WiFi fast enough for 4K streaming?

[96Firebird]

I've successfully been streaming 4K content to my living room TV via wired connection, since I have 50Mbps internet. However, I just got a 4K bedroom TV and am having a hard time getting speeds even fast enough for 1080p streaming via wifi. My wireless router is pretty old and plain, its a Linksys E3000 that I bought refurbished over 4 years ago. Its been fine for basic stuff, like using my phone.

Are the newest routers capable of streaming 4K content over wifi, or is wired connection the only way? My router is currently on one side of my house, and the location of the bedroom TV is near the center of the house. From my bed, pretty much on the opposite side of the house, speedtest ran from my phone was around 6Mbps. I know this doesn't give a good idea of distance, but living room is on the first floor and bedroom on 2nd floor. Should I even bother trying a new router, or should I just go wired? I've never run ethernet through walls, but wouldn't mind giving it a shot...

As an alternative, do those powerline adapters work? Are they reliable?

Edit - FWIW, Netflix recommends a 25Mbps internet connection for streaming 4K. So I'm guessing I'd need 15-20Mbps for streaming 4K...

 

[razel]

4K UHD BluRay is up to ~120mbps. Realistically what I've monitored is that 50mbps is the minimum I'd recommend for acceptable 4k streaming where scrubbing/starting videos is immediate. The good news, that E3000 is a dual band wireless N 300mpbs router. Yes, after overhead you'll realistically get closer to half so around 150mbps with an ideal signal and if it's the only WiFi device hogging attention. Therefore it has the wireless bandwidth, but perhaps you just don't have the signal strength. Some things you can try:

1. Elevate the router. Treat it's signal light a light bulb. Instead of walls blocking light, think of metal, water, and concrete that blocks it and AC (power) wires that interfere with it.
2. If the router is at the edge of your home, then place aluminum foil (YES, foil), on the opposite side to reflect the wasted signal back into your home.
3. It has a dual band radio 2.4 and 5G. The radio divides it's attention amongst devices connected. Perhaps consider devoting one radio @ 5G to your streaming device and all else to the other separate 2.4G.

Normally I do recommend going with a new AC router, but if you simply cannot improve the signal, then it's generally wasted money. Good news the router I recommend for most people, Google onHub which was $200 is now replaced by the Google WiFi @ $130. Both of which has strong radios, smartly designed and placed for amazing coverage and is what most people need.

 

[MustISO]

If you have a wired drop anywhere close to the other side of the house get a wired access point. it'll make a huge difference. I newer router can certainly help. Get one locally if you can and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Puffnstuff]

If you have a wired drop anywhere close to the other side of the house get a wired access point. it'll make a huge difference. I newer router can certainly help. Get one locally if you can and see if it makes a difference.

Ditto and if that is not enough the 802.11ad 60ghz routers are rolling out if you have a ad receiver to take advantage of it.

 

[HutchinsonJC]

If you need 15 to 20Mb/s, then an old 54g wireless router would have you covered unless other people are on the wireless network at the same time. If you're having issues with a wireless N router, you're either working with a weak signal (too far away or too many obstructions between you and the router) or your wireless NIC is not taking advantage of what your router is capable of; you can't just have a fast router for high bandwidth content. You need a fast router and a fast NIC. If the receiving device can only negotiate traffic at wireless G speed or can only use 2.4GHz band, half the router's capabilities can't be utilized.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I tried streaming to a tv off a 2.4 wireless Ethernet bridge and it had trouble keeping the bandwidth up for Netflix so I understand the OP"s concerns. Powerline ethernet adaptors are also an option.

 

[96Firebird]

Well, I took a look at my router settings last night and noticed my 2.4GHz band was set up for mixed mode and was 54Mbps. The 5GHz band (300Mbps) had the same SSID, so it wasn't showing up. I changed the 5GHz SSID to something different, but neither my phone nor my TV would connect to it. So I connected my TV back up to the 2.4GHz band and it was streaming 4K content from Amazon PrimeTV just fine, but 4K content on YouTube was a little slow...

So it seems to be working for now, but why can't I connect anything to my 5GHz band? Are there settings I should check? I bought a Linksys RE4100W-4A N600 Range Extender for $15, if it works great, if it doesn't I'm not out much money... I'm really curious about connecting to the 5GHz band though...

 

[Puffnstuff]

If you didn't change the log in protocol you shouldn't be having an issue with device logons. Did you change the security standard on it and not on your devices? I've done that before, make a change on the router but forget to make the same change on the wireless devices until someone complains about it.

 

[96Firebird]

Before last night, the 5GHz band never showed up because it had the same name as the 2.4GHz, so I'm guessing I've never actually connected to it. Both are WPA2, with the same password, so that shouldn't be an issue. My phone doesn't even attempt to connect to it, it just diverts to the 2.4GHz band. If I turn the 2.4GHz off, it just won't connect to the 5GHz band. No authentication errors or anything.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I would rename the 5ghz network to differentiate if from the 2.4 and make sure that the radio is enabled in the router settings and try again. Also check the radio signal output to make sure that it isn't turned down to the lowest broadcast power. Also make sure that your are not on the same channel as neighboring networks.

 

[NesuD]

I use 2 access points located in opposing corners of my basement. Actually a pair of Asus N66U routers configured as access points behind a PFsense router. My signal is great all through my main floor and decent on my second floor which is empty so it doesn't matter. no problems running 4k at all.

 

[sonoma1993]

So it seems to be working for now, but why can't I connect anything to my 5GHz band? Are there settings I should check? I bought a Linksys RE4100W-4A N600 Range Extender for $15, if it works great, if it doesn't I'm not out much money... I'm really curious about connecting to the 5GHz band though...

Are your devices 5ghz capable?

 

[96Firebird]

So I had DD-WRT firmware on the router, decided to flash the original Linksys firmware and now I can connect to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands just fine. I probably had a setting wrong or something, but now everything seems to be working. Got my range extender today and successfully set that up, so now I get pretty decent connection all throughout my house. I haven't tried connecting my new TV to the 5GHz band yet, but I don't expect any problems since my phone now connects just fine. Wireless has definitely improved over the years...