2-story House WiFi Setup ?s

[TheClarkster]

Hi, just found this forum and figured it'd be a good place to get some advice.

I'm looking for setup ideas that will maximize internet connection in my room of the house. The setup of the house is as follows:
1 Desktop downstairs that is connected to the DSL and the router(Linksys WRT54GL)
1 Laptop downstairs running wireless
My desktop upstairs with Linksys Wireless G adapter running like crap
Brother's laptop running idk what wireless card and running as bad as mine
My XBOX 360 in my room with wireless adapter, giving me major lag problems in Halo 3. :mad:

So I was just wondering if you had any helpful suggestions as to maximize my connection in my room especially. I'm up for anything. I'm experienced with my router as I've only owned Linksys ones and have bricked a couple in the past for one reason or another. :p

Also, is it possible that it's just my DSL connection that's causing the problem? Do modems get old and outdated? We've had the same one for a few years. Any ideas, send em my way!

Thanks, Clark.

[Prodeus]

There are many different things that can be a factor in this situation. But as your are even unsure about your DSL connection. The first thing that I would do is to run some speed tests on the computer that it hardwired to the DSL Line. Also if possible I would try connecting the XBOX360 (if possible) to the DSL hardlined to make sure that it is not an issue with the DSL line itself. This will really only be possible if the XBOX360 is within 300 feet of the DSL modem. I would try just running a long piece of cable from the modem to the XBOX just for temporary. Because if the DSL line is causing lag and poor performance when everything is hard wired, then there is no reason to go any farther. Once you have the gotten the these few answers to the best you can, let us know and everyone will be more than willing to help you figure out better solutions.

[umdivx]

if you having weak signal issues, you can always try antenna upgrade on both the wireless router and your pc in your room.

for trouble shooting the DSL, get onto the pc that is hard wired directly into the router and see how the connection is there, that will give you a good baseline for comparison.

Also try relocating the wireless router, if its down behind a desk, or behind anything metal, electrical, ect.. that can interfere with the signal as well.

but you can always try higher gain antenna's
for the wireless router: http://sharperconcepts.zoovy.com/product/YSC-HG2409RD-RTP-2PK/2.4_GHz_High_Performance_Rubber_Duck_9_dBi_RP-TNC_Antenna_(2_Pack).html

and for your pc, first make sure you don't have it crammed in behind a desk with all those wires and other electronics and such behind it, but you can also just get a setup where you can get that antenna out from behind the tower with something like this: http://sharperconcepts.zoovy.com/product/YSC-HG2409MGRD/2.4_GHz_9_dBi_Omnidirectional_Rubber_Duck_Wireless _LAN_Antenna_With_Magnetic_Base.html

so you'll have higher gain antenna's on both ends, and then with the mag mount setup you'll be able to get that antenna out from behind the pc.

- Josh

[TheClarkster]

The problem isn't so much with the computer receiving the signal, or having a weak signal.
My main problem is having a slow connection to the Xbox.
For instance, playing last night I would have random spurts of good connectivity, but then I would get back into my regular lag out sessions.
But when I went downstairs and disconnected the PC from the router down there, I seemed to be playing mostly lag free.
Is there a way to give my Xbox priority for bandwidth over the hardwired PC?

[TheClarkster]

So here is a speed report I did at dslreports.com.
731 kbps dl and 255 kbps ul.

Is that decent for earthlink dsl in southern california?

[umdivx]

731/256 could be normal, but it all depends on the type of service you're paying for.

Also Signal strength of wifi directly relates to speeds, so if your having a weak signal, or interference issues with the wifi, that will directly affect your speeds.

Finally yes you can setup a router where it'll QOS your traffic and give priority to given services or devices on your network. My personal fav. that is also probably the cheapest route, is to get a wireless router that supports a third party firmware www.dd-wrt.com so what you'll do is find a router that supports the WRT firmware, linksys WRT54GS, Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 are two examples of routers you can buy that support the dd-wrt firmware.

Once the DD-WRT firmware is installed there are options for setting up QOS and giving priority to devices on your network based on MAC address, IP address, or priority based on types of traffic like XBL traffic.

Infact after looking I see you have the WRT54GL, and according to this link: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices#Box_based_Routers

the WRT54GL is supported by dd-wrt.

- Josh

[TheClarkster]

Sweet, so hopefully as long as I don't brick this router upgrading the firmware (which was the cause of the last bricked router) then everything should be good. And then from there, I just set priority to the MAC address of my Xbox or something? Sounds easy enough I guess.

[TheClarkster]

So after seeing numerous drops of the internet connection on my computer, I've come to the (easily seen) conclusion that my signal is crap upstairs.
How can I easily (read cheaply) boost the signal strength? Is there any way to boost it enough to get it through the several walls required to get to my room?

[umdivx]

So after seeing numerous drops of the internet connection on my computer, I've come to the (easily seen) conclusion that my signal is crap upstairs.
How can I easily (read cheaply) boost the signal strength? Is there any way to boost it enough to get it through the several walls required to get to my room?

Well you can get DD-WRT firmware running on the main router in your house. Then get a second one and setup WDS and put that second router in a spot that still gets wifi signal, but is closer to the area where you want wifi at.

Basically a man in the middle type setup.

-Josh