New wireless router for Virgin cable modem

[cisamcgu]

I have an Belkin wireless router, which works well on my Virgin cable modem, but we have moved our main computer upstairs and now it gets dreadful connectivity. So, do I need a new router, and if so, what type (I presume N will give a greater range, my current one is G I think) and is it worth spending >£100 when you can buy them for as little as £20 on Amazon (There is a TP-Link TL-WR841N)

And also, would I need to buy a new "dongle" if I bought a new router ? The computer has a wirless "dongle" in the USB port to pick up the signal

Any advice is gratefully received.

Thanks
Andrew

 

[subaqua]

Linksys are apperently Very good as are Buffalo. N should help a lot . you could try a ethernet over power line solution and have a cable to main puter upstairs from a local socket

 

[Recycle]

This is a difficult one to answer because some building materials are good at stopping any wireless signals so investing in a new router may be a waste of money.
Does the wireless signal drop off from similar distances at other locations?
I have a Linksys and X3000 and it gives a strong signal but I would investigate further first.
Another option would be to by a wireless hub which could act as a repeater station and boost the signal of you current router but you would need to check that it's compatible.

 

[cisamcgu]

Thanks for your replies.
It seems to be only this one room that has problems, so maybe it is a problem with the materials in the walls/floor rather than a problem with the distance.
Maybe ethernet over power would be an option as Subaqua said .. I'll have a look into it (I presume there is a power-plug with a network socket in it that you put into a power socket, then a second one next to the computer which you plug into the back of it ?)

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Recycle]

Maybe ethernet over power would be an option as Subaqua said .. I'll have a look into it (I presume there is a power-plug with a network socket in it that you put into a power socket, then a second one next to the computer which you plug into the back of it ?)

Yes that should work but just make sure you stick to the same power circuit. Ethernet over power only transmits signal within the same circuit so you would have one connection from an ethernet port on your router to the power, and a 2nd from the power to the PC. If all your wall sockets are on the same circuit you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[machew]

Yes that should work but just make sure you stick to the same power circuit. Ethernet over power only transmits signal within the same circuit so you would have one connection from an ethernet port on your router to the power, and a 2nd from the power to the PC. If all your wall sockets are on the same circuit you shouldn't have a problem.

Before you use powerline, Ensure that your next door neighbours are not radio ham operators, as powerline adaptors can turn you mains wiring into a transmitter running at 700 watts on the same frequency as ham radio

Powerline will cross ring circuits but not fuseboxes. I have one powerline plugged into my downstairs ring main and one on the upstairs ring main and this will work

 

[numbnuts]

Phone Virgin and ask for a wireless router, I did and it was free

 

[cisamcgu]

Never thought to phone virgin ... I'll give it a try

Thanks

 

[cisamcgu]

The house is old, I'm not sure how the power circuits are configured - I'll have a test when I get home

 

[subaqua]

The house is old, I'm not sure how the power circuits are configured - I'll have a test when I get home

only needs to be on same phase not same circuit. in a normal house you will be fine

 

[cisamcgu]

OK, then hopefully it will be fine - I'll let you know how I get on at the weekend

 

[marinyork]

Never thought to phone virgin ... I'll give it a try

Thanks

Beware the superhub.

 

[Svendo]

I massively improved our wireless reception on the 2nd floor landing from the router (n standard) by the front door with homemade cereal box and tinfoil curved reflectors. I also put the aerials horizontal and as close as possible to the 'focus' of the curve. A lot of the guides say the standard aerials transmit best in the horizontal plane, so it's harder to get the signal to go up or down. Reorienteering the aerials seemed the obvious solution, before splashing out as much again on a directional aerial. Now the signal is still variable but useable to very good, whereas before it was flaky, ok to not working.

 

[gbb]

Phone Virgin and ask for a wireless router, I did and it was free

Yup, just tell them you're struggling with connectivity, they'll send you one if your existing one is an older model.

Beware the superhub.

Why..genuinely. Ive just fitted a superhub, and i can't honestly say it's any better than the prvious model they sent me about a year ago (can't remember which model, black in colour with two aerials)
They offered the superhub free as an upgrade, but i seem to be slower connecting, but dont get as much buffering. Not that impressed TBH.

 

[marinyork]

Why..genuinely. Ive just fitted a superhub, and i can't honestly say it's any better than the prvious model they sent me about a year ago (can't remember which model, black in colour with two aerials)
They offered the superhub free as an upgrade, but i seem to be slower connecting, but dont get as much buffering. Not that impressed TBH.

It's notoriously unreliable.

That's not to say virgin are an evil company and it's all their fault. In many ways the previous policy of having cable modems under NTL and telewest and having waaaaay too many models and people ringing up must have been a nightmare. The superhub makes sense. I get it. Similarly it stops the problem of people who expect a free router automatically. Wireless routers isn't an exact science many of the blighters have issues. Unfortunately though the superhub just seems a bit too unreliable. A lot of people have said that the speeds go wildly up and down all the time and you can see this on speed tests. This is exactly the behaviour I had on it where it'd surge upto 20Mbs and then back down to about 1 or 2Mbs and below sometimes and then back up again. Drop the connection. Start again. More annoying for me upload clocked lower speeds. Other people apparently get on fine.

So I've tended to have mine on bridge mode. I also recommend 5GHz if you can get it working to try and get round these problems. Not that that isn't without problems of course because not all devices can take 5GHz and penetration on 5GHz is even worse.