What's the best router for improving home network bandwitch and gaming?

[micsim749]

Hi, my homenetwork needs a new router because our home network becomes very slow at times when we are all on. Two people in our house play multiplayer games while the others just browse the internet and when someone is on Vonage/phone it is a lot worse because it uses the cable internet. Would a new router improve our network/internet connection? What do you recommend? It needs to be a router because no one here will let me use a hub/switch because it gets complicated.

Thank You

[YeOldeStonecat]

Would a new router improve our network/internet connection? What do you recommend? It needs to be a router because no one here will let me use a hub/switch because it gets complicated.

Thank You

If a new router improves performance depends on
A ) Which new router you select
B ) If your existing router is less quality/performance than the new one you are considering.

Generally you can assume that most of the new models today will outperformance equivelant priced home grade models from several years ago.

[micsim749]

So what brand/model do you recommend for gaming?

[YeOldeStonecat]

Build a linux distro router out of PC that's a couple of years old...like some mid-range P3 or early P4 rig.

Or for "off the shelf"...the DLink 4000 series has been wel liked.

But I don't know what your current router is...so I'm not sure if these are better or not.

[bojglaze]

A new router won't likely make an amazing difference. Your problem is bandwidth consumption. The easiest way of dealing with this situation would likely be an isp service upgrade, or in other words more bandwidth.

[YeOldeStonecat]

A new router won't likely make an amazing difference. Your problem is bandwidth consumption. The easiest way of dealing with this situation would likely be an isp service upgrade, or in other words more bandwidth.

Can't say that without knowing what his current package is...but based on most broadband these days...I'd say it's the router...I've seen huge differences in performance across old vs new routers...on the same connection.

[bojglaze]

Two people in our house play multiplayer games while the others just browse the internet and when someone is on Vonage/phone it is a lot worse because it uses the cable internet.
Thank You

Thats a lot of activity even for a broadband connection.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Thats a lot of activity even for a broadband connection.

Even back when I had my old slow DSL connection...which benchmarked at about 700 down, 30 up....me and the kid would both be playing, at the same time, Battlefield...pretty much one of the heaviest games out there as far as online traffic, and both be on VoIP on the TeamSpeak server. The ex wife would be surfing online. It would be fine. Even with many of the routers back in that time...which I did a lot of tests with to compare them against each other with regards to concurrent connections and game server performance. But todays routers...have much improved QoS features...you can easily prioritize game traffic over web traffic.

With todays very fat broadband connections (compared to back then)...it's even less of an issue....especially when combined with todays higher performing routers with QoS features.

[bojglaze]

You may have a point I'm still wondering what his current setup is also, I thought he would have replied by now, maybe he has resolved his issue already. Either way good luck with the it.