Advanced Home Network Help

[rjb7266]

Hey everyone! I am in the process of building a new house. I have already had cat5e cables run to most of the rooms in the house. Here is a list of the equipment I already have:

1 Linksys WRT300N Router
1 JSF524 Netgear 24 Port Switch
2 Desktop Computers
3 Laptops
1 Linux File/Media Server

Now the house is about 10,000 sq. ft. So it is fairly large. Will the router cover the entire house? (it is wireless N) If not, should i just get a wireless access point? Any suggestions on those? Thanks!

[ErikD]

It is difficult to say how much area of a house a wireless device can cover. There are to many variables, how many floors, walls, construction materials, etc. Since you already have CAT5 in most places I would say place the router you have. If you have any dead areas you can always add in an AP later on.

[SimpleC]

One of the problems I've seen with N-Routers is it's either connected at full speed or not at all. I agree with last post, physical structure is going to come into play here.

With the enhanced speed of N-Routing there's also a loss in effective range, despite the claims that it isn't so :). I don't think one Router is going to give you adequate coverage for your space.

[YeOldeStonecat]

With the enhanced speed of N-Routing there's also a loss in effective range, despite the claims that it isn't so :).

From my experience in doing quite a few MIMO/*N routers over the past several years..the increase in range is phenominal...the primary reason to get one over old G.

I've been able to put 1x unit where I'd have to put 2-3 older G units before. And I've replaced G units with a MIMO/*N device...and have coverage in rooms/areas where they never had it before..or was too weak to be usable.

[SimpleC]

Could the increased range your experiencing be the antennas?

[YeOldeStonecat]

Could the increased range your experiencing be the antennas?

I've only done a couple with hi-gains...and those have been outdoor grade. All the others...just various home grade models. The method employed by MIMO..takes a shotgun effect...works better getting signal down hallways, to other rooms, areas of the house/office, etc.

I even see average MIMO/*N routers blow the doors off of older G units flashed with DD-WRT firmware that have their output power cranked up to 75/85 or so.

[SimpleC]

The problem I've seen with N is it doesn't seem to have the concentric circle type of layout. With G as signal strength diminishes, it compensates with a lower throughput, with N it's an all or nothing type of scenerio, at least that's been my experience, unless changes have been made to compensate this problem I've found.

Plus there's is some manufactoring issues... N model routers want the same N model adapters and such. Until they standardize this modulation method, I'm sticking to G for now. :)