Can anyone suggest a good wireless card for home use, that will work well from router in basement with my computer on the second floor?
I am currently looking at;
PLANET WL-8310 PCI Wireless Card,
SMC SMCWPCI-GM IEEE 802.11b/g PCI MIMO Wireless Adapter up to 54Mbps Data Rates 64 / 128 WEP Encryption WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK 802.1x,
LINKSYS WMP54GR PCI 2.3 Wireless Adapter with RangeBooster
U.S. Robotics USR5417 PCI Wireless MAXg 125Mbps PCI Adapter
PCI Wireless card?
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FlyingPenguin
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Don't use a PCI card. They have limited range because the antenna is buried behind the case, blocked by all the metal in the chassis.
Get a USB Wifi NIC and a long USB cable. You'll get better range. Place the USB NIC on the floor in the area of the room closest to the router.
Use a Linksys USB Wifi NIC. They have excellent range.
You can save money and not bother with the speed booster version. You don't need it for Internet and unless you have a Speedbooster router it doesn't do anything more for you anyway.
On the router end, place the router as close to the basement ceiling as possible, idelaly as close to the center of the house as possible. Place then antennas 90 degree angles (one vertical, one nearly horizontal). This gives you maximum coverage for radio wave polarization.
Get a USB Wifi NIC and a long USB cable. You'll get better range. Place the USB NIC on the floor in the area of the room closest to the router.
Use a Linksys USB Wifi NIC. They have excellent range.
You can save money and not bother with the speed booster version. You don't need it for Internet and unless you have a Speedbooster router it doesn't do anything more for you anyway.
On the router end, place the router as close to the basement ceiling as possible, idelaly as close to the center of the house as possible. Place then antennas 90 degree angles (one vertical, one nearly horizontal). This gives you maximum coverage for radio wave polarization.
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“Be careful when a democracy is sick; fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health.”
― Albert Camus
“Be careful when a democracy is sick; fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health.”
― Albert Camus
Thanks alot. I ordered the Linksys Router (54GL), and the Linksys PCI Adapter from Newegg. I just cancelled the order and re-ordered the Linksys USB 2.0 adapter. I did however get the speed boost one. It had a $10 rebate and ended up being only a few dollars more. It will be nice to have my laptop free from a wire.
As far as my cable modem, I am going to place it as close to the main cable wire coming into the house. Do you agree the less the feed the better for signal/speed?
As far as my cable modem, I am going to place it as close to the main cable wire coming into the house. Do you agree the less the feed the better for signal/speed?
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FlyingPenguin
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The length of the incoming cable wire really doesn't matter as long as it's the proper cable with good clean fittings. Signal loss due to length of coax cable is measured in hundreds of feet not in a few feet. Just don't use cheap cable, use the heavy cable that the cable company provides for the modem. It's also important that the modem is directly connected to the outside splitter with no intervening splitters. The modem needs as much signal level as possible.
Cable modems don't slow down with a lower signal like a DSL modem does. It will just reach a point where packet loss is excessive if the signal is too weak, or else it'll intermittently lose connectivity with the ISP. If you're having to power the modem off and on more often than every few months to re-aquire connectivity, then you don't have enough signal and the cable company needs to come out and look at your wiring and/or add an amplifier.
Cable modems don't slow down with a lower signal like a DSL modem does. It will just reach a point where packet loss is excessive if the signal is too weak, or else it'll intermittently lose connectivity with the ISP. If you're having to power the modem off and on more often than every few months to re-aquire connectivity, then you don't have enough signal and the cable company needs to come out and look at your wiring and/or add an amplifier.
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“Be careful when a democracy is sick; fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health.”
― Albert Camus
“Be careful when a democracy is sick; fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health.”
― Albert Camus
Don't forget Penguin, some PCI wireless cards are better than others, I have a Linksys which works quite well over a good distance. There are also others which sport an external antenna.
USB isn't really much better in this case though, in alot of cases it can suffer the same problems, more especially for the cheap brands. Stick with well-known brands, and it should minimize your issues.
USB isn't really much better in this case though, in alot of cases it can suffer the same problems, more especially for the cheap brands. Stick with well-known brands, and it should minimize your issues.
When all else fails, replace the user.
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FlyingPenguin
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Zyfer, unless you have a remote antenna, every PCI card I've ever used has poor range. Let's face it, it's sitting behind a big medal shield. Not conducive to good reception. I've had much better luck with USB Wifi NICs because you can place them high up on a bookcase or shelf for better range.
Definately stick with a name-brand and Linksys has been very reliable for me and my clients. It's all I buy now.
Definately stick with a name-brand and Linksys has been very reliable for me and my clients. It's all I buy now.
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“Be careful when a democracy is sick; fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health.”
― Albert Camus
“Be careful when a democracy is sick; fascism comes to its bedside, but it is not to inquire about its health.”
― Albert Camus
Some PCI wireless adapters include an external antenna that is very similar to the one you are talking about. I prefer to try and avoid USB network adapters at all possible to avoid overhead, though I will say it is not important for some users.
I have had good success with Linksys and Netgear, Cisco also, but then they own Linksys so...
I use the Netgear Rangemax router, works perfect for me, and I have a PCI wireless adapter by Linksys also. It might not have the type of antenna I mentioned, but it is alot better than the majority offer. It gets almost full bars at over 100 feet away sitting on top of a giant metal filing cabinet
I have had good success with Linksys and Netgear, Cisco also, but then they own Linksys so...
I use the Netgear Rangemax router, works perfect for me, and I have a PCI wireless adapter by Linksys also. It might not have the type of antenna I mentioned, but it is alot better than the majority offer. It gets almost full bars at over 100 feet away sitting on top of a giant metal filing cabinet
When all else fails, replace the user.