N Router compared to G

[VirusType2]

Wireless N routers claim 4 times the wireless range. Does this mean that if I'm getting 2 bars with a G router, that I could get the full 5 bars?

I just doubt it. Anyone of you tried both? Or can attest to the range of the N wireless routers? Dropped connections?

 

[Warped]

Wireless N routers claim 4 times the wireless range. Does this mean that if I'm getting 2 bars with a G router, that I could get the full 5 bars?

I just doubt it. Anyone of you tried both? Or can attest to the range of the N wireless routers? Dropped connections?

I went from wireless b to wireless Ultra N and my bars went from 2/5 to 4/5 (for instance watching a Netflix show or movie, or playing a video game) so yeah you'll most likely double the range.

 

[VirusType2]

Ah **** it. I ordered a wireless router since I've got nothing to lose (very poor - almost no reception on my new Win7 wireless card) I'm going from a really old Belkin (2 antenna) b/g router to a Trendnet N draft 2.0 (three antenna) wireless. This one claims 6x the range, and up to 14x the speed of G.

I compared the transmission and reception signal strength between some of them and got one of the strongest ones for the price. Also the N series has MIMO for less dead spots.

On sale for $55. (was $90)

Also, I learned that N wireless severely interferes with b/g wireless in range. So I won't have to worry about that anymore.

So that could explain why I've been getting ****ed up reception ever since my neighbor got an N wireless (i can pick up his signal but not mine half the time). At first I thought he was sappin' my internets.

Anyway, this should do the trick.

 

[Emporius]

Please update once you get the router. I've been considering getting a new one to boost my range with a new computer on the way.

 

[VirusType2]

Will do. I'm not expecting 5 bars, though I would be thrilled.

If I'm getting 1 - 2 bars now, then I figure I'll be getting 3-4. About twice as much. (I get steady and reliable 2 bars on my Motorola G adapter, but it's not compatible with Win7)

I don't know where they get the 4x and 6x the range claims, but yeah it should be much better. The physical range is much better, and N wireless can use MIMO - more than one radio (up to 4, but it's probably common to have 2, just to list the feature), to cover dead spots.

according to the comparison on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11n-2009

approximate indoor and outdoor range is nearly doubled.

G indoor range: 38
N indoor range: ~70

Plus the one I ordered has 3 antennas and they are physically longer than the ones I've got now. Add that with my new N adapter with an extended antenna - it should work well.

 

[VirusType2]

OK dog, I am ****ing pissed off or something.

I spent 5 hours ****ing with this router, after spending 5 hours ****ing with the new wireless adapter last week.

I got a HALF A BAR more with N. Regardless, the router doesn't let me connect.

After a couple hours running across the house ****ing with things, I removed security completely on the router so that I could JUST ****ING CONNECT, but nope; never happened. I don't know if it's broken, but I'm about to pack all this shit in a box and get my $80 back.

I'm going to need a wire.

 

[Dynasty]

Bought a Belkin-N router a few months back. Replaced it with my older...cant even remember the name of it.

Settings were a bit all over the place and had to fiddle with it, as it kept changing the settings after I'd saved and rebooted, though a look through the manual pointed out a mistake I'd made.

Anyway, my older router gave me, most of the time, 4/5 bars in my room which was about 3 walls away from the study, about 10m away in total.

My laptop in the kitchen, about 60m away and a good 5 or 6 walls (very long house) got about 2/5 bars.

Installed the new N router. My PC in my room got 4/5 bars, and my laptop got 1/5 bars in the kitchen.

So as far as Im concerned, the two aerials instead of one dont do jack.

Wireless will always be inferior, its more convenient than having a wire dragging across the floor of course though.

HOWEVER, I did notice quite an increase in download speed, so the router seems to send and recieve data quicker, which is what made me stick with it.

 

[VirusType2]

Might be a defective component, or even two. Because I had 2 bars at one point and it wouldn't really work well. I managed to update Windows 7 64 bit while holding my arm at a certain angle for 30 minutes for 30MB...

But that was with the G router, so I figured the problem was the router, so I got the N router.

I honestly think I may have two faulty components, or - maybe N requires a better signal. I actually think having the two antennas made it worse, because - only one of them is in the sweet spot, and it constantly cycles back and forth. That's what it looks like if you watch the dbm meters. It doesn't choose the best source. Maybe the expensive ones do, idk.

 

[No Limit]

Does the router work when you connect it directly to the computer with a wire?

 

[15357]

Heh. I don't bother with wireless. I've a 25m cable for internet connections.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Like No Limit says, connect it via ethernet first and see if you can get online. Then make it wireless, about 1 or 2 metres from the router. Then if that works move it to the other side of the house and try and work out if anything is causing interference. (cordless phones / microwaves etc).

I went from G to N last year and noticed a vast improvement.

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

You could also try changing the channel to eliminate interference.

 

[VirusType2]

Yeah, the wired part worked.

And yeah, I messed with the channels. Changing the channel seemed to give me another half a bar for a total of 3.

I don't know, I guess I had something set wrong. It's really frustrating though. Maybe I'll flash the firmware and see if that doesn't help. It was a pretty old version.

I think it just said, 'acquiring network address' and would just never complete it.



Just ordered a different router for $16.99 with free shipping. (shell shocker)

If it doesn't work out, I can send back all the items I bought in one box. Worth a shot, I guess. **** it.

 

[VirusType2]

OK, part of my problem was the wireless adapter's driver.

As you may have read earlier, I bought a wireless adapter specifically because it had Windows 7 64 bit drivers. Well, since I haven't been able to get it working barely at all, I took a look at the reviews for the adapter, because I was thinking of buying a different one and returning this one.


I had bought the AZiO AWD102N wireless adapter, installed the drivers from the website. (notice it uses one installer for all operating systems 32 & 64 bit)

So I retraced my steps on how I heard about the card, started reading comments and the reviews and was clued in that the drivers are shit, but everyone who seemed to have luck with it said they just plugged it in and let windows install drivers and manage it.

So that's what I did, and now it's working perfectly so far. Even with 1 bar, I haven't had any problems surfing and updating my new Windows 7 64 Bit installation. It connects when I boot up and stays connected. Very happy. If it keeps up, I might get another 7 foot antenna wire (search newegg: HAC7SS) for the second antenna for $9, and just tape the antenna to the wall or something. :heh:

So, if you need a wireless adapter for Windows 7, this one works, just let windows install a driver for it.