Need help with connection

Right now because I have satellite tv my router has to sit on top of the fridge. Unless I run a super long cable to my Xbox/ps3 there is no way I can connect it with a wire. Looking at my speed (a whopping 10down and 12up) I should be going much faster. Is there a way to tap into the speed I'm paying for? (60down). I looked into buying a bridge or maybe a new router. My routeris about 5 years old. Any ideas?

Also I might add I'm kinda strapped for cash (my dog ruptured a disk and had to have emergency surgery)

I guess I don't understand what your satellite receiver has to do with your router's placement?

Who is your ISP (cable / DSL) what is the advertised up/down of that service?

Your options are limited to

1) have the ISP move where service comes into the house so you can move your router
2) run a cable to relocate your router
3) run a cable to connect xbox to router at current location
4) use wireless


If you are paying for 60 down and only seeing 10 you have a major issue. Keep in mind wireless is always going to be slower than wired. If you plug a device directly into the router and test what do you see?

If the router is 5+ years old they've made leaps in wireless technology since then.

Ok so the satellite (directv)used all the cable jacks in the house and I used the cable company for Internet so the cable company (cox) had to drill a whole through the garage into my kitchen to hook the wire up to the router. I can't move the box unless they run a wire along the ceiling or the floor. I'll post a pic when my son falls asleep. I'm supposed to be getting 25 down.

My router is a linksys wrt54gs. which has been pretty trustworthy. I can't find what the speed is for it though. I'm wondering if a new router would do the trick? If so should I be looking at routers which are 300mbps speed or 150 mbps speed.

First of all what router do you have brand and model. I am betting that if you router is around 5 years old it is only Docsis 2.0 compatible.

Docsis 2 can only handle 38Mbps down and 27Mbps up and that is what they are capable of not what they will get.

I suggest running a new cable wire through the attic to the wall in which you want your router to be placed.

If your modem is docsis 2 you need to get a docsis 3 modem to take advantage of your speed. I just upgraded myself and got my modem/router combo from my ISP.

Pretty slick I must say

If you're worried about gaming, 10 down should be more than enough. I don't know much about the XBox, but the PS3 doesn't have wireless N and runs on G only which degrades pretty quickly through walls and around corners. The power of a G signal is just weaker than N and so it suffers more from physical and wireless interference.

Although I have a wireless N adapter for my PS3, I usually play upstairs which is about as far from the router as I can get. I usually get between 8-16 down out of the 50+ that I get connected, but I rarely have any issues and when I do they aren't from my side.

Danoma08 wrote:

My router is a linksys wrt54gs. which has been pretty trustworthy. I can't find what the speed is for it though. I'm wondering if a new router would do the trick? If so should I be looking at routers which are 300mbps speed or 150 mbps speed.

Since you stated that you have 25 down (60 down?, either way) the 300 would be overkill unless you expect to get a service that allows for that. Dual channel routers are nice and allow you to have one channel dedicated to your game system but, as I stated in the last post, your connection for gaming should be fine. If you're looking to get faster for Netflix or other streaming video then I would look into an adapter if XBox doesn't have N.

here is my router
isco-Linksys WRT54GS Wireless-G Broadband Router with SpeedBooster

here is the link
http://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Linksys-WRT54GS-Wireless-G-Broadband-SpeedBooster/dp/B0001D3K8A

yea it's only 25 down, but it seems like i'm always behind when I play. I hardly ever get a 4 bar. plus i'm tired of seeing this being 10 feet away from my router

what do i have to do to get use of the 25 i'm paying for.

What modem do you have not router.

here is the link
Motorola SB6180 SURFboard

Doamne the game is still very playable. I am just trying to get whatever advantage I can.

there is something wrong there is no way the down should be that much lower than the up

do you have two devices both firewall enabled? plug a device directly into a free port (if available) on the cable modem and test

Danoma08 wrote:

Doamne the game is still very playable. I am just trying to get whatever advantage I can.

Well, my connections seem at the same general level as yours and I always have 4 bars when I'm playing alone. When I'm in a group, it doesn't matter if I'm on the hardwired PS3 downstairs or the wireless one upstairs, I only get a 4 bar when everyone else is in my general area (West Coast.)

The thing that made the biggest differences in my connection where using a dedicated channel for gaming, putting the wireless N adapter that I have for the PS3 on the DMZ and opening all of the ports for the PS3, always connecting in-game with "Best" turned on, and using a smaller TV with a fast refresh rate (actually a 24" monitor with a 2ms response time.)

I used to play on either a latest version 60" plasma (downstairs), and still do sometimes, or a 47" plasma but the size was part of the problem; I could only see so much of the screen at one time. Theoretically, the plasma's are sub 2ms response times (600hz), but I think that the monitor is just a touch faster.

BlackDeath wrote:

there is something wrong there is no way the down should be that much lower than the up

do you have two devices both firewall enabled? plug a device directly into a free port (if available) on the cable modem and test

My up speed doesn't seem to degrade the same as my down either. I've never researched it and so I can't explain why, but I can see (based on my own experience) how a provider with a high up speed could cause the results that he's seeing.

Have you changed your wireless channel? also, is this near a microwave? lastly, have you tested this wired?

That home router is very old, it could have issues. you can pick one up for about 25 bucks now if you are strapped for cash at say walmart.

Also, stand it on its end, it could be overheating. I had a router do that and it would lose a lot of bandwidth because it could not handle the heat.

Your modem is good. I would make sure if it is updatable to update the firmware on it. I would definately invest in a new router as I had the exact one you have and it was nothing but problems.

Next thing to check would be making sure all connections are tight and hopefully no splitters between connections. Try different servers as speedtest.net isnt very reliable.

Also try this speedtest and post your results.

http://speedtest.comcast.net/

Comcast isn't offered in Las Vegas so I found the Cox cable speed test (i believe cox and comcast are the same though). Here are the results:
Latency: 23ms
Download: 9mbps (it was actually 8.62)
Upload: 11mbps (11.32 actual)

I'm going to try a new router with 150mbps and see if that helps some. Right now I am unable to plug in anything simply because the cable connection and modem are on the wrong side of the house

What should I look for in a router? I'm looking at the 150mbps ones like the dlink wireless n home router or the asus ez n wireless n router. Am I on the right track? What should I be looking for? I feel like such idiot lol.

I have a decent one I would let go of for $50 + shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122413



N750 300Mbps + 450Mbps
Gigabit Wired
DLNA Ready
ReadyShare USB Storage Access
Simultaneous Dual Band
NETGEAR Genie w/ Airprint
Open Source
Window 8 compatible

It is a nice router only a few months old but I got a router/modem combo from my ISP.

Thats a good deal. if you dont take it, i will. I would stick that up as an AP and call it a day.

I would say don't get rid of the link syn . Most of the older models like that one can be rooted with aftermarket firmware. Over clock it,turn it in to a repeater or bridge . I have one I did . Its kinda like rooting an android phone.

I think it's a bit much for what I need. It seems like a good deal but looks super complicated.