Home networking multi-media setup advice?

[Polar79]

Need some educated advice on ideal future proof home streaming.

Current setup -
Samsung 55HU8500 Smart TV (Lounge)
Samsung H751 Soundbar (Lounge)
Samsung 40HU7000 Smart TV (Bedroom)
Various Laptops (Win 7 & 8.1)
Various Android Devices
2x D-Link DSL-2750U Routers (1st as adsl modem and 2nd as range extender)

1st - On the Wifi network. I have the main router in the office. The rest of my home receives signal from this router but its a bit ify. I have the slave router setup in WDS mode and centrally positioned which solves the Wifi signal problems to my smart devices but the network throughput seems slow (espesially when downloading and streaming HD). I am guessing that all traffic is rerouted to the primary router and back which slows the network. Would I be better off bridging the internet with cat5 and setting up a dedicated wifi network to spread the internet and stream using Plex? What would be the best way to do this - either I could get a separate router or via wifi hotspot from a dedicated laptop?

2nd - To NAS or not to NAS...? Kinda rhetorical. My options are to dedicate a laptop with attached external storage or to purchase/build a dedicated NAS. I currently use the laptop option which I enjoy because it allows me to to wirelessly project PC to TV's using Miracast. I like the full web browsing functionality this brings to my TV's. I am assuming either setup would work better also connected via Ethernet and then spread over wifi. If NAS is the way to go, I'd like the Raid to be expandable and add more disks as we go.

In the end I would like a single point serving up the multi-media and internet to all devices and a strong lag free network and I'm hoping someone can give keep me from blunder buys which I've done to many times... Any advice appreciated.

 

[ScottulusMaximus]

Probably waaaay below your price range with all that equipment but will post in case someone else needs this info:

Stay the glorious **** away from Billion, I have an Mweb branded N73X and it's the biggest POS I've ever used. I actually leave it plugged in hoping for a lightning strike.

You would think accessing a movie on my main PC thru my laptop in the lounge would be a simple job, nope let's restart.
Windows Homegroup, let's lose the PC's disregarding I can see one from the other but not the other way around.
Connect tablet same time as phone, nope
Big file download, let's restart everytime I get warm
etc
etc
etc

****ing piece of crap

/rant over

Buy a Netgear with wireless extender. Then ask someone who know's what they're talking about for NAS.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

1. Ditch the one Dlink and get a proper wifi ap if you want to future proof. Preferably something with Wifi ac capability like the TP-Link Archer C7 (http://www.dbg.co.za/product_info.php?cPath=1_55_56&products_id=931). Lay cable for as much as you can.
2. Yes to the NAS. If budget isn't too much of a concern then go for something like the Synology DS414 (http://www.takealot.com/synology-ds414-4-bay-nas-server/PLID32580005).

 

[SauRoNZA]

You need Plex in your life.

 

[getafix33]

If you can, hardwire eveything. I have two AP which are used for kids devices and general browsing. Any streaming is down via hardwire.
If you ever want to go HD over CAT 6, this will help.

 

[TheMightyQuin]

Probably waaaay below your price range with all that equipment but will post in case someone else needs this info:

Stay the glorious **** away from Billion, I have an Mweb branded N73X and it's the biggest POS I've ever used. I actually leave it plugged in hoping for a lightning strike.

You would think accessing a movie on my main PC thru my laptop in the lounge would be a simple job, nope let's restart.
Windows Homegroup, let's lose the PC's disregarding I can see one from the other but not the other way around.
Connect tablet same time as phone, nope
Big file download, let's restart everytime I get warm
etc
etc
etc

****ing piece of crap

/rant over

Buy a Netgear with wireless extender. Then ask someone who know's what they're talking about for NAS.

I LOL'ed...jirre.

Also use Ubiquity UniFi LR for WAP extender. Hard cabled to your ADSL router.

 

[krycor]

Plex Server with a beefy proc(transcoding) & gigabit link to/between APs = stream dlna to all tv, droid and notebooks. i think the tv's mentioned should have direct wifi for screen mirroring/android. wireless ac standard isnt really adopted by tv's from what i recall so usually they have at best b/g/n, notebooks similar unless top range ones

btw i think dlna might be around for a long time. You will find that the wifi link will take strain fast so having the host on wifi in addition to multiple devices streaming from it = fail. depending on number simultaneous streams u need to beef up the processor to handle it. raid types or software raids.. depends on how u do it and goals (speed vs reliability/recovery vs cost vs proc vs host machine specs..) so really depends on goals.