Help - I need to speed up network.

itchybumba · 06-12-2012, 15:24

I will try to keep this brief!

Current set up:

Virgin Superhub. Connected to it via ethernet are 2 computers.

Sometime wireless client devices (phones / laptops etc...) connect to the Superhub.

All of the above i will term network 1. All of the below i will term network 2

Also connected to the Virgin Superhub is a WN2000RPT Netgear wireless repeater. To get to the repeater the signal from the hub travels through 2 brick walls and a floor.

The repeater lives in the part of the house where the majority of my network use happens (well middway between that part and the Superhub). Connected to the Repeater there are normally 3 or 4 wireless client devices (phones / tablets etc..)

In addition, connected to the Netgear repeater via wireless i have an old Linksys WRT54G running DD-WRT in client bridge mode which lives behind a TV. Connected to the Linksys via ethernet cables i have a WD TV Live hub, a sky HD box (yes i have sky TV with Virgin broadband!), and an XBox 360.

Everything above, whether in network 1 or 2 can communicate with each other for file transfers etc... In addition, all devices on both networks can access the internet. This is how i want it to be connectivity wise however, network 2 is far to slow. I am happy with the speeds i get between devices on network 1 - whether wireless/wired or both. But copying files between network 1 and 2, copying files between devices on network 2 and accessing the internet on network 2 is far to SLOW!!

I think the main problems are:

1) The signal on the Virgin Hub is pretty weak (as i have read) and is not good enough to reliably push through the 2 brick walls and a floor.

2) When any files are transferred between network 1 and 2, or multiple devices on network 2 are accessing the inernet, all this data has to go over the 1 wireless connection between the superhub and repeater, creating a serious bottleneck. I am also guessing that when I transfer a file between 2 devices in network 2 the data is sent all the way to the Virgin Super Hub and then back, effectively crossing the bridge twice. I may be wrong on this point but it would make sense bearing in mind the awful speeds I get between 2 devices in network 2

3) The repeater halves bandwidth due to having to pick up the data then transmit it – I think this is a problem with all repeaters

4) The Linksys that is in bridge mode and connects my tv live hub, xbox and sky box to my repeater is an using wireless G which is pretty slow compared to the newer technologies.

So i need to get faster speeds and to do that i need to invest in some new networking toys. Problem is i am not that great when it comes to knowing what i am talking about with regards to networks. I am by no means awful (the set up above i set up myself including installing DD-WRT) but i am not really sure what some fundermental things do (like MAC addresses etc) so please go easy on me!! As such i need someone to look at what i was thinking below and let me know if this is likley to work as above (but faster) or whether there is a better way of acheiveing a faster network. Things that are not an option are moving the internet connection to network 2 (i need the wired PCs to have the fastest connection possible) and i cant run a wire between network 1 and 2, it has to be done wirelessly. Also, i cant use the power line network adapters to bridge network 1 and 2.

Pop the Virginsuper hub into modem only mode and connect via ethernet to a ASUS RT-AC66U. This would be the main hub of network 1 with the 2 PCs connected via ethernet and the occasional wireless device.

I would buy a second ASUS RT-AC66U which i would put into media bridge mode (i assume this is the same as a client bridge) and put in the middle of the 2 networks (currently where the repeater is). This way the bottle neck that i had before would be somewhat improved as it would be a 5GHZ AC connection.

Then, to get wireless around Network 2 i would get either a dualband wireless N router or access point (suggestions would be most welcome), which i would connect to the network via an ethernet cable to the bridged ASUS RT-AC66U. This idea here is to effectively make my own repeater out of the 2 routers and hopefully this would get rid of the halving of bandwidth that repeaters cause. Problem is i do not know if you can connect a router/access point to a bridged router via ethernet and expect it all to work!

Finally, get another wireless N router which i will put into bridge mode to replace the Linksys WRT54G and provide network access to the WD Live TV Hub, Sky box and xbox.

I was thinking dual band wireless N routers for network 2 as i have a variatey of devices that use various different wireless tech - but none that use AC. As such would be saving some money here but i think wireless N should still give fast enough transfer speeds across network 2 that i can live with. I was thinking of spending big to get the AC bridge as that would help eliviate a bottle neck on the network. I am also hoping the devices on network 2 would communicate directly with each other, so when transferring a file the data would not go over the bridge to the main hub and back again.

This might all be a really rubbish idea and thats why i need some help please - i really dont want to go spending this money to find out that there is no way this is going to work.

Thanks in advance!!

RB2004 · 06-12-2012, 16:04

How much do you need to speed up your network by?

For cables sections pretty much limited to 1Gbit unless you really need more then you could always go down fibre route but seems a bit overkill for home use

itchybumba · 06-12-2012, 16:21

Hi there RB2004,

Yes i am happy with the speeds i get on all the wired devices and fibre is very much over kill for me!! I just want to be able to stream HD video content across the network - not full bluray rips but files that are more like 8 - 10gig in size. Currently, it takes around 15 minutes to transfer a 350mg file of a SD TV program from my WD Live hub to a tablet connected to "network 2" - it shouldnt be this slow!! To give an idea of different speeds i get here are some stats regarding internet connection speed taken from various places in the network (these are from one of the speed test websites).

Client connected wirelessly in same room as Virgin Hub: 37.69Mbps down, 6.69 Mbps up and a 20ms ping. Pretty happy with that and reckon that would be fast enough to stream HD.
Client connected wirelessly in same position as wireless repeater: 5.28Mbps down, 6.49 up and 18ms ping. Down is pretty slow i am sure you will agree!
Client connected wirelessly to wireless repeater: 2.75Mbps down, 7.17Mbps up and 43ms ping

I do not know the speeds of devices "talking" to each other across the network, only to the internet but i am sure it helps demonstrate some of the slow spots!!

Thanks for your help!

MovedGoalPosts · 06-12-2012, 16:21

The WRT54G is your bottleneck. It's tech and capabilites have fallen far below what you can get today. As you realise the "g" wireless is limited and will drag down everything else that has to go via it's wireless to anything else.

Ideally you'd want to get an ethernet cable from the superhub to your Linksys's location as if you put a lot of traffic between those networks, the cable will always be superior to any wireless.

If you need wireless in that second location, with the main router (superhub) coverage being inadequate then upgrade the second router to an n standard. Wireless will always be slower than wired.

I doubt any wireless repeater would help you. As you say before any wireless device even in bridge mode can send a signal, it has to receive it. Potentially the repeater would add to bottlenecks, not reduce them.

itchybumba · 06-12-2012, 16:34

Hi Rob,

Thank you for your reply. Yes totally agree - the WRT54G has to go! However i am doubtful whether i can get a wireless signal from the Superhubs loaction to where the WRT54G is without somehting in the middle (damn brick walls!!)

I am going to post a diagram of the set up later that will maybe help people visualise my problem a bit better than my rambling post!!

06-12-2012, 19:45

Could you drill a hole through the wall; run a patch cable and connect it to a Gb switch? Eliminate the wireless for any kind of streaming - it's way to slow - you need a wired connection.

Sephiroth · 07-12-2012, 22:20

I do something similar but use a wired access point. This is fed from a powerline adaptor. So it's SH or router to powerline ---> electric mains ---> powerline adaptor ---> Ethernet ---? Wireless Access Point (I use Airport Express) but it can be any wireless router).

RB2004 · 09-12-2012, 04:06

I know they are tested etc but power line, I've just never been able to get over the worry that if it went faulty there's a risk of shoving 230v down the network cable, and if 1 end Is connected to a switch could do thousands in damage.

qasdfdsaq · 09-12-2012, 05:15

Ethernet ports tend to be floating and (effectively, voltage wise) not connected to any other part of the circuitry of the device, on both ends, but especially so on a powerline adapter.

Sephiroth · 09-12-2012, 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by RB2004

I know they are tested etc but power line, I've just never been able to get over the worry that if it went faulty there's a risk of shoving 230v down the network cable, and if 1 end Is connected to a switch could do thousands in damage.

That would hold true of a router, a modem, a Superhub or anything like that plugged into the mains.

Wallace · 13-12-2012, 14:48

I understand RB2004's concern.

In comment to Sephiroth's reply. Routers, MODEM's and the SH don't have 230 volts 'floating around' inside them. Their power is derived from a plugtop PSU (usually).

But I see your point, Seph and I am not flaming you. Where do you draw the line? You could say the same for the PSU brick, 230v in and 12v out. Etal...

As long as you buy a quality Powerline unit tested to known standards, you will be as safe as you can be.

robson689 · 13-12-2012, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wallace

I understand RB2004's concern.

In comment to Sephiroth's reply. Routers, MODEM's and the SH don't have 230 volts 'floating around' inside them. Their power is derived from a plugtop PSU (usually).

But I see your point, Seph and I am not flaming you. Where do you draw the line? You could say the same for the PSU brick, 230v in and 12v out. Etal...

As long as you buy a quality Powerline unit tested to known standards, you will be as safe as you can be.

Even the cheap and nasty powerline units have transformers inside. They would never actually run on 230v.