Ok, so the basics here.
Laptop: IdeaPad Y580 i7-3610QM
--OS: Win7Pro-64, Build 7601
--Internal WiFi adapter: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2200 BGN 2x2 HMC WiFi/Bluetooth Adapter
--External WiFi adapter: USB TP-Link TL-WN722N USB Wireless Adapter
Router: D-Link DIR-825
--Firmware Version: 1.01, 2008/09/10
--Hardware Version: A1
Cliff's - I'm upstairs and get a very inconsistent signal to my wireless router downstairs. Does my router need updated? Is there an external USB wireless adapter that will help? Should I use some type of antenna add-on? Am I screwed?
The issue is that I need is to get a stable and consistent wireless connection inside my house. It's fairly large, but more importantly, it's new(er) so the insulation is very thick, and it seems to be killing my router's range.
When I connect to the router itself, it shows both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz as connected, but nothing connects to the 5 GHz, presumably because the signal is too weak through all these darn walls. It shows my laptop wavering anywhere from a rate of 100+ Mbps down to 13 Mbps, as I watch it, with either of the network adapters. I have my cell phone connected to the wireless next to me and it also shows the same thing (very inconsistent connection rates). I get frequent internet "disconnects", yet I show full 5 bars in my wireless laptop connection. Sometimes, I have to completely reboot the DIR-825 to get an internet connection back. Other times, the sucker just signs along, and I get fantastic internet performance, both in downloads (over 1+ MB/S download speeds) and in internet webpage browsing (click and bam, it's loaded). As an example, I just downloaded a 6 MB MS Silverlight file in about 2-3 seconds.
I've read over quite a bit of the FAQs and looked at hardware and such, but it's tough for me to separate the wheat from the chaff (or the reality from the sales pitch). I know, RTFM. I did. I just don't know WTF TFM actually is saying to me.
So I guess my questions:
1) Is there a router out there that will provide a consistent increase in the range within a house with heavily insulated walls? I'm not worried about "features" per se, as I wouldn't know what to do with them anyway, to be honest. I just need range. I notice my DIR-825 gets a 4-stars rating on speedguide, but that 2 of the higher rated are the Asus RT-N66U and the Netgear R6300. The Netgear has the ac1750 (or whatever the hell it is), and the Asus has the N900 (again, whatever the heck that is). I mean, I "know" it is maximum data transfer rate and ac is a standard like a, g, n, and such, but I assume those are under ideal conditions and I probably don't have ideal conditions. Are they rated higher due to features, or is there really a router out there that has a seriously good wireless range?
2) Are there some type of "high gain antennas" that I can add to my DIR-825 to make the output stronger? I read about them, but honestly have no clue what I'm looking for, nor how to tell if they are compatible with my hardware. I found this page here but looking at the options made my head spin and I have no idea if one of those will shoot my eye out or not (I know, it's a few months late for a Christmas joke)
3) I cannot change the internal card on my laptop. Long story, apparently Lenovo made an absolute barnbuster of a laptop in the IdeaPad that I have, but decided to skimp on the internal wireless adapter and they made it permanent and non-upgradeable (hence the USB external). Would a "really good" USB external wireless adapter help? If so, which one? Again, I suck and cannot figure out what is good and what will be a waste of money. Or...is there a 'high gain antennae" that I can add to the USB external adapter as well? I kinda like it, as the USB external connects independently of the internal WiFi, and when they are both working together, there is a noticeable increase in download speed and web browsing speed. I don't know if that is common or not. I'm almost tempted to get a USB 4-port, plug it into the USB port on my computer, and then grab another 3 of these little guys and see if they can all piggyback off each other and be additive in their speeds. Tee hee. Probably not though.
4) Access points - I assume this is essentially just a router wired to another router, and it acts like a "range extender", except...it's wired. Problem with this is that I'm upstairs a ways, in another room entirely, and it is impractical for me to wire a wireless extender or an access point or whatever, so although I assume this would be the ideal solution, it seems to be a practical impossibility without hiring somebody to dig up the flooring and such in my house to insert some Cat-5 cable.
Anyway, a little assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Also, as a side note - the "variations" in speed and connectivity occur regardless of what is going on. i.e. it's not like my wife starts up the microwave and all of a sudden my wireless craps out. I'll be alone, phone turned off, nothing running, and experience a massive dropoff in speed out of nowhere, and then sometimes I'll get a massive increase in speed (or it'll just drop connection entirely, forcing a router reboot).
Halp! Puhleez!!!
Laptop: IdeaPad Y580 i7-3610QM
--OS: Win7Pro-64, Build 7601
--Internal WiFi adapter: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2200 BGN 2x2 HMC WiFi/Bluetooth Adapter
--External WiFi adapter: USB TP-Link TL-WN722N USB Wireless Adapter
Router: D-Link DIR-825
--Firmware Version: 1.01, 2008/09/10
--Hardware Version: A1
Cliff's - I'm upstairs and get a very inconsistent signal to my wireless router downstairs. Does my router need updated? Is there an external USB wireless adapter that will help? Should I use some type of antenna add-on? Am I screwed?
The issue is that I need is to get a stable and consistent wireless connection inside my house. It's fairly large, but more importantly, it's new(er) so the insulation is very thick, and it seems to be killing my router's range.
When I connect to the router itself, it shows both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz as connected, but nothing connects to the 5 GHz, presumably because the signal is too weak through all these darn walls. It shows my laptop wavering anywhere from a rate of 100+ Mbps down to 13 Mbps, as I watch it, with either of the network adapters. I have my cell phone connected to the wireless next to me and it also shows the same thing (very inconsistent connection rates). I get frequent internet "disconnects", yet I show full 5 bars in my wireless laptop connection. Sometimes, I have to completely reboot the DIR-825 to get an internet connection back. Other times, the sucker just signs along, and I get fantastic internet performance, both in downloads (over 1+ MB/S download speeds) and in internet webpage browsing (click and bam, it's loaded). As an example, I just downloaded a 6 MB MS Silverlight file in about 2-3 seconds.
I've read over quite a bit of the FAQs and looked at hardware and such, but it's tough for me to separate the wheat from the chaff (or the reality from the sales pitch). I know, RTFM. I did. I just don't know WTF TFM actually is saying to me.
So I guess my questions:
1) Is there a router out there that will provide a consistent increase in the range within a house with heavily insulated walls? I'm not worried about "features" per se, as I wouldn't know what to do with them anyway, to be honest. I just need range. I notice my DIR-825 gets a 4-stars rating on speedguide, but that 2 of the higher rated are the Asus RT-N66U and the Netgear R6300. The Netgear has the ac1750 (or whatever the hell it is), and the Asus has the N900 (again, whatever the heck that is). I mean, I "know" it is maximum data transfer rate and ac is a standard like a, g, n, and such, but I assume those are under ideal conditions and I probably don't have ideal conditions. Are they rated higher due to features, or is there really a router out there that has a seriously good wireless range?
2) Are there some type of "high gain antennas" that I can add to my DIR-825 to make the output stronger? I read about them, but honestly have no clue what I'm looking for, nor how to tell if they are compatible with my hardware. I found this page here but looking at the options made my head spin and I have no idea if one of those will shoot my eye out or not (I know, it's a few months late for a Christmas joke)
3) I cannot change the internal card on my laptop. Long story, apparently Lenovo made an absolute barnbuster of a laptop in the IdeaPad that I have, but decided to skimp on the internal wireless adapter and they made it permanent and non-upgradeable (hence the USB external). Would a "really good" USB external wireless adapter help? If so, which one? Again, I suck and cannot figure out what is good and what will be a waste of money. Or...is there a 'high gain antennae" that I can add to the USB external adapter as well? I kinda like it, as the USB external connects independently of the internal WiFi, and when they are both working together, there is a noticeable increase in download speed and web browsing speed. I don't know if that is common or not. I'm almost tempted to get a USB 4-port, plug it into the USB port on my computer, and then grab another 3 of these little guys and see if they can all piggyback off each other and be additive in their speeds. Tee hee. Probably not though.
4) Access points - I assume this is essentially just a router wired to another router, and it acts like a "range extender", except...it's wired. Problem with this is that I'm upstairs a ways, in another room entirely, and it is impractical for me to wire a wireless extender or an access point or whatever, so although I assume this would be the ideal solution, it seems to be a practical impossibility without hiring somebody to dig up the flooring and such in my house to insert some Cat-5 cable.
Anyway, a little assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Also, as a side note - the "variations" in speed and connectivity occur regardless of what is going on. i.e. it's not like my wife starts up the microwave and all of a sudden my wireless craps out. I'll be alone, phone turned off, nothing running, and experience a massive dropoff in speed out of nowhere, and then sometimes I'll get a massive increase in speed (or it'll just drop connection entirely, forcing a router reboot).
Halp! Puhleez!!!
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