Newbie - wireless advice needed please

Hi all,

I have a new PS3 downstairs in my house, and a PC upstairs running 8MB ADSL broadband through a wired modem (not router).

I think that the best way forward is a wireless router, but have been put off because I'm told that connections can be easily dropped, speeds aren't very good, etc. I have however, recently seen the following 'N' wireless router, and am tempted to take the plunge. Any ideas?

I am concerned because I'm told that the connection you get will depend on how old the house is, how thick the walls are, etc!!

dabs.com - Belkin N Wireless BT/ADSL Modem Router (F5D8633UK4)

Any advice would be greatly welcomed!
JMP

First off, Don't mess with wireless N. It has not been ratified yet. It's not "official" yet. There are still a lot of problems with the new N. The things that you don't want to happen , probably will with N, like connection drops, etc.. Just go with a regular G router. Just about any brand will be ok. Linksys, D-link, and Netgear seem to be dominate on store shelves.


Second, it really depends on what kind of router you get. There are routers out there that will drop the connection, etc.... Remember that with wireless networking, well really, with all technology: You get what you pay for. You pay 30$ for a router....your probably end up buying an expensive paper weight. If you want real reliability and consistency, you need to be willing to spend the money.

The age of your house can affect your router's signal. Something in older homes that often hurt wireless signals are things like metal studs, and insulation with that tin foil covering on it. They often reflect the signal, making it harder to get rid of dead spots.
The best way to combat this is to either buy a higher gain antenna for your router (if your router has a detachable antenna). Or just buy a stronger router. Usually routers that cost more tend to have better improvements over cheaper ones, like signal coverage and security.

Just as an example. I had a old wireless N router with two adapters. The router and adapters both stopped working within a month after I got them. Then I decided to go with the DGL-4300 (all the everyday users that view this forum are probably saying right now: oh, here we go again with the DGL-4300, lol). I replaced the N router with this one, and right now I don't have any dead spots in my home (2500 sq ft). I get 100% signal everywhere in my home, as difficult as it may seem to believe. I have tried about four routers before this one, and they haven't done nearly as well as this one. But...it cost me a bunch.

But in the end, you gotta pay the money if you want to get what you really want.

Newegg.com - D-Link DGL-4300 IEEE 802.3/3u, IEEE 802.11b/g Wireless Gaming Router - Wireless Routers

Even if your not a gamer, its worth it knowing you have a reliable piece of equipment.

Borgslayer

I have the exact same set up. PC with router upstairs PS3 downstairs. regular Linksys G router works fine for me. My house has thick walls as well. No problems with dropped connections

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Cheap Wireless Gaming Routers

I'm going to agree that the first generation wireless N stuff was patchy, but I'd disagree with the draft 2 kit - most of it is pretty good and now works across different manufacturers. Plus if you're likely to be streaming video to the PS3 then you'll want the stronger / more reliable signal.

The Belkin modem you've listed is draft 1 kit. There is a newer version:
F5D8631UK4A

If it were me - I'd definitely go with the newer version it's much better!

Sparks
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