Wireless advice...of modems, routers and wifi...

[Geeves]

Hi guys, I am not too familiar with the topic or the technical stuff, so would really appreciate some good, honest advice as I have been getting conflicting info from retailers (i.e. HiFi Corp, Incredible & an independent shop).

I just ordered a 4096kbps ADSL line from Telkom for home use and will go with Mweb uncapped, but naturally need some hardware i.e. a modem, wireless router etc. So what exactly will I need taking into account that the challenge will be to get a wifi signal in all or most of a three storey house...each floor being approximately 90sqm per with wooden floors and ceilings inbetween.

This is the advice from retailers so far...

- HiFi corp advised a Belkin N300-series Belkin modum/router placed anywhere in the house as the answer to all my problems. Cost appr. R2,500
- Incredible advised the same, but suggested a 300 mbps Netgear modum/router as a cheaper better value option at around R1,500. Best location will be on top floor for either.
- The independent shop said you will need a professional office modem/router ($$$) or signal boosters in addition to either of the above with the main unit to be placed on the middle floor with boosters on the bottom and top floors. I would prefer to have one neat 'unit' as a solution as opposed to three different boxes...

What do I need and what is the best solution? Advice will be MUCH appreciated.

Geeves

 

[Electron1]

Hi Geeves

Wireless is designed to work in horizontal plane so it is unlikely even wireless N will work over 3 stories. I guess best option is to place unit on middle floor in the middle of the building. If you can get a unit that has external antenna's you could try to set one horizontal and see how it works.

Fortunately the signal will travel better through wood than concrete floors.

You may need to use repeaters on the other 2 floors.

As far as make / model I am not sure - Belkin does not seem to get a good review. Netgear are generally good modems, the DGN3500 is a good unit however there are no external antennas so you cannot set them vertical or horizontal to experiment for best signal.

 

[bdt]

OK, for a start, those Hi-Fi Confusion and Incredible Corruption jackasses are, as they do, trying to push PRODUCT at you, with scant regard to whether you actually need it. But then, that's what they're supposed to do so, effort it may be, don't blame them too much.

That said, and allowing for this being a wee bit excessive :erm: but, in my defence, it'll be rock-solid, I'd do this in three boxes:

1. a one-port ADSL router/modem
2. that feeds into a WR1043ND router
3. off which a NanoStation Loco (or the PicoStation, but it costs a li'l more (I missed it earlier)) is fed to expand the (wireless) network.

Why like that you ask? Well, it's like this:

1. These are the bits that get nailed in lightning storms and, frankly, they're cheap enough to be considered throwaway. By putting this thing out front you save your much more valuable router from taking hits.
2. Here's the intelligence for the network: it handles the ADSL connection (seeing as you've set box {1} to give it up) and WLAN, say, downstairs ..I'm expecting the phone line to be somewhere downstairs.
3. The wee Loco upstairs to handle network up there. Note: you'll want this cranked way DOWN. Note: I expect to be shouted down for this one. a) fuggem b) it's a slim li'l appliance-type thing that's MADE to be mounted vertically and fed power down its own network cable; the usual repeaters/access points (most of) the rest of the peasants will want to suggest are more made to be on tables. And have wall-wart plugs that need a handy plug point somewhere. Which is bad. (tone here is jocular)

The hassle part of the job? Well, running the ONE network cable from the router to the Loco. And, in terms of network limits, you're allowed 100m; practically it'll be less but the point stands.

Set it, forget it, and roam around your 3 storeys going about your life.

 

[F111]

The best is to put a AP on each floor with ethernet Cables to the ADSL router or a POE switch that will solve all the problems.

 

[Geeves]

Thanks u!
G

 

[3p1c]

Hahaha what a fail, wooden floors and any decent router, like a WAG320N or DGN2200 will supply decent wifi quality over a 360m house withnwooden floors, over 3 floors.....if u had concrete floors then u would need repeaters.

Relax, even the members here are over quoting you pal.

 

[Geeves]

Thanks again. I suppose it is not necessary to get the whole hog right from the start - maybe start off with a good modem/router and see how the signal goes, lay cable/get repeaters if necessary. One other probably stupid question we have telephone jacks on every floor...so thinking about it now, just getting a cheap router at every jack can probably also be an option?

 

[bdt]

Thanks again. I suppose it is not necessary to get the whole hog right from the start - maybe start off with a good modem/router and see how the signal goes, lay cable/get repeaters if necessary.

Sensible enough, but don't get suckered into overspending on a router on the basis of its name, buy on specs.

One other probably stupid question we have telephone jacks on every floor...so thinking about it now, just getting a cheap router at every jack can probably also be an option?

*bzzzt* yea, that question's a clanger and, in a word: no.

 

[HavocXphere]

Hahaha what a fail, wooden floors and any decent router, like a WAG320N or DGN2200 will supply decent wifi quality over a 360m house withnwooden floors, over 3 floors.....if u had concrete floors then u would need repeaters.

...

three storey house...each floor being approximately 90sqm per with wooden floors and ceilings inbetween.

just getting a cheap router at every jack can probably also be an option?

You'd need to pay Telkom line rental and ADSL rental 3x, which would suck.

Do what bdt said w/ splitting it into modem, switch and access point. Oh and don't ever go to Hifi corp for tech advice again...the salesmen are a) clueless and b) selling you whatever gives them the highest commission. Buying there is fine though.

Anybody know why they want to put the wifi on the top floor? Strikes me as the worst possible choice...

 

[Geeves]

Hi Guys

Just to let you know - I decided to ask our work IT manager for a favour i.e. to come through to look at the house and make a recommendation, which he did in the form of a Netgear DGN2200 to start off with - ADSL was activated yesterday and the modem/router installed and is so far everything is working like a charm - nearly 3bars of signal through-out the whole house And what a pleasure to have uncapped 4gig adsl...)

 

[bdt]

Bonus for you that it's working ..and on only one box to boot. As I said up there, I rather tend to err on the side of caution; it makes for fewer comebacks.