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Router with best range/strongest signal?

V

Vageetasjn

Senior member
My brother is having some weak signal issues with his Linksys WRT54G in his apartment. It's not a huge space, but the walls are thick. Would an 802.11n system be better? If so, what are some suggested products -- router and desktop adapter?

Thanks
 
Well he wouldn't want to go to such lengths as flashing his router with a different firmware. Given that, would he be best served getting one with 802.11n?
 
There is No 802.11n there is some comertial products that are called Draft_N.

I personally do not recommend product that their main support is marketing.

YMMV.:shocked:
 
had better luck with netgear myself (range & reliability). I never payed attention to any extended range of a 'n' product, mostly because I never had signal issues.
'n' & 'g' have both served well in a 4500+1200sqft house
 
there have been several versions of N and they are not compatible with each other... a finalized n format has YET to be produced... so its all DRAFT N, not gaurenteed to work with equipment from OTHER MANUFACTURERS And not guranteed to support true N when it finally arrives...
I second the WIRE suggestion. Wire is SO MUCH FASTER then wireless its hard to begin to describe... but if he absolutely can't... then look into a LARGER ANTENNA. Replacing the router antenna with a bigger one will improve reception (AND speed)
 
Using an N router with G clients does get you better coverage when using good equipment. Give a ZyXEL X-550 (G with MIMO), or the newer X-550N a try and you will find that NONE of the DD-WRT supported G routers provide anywhere near the coverage. You guys can argue about 802.11N drafts and what not, but almost any MIMO router will provide better coverage then plain 802.11G routers. I don't recommend any of the newer routers with internal only antennas however.
 
it gives better coverage because it has multiple antennae. Just get some large external ones for your G router and you will be in the same boat. Coverage is a function of radio waves and antennae, not a function of the format in which the data is disseminated. (although MIMO is based on having multiple signals going through at once, but that will only help if you have a MIMO device on both ends, not if you connect a G device to a MIMO device)
 
Originally posted by: taltamir
(although MIMO is based on having multiple signals going through at once, but that will only help if you have a MIMO device on both ends, not if you connect a G device to a MIMO device)
Click to expand...

That answer is given quite often, but is just not correct. Older routers used antennae diversity to pick the best antennae to use, but still do not get the coverage of a true MIMO router. And this is when you are using a G client, especially when you have more then one G client. MIMO is more then just antennas!

 
With as crappy as consumer grade routers can be, reliability should be the number one priorty here; followed by speed, and then range which can be enhanced through amplifiers and/or antennas. My advice is to get FiOS and Verizon will give you a very nice small enterprise grade ActionTEC router for free.
 
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