So this is all new to me. We pay Comcast for 75 mbps and I ran their test connected via Wifi from the laptop and these were the results:
Would this be twice as fast directly plugged in when I build my PC?This is no where near the advertised speeds we are paying for......
It would be better to test this as a wired connection. That being said, if you have a decent laptop and wireless setup, your WiFi probably isn't the bottleneck.
Personally, I use the WiFi Speed Test android app to test wireless network throughput. You'll have to download the laptop client (or use another cell phone). This will test speeds over your own wireless network. Just follow the directions given in the app description. If the number is higher than your internet connection speed, then Comcast is most likely the problem.
I'd test wired first as there are a lot of reasons that WiFi could have issues.
You could also used WiFi Analyzer for android if you want to see how neighboring WiFi networks are interacting with your own.
Ok thanks
As Grayson mentioned above, your WiFi could be affected by other signals nearby. Given how close you are to Miami I expect you will have some interference.
I don't want to have to start another thread so will try here and see if I get any responses.
Here's the dilemma, and I'm not sure what the solution would be.
Our (Comcast) modem/router is downstairs in the living room. Connected to it is an Xbox, the smart TV, and the Amazon TV box.
I am awaiting parts for a PC build that will be going in my man cave upstairs. If I have read about correctly for playing games on the PC you want to have a wired connection?
If this is true how do I achieve this as you can only have one modem per account. The unit they installed for us is a modem and router in one.
Or would I be fine using the wireless connection to game etc on the PC upstairs?
I have no issues with the Wifi from Downstairs to upstairs we use it on our phones and laptops all the time and it's no slower upstairs than downstairs.
If I am gaming on the PC won't care much about the Xbox, and through the Amazon TV unit we get Netflix and Hulu, and that connects via wifi, so should I just move the modem upstairs to where the PC will be?
Thanks all for the help.
If you can run a patchcable you should do it. WiFi is a very wonky thing. Most modern access-points (which are built into a router to form what's commonly called a Gateway) have plenty of bandwidth. Thing is that often the spectrum is pretty congested by either your own devices like consoles or TVs or your neighbors WiFi. For gaming bandwith isn't as important as latency. Latency however can be heavily influenced by a congested WiFi.
If you decide to run a cable you would just need a switch to connect multiple divices to your router if too few ports are available.
(Alternative might be powerlan using your wall sockets. But that probably isn't much better than a good WiFi)
Excuse my non informed question but what is a "patchable"?
In my opinion, it is always better to run a wired connection whenever possible. WiFi is a great way to connect to networks, but for applications like gaming it falls way behind in reliability and throughput. I'm not sure how densely populated of an area you are in, but even more than a few wireless networks can really step on and reduce the performance of your personal WiFi network. So yes, game on a wired connection whenever possible.
Also, I really dislike the modem/router/access point combo jobs that cable companies provide. They're notorious for poor performance. I don't think you need to go so far as building a pfsense router and a dedicated WiFi access point (though I would like to try it some day), but something like this modem combined with a well reviewed wireless router (I like Asus) will get the job done. The cable company will need to know that you're switching the modem for a personal one if you do this.
Now, what you'll need to decide is if you want to invest the money in switching out those components. Then (whichever you decide) you need to determine where you want to place the equipment. If you're not worried about having a good connection to the Xbox, then the cheapest and easiest thing to do would be to move your networking equipment into the man cave (as long as there is a cable connection available). It is possible that moving the wireless signal will provide different/worse coverage than it currently has. The other option is to run a network cable so you can leave the network equipment where it is, but still have a wired connection to the man cave.
No need to apologize. Patch cables are your network cables of the twisted pair type. Just the common ones you can buy everywhere.
We had a modem go bad on us not too long ago. The gentleman that came to install it said because the cable for the cable connection (see if you follow) messed it up and was not a necessary connection. Since the new modem was installed we just have the phone line connected to the modem.
So I would just get a modem like the one you linked and setup my own router and that's it?
@phoenix323 is talking about an ethernet patch cable. It refers to any ethernet cable that isn't "backbone" wiring. It's used to describe the cable between the wall and the device, or (in equipment closets) the patch panel and the devices therein (usually a switch). In this case, it means running a long cable from your cable modem/router to your computer
I guess I would see how it is setup. I'm not too sure now that phone lines are coming into play.
I guess I confused something because I went to check and there is in fact a cable connection and phone line both going to the modem.
So as long as the other room has both I should be fine?
Got it thanks sorry was not familiar with the terminology. That would not be an option because I'm not drilling through the floor of the second story or running a cable all around the house up the stairs etc lol.
Well if running an ethernet cable to your room isn't an option you could go with either setting up all of the equipment in that room if all necessary connections are there or trying power lan. That uses your buildings power grid. It's easy to set up and perhaps better than WiFi but also depends on the conditions of the power grid. So it could also be worse.
Where the modem currently is (living room) there is a single jack that the cable connection and phone line come out of.
In the upstairs room they are two separate connections. Would this matter, or I would just run them to the modem in the same manner?
Depends. If it's a wired trough slave socket you're fine. If it's a tottaly differend connection you can't use that. Don't know how the cable companies do their stuff in your region/country.
Most of the time you can move a modem to any outlet in the home it does not matter. Only thing that will stop you is the fact that some techs will unhook unused outlets so that they can get enough signal to the ports you use. And if it is hooked up its signal may be very low or too high to get proper connection.
depending on what modem/combo device you have you can view its signal at 192.168.1.100 or 192.168.0.100 this is generally for a stand alone modem. other wise it will be 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1