Buying a new wi-fi router for 2 story medium size house

[guzzi850m2]

Hi,

I am looking to get a new wi-fi router for my 2 story house.

 

I have an old router; D-Link dir600 that is still working but sometimes I have to re-start it and the range is just a bit too short but usable where it count most; the patio and up-stairs master bed-room. The 2 other bed rooms upstairs are receiving a too weak signal to get stable i-net.

 

Looking at InvadeIT's web page about the wi-fi routers they sell them from app 1000 baht and up to 12-20k baht, some of them have 6 antennas, my current D-Link gets by with 1!

 

The ones for sale now are mostly coming with the 2.4GHZ and 5GHZ bands, I am pretty sure my current router is only 2.4.

 

I am now looking at a few routers: the 3200 baht TP-Link AC1200 http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/Archer-C1200.html  and the +9000 baht TP-Link AC2600 http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/details/cat-15_Archer-VR2600.html

 

No USB3.0 on the ac1200, only 1 usb 2.0, the ac2600 have 2 usb 3.0 ports. Not sure I need them in the first place. Both supports both Android and OIS apps so you can set the router up from your smart phone/tablet, nice and I uses both Android (smart phone) and tablet (IPad mini2), so that is pretty handy.

 

My i-net speeds are not that great, 12mb/s from my cable TV provider. They are pretty stable and I used them for many years now, much better support than the crap TOT I had a long time ago.

 

I can likely get by just fine with the cheap one but should I go for the more powerful AC2600?

 

I forgot to add, not so interested in using a range extender, my friend in the village just fitted one in his house and it was a nightmare to set-up but works fine now but I rater not go that way.

Edited September 18, 2016 by guzzi850m2

[guzzi850m2]

Well I been checking more around and I found this site: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/

 

Looks like the AC2600 is complete overkill for me.

 

I will likely go for one of those below:

 

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/router-chooser/chooser

[wpcoe]

What are the WiFi capabilities of your computer/phone/tablet?  If they are all 802.11n (or earlier) there's not much benefit, other than future-proofing, of getting a 802.11ac router.

[guzzi850m2]

Well most of the new routers got the 803.11 and the more expensive ones have better range.

 

My current router is from 2009 (I think) and as mentioned, it sometimes stops working so it's about time to get a newer better one.

[KittenKong]

14 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

I have an old router; D-Link dir600 that is still working but sometimes I have to re-start it and the range is just a bit too short but usable where it count most; the patio and up-stairs master bed-room. The 2 other bed rooms upstairs are receiving a too weak signal to get stable i-net.

 

Try Powerline products to extend the range to the other bedrooms. Usually works fine if your electrical wiring is in good order.

 

https://www.jib.co.th/web/index.php/product/readProduct/21034/24/index.html

 

There are many brands and options, and as usual you will find more choice and lower prices "back home" if you have visitors coming. I use the most basic type to connect my ADSL modem to my router on the other side of the same room.

To get round having to restart the router, fit the cheapest sort of digital time-switch and set it to be on for 23 hours and 59 minutes per day, with a 1 minute break at 4am. Obviously get one with the correct prongs/sockets for your location.

 

 

 

[guzzi850m2]

Thanks but as I said I rather not go that way with more electronic units plugged in than necessary. 

 

As mentioned my current wi-fi router is old and very basic, I am pretty sure the range will be extended if I choose the right one without going over the top. 

[thedemon]

Bear in mind that ac speeds only apply to 5GHz not 2.4GHz. The downside with 5GHz is that in terms of range it has far worse performance than 2.4GHz in a multi room concrete house.

 

5GHz will travel over long distances quite well but only when there are no obstructions.

[KittenKong]

4 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Thanks but as I said I rather not go that way with more electronic units plugged in than necessary. 

 

I did see that but the Powerline products do work quite differently to a regular stand-alone wifi extender. I agree that those latter can be hard to set up sometimes. Powerline on the other hand is pretty easy and reliable, if it works at all on your house wiring.

 

Personally my choice would always be for cable (be it ethernet or Powerline) over stronger and stronger wifi. My own wifi is set on 10% strength as it works fine in my condo on that setting. On 100% I could probably keep my coffee hot just by standing the cup near the router, and I do wonder what effect that might have on my brain over several years.

[guzzi850m2]

Thanks guys,

 

Okay this powerline seems worth trying at some stage when my son is older and will demand good e-net connection in his room upstairs. I just wish I could try it out first before committing buying it.

 

As it is now, my old wi-fi router does a surprising good job of giving us good wi-fi where we need it but I will still get a new router after 2 month overseas work starting soon. 

 

I think my friend has allocated the 5mhz to his personal ipad and his 3 girls (wife & 2 daughters) share the 2.4mhz radio but they don't know about that, he-he.

 

I will also at a later stage see if fiber optics e-net can be had in my village just outside Pattaya, the 12mb/s is sometimes struggling and I would like to get rid of True satellite TV as the +20k baht per year is not worth it, then I rather pay for some e-net based TV and you can choose yourself what you want to see and when.