[SOLVED] wired vs. wireless install

One other thing I've noticed Cat, If you transfer files across your home network, it's faster to be wired. At my house wired transfer rates are about 6 times faster. I suppose it could be the quality of my wireless usb dongle that causes this but the difference is real.

Since going wired, I've noticed no speed increase at all, if anything, a decrease. But that's cable internet for you. A couple of months or so back, I was posting my speed problems. Sometimes it's fast, sometimes slow. Totally unpredictable. Even at 1AM, it's this way sometimes.

I've just learned to accept it. Why get all wound up when nothing's going to change? I took Nibiru's advice, getting technical service to ping the router when it stays slow, it helps. I'm not on here near as much as I was anyway, since my recent surgery, I just can't sit up long.

But if and when my health improves, I'm going to buy a new router. I would like a router that can pick up those "N" signals for my notebook, and keep my desktop wired into it. I have two "N" USB adaptors, if I need a faster speed for downloading, I can tap into that. One of them cost only $15, and is fantastic for it's price.

TorrentG, I'll have to check into what you're speaking of. I've heard that you can "hide" your presence, but never pursued it. I don't think there's no hackers in my nearby neighbors homes, but I've seen cars parked along the side of the road, using notebooks. Probably tapping into those unsecured networks.

Cat

Cat,
Please tell me you do run an password encrypted wireless router? You can improve your safety if you turn off broadcasting but you at least need to use it passworded. If you are running wide open it could be your neighbors stealing your bandwidth that would definitely slow down your connection.

Yes, I've always ran with a password. Like I previously said, I'd never run unsecured. And unlike the procedure that Time Warner usually does, assigning your phone number as your password, I chose my own.

Two, when the router signal is being used, a light flashes rapidly, a dead giveaway that someone is connected to it.

I think that the age of the router has something to do with this. A few months ago, Time Warner went around distributing new Netgear wireless routers to all of their wireless customers. At first, it ran really good. But the chipset must have been defective, because it ran very hot, and was constantly dropping signals after about an hour of using it. They replaced it, but with a really old one. It doesn't even have a brand name written on it anywhere. Looks like it was pulled out of the trash bin. After a month of using it, the power cord went bad. I had a similar one that would work, and installed that one on it.

I honestly believe that I'd be better off selecting and purchasing my own router, that way I'll know what I have. True, it would be my responsibility of maintaining it, but I'd have peace of mind, as well as a slightly lower internet bill.

But I'm going to see how my health goes before doing anything. If I can only sit here for 30 minutes a day, there's no need to bother.

Cat

Well we all want you to get better Cat. While you are stuck laying down you might look at getting the voice activation working - you just voice your commands.