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[RobG]

Got one desktop hardwired to the router. On the network we use one printer, 2 laptops, 2 tablets, 1 Kindle and 2 Xbox 360`s all running wirelessly. Signal strength is excellent in lounge, kitchen, conservatory, bathroom and 2 of the bedrooms. The 3rd bedroom barely receives a Wi-Fi signal (1 bar showing on the icon). Was thinking of running a Cat5e Ethernet cable from lounge router to said bedroom for the son`s Xbox. Run will be approx. 10 metres so will there be any signal drop??

[The Sheriff]

People on here, in the know, tell me that these mains plug-in units are shite. Well....they work ok in our house.

[TheBoy]

Up to 100m of Cat5e at 100Mb/s (pretty sure seXbox is 100Mb) is fine. So you'll be fine. You will get the full speed available at the router, and hardwired is better for gaming due to lower latency and less jitter than WiFi

[TheBoy]

People on here, in the know, tell me that these mains plug-in units are shite. Well....they work ok in our house.

They "work". They ain't great, and in quite a lot of circumstances do not work at all. But for a simple network connection for, lets say, browsing the web, they can be a solution for where WiFi doesn't reach

Not recommended for gaming (or anything else that needs a good, low latency, jitter free connection), or heavy transfer.

[RobG]

Up to 100m of Cat5e at 100Mb/s (pretty sure seXbox is 100Mb) is fine. So you'll be fine. You will get the full speed available at the router, and hardwired is better for gaming due to lower latency and less jitter than WiFi

Cheers J

[The Sheriff]

People on here, in the know, tell me that these mains plug-in units are shite. Well....they work ok in our house.

They "work". They ain't great, and in quite a lot of circumstances do not work at all. But for a simple network connection for, lets say, browsing the web, they can be a solution for where WiFi doesn't reach

Not recommended for gaming (or anything else that needs a good, low latency, jitter free connection), or heavy transfer.

Having tried a few solutions, I would say that hardwired is best, obviously, mains plug-in is second best and wifi is worst, although a very strong wifi connection is very usable.
But, as you say, I am not a gamer.

[zirk]

Might be worth checking or changing the WiFi Channel first Rob, If its going from full strength downstairs and then goes to 1 bar in one of the bedrooms, could be its being hit with a co channel from a Neighbour somewhere.

Failing that, as said 10m will be fine on cat5, 100m is the Cert spec, although Ive run 400m in a Quarry once and got away with it (had no choice).

You could just run a 10m Patch Lead (if you can get the plug through the holes, or remake it the other end) or if fitting a RJ45 Socket at the other end, just make sure you follow the termination rules about keeping the twists right up to the punch down.

The 240v relays do work but also have irritations even at short range.

Another option is to get your hands on the older type Routers that let you put them in repeat mode (WiFi Signal Repeater).

If you go for the Cable option, give me a shout Rob, got loads of near empty boxes here that I can pull some off and send to you, in case you need to go and buy it.   

[TheBoy]

Failing that, as said 10m will be fine on cat5, 100m is the Cert spec, although Ive run 400m in a Quarry once and got away with it (had no choice).

I've got 100Mb full duplex running over about 20m of phone cable, along with PoE.  I was going to pin it at 10HD, but it just works, and works well, so left it to autoneg

[cem_devecioglu]

as said a direct cat5 cable will work but there are new router models which have much stronger signals then the model you have.. I had wifi signal problem from the backside garden , changed  router and solved the problem...  tell the shop that you want to connect from a kilometer

[Taxi_Driver]

To the OP - How many aerials has your wifi router got?

I had problems with the wifi in the front upstairs bedroom (router being downstairs in at the back of the house) It worked but had problems trying to stream video over the wifi (150n) . It keep freezing on the tv upstairs...

My wifi router has two aerials and since i put one aerial vertical (signal radiates horizontal) and one horizontal (signal radiates vertically), I no longer have the problem 

Dont try a wifi repeater.....these are ok for browsing internet etc but no good for lots of data....its basically one wifi network connected to another one....so will slow up even more 

[Gaffers]

Just fitted a load of cat6 STP upstairs and down through the walls (found a good route ) plus a patch panel with cisco router, modem and eventually all the Raspberry Pis that will run the house.

As we have an on demand boiler there is no heat in the airing cupboard.  I sold it to the wife by saying "I have a solution that will keep the towels and bedding dry in storage"

[zirk]

My wifi router has two aerials and since i put one aerial vertical (signal radiates horizontal) and one horizontal (signal radiates vertically), I no longer have the problem 

The 2 Antennas are Diversity Receiver Antennas, only one of them will be for Transmit, so youve probably unknowingly moved the Transmit one from going Vertical to Horizontal, giving an improved  Transmit Signal up and down rather than going across the room, but will have an effect on the Diversity Receiver Signal. 

Still if it works, it works, at 2.4 ghz, the wavelength is so small the signals get bounced around all over the place anyway, even putting a Sardine Tin on the table could change whats going on inside the room signal wise. 

[TheBoy]

If speed is not as important as range, some routers allow disabling of 150/300Mbs modes, and just doing 54Mb. These often have better range (but not the shite ones)

[RobG]

To the OP - How many aerials has your wifi router got?
I had problems with the wifi in the front upstairs bedroom (router being downstairs in at the back of the house) It worked but had problems trying to stream video over the wifi (150n) . It keep freezing on the tv upstairs...

My wifi router has two aerials and since i put one aerial vertical (signal radiates horizontal) and one horizontal (signal radiates vertically), I no longer have the problem 

Dont try a wifi repeater.....these are ok for browsing internet etc but no good for lots of data....its basically one wifi network connected to another one....so will slow up even more 

None. Got the Super Hub 2
http://help.virginmedia.com/system/selfservice.controller?CMD=VIEW_ARTICLE&ARTICLE_ID=3859&CURRENT_CMD=SEARCH&CONFIGURATION=1001&PARTITION_ID=1&USERTYPE=1&LANGUAGE=en&COUNTY=us&VM_CUSTOMER_TYPE=Cable

[TheBoy]

All ISP routers are universally shite. That's why BT can make such claims about wifi on the Homehubs. They too are shite, just better than virtually all of the other freebie routers