Whole House Router

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Having fixed many I offer the short fix list.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 2, 2007 11:53PM PDT

1. The router firmware must be current or the version the maker's support line tells you works best.

2. There are some that are still learning that P2P and WIFI are a bad mix. The good news here is that it makes a fine income for PC technicians all over.

3. Try another router. Our tech carries a spare, just in case.

4. The awful truth. There is no "best router." They are like light bulbs. They work or they don't.

Bob

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GREAT!!

by plcard Jun 3, 2007 2:11AM PDT

Thanks to you all for your input. I really appreciate it.

You were talking about the Geeks, I have to agree. I haven't had any experience with the Circuit City people, but they did make the comment one time that the main difference is that the CC people were trained.

The fellow sent out to make sure I had my network set up properly, spent more time on the phone with his girlfriend than on the situation at hand. He set up the shared folder and forgot to tell me how to use it. I still don't have any idea, but I guess I'll figure it out if I have to rely on C-Net to help me ... now that's reaching the bottom of the barrel, but sometimes they know what they're talking about ... LOL

Again, thanks to you all for your input.

Patrick

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Consumer routers are fine.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 3, 2007 2:30AM PDT

I've yet to find a truly bad one unless it was defective. The sad sad truth is almost every one arrives with out of date firmware and no one tells you stories like this one -> http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=242736&messageID=2457489

Once that story is told, more is needed to be told. I found one person that took the advice and decided to try locking it down further with turning off SSID, enabling MAC filtering and wouldn't accept that it might not work. (it never did work with all that turned off and on.)

Bob

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As Bob said

by PudgyOne Jun 3, 2007 12:15PM PDT

I have a Netgear Router.

I leave the SSID turned in at all times.

I have WPA Security enabled and I am never disconnected anymore.

You also have to remember that the 2.4gh portable phones can disconnect you, since the use the same frequencies.

Rick

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Thanks for sharing that.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 3, 2007 12:20PM PDT

That's the exact recipe I use today. It's about as good as it gets.

Bob

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Oooomph

by plcard Jun 3, 2007 10:22PM PDT

Y'all don't know how much I hate acronyms. Now I have to go look up all these things you are talking about.

I really do appreciate all the suggestions and such. I guess I must have some kind of electrical problem in the bathroom, because that is the only space between the router and my deck.

Since I honestly don't understand about SSID and WEP and SEX.. that one I know ... I have to think that the good folks at Geek were smart enough, after 3 visits to make sure they were turned on. My network says secure and I'm sure XP would never lie to me ... God I needed a laugh!

Again, thanks,
Patric

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Just to let you know, WEP is dead.

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 4, 2007 12:01AM PDT

The other two acronyms are doing just fine.

You'll catch up fast as you install your first wifi router but here's a discussion where I bet your head will spin at first but later you may recall why I wrote that WEP is dead. Just use WPA, SSID (on) and you should have a great wifi spot.

Read http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=242736&messageID=2457489

Keep trying and you'll be an expert in no time at all.

Bob

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I'm safe

by plcard Jun 5, 2007 9:14PM PDT

Well, I was piddling around and found some settings somewhere, and saw SSID, but I couldn't find anything that said WPA. That's not the thing Roosevelt set up is it? As my computers seem to be outdated by the time I get them home from the store, nothing would surprise me.

I still don't know what to do about my original question. Some how we got off range into security and that is fine. It is important also.

I use Version Tracker Pro to check on my programs and it still says the driver for the Realtec is outdated. I have about driven Fred crazy from Realtec, but he has tried to help all he can.

I just can't see any other reason I can't get mileage out of my laptop unless the driver needs updated. I get the old "nothing newer" message when I try to upgrade the Realtec driver Fred send me.

Sometimes the connection is perfect running 48 - 54 Mbps and other times all I do is reconnect. I bought new phones so that's not the problem. I read somewhere about this whole house router and that is what started this string. However from listening to y'all, I can tell it is not a good fix.

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Re: about my original question

by ChuckT Jun 6, 2007 5:07AM PDT

A couple of us have responded to your original question, but you either have not read that branch of this thread, or just have not acknowledged it.

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I think I did.

by plcard Jun 6, 2007 10:09PM PDT

I think I've read everything of which I was notified. What I've gotten is whole house is not a good way to do it. Then we slipped into security.

Obviously, there is not good way to make your house an antenna. I shall continue learning new curse words as I connect and reconnect and connect .. and so on.

I did some research on my computer and I do have my WPA and SSID protecting me. On the chance that I can prove I am a complete idiot, why does not my firewall protect me from invasion in a wifi environment? Second thought, that is really too stupid. I'll go back and re-read Bob's information. I probably just over looked it.

Thanks to you all for your help. I really do appreciate the input.

Patrick in PNS, Hurricane Central warming up.

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"do have my WPA and SSID protecting me." = oops?

by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 6, 2007 11:30PM PDT

Let me cut it down to a short as I can.

WPA = Preferred today.
SSID = Broadcast it!

I find that many drivers and such drop connection if SSID Broadcast is disabled. If you need more people noting that turning on doesn't matter, I have a recent podcast to share.

Bob

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I'm In Good Shape

by plcard Jun 7, 2007 10:06PM PDT

I think I have everything under control. As someone once said, you don't need to know how the cow makes milk to drink it. So I think I have all I need.

My WPA is workings as and I see the SSID seems to be turned on.

Thanks much for your help.

Patrick

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I don't think you did

by ChuckT Jun 7, 2007 5:38AM PDT

Your original message was about turning "your whole house into a using the electrical system," and I addressed that.

You say "there is not good way to make your house an antenna," and disagree. I explained (in another branch of this threaded message) that while the house is not an "antenna" the electrical wiring is a conductor of your Ethernet signals. And it is very good. There might be some difficulties in some wiring configurations in your house, but they are not that hard to overcome.

The best thing about the "Ethernet over AC" adapters is that there is NO CONFIGURATION, just plug it in and it will either work or not. So, you can find out if you'll have a problem in minutes. If you buy the adapters locally, there may be an easy return policy if it doesn't work out for you.

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I Understand

by plcard Jun 7, 2007 10:18PM PDT

Yes Chuck, I read that. However reading and understanding it is another thing. I know Ethernet is for the modem and it would be like a direct connect to the computer.

With the age of my house, and this is why I was leery of trying something like that, there is no doubt a problem would develop.

Instead of being a funeral director I wish now I had become a computer repair man. I wish I had the drive you all have to figure out how it works and understand all the technology involved.

As long as I can get a connection... eventually, I guess I can live with what I have.

Thanks to you Chuck and Bob and the rest for your information. I really appreciate it.

Patrick

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One compatable to server

by cyberjen61 Jun 3, 2007 12:04AM PDT

Check with your internet company and check to see if they have a wireless router. I have AT&T and just got one of thier wireless routers and eveything works fine. Before my son would loose his connection alot. Now it is great.

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And on the other subject

by jackson dougless Jun 3, 2007 1:49AM PDT

Networking using electrical lines isn't exactly anything new, it's just never really taken off because it's kind of expensive and slow.

The original power line ethernet systems were limited to around 1Mbps of theoretical max bandwidth, and one outlet unit cost around 50USD. Today I think they've gotten the speeds up to around 10/100Mbps for a theoretical max. There's going to be some additional overhead from converting the ethernet signal to an electrical impulse that can be sent via electrical wiring, and then back again, but it should be just fine for web browsing sorts of uses. I wouldn't want to use it with high bandwidth sorts of things.

It also has the drawback of only working with devices on the same electrical circuit. That's really just the nature of the beast, and there's not much that can be done about it without potentially compromising your house/apartment building's entire electrical system. I think we can all agree that this would be a bad thing.

Also, what the others are too kind to say, is that Best Buy's Geek Squad is kind of like playing the lottery. The odds of getting someone who actually knows what they're doing are not so great. I'm sure there are some very talented people who work for Best Buy's Geek Squad, but there are probably at least 2 or 3 completely worthless people working for Geek Squad for every skilled person. Case in point, being told that Netgear routers are the best on the market.

Simple truth is, all routers at the consumer level tend to be crap. You want a good router, you have to be prepared to pay for it, it won't come cheap, and it won't be on the shelves at any Best Buy or similar electronics store. You'll tend to have to order it directly from Cisco or a similar company. Though some of the Linksys routers aren't too bad once you replace the Linksys firmware with one of the custom firmwares. It only applies to a select few Linksys router models that used Linux based firmwares, and you have to be willing to forgo your warranty and support for the device.

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Re: using the electrical system

by ChuckT Jun 3, 2007 5:43AM PDT

As has been mentioned here already, there are Ethernet over AC adapters available, and relatively cheap and no setup. Just plug one between your current Ethernet source and an AC socket and plug the other unit between another AC socket and your computer. Essentially, just think of it as a direct connect from one Ethernet plug to the other (and forget about the AC in-between).

I've bought a few. Initially, they were somewhat limited in speed.
When I bought my first pair they were rated at 11Mbps, which is not much more than 1MB/sec, which was adequate for my Internet speed at the time.

Since than there are now units that are rated to go 54Mbps (about 7MB/sec) which is nearly my full download speed anyway (I get over 9MB/sec download). (But for where I needed the Ethernet connection, speed was not my major concern - I needed a reliable connection. That Ethernet over AC has worked well. I bought a 54Mbps pair for about $50 at Frys.

There are some possible concerns where most houses have 2 phase AC, where two complete AC power circuits are distributed around the house. Having the AC-Ethernet adapters on different phases MAY have some communication problems - but until you actually try it, you won't know. The AC sockets you actually use may be on the same phase. Even if they aren't, you could just try another socket in that same room, since most houses have the two phases distributed around the house, sometimes on different walls.

(Long ago, way back in the X10 days, where similar ideas were used (and still are) to control lights and appliances from one or two locations, all via the X10 boxes and control units. I had a problem with getting the signal across from one phase to the other in my house. In that situation I connected a high-voltage low value capacitor across my phases. That got the signal across, without changing the AC in any way. I do not recommend that you experiment. I knew what I was doing, being that I am a professional, but I just want to say it can be done. I used that capacitor "signal-jumper" for many years in that house.)

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