sure your router is locked down.

Michael Brown (DVA3196)

Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 13:54 ET by Chris Hannigan

Great feedback folks, thanks for your input! I'm going to try to route an ethernet cable between the floors tonight. Silly question though, would running a long ethernet cable (say 30-40 feet) cause some latency in things like gaming?

Chris Hannigan

Senior Captain, B747-400

Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 13:55 ET by Michael Brown

Chris Hannigan wrote:

Great feedback folks, thanks for your input! I'm going to try to route an ethernet cable between the floors tonight. Silly question though, would running a long ethernet cable (say 30-40 feet) cause some latency in things like gaming?

Yup ... you're gonna lag like a noob razz

....LOL .... I think you'll be fine! smile

DVA2370
Senior Captain, B737-800
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Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 16:41 ET by Scott Clarke

make sure you miss any electrical wires or pipes....I would use a really good shielded cable just incase you have something "radiating" in your house....My long run cable became a great antenna banghead

will the lights in the house dim when you hook all of this up together, I have seen the set up drool

Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 16:45 ET by Robert Armstrong

Chris Hannigan wrote:

Great feedback folks, thanks for your input! I'm going to try to route an ethernet cable between the floors tonight. Silly question though, would running a long ethernet cable (say 30-40 feet) cause some latency in things like gaming?

I used to run a 50 meter cable between my router and PC and had no issues

DVA8752
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Joined on January 01 2010
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Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 17:30 ET by Brandon Howell

Another option is to convert any spare router you have into a repeater.

Brandon Howell (DVA8752)

Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 19:54 ET by Jason Boche

Chris Hannigan wrote:

Great feedback folks, thanks for your input! I'm going to try to route an ethernet cable between the floors tonight. Silly question though, would running a long ethernet cable (say 30-40 feet) cause some latency in things like gaming?

100 meters is the cable limit w/o a repeater or switch in between. Unless your run is longer than a football field not including the end zones, you're fine.

Jason Boche

Assistant Chief Pilot, B757-200

DVA3908
Captain, B757-200

Joined on January 11 2007

"Landing Gear .... CHECK"
Newport, KY USA

39 legs, 64.3 hours
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Posted onPost created on May 28 2013 22:42 ET by Benjamin Duerk

Latency is caused by hardware and distance on the order of 1000's of miles (ISP Hardware and usage). Remember electrical signals travel at near the speed of light.

Benjamin Duerk

Captain, B757-200

DVA11526
First Officer, B737-800

Joined on May 28 2013

Providence, RI

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Posted onPost created on May 30 2013 18:44 ET by Serge Saakov

Hi. I'm new here. I installed a wireless adapter card in my PC and it works great. No issues. $14 option.

Serge Saakov

First Officer, B737-800

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