Stuck using WiFi...

[subtraction]

I have a desktop that I need to connect to the web and unfortunately drilling holes through 2 floors to run a cable is simply not an option.

So my question is what is the best route to go for hooking this desktop up to WiFi? I currently have a crappy linksys USB wireless adapter that is being used on it and it works but I am thinking perhaps there are better options? I have usb ports, pci, and pci-e x1 slots all available, yet I would prefer it occupy one of the pci slots instead of a usb.

Thank you!

 

[jhansman]

My son has a machine 35 ft. away from our wireless router, and while I've considered crawling under the house to run CAT5 several times, I still don't want to wrestle with spiders and such. We've tried PCI cards and USB dongles, but so far nothing gets him much more than a mediocre signal. I've got an older Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT with the power bumped a bit, but it's still wireless. I'd be interested to see if anyone has found a desktop wireless solution that provides a strong signal with decent bandwidth.

 

[nitrous9200]

How about a powerline adapter? They are dead simple to set up (basically, plug them in to power and that's it) and the performance should be, at the very least, better than WiFi. Wireless can be a real PITA sometimes, but powerline pretty much just works.

 

[subtraction]

My son has a machine 35 ft. away from our wireless router, and while I've considered crawling under the house to run CAT5 several times, I still don't want to wrestle with spiders and such. We've tried PCI cards and USB dongles, but so far nothing gets him much more than a mediocre signal. I've got an older Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT with the power bumped a bit, but it's still wireless. I'd be interested to see if anyone has found a desktop wireless solution that provides a strong signal with decent bandwidth.

Thats basically my situation here pulling a length of cat5 would be possible but the pain of having to drop the line from 2 stories up in the house is not something I want to tackle.

How about a powerline adapter? They are dead simple to set up (basically, plug them in to power and that's it) and the performance should be, at the very least, better than WiFi. Wireless can be a real PITA sometimes, but powerline pretty much just works.

Hmm I had totally forgot about this option! I had read about it a few years ago if I recall and it seemed gimmicky but from what I have just seen it looks like a solid solution. Better than any wireless solution from what I am able to tell?

My one concern is the house I am in is 40-50 years old so the wiring is not the greatest. Would that degrade the performance a noticeable amount?

Does anyone else have any other ideas in mind? The powerline suggestion seems to be the best route.

 

[WildW]

Definitely look at a pair of powerline adapters. They're a big improvement over wifi if you're having signal issues - even cheap low-speed ones are plenty for sharing internet and they kill any annoying intermittant drop-out issues that wifi can suffer from.

 

[SilthDraeth]

On front page of Anandtech they just reviewed some of the latest and greatest powerline adapters.

However, I think that upgrading everything to wireless N and going with a mimo dual band router and a dual band or single band n adapter would do the trick.

Not 100% sure though.

The old wiring in the house would definitely degrade performance. And they showed that if the two adapters are on separate breakers it degrades even further.

 

[JackMDS]

There is Miracle answer to this.

There are two options, they are a little costly ($50-$250) and dependent on the environment they might, or might Not work. Thus returnable Hardware, and losing on restocking fees is part of the considerations.

Option 1. Powerline hardware (example), http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833122388

Option 2. Secondary (or more) Wireless bridging or WDS system.

Do you want the second Router to connect to the first one with cable and then transmit Wirelesslly?

Then do this, http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Otherwise, you need a WDS (Repeater) configuration.

Start with One affordable Wireless Router that can do WDS (the reason to start with WDS capable Router is that in case you need to add more Wireless WDS hardware the original Router has to support it).

If you are lucky and your environment is conducive to get covered with one Good Wireless Router and you are done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireles...ibution_System.

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This is an example for a moderately priced High Power Wireless Router that is good to start with, it does all the Wireless modes when flashed with the free DD-WRT firmware.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

http://meanderingpassage.com/2007/04...on-system-wds/

Using a Laptop loaded with Wirelessnetview, do a Wireless survey, http://majorgeeks.com/WirelessNetView_d6102.html

According to the signal strength reading, identify spots that have strong signal. and spot with weak, or No signal.

Evaluate how you can cover the space and start placing WDS units.

Additional Wireless Routers in WDS Mode (Wireless Network - Configuration Modes. ) has to be placed in spots were the signal is good about Half way to the dead spots.

How many WDS units are needed? It depends on your specific environment (that is a good the reason to buying WDS units one at the time, try it, and decide on the Next step).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162031