Best router location?

boomboomer · Nov 30, 2009, 21:37:58

Hi all, recently join IDNet and first post here - you all seem pretty helpful so goes with a minor question:

I have just ordered a Netgear DG834PN (the G was out of stock and this one promised better wifi 'magic' with pretty lights on top) as my unbranded one from the people's republic is making my line attenuation increase, thank you to Brian at support for solving my poor speed issue.

My question is where to locate it? At present it sits next to the PC tower case & monitor, wired & networked to both my PC and my son's - we both use them for gaming so low lag is important. However the BT main socket is downstairs and I'm trying to decide if wireless would be better for the two PC's upstairs - I'd like to be able to wire the freesat box (also downstairs) to the router at the same time to use BBC iplayer when it starts.

Upstairs it's only a short phone cable away from the main socket, with no bell wire fitted. I can't run network cables downstairs due to aesthetic issues (she won't have it) and I'm getting pretty stable 6.7Mb speed (even with 63dB attenuation) and <30ms ping to most euro servers, would locating the router at the BT main socket help more than I'd lose from going wireless to the main PCs?

D-Dan · Nov 30, 2009, 22:16:51

It depends on a lot of things. In my case, relocating the router within spitting distance of the master socket and away from all other electrical equipment bought me 2 db of headroom on the noise margin (which I hope will translate into a sync increase in the next week or two). However, I've still been able to run a wired network. Whether or not you will introduce wireless instability will depend on the architecture of your home, how thick your walls are, what they are made of etc.

Steve

Steve · Nov 30, 2009, 22:21:26

As Steve said. Ideally to minimise noise inside the house inducing interference with the adsl signal, the router should be placed as near to the BT master socket as possible with shortest possible cable run. The use of extension sockets and long adsl cable runs have the potential to act as an aerial . Noise interference is manifest as associated connection dropouts and a raised noise margin . The use of a wireless or homeplug connection will increase your ping times. I think you have to decide whether your current setup is acceptable for your gaming and if it ain't broke probably best left. You will obviously have to to reconfigure if your connection becomes unstable.

D-Dan · Nov 30, 2009, 22:24:24

Damn - I forgot the

and the

Steve

Ray · Nov 30, 2009, 22:27:39

Simon · Nov 30, 2009, 23:33:32

Rik · Dec 01, 2009, 08:48:09

Hi BB

Welcome to the forum.

The other thing you could consider is main networking, particularly for the freesat box.

Glenn · Dec 01, 2009, 09:06:24

You can use a detuned AM radio to find the route of least interference, as a wired network will outperform a wireless network and is more secure.

Gary · Dec 01, 2009, 12:32:13

Central to you home is best, away from DECT phones and electrical apparatus and metal.

Myst · Dec 01, 2009, 12:39:30

For gaming, wired will always outperform wireless IMO.

I only have my daughters xbox wireless my pc and xbox are both hard wired.
I did briefly try wireless with the router direct into the phone socket as that massively increased my d/load speeds, however COD etc suffered drop outs and lag on a regular basis albeit microseconds, but enough to make a severe difference.

Sebby · Dec 01, 2009, 12:43:47

Gary · Dec 01, 2009, 13:19:04

Quote from: Myst on Dec 01, 2009, 12:39:30
For gaming, wired will always outperform wireless IMO.

I only have my daughters xbox wireless my pc and xbox are both hard wired.
I did briefly try wireless with the router direct into the phone socket as that massively increased my d/load speeds, however COD etc suffered drop outs and lag on a regular basis albeit microseconds, but enough to make a severe difference.

Using the final draft on N I get pretty good speeds now its not far off wired now, especially using the 5Ghz spectrum

boomboomer · Dec 01, 2009, 21:27:39

Thanks for the input all, router delivered and installed in the old location for the moment, stats are now:

Attenuation 18 dB (down from 63)
Noise Margin 14.9 dB (down from 23)

Downloads are pretty similar at 6.7Mb, sync speed is unchanged at 8128 kbps.

If I've got my head around this, swapping the router to plug straight into the BT main socket may reduce the Noise Margin - which then might increase download speeds (but won't affect the sync speed as it's already at maximum). However I never get drop outs, pings are nice and I think should be happy with 6.7Mb

Also, while setting up the router I set multiplexing to VC - as advised in my IDNet setup, but then had to change it to LLC before a connection could be made?

Thanks again for your help. What's main networking Rik?

Glenn · Dec 01, 2009, 22:03:49

Quote from: boomboomer on Dec 01, 2009, 21:27:39

Thanks again for your help. What's main networking Rik?

Take a look at http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/default_ShopGroup.asp?ShopGroupID=61

Rik · Dec 02, 2009, 08:41:12

What Glenn said.

Ted · Dec 02, 2009, 09:42:19

Quote from: boomboomer on Dec 01, 2009, 21:27:39
Downloads are pretty similar at 6.7Mb, sync speed is unchanged at 8128 kbps.

If I've got my head around this, swapping the router to plug straight into the BT main socket may reduce the Noise Margin - which then might increase download speeds (but won't affect the sync speed as it's already at maximum). However I never get drop outs, pings are nice and I think should be happy with 6.7Mb

If you sync at 8128, having a high SNR margin is not a bad thing.

Quote from Kitz

"Its important to note that on very good lines which would be able to sync in excess of 8Mb and which are currently syncing at 8128 or 7616 will show the SNR Margin as being higher due to the line not having reached its full potential. Such lines may well have the output power reduced in order to minimise crosstalk for other connections, therefore the SNRM figure is not an indication of the true target in these particular cases."

Its worth reading the whole page.

Aaron · Dec 06, 2009, 13:01:14

I have my router in the bedroom, which is upstairs and at the back end of the house (master socket is at the front of the house downstairs). The rj11 cable from the socket is run up to my router, 20m in length. I don't think I saw a difference in snr db as I did use a 1m rj11 cable and bought the router downstairs to troubleshoot something at one point in the past. Like you I also wanted a wired connection to the PC for gaming so I did this. Wireless, which may look fine at 1-2ms but if you ping test long enough you can see it spike to something like 400ms sometimes.