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Any reason for a new cable modem/router?
LaPuzza
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm using an old b/g wireless router and a Motorola SB5101U. I have Cox High Speed Preferred for Internet, which provides "Power Boost speeds up to 25mb/s." I know that number's BS, of course.
Using about a dozen devices, often 4 or 5 simultaniously, is there any reason to get a 3.0 modem or a new router if everything I'm doing is Internet based(no streaming from PC to TV or anything fancy like that)?
An article on Lifehacker has me thinking about it, and I just don't know enough to answer whether I need better hardware to get the most out of what I'm paying monthly.
Using about a dozen devices, often 4 or 5 simultaniously, is there any reason to get a 3.0 modem or a new router if everything I'm doing is Internet based(no streaming from PC to TV or anything fancy like that)?
An article on Lifehacker has me thinking about it, and I just don't know enough to answer whether I need better hardware to get the most out of what I'm paying monthly.
LaPuzza on
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Honestly, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. You gain nothing by upgrading as far as I'm concerned.
Well features are the thing he could gain, however I am more of the camp of "flash the everloving shit out of your router with new firmware".
But I do agree if it isn't broke don't fix it.
No reason to get a new modem until your old one breaks.
When I say "features" I really mean "how much control over those features".
I like to be able to place caps on connections instead of using QOS so when some dick decides to crash at my place and then download and seed torrents from his laptop it doesn't crash and burn harder than Waterworld.
This statement is not true:
Quite the opposite. You are sharing the band with all your devices. If you stream stuff, for example, on all wireless devices, you would benefit from a faster wireless speed (like N, for example).
For regular surfing, don't upgrade. My 0.02 dolla.
4-8 devices isn't going to impact much. Wireless N improves upon this (MIMO and all that), but rarely utilized by the APs IIRC. Best bet is to always use wired for high bandwidth applications regardless.
Unless you have noticed a performance decrease over the last few weeks/months, I don't think it will make too much of a difference.
Oh and the range on the newer ac routers is redonkulous. I can get a signal 3 floors down from myself in an old brick building.
I am asking because MLB streaming has gotten a little choppy here and there this season. I wonder if dropping 80 on a modem, or 100 on a router, will help, or if my ISP bottleneck would make those upgrades worthless.
It looks like my initial impression, that a fastr router and faster modem won't help without faster internet, is correct. Thanks for the $200 you saved me everyone!
If the device you're trying to steam MLB.tv to is on the wireless, it could make a difference. They say that their highest quality stream is 3mbps, but they also provide a tool to check what you're getting to their servers here: http://mlb.mlb.com/tools/bandwidthdetect/
The other problem is that wireless networks in general tend to slow down as more devices are on them. I won't get into the boring details of why, but the other activity on your network may be enough to make a high-quality stream like MLB.tv erratic due to dropped or delayed frames.
What kind of device are you trying to watch MLB.tv on? A number of people seem to have trouble on the Roku version for some reason.
That's me, on a wireless Roku LT.
I certinaly understand that multiple wireless devices working at the same share my Internets, of course. I just don't know if a better router, or a better modem, would do anything like open the pipes a little wider, or even manage the data better, to a point where things would be faster/better without me changing my use.
Like Bowen said, N would theoretically be a bit better, but I think you're running into a software problem on the Roku from what I've read. It works great for some people and not at all for others, but I don't know if it is due to their networks, expectations, or actual bugs.