Dual Band N Routers & Adapters

[sammycic]

I currently have my WDTV live hooked up to my wrt54gl router by wired connection and works perfectfully.

I need to change to wireless and is dual band worth the extra money as I stream HD to my WDTV player.

Thoughts and recommendations greatly appreciated.

router first floor, wdtv ground floor.

Edited February 16, 2011 by sammycic

[naidraw66]

Ive been looking into this also, I don't think dual band is worth it right now. There aren't many devices around that currently work on the 5Ghz band. I would however recommend that you change to a wireless N router operating on the same 2.5Ghz band. This should provide you with the capability that you are looking for in respect to transmitting HD files and will also give you extended range.

Have a look at this web site it has quite a good router selection www.tvdotcom.biz or this if you are looking at buying online http://www.thanni.co...dex&language=en or http://www.invadeit.co.th/

Good luck

IW

[Crushdepth]

I have the same dilemma. I was thinking of getting a second WRT54GL to use as wireless bridge to the main router and plugging the Samsung TV into that.

But the WRT54GL is only b/g. Would g be fast enough to stream video ok? Or is it a 'n' only proposition?

[sammycic]

Ive been looking into this also, I don't think dual band is worth it right now. There aren't many devices around that currently work on the 5Ghz band. I would however recommend that you change to a wireless N router operating on the same 2.5Ghz band. This should provide you with the capability that you are looking for in respect to transmitting HD files and will also give you extended range.

Have a look at this web site it has quite a good router selection www.tvdotcom.biz or this if you are looking at buying online http://www.thanni.co...dex&language=en or http://www.invadeit.co.th/

Good luck

IW

Hi, as you say there are not many devices that support 5ghz. None of my laptops do. On the wdtv forum it says they do support 5ghz.

I am going to buy a linksys dual band wireless adapter and then if i have to will go to a dual band router.

thanni have very good prices and selection.

Thanks for your input.

[sammycic]

I have the same dilemma. I was thinking of getting a second WRT54GL to use as wireless bridge to the main router and plugging the Samsung TV into that.

But the WRT54GL is only b/g. Would g be fast enough to stream video ok? Or is it a 'n' only proposition?

Seems 'n' is the only way to go if you want to stream HD or wired of course. My samsung TV doesn't support 5ghz, but supports 'n'.

Interesting dilemma, which way to go. Sounds like a new router coming up.

Cheers

[Darrel]

I would be very surpised if wireless "n" could correctly stream proper 1080 HD without glitches. It can probably manage 720, assuming not too many other demands being made on it and no thick concrete. It will handle SD video.

Personally I always use ethernet cable or a long HDMI lead.

[naidraw66]

I would be very surpised if wireless "n" could correctly stream proper 1080 HD without glitches. It can probably manage 720, assuming not too many other demands being made on it and no thick concrete. It will handle SD video.

Personally I always use ethernet cable or a long HDMI lead.

Ethernet is not always possible due to the distances involved especially in SAMMYCIC's case, and I have never heard of a modem equipped with HDMI . . . ! Wireless N will stream 1080p with no problem you WOULD be surprised . .

[sammycic]

After reading WDTV forums I have to agree with ianwrd4 that is possible to stream 1080p wirelessly, of course depends on the quality of the router and wireless adapter.

At the moment cannot decide if the dual band is worth the extra money, but you definately need 'n'.

[Darrel]

Ethernet is not always possible due to the distances involved especially in SAMMYCIC's case, and I have never heard of a modem equipped with HDMI . . . ! Wireless N will stream 1080p with no problem you WOULD be surprised . .

Ethernet cable is good over 100 yards without any extra equipment, and is dirt cheap. I use it whenever possible.

Obviously you woundn't connect an HDMI cable to a network: you put whatever convertor you are using near the router and run the HDMI cable to your amp and then to your TV. This is what I do as I use my PC for everything (Bluray, DVD, ripped media, all music, digital satellite, DTT) but prefer to have it in another room away from my TV and amp.

I tried wireless N several times and it couldnt handle 1080P at all well. Luckily by doing it all on my PC I dont need any network connection near the TV or amp at all. As my PC is on permanently anyway this is a very good solution for me, and of course a PC is about the only device that can play all media and codecs, no matter what they are.

[pjclark1]

I would be very surpised if wireless "n" could correctly stream proper 1080 HD without glitches. It can probably manage 720, assuming not too many other demands being made on it and no thick concrete. It will handle SD video.

Personally I always use ethernet cable or a long HDMI lead.

Ethernet is not always possible due to the distances involved especially in SAMMYCIC's case, and I have never heard of a modem equipped with HDMI . . . ! Wireless N will stream 1080p with no problem you WOULD be surprised . .

Ethernet is good up tp 100m

[naidraw66]

I would be very surpised if wireless "n" could correctly stream proper 1080 HD without glitches. It can probably manage 720, assuming not too many other demands being made on it and no thick concrete. It will handle SD video.

Personally I always use ethernet cable or a long HDMI lead.

Ethernet is not always possible due to the distances involved especially in SAMMYCIC's case, and I have never heard of a modem equipped with HDMI . . . ! Wireless N will stream 1080p with no problem you WOULD be surprised . .

Ethernet is good up tp 100m

Yes you are right. But it also looks unsightly and presents a problem when your modem and various appliances are on different floors to each other!

[damole]

Somebody in BKK is selling the Belkin Play Max Modem Router on TV. It's the only simultaneous dual band router with ADSL modem, there are a few others but not with modem. This is the best of both worlds as you can stream your HD video on 5GHz and leave 2.4GHz for less demanding applications like general surfing.

[negreanu]

I tried wireless N several times and it couldnt handle 1080P at all well

Wireless N has no problem with 1080p which is around 3.0MB/s-4.0MB/s stream. A properly configured Wireless N network within range can easily obtain 10MB/s.

Remember the range of Wireless N significantly effects the throughput but 3.0MB/s should be easily achievable - Use it all the time to stream 1080p movies without issue from 2 rooms away.

Would recommend Apple's Airport Extreme with dual band. And for greater range if you wish modify it with QuickerTek Triband antenna kit.

Or my own preference is Netgears Powerline adaptors which are now upto 500mb.

Edited February 19, 2011 by negreanu

[Darrel]

I tried wireless N several times and it couldnt handle 1080P at all well

Wireless N has no problem with 1080p which is around 3.0MB/s-4.0MB/s stream. A properly configured Wireless N network within range can easily obtain 10MB/s.

YMMV. It didn't work well enough to tempt me to abandon the much cheaper and 100% reliable ethernet solution. There is also the issue of potentially getting one's brain fried.

[Tom9999]

The tip to use Power Line equipment might be worth while to consider.

It's cheap and has a high trough put.

[Crushdepth]

Well I did the experiment tonight and its working well, although I am just using it to watch video off the net (not HD) on the home theatre.

I bought a second WRT54GL router that came with dd-wrt pre-installed on it. I configured it as a wireless client bridge to my main router over wireless G with WPA2/AES encryption. The TV has DNLA and detects media files on the NAS box via its built in Twonky media server.

Loving it