Hello
Just got rid of my old router, upgraded to a newer router that supports the 5GHz band, as I live in a crowded apartment building (2.4GHz band was giving me horrible Wi-Fi connection to all of my devices). Not all of my devices supported 5GHz band however, so it didn't completely solve my problems.
Decided to move my router from my bedroom to my living area, where all of my devices are so that I could have wired connections to them. Grabbed any spare Cat5e cable I could scrounge and threw together this configuration: http://imgur.com/a/CiBBD (See descriptions for details and a walkthrough)
Basically, my questions are:
1. Does having two RJ45 couplers in the cat5e cable running the internet connection to my router effect my speeds in any significant way? (Total distance is around 100ft of cable, would I be better off just buying one large, contiguous cat5e cable?)
2. Would I benefit from flashing DD-WRT / Tomato Shibby onto my new Router (Netgear WNDR3700v4). I don't mind Netgear's UI. Basically I'm asking if this would result in any performance increase or give me any other real world benefits outside of the "free your router" shpiel.
I'm just tired of unreliable and shaky-at-best internet. I wan't to best optimize my current situation so that I'm milking my already limited Insight connection for everything it's worth. I've already made huge leaps on my own, just want to get the best possible config now from the base that I've built.
Thanks for any and all help.
Also an excess of details as requested by Logan in the most recent inboxe.exe video.
Router:
- Netgear N600 WNDR3700v4 - Stock firmware
ISP:
- Insight (TWC)- 20mbps down / 5mbps up
Devices and connection type:
- Custom desktop - Wired
- MacBook Pro - 5GHz Wireless
- Xbox 360 Slim - Wired
- Smart TV - Wireless (May be wired soon)
- Media Center - Wired
- Nexus 7 (2013) - Wireless
- Galaxy S IV - Wireless / LTE Data
- Macbook White - Wireless
Cables and Couplers:
- 50 ft White CAT5e cable - Running from wall jack to RJ45 coupler
- 50 ft grey CAT5e cable - From RJ45 coupler to RJ45 coupler
- 5 ft yellow CAT5e cable - From RJ45 coupler to router
- 10ft CAT5e cable - From router to Xbox 360
- 5ft CAT5e cable - From router to PC
- 10ft CAT5e cable - From router to Media center
- Total of two RJ45 couplers connecting the router to the internet wall jack
Hope that was enough details for you, if you need more just ask.
As long as the connectors are of good quality, there shouldn't be an issue. As long as the total length is still under 100meters.
If you want to use one cable, I advise you buy your own cable make your own.
https://teksyndicate.com/videos/how-make-evil-rj45-cat-5e-patch-cable
You can usually pick up cat 5e with connetors and the tools pretty cheap.
Flashing with DD-WRT usually opens up new functionality as well as having a lower hardware overhead. If you got a larger than average network you will see an improvment.
1. Yes its bad. The pictures of your wires going diagonally over piles of junk and with all those couplers makes me sad.
If you live in the states you can go to home depot and buy a box of cat 5e. Buy flush mount boxes and punch down jacks. That means the wires go into a small wall mounted box that has a plate on the front of it and a jack to plug in a patch cord. Dont run one long cord and crimp the two ends with connectors. Then use a short patch cord from the jack to your device. This is the professional way to do it.
2. DD-WRT is worth it! Not sure if it works with your router but try it out. You can also change the channel so it wont interfere with the appartments around you.
Thanks for the reply. May look into making my own cat 5e cable. Never seen that video before!
Personally dont think its worth mucking with your router if you are just using it like that. It will work fine and you won't see any speed increases.
The thing with joins is that it is hard to tell if they are negatively impacting performance or not. Once i bought a pack of three (medium quality, not supercheap) couplers and 2 worked fine but one had a bit of a dodgy connection. If you notice that the connection occasionally drops out for a few seconds then the joins will probably be the problem.
You wouldnt want to be joining it more than twice though.
So basically, its fine at the moment, only change it if you notice it is intermittent.
I failed to mention a few things that became relevant once I read this reply.
- Because I'm in a rental apartment, I can't really do anything as far as routing cable goes, other than simply running it along pre-existing channels. My landlord / lease agreement is pretty strict on anything that requires holes be drilled, or any modifications to the walls, etc.
- Also, the cord running over piles of junk is only in that one area, in a loft that isn't being used for anything other than storage! I will tidy it up a bit.The rest of it is at least ran along the baseboards or support beams and out of sight, and atleast midly tidy.
- And yes, I am in the states. (Kentucky actually!)
And I guess I'll cave and give DD-WRT a go.
But I can change the channel with the stock Netgear UI (It's came a LONG way) May try that after doing some wireless network monitoring to see which channel would be optimal for the 2.4GHz band.
Really appreciate the reply sir.
1. Doesnt matter haha. Its in the loft out of the way. It is not as if its going across the floor. Sure, it is not the prettiest thing in the world but its hidden away. :)
2. i'm pretty sure you can change the channel with the stock netgear interface.
In your pictures, is the cable in the 6th picture down one from an Xbox??? If so you wont see speeds over 100Mbps as the cable only has 4 wires (2 twisted pairs) and the gigabit requires 8 (4 twisted pairs)
Cat 5e wire http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-500-ft-24-4-CAT5e-Riser-Cable-Gray-56917945/202316244#.Uha7TBush8E
Wall mount jack http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-White-RJ45-Surface-Mount-Network-Jack-76535/202699214#.Uha7dRush8E
Or you can find cheaper stuff online. Crimping your own patch cables is fun if you already have the tools. Otherwise if you want some free cat6 patch cords (3 foot) PM me your address.
Ordered a few of the Wall Mount jacks. Looks really helpful and more professional.
And I one of my friends actually has a Cat5e spool similar to the one you linked. May pay him for how much I need as he is not using it.
Will make a follow up post sometime in the next week with an update. Hopefully showing signs of improvement.
Again, thank you so much. Truly was a lot of help.
Oh wow. You are right. Will be replacing that right away. Was just in a box of other Cat5e cables I had. Thanks for pointing that out.
UPDATE 1 MONTH LATER:
Completely reconfigured my home network. No couplers involved. Cables routed properly and professionally throughout. I've seen notable network performance increases across the board.
Thanks again for any help