Well it's not like you can purchase your own for much less than that. Oh, wait, yeah you can

Powerline. I have this exact one. Works like a charm

This is why I purchase my own modem, one without wifi capability.

For anyone wishing to do the same here is the modem I use, and is compatible with most standards.

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI/

70 dollars may seem like a lot, but if you're renting a modem from your provider for 7 dollars it begins to pay for it self in under a year.

But then you'll have to go through the incredibly painful experience of returning the modem, them saying you never returned it even though you did, and them charging you the cost of the device. I'd recommend sending in your modem via certified mail and then keep the receipt for when they demand you pay because they never got it.

EDIT: Changed URL to latest model, thanks goes to /u/Dark_Shroud. Old link is preserved for those who want a cheaper model that will still work with their connection.

Here's the composition of the rack:

• NavePoint 12U Network Rack
  
• TP-Link TL-SG1024: 24 port rackmount switch
  
• TP-Link TL-SG1016PE: 16 port rackmount power over ethernet switch (needed for the Wi-Fi access points)
  
• TP-Link TL-R600VPN: Rackmount router w/ dual-WAN and VPN
  
• Rackmount Power w/ surge protection
  
• Rack shelf: Used to hold modem and NAS
  
• Patch Panel: 24-port Cat6 patch panel (wires go in the pack via punchdown connection, and you run patch cables to the switches)
  
• 12" Patch cables: For connecting between the patch panel, swicthes, other on-rack devices
  
• Synology 416play NAS: Movies, music, pictures, etc. 32 TB in all.
  
  Elsewhere in the house/other useful parts:
  
  
• Keystone Cat6 jacks: one per bedroom, 4 in my home office, 4 in the media room (not built yet), 3 in the family room
  
• 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-hole keystone wall plates: Buy the number of holes you want and just pop in the keystone jacks
  
• Blank keystone inserts: For when you have too many holes in the keystone plates
  
• Ubiquiti AC Pro x 3: Wi-Fi access points, roughly center of the house on each floor (basement, first, second)
  
• Punchdown tool: For doing the punchdown connections on the patch panel and on each of the keystone Cat6 plugs in each room
  
• Extra rack screws and washers
  
• J-Hook: There are two hooks on each wall, holding service loops for the Cat6 and Coax, respectively.
  
  Useful things I learned:
  
  
• I was originally going to run the wires myself, but never could find the time. Also Cat6 is expensive when not purchased in wholesale quantities (< 10,000 ft). So we hired a local electrician to run the actual wires. It took two of them about 1.5 days to run everything. This was well worth the money, since the project would have taken many months to do in the evenings/on weekends with a toddler running around.
  
• I did all the wall terminations. Since they were punchdowns, it was easy and took one evening after work. The electricians would have charged me another half-day of labor.
  
• I did all the network rack work. This also took one evening after work.
  
• Do NOT buy electrical/networking equipment from a big box hardware store. Always go to a specialized retailer, like an electrician supply store. Their prices will be 1/20th that of the big box store, you won't have to have anything shipped, and their employees actually know what they are talking about. So if you're looking for something that you don't know the name of, you can usually describe it.
  
• Newer construction may have fire breaks/blocks/stops which prevent fire and gases from traveling up the inside of the walls. This makes fire move more slowly and give you more time to evacuate. However, it also means you might need to drill holes/patch walls in order to run wires vertically.
  
• Put in a service loop. If you ever need to re-terminate for any reason (like replacing a patch panel), it will give you extra cable to work with. Do the same thing inside your walls behind the wall plates, since you might have to do the same thing there as well.
  
• Buy networking gear that is rated for the same speed (i.e., gigabit). Your network will only be as fast as the slowest part of it.
  
• Watch out for network loops. This is really easy to do and will cause your router to crash or perform suboptimally. I spent >2 hours debugging on of these as a result of connecting my router to itself by way of both switches.

Powerline Adapters are a blessing. I got the two-port version so I can have my PS4 and PC plugged in at the same time.

Get something like this. It literally runs internet through the power cables in your house. Plug one next to your router with an ethernet cable, and one near you device with an ethernet cable. Instant internet.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1543444947&sr=1-4&keywords=powerline+adapter

>$200

>$305

I appreciate the importance of network security but... Just get an old PC and install a wifi card and use a network switch for ethernet ports. You'll save at least $100 if not more, at the cost of only a bit of space, and can use the same software.

Currently in a house with 5 gamers total

I live in house with 3 other guys and a buddy of ours has been crashing on our couch for the past month (long story, but he's cool and contributes to cooking, cleaning, and utilities) We all play League of Legends, a handful of us play BF3, a few others play Tera, and then various other games such as CS:GO and TF2, and other console games like Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart.

We have been here for about 1.5 months, below are some issues that we encountered:

• Bandwidth: we have a 105Mbps down/ 20Mbps up pipe provided by Comcast. The Router that comcast provided sucked, constant latency spikes, no QOS, terrible admin console. I ended up going out and buying my own modem and Router. I got the Motorola SB6121 and an Asus-RT-N66U Router (I could have paid an additional $30 and got an AC router, but honetly, none of us use the wireless for our computers, and any wireless device we do use which include phones, tablets, laptops, Apple TV, Ouya, PS3 etc, do not support 802.11AC and even if they did, none of them even saturate 802.11N) This completely solved our issues with lag spikes, and by far was the most frustrating issue we dealt with thus far.
  
  
• Electricity: I don't know where you guys are living, but being in Texas the A/C was on constantly, so be prepared for a large electric bill. Our last bill was ~$270, but that is pretty much as high as it will go.
  
  
• NAS: Currently I have 3 1TB drives in my computer and I am using Windows to share the content, we are currently using XBMC to play media across our computers as well as the Ouya and the Apple TV which are both hooked up to TVs. (1 in the living room, the other in the breakfast room/nook) I want to eventually build/buy a NAS, but I have been way too busy at work and I've been spending too much money on going and eating out.. so that needs to change.
  
  
• Last bit of advice I'd have to give, is make everyone do chores or something, it gets dirty very fast at our place with 5 guys living there, 2 dogs, 1 cat(although she is mostly outside), plus friends, girlfriends, and parties also all happening at our place.
  

If you want your stuff to last a long time and be more reliable, get dedicated devices rather than combined ones. A "wireless router" is actually three devices combined into one: router, switch, and access point. The router separates your network from the internet, moves data between them, allows multiple devices to share your single public IP address, blocks unwanted internet traffic from reaching your network, and assigns local IP addresses to devices on your network. The access point does Wi-Fi. The switch connects these together and gives you the multiple LAN Ethernet ports on the back.

These three devices are also available separately. For example, this is a router, this is a switch, and this is an access point. You'd connect the router's WAN port to the modem and the LAN port to the switch, then connect access points and other wired devices to the switch. This has several advantages:

• The devices are much more reliable as each only does one job, rather than having to juggle three different ones.
  
• It's easily expandable. If you need more Ethernet ports somewhere, just add another switch there and connect it to an existing switch. If you need more Wi-Fi coverage somewhere, add another access point there and connect it to an existing switch.
  
• Upgrading is less wasteful. If, for example, a new Wi-Fi standard comes out, just get new access points that support it. You can keep your existing router and switch(es). Likewise, if you upgrade your connection speed to something your router can't handle, just upgrade it and keep your switch(es) and access point(s). And if something breaks, you can just replace it and keep everything else.
  
• You can optimize the locations of devices. Your router and switch(es) can be put well out of the way, behind other stuff, where their cables will be out of sight. Your access point(s) can be ceiling mounted to provide the best Wi-Fi coverage, with only one Ethernet cable running to them. This cable also powers the AP using Power over Ethernet.

$400.

What $400 could get you instead:

• A gigabit ethernet router without Wi-Fi and PoE $169
  
  
• A gigabit switch for mooooooooore ports (optional)!!! $25
  
  
• 500 feet of Cat5e. If you're running cable for access points, then you'll need this. If not, it's still nice to have and cheap. $32
  
  
• Get a wireless access point! Now your wireless isn't stuck next to your modem/router! $63.67
  
  
• Have a bigger house? get another access point. $63.67
  
  We spent $353.34. We got: 2 Wireless-N access points for different points in our house, a router with all of the same features (minus automatic DDNS, which you don't need your router to do), and more (gigabit) ports.
  
  And we spent less. Obviously this requires a lot more work: you have to run cables (which includes measuring, cutting, and crimping cables, installing wall ports, running cable up walls and through your attic if youw ant to do it correctly), configure your router (at least a little bit),
  
  And I'm not saying that this solution is for everyone. Or even for very many people, but I am trying to show that we are able to get a gigabit PoE router with the same features, a small gigabit switch, and two access points for less than this thing. These expensive routers are getting ridiculous.
  
  
  Edit: I'm just saying guys, consider your options. These big routers don't really solve most problems people have. It's buying a Ferrari to drive your 4 kids to school.

Don't use WiFi ever. Random packet loss will happen from simple interference. Its possible the two PS4s are interfering with each other.

Just use an ethernet cable to plug the PS4 into the router. If its not possible to run a cable then buy Powerline Adapters. I honestly don't know why these are not more popular. I had to use them for years until I finally had cables run throughout the house but they pretty much saved my life as I refuse to play any sort of online game with WiFi.

i will forever recommend a powerline adapter over a pcie wireless card or usb wireless adapter

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA2010KIT/dp/B00AWRUIY4?ie=UTF8&portal-device-attributes=desktop&qid=1497057976&ref_=sr_1_1&refinements=p_n_intended_use_browse-bin%3A9647497011%2Cp_89%3ATP-Link&s=pc&sr=1-1&th=1

Jesus christ...

It's a USB wireless adapter people - it's not a modem. Yes, good wireless routers are theoretically capable of high speeds. Adapters not as much. None of this has anything to do with ISP speed. This entire thing reeks of peasantry.

There's really a couple different paths to choose when embarking upon this journey. Some folks purchase brand new hardware, while the alternative option is to consider picking up an old/used enterprise server, which can offer incredible value for slightly older, yet awesomely powerful machines with a lot of life left in them for home usage. I hemmed and hawed and was in an almost identical situation as you are right now, only this was roughly ~2 years ago.

I would encourage you to start by taking a gander at /r/Homelab's wiki, you probably won't find a better single source of information anywhere on the web: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/wiki/buyingguide

It's chock-full of great information. Do you have a budget in mind? What's your ISP bandwidth like? Are you planning to share things remotely, or going to keep most of this in-house? Do you have a decent router to build out your home network around? LOTS of considerations to make, it's difficult to find a one-size fits all solution, as every use case is going to be different to a certain extent.

For me, personally, I started with a trusty little Edgerouter-X that I managed to pick up on sale for $49 way back when. It's an amazingly powerful and versatile device that handled most everything I threw at it. From there you'll need to decide what type of hypervisor you want to run, as this can seriously affect the hardware requirements you initially inquired about.

The path I followed for learning hypervisors was sort of:

• VirtualBox -- widely used, totally free, can pretty much be installed on any desktop PC, but i found it to be a bit clunky once I got some experience with other options.
  
• Microsoft Hyper-V -- there's two variants of this (type 1 & type 2), the former being what you would install on baremetal, as your OS, then manage remotely from another machine on the network... no admin GUI, so you'll need to learn some command line. The latter option (type 2 Hyper-V) can be added to any Windows 10 Pro (or Enterprise) desktop PC, by simply going into "Programs and Features" and using the appropriate checkbox to "Turn Windows features on or off" but be advised, virtual machines want memory. Lots and lots of RAM, depending upon what type and how many virtual machines you ultimately end up running.
  
• Proxmox -- is something i only initially dabbled with, so I don't have much firsthand experience, however it's an excellent choice, is also free & open-source if you are comfortable delving into the *nix realm.
  
• VMware ESXi -- there are licensing costs associated with this, but ESXi is the free version for home use, with a somewhat limited feature set and can be rather particular about what type of hardware you run this on. This is what we were using at work and is pretty much considered the gold standard in virtualization, so I wanted to get my feet wet and learn more about what our guys were using on a day to day basis, so this is where I ultimately landed. You must check the hardware compatibility list before dropping a ton of cash, if you decide to go this route. This is ultimately what lead me to the used enterprise gear, I picked up my first legit server from Craigslist with intentions of going this route... and i currently have two ESXi 6.7 compute nodes providing all my virtualization needs.
  
  These are by no means the only options. There's a very passionate community (albeit sometimes a bit toxic) surrounding the FreeNAS project, and just as many folks love unRAID for the simplicity and versatility it offers (at a small, one-time cost, I believe fifty or sixty dollars for the license). Or you could even run your favorite flavor of Linux server and build everything yourself, from the ground up. This is a wonderful resource for getting an idea of what that might entail: https://blog.linuxserver.io/2017/06/24/the-perfect-media-server-2017/
  
  Some general tips I've managed to pick up over the years; RAM, RAM, RAM... you can almost certainly never have enough. It will be the single most in-demand resource once you get going. Don't stress too terribly much over CPU power, unless you have intentions of pushing out 4K HDR transcoded streams. Knowing what devices the end-users will be using to consume your media from a Plex server is also very helpful, but the general rule is ~2000 Passmark score per 1080p stream. This will be your bible for determining Plex requirements.
  
  Don't just take my word for anything that's been mentioned here, as my network is an absolute mess and being constantly built, broken, fixed, torn down and rebuilt all over again. That poor attempt at a jumbled network diagram is a bit outdated already, but gives a general idea of the various options available. I mostly am what you would call a "tinkerer" type homelabber. If you have a more specific professional sysadmin path in mind, this may be more of what you are looking for, but I tend to stick more to the homelab realm and get into all sorts of bad little projects. They have a great "Start Here!" thread with an incredible overview that presents things in a MUCH better fashion than I have been able to just now.
  
  Good luck and welcome to the machine! Used enterprise hardware can be had for fairly cheap these days and you are in luck, it's a great time to embark upon a homelab journey as flash memory prices have finally started to plummet, so SSDs are much more reasonable, as is ECC memory for your server(s). Storage and memory are going to be your biggest costs getting into this. You can get older generation Xeon CPUs with really decent horsepower for next to nothing. Are electricity costs going to be a concern for you? What about physical space and/or noise constraints? Lots to consider which could tip you in one direction or another.
  
  I think I've given you plenty to chew on for now. My apologies in advance if I've overwhelmed you, as that was NOT my intent... just hoping to save you a little bit of time, as I've spent a couple years constantly reading, researching, evaluating various software and projects and I've really only scratched the surface of what's available. Never enough time in the day.
  
  Regardless of what path you choose, have fun! I highly encourage both Plex and Pi-hole as your first two projects once you get going. In a perfect world you'd have at least two Pi-holes set up for redundancy. My primary runs in a little Ubuntu Server VM, the secondary nameserver is on a little Raspberry Pi 3 B+ which can take over if I need to reboot servers for whatever reason. Bonus points if you consider combining Unbound with your Pi-hole, as well as an OpenVPN server, or PiVPN for secure browsing while out and about and potentially connected to any sketchy open WiFi networks, PLUS ad-blocking for your entire network and while on the go. Next to Plex, it's probably the single best project I've tinkered with over the past couple of years.
  
  Please keep us posted on what you decide -- don't hesitate to ask questions if there's stuff I've ranted and raved about that isn't clear in any way (sorry, i tend to ramble in a stream of consciousness style that isn't easy to follow)... rely on the communities of each of these projects, as they're often fantastic resources to help you. If yer unfamiliar with Linux and wanted to learn, then Linux Mint is where I started and would encourage you to use that as your first Linux VM once you're ready. You don't need to buy anything to get started, you'd be surprised how much you can learn on an old PC that's just lying around -- and once you've gotten your feet wet, you may find that your plans will continue to evolve and change. I don't think I've ever once seen a "finished" homelab. They're always a work in progress as there's no limits to what you can learn and do. YMMV.
  
  Thank you, please drive through. . . =)

Here, have an upgrade guide. This is mostly oriented for gaming, but I tried to make it as general purpose as possible.

First off, if you're trying to survive gaming on an older system and are wanting to upgrade, remember to check out the PC Gaming Wiki as well as the Low Spec Gamer YouTube channel and /r/lowendgaming. There are lots of tips and tricks to get games running better, and if you discover your own, don't forget to share them!

• If you have a motherboard older than DDR3, save and upgrade to a new platform. It's not worth investing in a platform that old for anything other than novelty purposes.
  
  
• If you want to upgrade your motherboard (like if you're looking at buying an unlocked CPU but have a locked motherboard), save and build a whole new system, unless you happen to come across exactly what you want for cheap. Used motherboards are usually just as expensive as new ones so it's not really worth investing that much into an older platform.
  
  
• If you have an Intel motherboard and want to upgrade your CPU, see my reply to this comment. Character limit, woo!
  
  
• If you have an AMD motherboard, I'm not as experienced with this but upgrading to an 8320 or 8350 Black edition would be good.
  
• I'll do some research and put some detailed information here later; like I did for Intel processors. Again, after the aforementioned good night's rest.
  
  
• When buying any used processor, especially on eBay, be very wary of scams. Any price that seems too good to be true or is from a seller with very little feedback is something of which you should be very wary.
  
  
• If you have less than 8GB of RAM, buy a 2x4GB kit. Dual channel actually makes a difference these days. If you want more, well, divide the amount you want by the number of slots you have. 16GB / 4 slots = 4GB sticks, so get a 4x4GB kit. PCPartPicker is a good resource for this, although new DDR3 is getting more expensive. It might be worth looking at the used market, but be careful you don't buy ECC RAM (server memory) unless you have a motherboard and processor that support it.
  
  
• If your system isn't using an SSD as its boot drive, buy an SSD and reinstall your OS onto it. I don't know if I can recommend a SSD smaller than 250GB considering how cheap they're getting. Brand doesn't matter a whole lot but make sure to do a little research first. PCPartPicker, again, is a great resource for this. Filter by the minimum capacity you want and sort by lowest price, then go from there. Samsung is expensive but reliable; I don't know a lot about other brands.
  
  
• If you're running out of space, 2TB HDDs are pretty cheap and reliable these days. Here's a Seagate one, although I couldn't find Western Digital's equivalent for some reason.
  
  
• I don't really know much about graphics cards other than they're hard to buy new these days. If you buy new, I can't recommend anything with less than 4GB of VRAM, because modern games are getting better at using it. If you buy used, try not to go less than 2GB. Other than that, pick what fits your budget and performance needs, and remember you dont have to run everything on max settings. Dropping the settings a little can allow older cards to still compete today. I still run a 7870 and haven't found any unplayable games yet; 99% of games I get a solid 60, and once I upgrade to an e3-1240v3 that's in the mail I expect that to go to 99.9%.
  
  
• Make sure you have a good PSU. You can get really solid ones for $50 or less these days. Don't forget this one when upgrading your system, unless you already have a good PSU. This is the SeaSonic one I've been recommending a lot. Fully modular and 80 Plus Bronze seems pretty good to me. PSUs are a topic of a lot of controversy, though, so make sure to do your research.
  
  
• Similarly, investing in a case you like will last you a long time and significantly improve a build's appearance. Not its frames, though, so this isn't a priority. Pick one with all the features you want, good cable management options, something you don't mind looking at, that kind of stuff. Look up a review (google "[case name] review") where someone builds a computer in it so you can get an idea of what kind of issues people run into when building in it and if those issues are dealbreakers for you.
  
  
• Optical drives aren't really used this day but if you don't have one it can be worth it to pick one up. Blu-ray drives are getting cheaper, too. PCPartPicker -> optical drives -> filter by features -> sort by price.
  
  
• Monitors I cant speak much on, but if you're gaming at all, get one that goes at least 120hz at its native resolution, and don't get one lower than 1080p. If you don't do any gaming, make sure you get an IPS panel. I personally can't recommend any resolution other than 1080p (1920x1080) because compatibility issues are annoying and most software is either designed to work at 1080p, or have workarounds to run at 1080p. 4k is the next jump worth taking since that seems to be the next big standard (again, in my opinion), but hardware is still a generation or two out from that being mainstream.
  
  
• Multiple monitors are a thing. I don't think I can live with less than 3 monitors again. It's so nice to have a game on the center monitor, a webpage on the left, and a voip program on the right. You can kind of do this with window snapping, but, well, you can also do that with 3 monitors for much more information when you need it.
  
  
• Invest in good network gear. I cannot stress this enough. It will cost a chunk of money but will make your life so much better. If you're renting a modem from your ISP, or your modem/router has your ISP's logo on it, you need to upgrade. I'm currently running the Netgear R7000. If you're on cable internet, get a Motorola SurfBoard and something like the R7000. If you're on DSL, there's a variant that has a phone jack for dialing in. If you have fiber, the ONT that you have isn't replaceable but it's probably fine (but you'll still want to replace the included router). For all of these, you'll probably need to look up a guide on switching and it will probably involve calling your ISP. Expect to spend $200ish on the equipment, but seriously, you won't be constantly rebooting your router, wondering why the WiFi isn't working this time, etc. And a good modem will let you know if it can contact the network or not so you'll know if the internet is actually out or not. And if you're renting a router, you'll save money in the long run.
  
  
• If you're using WiFi, get a good network card. I saw this one linked on this subreddit the other day and it looks pretty good. I've personally found USB WiFi dongles unreliable, but YMMV.
  
  
• Don't forget to upgrade your peripherals. Check out /r/mechanicalkeyboards, /r/steamcontroller (it's about more than just the Steam Controller there, the name is a little misleading TBH), and the YouTube channel Rocket Jump Ninja (he does mouse reviews). I think /r/emulation has had some good threads on controllers, too. There's fun stuff like Mayflash adapters for GameCube controllers, or you could pick up a bluetooth dongle for a DualShock 3 or DualShock 4 (or WiiMote passthrough in Dolphin). There's lots of fun to be had in the peripheral department.
  
  I think that's about everything. Let me know if I missed anything and I'll include it.
  
  edit: Updated some stuff and tried to include more details.

This one is only $83 and I haven't had a single problem with it and it has 4.5 stars. I can replace it every year and break even. Everything beyond that is savings.

Edit... messed up the link :http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XC6GJ0/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00

Get a 5 port netgear 10/100/1000 switch. $35

http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-ProSafe-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop/dp/B0000BVYT3

It would be much better to get a powerline adapter. It essentially allows you to use your power outlets as really long ethernet cables.

Here are some examples from Amazon: 1 2 3

I personally use the D-link ones, the speeds are much faster than Wireless.

Ethernet over Power.

It's affordable and avoids running new wires.

Try wifi. I've been using it for a couple years on my desktop with 0 issue. Great speed and no connectivity problems.

You have to figure out what works in your setup. Many people recommend PCI adapters if you go wireless, but USB works fucking great for me. Very happy with this http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN722N-Wireless-Adapter-External/dp/B002SZEOLG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1418551585&sr=8-3&keywords=tp+link+wireless+adapter

My router was having issues when I started doing HA stuff as well. All those Wemo switches and plugs + Chromecasts and Rokus overloaded my wifi router. I have a Netgear Nighthawk R7000 AC router. The router was having issues with all the wireless and DNS and DHCP requests. So I took a page from my professional side (I'm a Solutions Architect for an HPE partner) and separated out the functionality.

I bought a Ubiquiti Edge Router and have it doing my DNS and DHCP and just have my Nighthawk as an AP. This then set me up to do a multi-AP wireless system. With HA you want to plan your wifi for capacity not speed. A multi-node Access Point system with Google Wifi, Ubiquiti AC Pro or another AP company, you can grow your wireless as you need more capacity. It can be overkill, but I dont have wireless dropping anymore and speed with AC1300 is just fine.

Ayyy I'm here to help.

Wow, literally every comment in here so far is wrong...

Yes, OP, you can use the coax in your house for networking. What you’re looking for are MoCA adapters. I use them for backhaul between my pucks and they’re just as fast as Ethernet.

The only situation where they won’t work is if you have Satellite TV. DVB-T and MoCA don’t get along. If you have cable TV, though, you’ll be fine.

Nighthawk AC1750 router for 55 bucks! 55 off for prime day and 20 off with a coupon. Just picked one up.

I'm using this and it works great. Sends Ethernet through your power sockets.
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=pd_sim_pc_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=13D3TNS9AF1GJJK3RK7K

I use this modem: http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/

If I can make a recommendation;

Don't use the modem/router they provide to you, get a third-party Arris or other DOCSIS 3.0 Modem and a Wifi router (I like the Netgear Nighthawk series, but there are other great ones out there).

Yes this is more expensive initially than using the router they give you, but they also charge you equipment fees each month ($10 per month). So over time you will save money with these parts. Plus you own them and can take them with you when you move.

If this seems like it's too much hassle, go ahead and use the modem/router they provide to you.

List:

• ZTE F609 - GPON ONT from ISP, bridge mode and connected to pfsense.
  
  
• Mikrotik CSS326-24G-2S+RM - Super budget 24 ports switch with basic features and 2 SFP+ ports for only $139 brand new, you just can't beat that price.
  
  
• Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite - To handle wireless devices in my house, to be honest I was very disappointed with the temp, it runs very hot and it's the reason why I didn't mount it on the ceiling. If I knew all Unifi AP runs this hot, I would've go with other brand. Many people have told me that it's fine, but mine reaches 70 degrees on idle (I live in place where it can reach almost 40 degrees) and if I mount it on the ceiling without proper ventilation, it probably can go up to 80-85 degrees and I've seen couple post on Ubqt forum that their AP melted due to the temperature.
  
  
• Plugable 7 port USB hub - I have an unused spare. It's kinda expensive if you compare it to other cheap chinese crap but it doesn't backfeed power and super reliable, the other one is currently used to power my Pi2 24/7 for almost 2 years without single issue.
  
  
• Deepcool cooler - Super old notebook cooler I found on my garage, currently use this to blow the hot air from Unifi AP until I finish my mod to mount 120mm fan on the ceiling so I can put my AP.
  
  
• PC - Spec is G4400, Asrock H110M-HDV, PNY SSD CS1311 80GB, 2 WD hard drive 2TB, 8GB RAM, and 2x single NIC Intel PT Pro. This thing run Windows 10 and pfsense under Hyper-V (not a good idea I know). Also act as my media and storage server. I'm very surprised that this thing pulls less than 20w on idle!
  
  
• Others - Old monitor I found in my garage, probably from Intel dual core era, some cheap landline phone, a bluetooth keyboard, and bluetooth mouse.
  
  All these only pull about 40w, my next upgrade is probably to invest in a decent rack so I can have a better cable management.

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B

Supports CEC. Comes with 4x USB 2.0 slots, an HDMI, quad core ARM A7 processor, 1 GB RAM, and an ethernet port. Also has GPIO pins but I don't know of any Kodi related uses for them. It is an extremely low power device (uses about $3 worth of electricity per year) and requires nothing to keep it cool (e.g., no fans blaring in the middle of your favorite movie).

Base cost is $35. Requires a microSD card, an HDMI cable, and a microUSB charger, all of which can be purchased for approximately $5 each. An existing microUSB charger, such as from your cell phone or a device like a Kindle or Chromecast can be used, of course. Optional components include a case ($10-$20 or 3D print your own), USB wifi dongle ($10+), and an external hard drive ($50+). A few companies put out bundles that include a Raspberry Pi board and various components such as this basic one and this more complete one. A wireless keyboard ($20+) can also be handy. Product links are provided as examples; there may be better deals or smarter purchases to be had.

You'll then want to use a minimalistic Linux distro such as OpenELEC or OSMC, both of which are designed specifically to run Kodi and have optimized builds for a Raspberry Pi. OpenELEC seems to be more popular and is what I use myself. Installation is easy -- you just download and write to your SD card (oh yeah, you might need an SD card reader, $5). If you'd like you can also install a "real" Linux distro and install Kodi in that as you would on a regular desktop computer. You can either store your media on an external hard drive connected to the Raspberry Pi or on a separate computer or NAS and share your files over your LAN.

Pros:

• Cheap base cost
  
• Low power
  
• Very hands off after initial setup
  
• CEC! Use your TV remote to control Kodi
  
• Hardware decoding for h264
  
• As it is full-fledged computer you can easily add in additional software such as emulators, a web browser, etc.
  
• More of a DIY solution (may be a con)
  
  Cons:
  
  
• A few plugins (typically they are Windows dependent) and more computationally intensive skins may not work
  
• May get pricey if you need to buy all the separate components
  
• Can not handle 10-bit x264 (aka Hi10p; rare outside of anime fansubs) or HEVC (aka h265) files.
  
• No 4K output, max resolution is 1920x1200
  
• More of a DIY solution (may be a pro)
  

first of, stop leasing a modem!
http://www.amazon.com/Arris-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372053573&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+surfboard+sb6121+docsis+3.0+cable+modem

Powerline Adapters let you use your home's electrical lines like makeshift ethernet cables: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1519569756&sr=8-2&keywords=tp+link+powerline+adapter

Evening Tim,

My default suggestion is Ubiquiti gear. However something seems, very, very wrong with your network. You shouldn't have a device limit and I would pressure Asus for a fix. RMA it again and make them resolve the problem.

That being said, you said less than $200 so I will offer this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C

https://smile.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/

Little bit more upfront config. However you will be far happier with the results.

If you get all those devices in one box, they're going to all be inferior to discrete solutions. And if one breaks, you're throwing away several perfectly functioning devices.

Edgerouter Lite 3-port: $95

Unifi AC-Lite: $86

TP-Link Gigabit Switch: $25

If you want to do cheap NAS, you might as well just share a drive on a desktop over the network.

Netgear AC1750 for $54 w/ Coupon. This is not a bad deal for someone needing a newer router.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R2AZLD2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

The IT department has their own DHCP server which assigns internal IP address for the devices on their network. The router also has a DHCP server, and it was probably configured. The problem here is that devices will connect to the router, get a valid IP from the router only, and not see school's network. It's a big problem.

The router can be configured (I believe) to forward on DHCP requests, but I think it's better that you get a simple 5-port switch. They might be able to provide such a thing (maybe not, given their unwillingness to help so far), or you could buy one for cheap.

So, I'd remove the router, tell them that you need a switch since you only have one port in the office and have x many devices that need to be connected. If they can't give you that, maybe just buy it.

I run a ubiquiti edge router. I've been pretty pleased with it. I did Pfsense and a few other things as well.

This is around the same price as an rPi and a USB ethernet connector. And can do nearly GbE speeds.

You can buy extenders that run through the house's power lines. They're called "powerline adapters". I use them in my house with my roommates where I can't have a giant UTP cable from the switch to my machine.

Here's an example:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUICG?keywords=powerline%20adapter&psc=1&qid=1457025049&ref_=sr_1_1&s=electronics&sr=1-1-spons

Don't forget a Bluetooth adapter :)

I can pretty much guarantee that's the case. I pay for 50/5 and as you can see it's right on the button with a little extra room on top.

This comes after the 'stealth upgrade' we got a few months ago - meaning, for the same price I used to get 25/5. A speedtest result would produce the same results, around 26/6 - what I paid for plus a little extra.

Comcast keeps a close eye on what the throttle speed is here.

My equipment is a self-bought DOCSIS 3.0 motorola modem hooked to an ASUS RT-N66U Dual-Band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router so I know it's not my hardware preventing a higher speed.

I splurged and got this guy.

Expensive, but if you can swing it, the range & performance are fantastic.

Haven't found one that doesn't work.

​

Currently using this one... https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=8+port+gigabit+hub&qid=1568396764&sr=8-3

Not OP, but we've deployed Ubiquiti products in a few of our enterprise customers and it is running great. I am not sure how much you already know about networking, but I'll explain for anyone else reading.

First, some background to fully understand what it is you are trying to do. The thing that most consumers call "routers" are really three things: a router, a switch, and an access point. TLDR the router portion is the thing that actually moves traffic between machines, the switch extends how many physical ethernet ports you have, and the access point gives you wifi.

The Ubiquiti Access Points (UAP) are just access points. You will still need a router to route traffic, and your consumer one will work just fine for most people. If you are looking to get something more SOHO, Ubiquiti also makes their own router/firewall (check out USG, or ideally EdgeRouter). For all intents and purposes, it is a pretty good idea to separate the roles of your network (physical appliances for the router, firewall, wireless, etc...), and you can have as many UAP's as you'd like for wireless. The UAP's run off of Ubiquiti's 24V Power-over-Ethernet (POE), which can be provided via a POE injector or with a Ubiquiti Switch (either Unifi or EdgeMax). So for a basic network, you'll disable the wireless functionality on your consumer router, and plug a UAP into a port (obviously you'll need to pass it through the POE injector first). Rinse and repeat for however many UAP's you want, maybe another one on the other side of the house for example.

The UAP is pretty useless on its own, though. It needs a piece of software called the Unifi Controller. The software is free, and you can run it on Windows, Linux, or with Ubiquiti's appliance called the Cloud Key. Within Unifi Controller, you'll setup the UAP's; e.g. setting the visible wifi name (SSID), security, channels, etc... It isn't too complicated, the interface is really intutive and anyone who is even slightly technical could figure it out. The controller also serves another really important feature, which is zero-handoff. As long as the controller is running, your device will connect to the access point with the best signal. This is the seamless switching you asked about.

Ubiquiti also is focused on mesh networking, although we are generally pretty against that for businesses for reliability reasons. Of course, the exception to that is Cisco Meraki, which is a hybrid that will self-heal. If you lie and say you are an IT professional, you can get a free Meraki with a 3 year license. Just make sure that you follow the rules.

As a note, I would stick to the UAP AC's. They are the newer version and run great. For consumers, the UAP-AC-LITE is going to work fine. Obviously there is more to networking and wireless solutions than what I went over here, but this is the general gist of it.

If it's short term, whatever is at least as fast as your internet connection. I'll assume you're in the US, so how about https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N150-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN722N/dp/B002SZEOLG

Do yourself a HUGE favor and get yourself an Ethernet Powerline Adapter.

It sounds expensive but you can get a decent one for $20 $36 and it works great! My Wi-Fi speeds were 1/10th of what I get with the adapter.

The AP you have specified is 802.11bgn only so its not a fair comparison. To be more equitable you should specify this AP which is 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. ($82.35 each)

Plus no one should be buying an AP in today's wireless world that doesn't have a 5GHz radio. 2.4GHz is overcrowded, interference laden shit and should be steered away from wherever possible.

http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6

Inventory:

pfSense:
Snort, pfBlockerNG, OpenVPN, Squid, ClamAV, Default deny ingress/egress FW, etc.

ZOTAC ZBOX NUC

Kingston 120GB SSD

Crucial 8GB DDR3L RAM

ESXi Hypervisor:

Skull Canyon NUC

32GB DDR4 RAM

Samsung 950 Pro 512GB M.2 SSD

Virtual Machines I'm currently running.

Splunk - Receives my FW, DNS, Snort, and OSSEC logs. I have dashboards to filter this data.

Snorby - Also receives my Snort logs. I like this a little better than Splunk as I can view packet contents.

OSSEC - I used this for file integrity and endpoint monitoring on my servers and desktop. Functions as a host based IDS.

Nessus - I use this every once in a while to see if there are any open holes. Otherwise, I just use nmap and iptables to close everything off.

Unifi Controller - for managing my AP.


Wireless:

Ubiquiti Unifi AP-AC Lite


Switch:

TP-LINK 8-Port Gigabit L2 Switch

RetroPi + Monitor:

RPi3

10.1 Inch IPS HDMI Monitor


My VMs, configs, and files are backed up to a HDD I keep offline. I'm thinking about adding a NAS into the mix for somewhere around 200-400 dollars. Low energy consumption preferably if anyone had any recommendations. :)

I'm guessing you're still on Wireless-G for your Wifi. That's your bottleneck. Plug a computer into the router and see the speeds it achieves.

I bought myself a brand new router and I pull down 40mbps throughout the house.

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY

My router has a way to limit bandwidth speed for certain devices for certain hours. I imagine many do.

Oh they’re connected to wifi?

I would set up a rouge wifi access point with same SSID and password as the existing one. If you need the password, you can dump it from the computer you have access to. Then you can send a single deauthentication packet to the MAC address for the target computer until it chooses your network (this is not a denial of service as you are forcing his computer to connect through your lab computer, which is still connected to the network)

From there, you can do network captures and control DNS. Do a network capture of port 80 (unecrypted) and DNS requests. He likely has software that automatically checked for software updates over HTTP (VLC does this, among others) every time he starts it.

Alternatively, you can rewrite a DNS request to cause windows to pop up a native windows login window via captive portal (the pop up you see at starbucks wifi)

Documentation here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/mobilebroadband/captive-portals#cch

All in all, wifi makes things a lot easier. If you have an atheros/other wireless usb handy you can do all of this in ~15min or less.

Here’s the model I use:
TP-Link 150Mbps High Gain Wireless USB Adapter for PC and Laptops (TL-WN722N) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002SZEOLG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NC40CbD87F441

It’s $15 and even if you don’t succeed, you’ll never have crappy wifi on campus again. I have 3 in my bag right now.

/u/BigOleBallsack - I would get neither. With a $5000 budget, unless you need to take still photos, I recommend an interchangeable lens Super 35 camcorder instead.

By the time you buy ND filters, an XLR audio solution with decent preamps and rigging (e.g., a top handle) to compensate for the GH5's or the A7s II's still camera ergonomics - you might as well buy a real video camera.

In your price range, I recommend a [$2595 Super 35 4K JVC LS300] (https://www.amazon.com/JVC-GY-LS300CHU-Ultra-Camcorder-Handle/dp/B00USBVISE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A17MC6HOH9AVE6&s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1487897950&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) with a [$399 Metabones Canon to micro 4/3 autofocusing adapter] (https://www.amazon.com/Metabones-Smart-Adapter-Thirds-Camera/dp/B014C1BF7O//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) and something like a [$799 Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens] (https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-18-35mm-F1-8-Lens-Canon/dp/B00DBL0NLQ//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20).

The LS300 has these features that still cameras lack:

• built-in ND filters
  
• built-in pro XLR inputs with phantom
  
• top handle
  
• built-in IP encoder for [live streaming] (https://youtu.be/Y3oYNy47yYo) with a [$9 wi-fi dongle] (https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
• SDI out
  
• power zoom rocker with [prime zoom] (https://youtu.be/0Eq4_hPzQPc), which gives you a 2.5x lossless zoom with prime lenses
  
  I have shot with this camera, it is a solid pro camcorder with the ability to produce high quality 4K video at a reasonable price.
  
  Here are a few examples of the image quality this camera can produce:
  
  Narrative
  
  
• [UrbEx by Filippo Chiesa] (https://vimeo.com/200431612) (4K)
  
  
• [Даниил Хармс стихотворение Страх |Тест камеры JVC GY-LS300 by Александр Носовский] (https://youtu.be/xyO_-T7BhdM) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Test Footage by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/qQoDt62DNak) (1080p)
  
  Music Video
  
  
• [JVC GY-Ls300 Test 001 by Dario Viola] (https://youtu.be/LRWuOhLSAi8) (1080p)
  
  Corporate/Commercial/Interview
  
  
• [Halloween AM Skit by Robert Grant] (https://youtu.be/knzu5ZLgYMc) (1080p - Local TV promo - LS300 used on some shots)
  
  
• [KW Realty Group Experience, Anniston, Alabama by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/5fSgXSCEg9M) (1080p - [Azden SGM250 pro XLR microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Azden-SGM-250-Professional-Powered-Microphone/dp/B00XWG2YBW//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) plugged directly into the camcorder)
  
  
• [Indian Oaks Event Center Community Golf Course by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/CLBbyXualSs) (1080p)
  
  Live Event
  
  
• [Supersonic Lips - House of Blues - Mas Musica Festival by Juan Flores] (https://vimeo.com/185562492) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Sample low light Footage (The Pocket Band) by Lonzos Studios] (https://youtu.be/VXEWARTJhv8) (2160p)
  
  Wedding
  
  
• [4K Ultra HD Wedding Film - Kassandra & Ralph's Photo Shoot by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/d4pILlMyFEM) (2160p - shot with manual Rokinon cine lenses)
  
  
• [Kristin & Doug's Wedding at Glen Magna Farms 4K Ultra-HD Wedding by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/GdKBKd5_e2Q) (2160p - shot with the LS300 and a Sony AX100 consumer camcorder)
  
  
• [Wedding with a jvc gy-ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/154440004) (1080p - shot with the LS300 and Panasonic auto lenses)
  
  J-LOG on Vimeo (please watch at 4K and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [Japanese garden with the JVC gy ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/162712903)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K J-Log Vision] (https://vimeo.com/138523082)
  
  
• [Palm Springs Photo Festival 2016 - JVC LS300 footage by Zachary Andrews] (https://vimeo.com/164723392) (4K J-LOG)
  
  1080p on Vimeo
  
  
• [Breathing in New Life] (http://vimeo.com/120445118)
  
  
• [“Honmonji Temple” in GY-LS300 by moribun] (https://vimeo.com/139214323) (downscaled from UHD to 1080p, downloadable if you're a Vimeo Plus or Pro member [if you're not, you can sign up [here] (http://vimeo.com/pro/new?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=prosubscribe-cj-vimeo-bizlander-300x250-20130424&utm_campaign=7696)])
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 Camera Test] (http://vimeo.com/122736335)
  
  
• [A Snowy Day in Ann Arbor, Shot with the JVC GY-LS300 by Chase Stanton] (https://vimeo.com/158042771)
  
  J-LOG on YouTube (please watch at 2160p and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 4K J-Log1 "KYOTO New Year's Day" by GAIPROMOTION] (https://youtu.be/efJrfawjVw0)
  
  Non-LOG Gammas on YouTube (2160p)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 UHD 4K w/ Canon 70-200 and 85mm lenses by JVCProfessional] (https://youtu.be/QYCdxMrvAoA)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Clips by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/OzgGwCUdZV0)
  
  
• [EVS’s test footage for the JVC GY-LS300 4K super 35 Cinema camera] (https://youtu.be/S47dceBcuJI)
  
  
• [TOKYO“I”land KOWA PROMINAR w/JVC KENWOOD GY-LS300 by Satoshi Watanabe] (https://youtu.be/WO8DW5d0isE)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K Footage by elton chong] (https://youtu.be/0pYEFhE3xLE)
  
  This camera is not perfect. It has a tiny viewfinder and LCD, so you'll probably need to buy an EVF - and, although it has 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, it is still an 8-bit camera.
  
  But for less than $3000, the LS300 is the most flexible large sensor, interchangeable lens 4K Super 35 camcorder on the market.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with finding the right camera for your needs!

Raspberry Pi 3

Raspberry Pi Clear Case

32GB MicroSD Card

Netatmo Weather Station

Wind Gauge

Rain Gauge

Rain/Wind Gauge mounts

3 Way HDMI Switch

1FT HDMI Cable

Wifi Adapter

Everything is attached to the back of the television with some double sided sticky paper things i had lying around. Anything will probably work.

The USB wall outlet is one that delivers 3.1A at 5V that we bought from our local hardware store.

The server that the software runs on is a poweredge r710 with dual x5670s and 64GB of ram. Of course, this isnt all it does, but it is one of the many things i host on it. :)

If you'd like, i can post the scripts i wrote for it as well.

There are quite a few options out there, and it really depends on what your focus is. Do you have multiple 802.11 AC devices, or are most still on the N band? Do you game, and if so, do you plan on doing so hardwired or wireless (obviously I recommend wired if you can, but not everyone has this option)? How large is your living space, and are you in a house with few wireless points around or in an apartment with tons of wireless congestion around?

For everyday use that will serve you well all around with solid 802.11AC performance, I'd recommend the Asus RT-AC68U. FYI on this one, Amazon currently has it listed for WAY above what most retail shops are at. I've seen them recently as low as $115-130. Probably worth surfing around for a better price (FYI - if you have a Micro Center near you, they have it on sale right now for $140).

If you game heavily, and it is a big part of your daily life, the Netgear R7000p Nighthawk router is well worth the additional cost. I've seen this go as low as $140 in the past, but its far more often closer to the current price of $180.

Finally, if these are too far out of your price range, that's totally understandable. For a budget pick, the TPLink Archer C7 is an excellent all around router especially for the low cost. The major downsides of going with a budget router is the lack of good QOS (quality of service) tools to manage bufferbloat and latency for gaming, and slower processors that can harm large file transfers over a network or multiple devices at the same time. It all depends on your usage.

One final note - Comcast's device is often a modem AND router in one. Do you have a Docsis 3.0/3.1 modem already that you will be using with this, or do you need to purchase one of those as well? You can not use one or the other, you must have both (unless only hardwiring to one PC, with no wifi).

I have a Surfboard 6183 I got from Amazon. I am using a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter-X for routing and firewall. A pair of Ubiquiti WAPs provide wireless service.

You will NOT be disappointed with a UAP-AC-Lite. Just mount it on the ceiling, in a centrally located space in your home, preferably on the top level and enjoy the best WiFi you never thought was possible. I used to insist on wiring up everything with Gbps Ethernet, simply for the improved latency, but this access point has caused me to be lazy these days. We've had zero issues streaming 4K content out to the very edges of 2.4GHz band in an environment with moderate interference and there's regularly ~30 devices connected at all times across a couple SSIDs each on its own VLAN.

It's hard to describe how much better the experience is coming from the usual consumer grade stuff. $80 and can be powered (via PoE injector) from a single cable:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015PR20GY/

I have an ASUS wireless router that has USB ports on the back that support a hard drive or printer that can be shared on the network. This is a good option and it works well.

Just get a switch you can plug your one cable into it and get 4 outputs to use with multiple devices at the same time they are very inexpensive

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Splitter-Unmanaged-TL-SF1005D/dp/B000FNFSPY/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2X1SVHFP32ZQ5&keywords=internet+switch&qid=1572908119&sprefix=internet+swi%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-5

I would suggest the latest model 8 downstream channel model. Just so you won't have to upgrade agian for several years to a decade.

http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI

Edit 1;

Well I just found an even newer model not listed in my search for some reason.

Here is the full list to make is simple for everyone:

4 channel http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0

8 channel http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI

Here is the latest 16 channel now available good for up to 700 Mbps or a couple hundred if they are capping channels. http://smile.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6183-DOCSIS/dp/B00MA5U1FW

Edit 2;

Fixed my links that weren't working and updated to the smile charity option.

If you have a digital phone service through your cable company you'll need this unit. Just make sure your company supports this unit before buying it. Check out the comments, questions, & reviews on the page for more information.

Arris TM822G Touchstone® DOCSIS 3.0 8x4 Ultra-High Speed Telephony Modem:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00721TUNS

One huge thing for me was stopping myself (and my parents) from spending ~$10/month on a cable internet modem rental through Comcast. If anyone has comcast I highly recommend you just get one of these (they are very highly rated):

For internet speeds less than ~150mbps: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6121-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449495356&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+sb+6121

For internet speeds greater than ~150mbps: http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449495487&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+sb6141

NOTE: If they are close in price whenever you look at these amazon links, get the sb6141. It'll future proof you for a few years at least.

You really don't want your router doing wireless, it is preferable to have a dedicated Access Point (AP) doing wireless. Unfortunately what people think of "routers" now are actually three devices in one, they are a router, switch (multiple lan ethernet ports), and access point (wireless). Personally I feel the combo devices do a bad job at all three of those which is why I prefer to have dedicated devices for each piece. If you plan on using an existing router and just want wireless I would suggest the unifi ac lite access point.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY

If you need a router as well then I would use the access point and pfsense for your router. You could use a wired nic like this in an existing computer.

https://www.amazon.com/Intel-1000-Dual-Server-Adapter/dp/B000BMZHX2/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1527380550&sr=1-3&keywords=intel+dual+gigabit

Pfsense does support wireless cards but trust me you don't want to go down that road for many reasons. Any time that topic comes up most users on this subreddit suggest against it myself included. I have tried building wireless into my pfsense build before and quickly abandoned it.

Hi. I don't really follow the religious part of this but I'm interested in understanding it. Is this part of the concept where you can't use machinery on the sabbath, as this guy is controlling your TV making you either have it on all day, or break you religious obligations by turning it off?

That was just for my interest. He's a dick regardless of that for a) controlling your chromecast and b) sticking his nose in your religion.

As said elsewhere here - maybe look into getting another router. Maybe this one. Allows you to connect the router to your current wifi, and set-up a private network from that that your neighbour won't be able to use.

• If you're on T-mobile One, enable Kickback on all your lines. That will get you a $10 credit for every line that uses less than 2gb.
  
  
• I'm not sure if they're still doing it, but if you go to your local T-Mobile store, you can get a free "CellSpot" router. It's a rebranded Asus router and it's pretty kickass.
  
  
• If you're interested in Sling TV, they offer a 30% off promo to T-Mobile customers.
  
  
• I would uninstall/disable all of the T-mobile apps you can except for visual voicemail. It's name tells you what it does, but it simply lets you listen to your voicemails without having to call. My T-mobile and Device Unlock cannot be disabled, but the rest can.
  
  
• Samsung and T-Mobile are running a promo that will get you a free VR for purchasing the S8. They're also offering a free entertainment kit that you can redeem in the Shop Samsung app.

do you mind if i link your amazon referrals from youtube?

Raspberry Pi Model B Revision 2.0 (512MB) $42.88

WiFi Dongle $9.99

16 GB SD Card $12.98

also, would it be all right to link to your bitcointalk thread?

good luck with your project!

I bought this one

It has worked flawlessly for me.

The solution to this is simple. Buy a $70 DOCSIS 3.0 modem and a $120 or less wireless router. Return your equipment to Comcast and KEEP THE RECEIPT.

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Get that, you wont be disappointed.

Beginners Help:

1. Run the VR compatibility check: https://store.steampowered.com/search/?snr=1_4_4__12&term=steam+WMR+performce+test
   
   
2. Upgrade to Windows 10 version 1809:
   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
   
   
3. Load Steam VR: https://store.steampowered.com/app/250820/
   
   
4. Load STEAM WMR: https://store.steampowered.com/app/719950/
   
   
5. Bluetooth: For all but Samsung Odyssey HMD+, be sure your computer has a Bluetooth capability to talk to the hand controllers. If capability is not built in, buy a Bluetooth dongle and plug it into a USB 2 port. AND, if possible place this in an USB 2 port that is away from the Headset connection to the computer --- perhaps the front of the computer. Known to work (Plugable Bluetooth 4.0 low energy.): https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Raspberry-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI
   
   
6. Pair your controllers:
   https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/set-up-windows-mixed-reality#set-up-your-motion-controllers
   
   
7. Play Space: be sure you clear plenty of space. If you are 6 foot, you need a nine foot ceiling. You can break controllers, your hands, or TVs etc. if you do not have enough space.
   
   
8. Games: start with free, and check STEAM for the MOST played.
   
   
   Consider:
   
   a. The Lab
   
   b. Rec Room
   
   c. Google Earth
   
   d. You Tube
   
   e. Beat Saber
   
   f. Elven Assassin
   
   g. Arizona Sunshine
   
   h. Gorn
   
   i. Pavlov
   
   
9. Buy rechargeable batteries: highly rated from IKEA
   https://www.amazon.com/Ikea-ladda-Battery-rechargeable-2450/dp/B01MQ0U97A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1544531944&sr=8-4&keywords=ikea+rechargeable+batteries#customerReviews

Don't go with repeaters. What you should get is a wireless bridge. This will act just like a wire, allowing you to install an access point in the Hall with the same SSID and password (for roaming).

Repeaters cut the speed in half. Having several in succession means there will be nothing left at the other end.

Have a look at Ubiquiti Nanobeam AC. These will act just like if it was a long wire. You will be able to get a very good connection and the speed won't suffer. They are rated up to 15km, so 450 ft is nothing for them.

Install one on the church, one on the hall, and then get a nice access point for the hall, like the Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite.

They aren't too expensive and should fit well in your budget. Amazon.com has them for $90 each. For the AP, Amazon.com has them for $82. If the hall is large, you could get a switch and 2-3 APs to get a good coverage.

Total cost for 2 nanobeam and an AP : $262
Total cost for 2 nanobeam, a switch and 3 APs : $454

I have the Dark Knight version.

I would go with the ASUS RT-N66U it is a great router and excellent range.
Amazon!

Obviously you can use whatever, but these are what I used for this project. I bought the 2 pin power ports off of Ebay. For the NES case, try searching "Broken NES" on ebay and you should be able to find some. Or use an entirely different shell and post it!

• Bluetooth Dongle http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833340012
  
  
• Raspberry Pi Heatsinks http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HPQGTI4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  
• Wifi Dongle http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-Adapter-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415036150
  
  
• 8in HDMI Male to Female http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=104&cp_id=10419&cs_id=1041913&p_id=2891&seq=1&format=2
  
  
• 1.5ft USB Male to Female http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030304&p_id=5431&seq=1&format=2
  
  
• Shutdown switch https://mausberry-circuits.myshopify.com/products/shutdown-circuit-use-your-own-switch
  
  
• 2 Pin IEC 320 C8 Screw Mount Inlet Plug Socket AC 250V 2.5A
  
  **edit updated bluetooth link

I will list all parts I used to get it in a functioning state along with the price I got them for.

• RPi - $35 + ~$10 shipping
  
  
• Broken portable DVD player (reader was busted, not screen) - Free
  
  
• Composite wire that came with DVD player - Free
  
  
• Cheap USB wifi adapter - $10
  
  
• SD card that came with my camera - Free
  
  
• Wireless keyboard/trackpad combo - $16
  
  
• My phone charger - Free
  
  Overall comes out to about $80 after taxes.
  

Edimax.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Ji9Qub1C3DTAR

Seconded. I use Arlo and love it. Decent price point, good mobile app, usable browser app. Small (easy to hide), completely wireless, and you can get different skins to camouflage the outdoor ones. Up to 5 cameras can be used on a free plan. If you'd like, OP, I recently wrote up a decent wall of text about Arlo and can send it to you.

EDIT: I'll just post the wall here.

_____

Here's some more information about Arlo to help you out.

5 wire-free cameras + base station ($630) - https://www.amazon.com/Arlo-Security-Surveillance-Outdoor-VMS3530-100NAS/dp/B01CT6VOAW/ref=pd_sbs_421_1?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01CT6VOAW&pd_rd_r=ST6WJ3DCWE0Y7EGRWS34&pd_rd_w=uy9oi&pd_rd_wg=7FNzz&psc=1&refRID=ST6WJ3DCWE0Y7EGRWS34

other camera bundles are on that listing as well. 4 camera bundle for $499, 3 camera bundle for $419, 2 camera bundle for $299, 1 camera kit for $173.99, plus a couple other options. i would say to just get the 5 camera bundle and don't bother with the arlo q if you're only worried about the outside of the house. the add-on cameras are on sale right now for $145 instead of $160, so if you want more than 5 then now is the time to buy!

3 silicone skins ($24.99) - https://www.amazon.com/Arlo-Smart-Security-Silicone-Wire-Free/dp/B016D0O10U/ref=pd_sim_421_2?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B016D0O10U&pd_rd_r=EXQYGG3TDFGC05X6AHD6&pd_rd_w=C2Jxo&pd_rd_wg=MoyX4&psc=1&refRID=EXQYGG3TDFGC05X6AHD6

i like the black skins for the cameras i put outside. if they are on a white background though (maybe the house is painted white where you mount it) then the skins would make it stand out more. since mine are in trees i like the black.


indoor/outdoor mount (black) ($19.99) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D2PHVS8

also has the white version, the standard wall mounts the cameras come with (maybe you want multiple mounts for a single camera so you can move it around), and the table/ceiling mount.



as for the cameras themselves, they are weatherproof and can operate between 14 and 122 degrees F (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/Are-Arlo-cameras-weatherproof/ta-p/1705). the batteries are the limiting factor as they stop functioning properly outside of those ranges. it should be noted that below freezing temperatures will reduce battery life significantly, but the cameras will still operate down to 14F (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/How-can-I-extend-my-Arlo-Wire-Free-camera-s-battery-life/ta-p/291).

the cameras should be at least 10 feet away from the base station and can be up to 300 feet away. walls and barriers limit distance a bit, but the LEDs on the cameras and base station can let you know if there is a connection problem (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/How-far-can-I-place-my-Arlo-Wire-Free-cameras-from-the-base/ta-p/35).

you can have a max of 15 cameras attached to one base station, but only 5 can all be streaming at the same time (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Buying-Options-Tips/How-many-cameras-can-one-base-station-handle/td-p/1063320). you can also add base stations to extend your range.

finally, subscriptions (https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/What-are-the-available-Arlo-subscription-plans-and-how-much/ta-p/88). 5 cameras + 7 days cloud storage/1 GB of video for free; 10 cameras + 30 days of recordings/10 GB of video for $10/month or $99/year; 15 cameras + 60 days of recordings/100 GB of video for $15/month or $149/year. if you get an arlo q, you can purchase a 24/7 continuous video recording (CVR) feature for $10/month or $99/year for 14 days or double that for 30 days, all per camera. unfortunately you can only watch these videos from the cloud: they can't be downloaded.

if you want to save your videos, you have to download them yourself and store them. videos are cycled out every 7/30/60 days depending on your plan. there is no undelete, so if you delete something, it's gone, and if they delete something, it's gone.

arlo provides useful help videos for setting up the system and debugging any possible problems (https://www.arlo.com/en-us/support/). there are recommended heights/angles for the cameras and that's all addressed in the videos.

if you happen to own a netgear nighthawk router, you might be able to use that as a base station instead of buying a bundle with a base station. you can also still get the base station and use that to extend the range for cameras you might want to place far from the house. if you don't already have that router and want a good upgrade, i highly recommend it (https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1474291904&sr=1-1&keywords=netgear+nighthawk). i don't have mine set up currently, but it's a good machine. if your existing router works fine, then no need to spend the money!

it should be noted that if you want more than 5 cameras but dont want to pay the subscription fees, you can simply make a second account with a second base station and link up to 5 cameras to that. then you have two free accounts, but you do also have to sign in and out with each to check cameras, which can become cumbersome.

It is much cheaper to flash the firmware by yourself on a router that supports Tomato or DDR- WRT and then use the built in VPN client.

For that money the flash routers are a scam: They charge you e.g. USD 349.99 for the netgear nighthawk r700:
https://www.flashrouters.com/blog/2016/02/03/the-best-tomato-routers-of-2016/

On Amazon you can buy it for 159.00 USD: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Support/dp/B00F0DD0I6

How to install and set up Tomato:

https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/client-support/tomato-vpn

https://www.howtogeek.com/59152/boost-networking-performance-by-installing-tomato-on-your-router/

From the information you have provided, your router does not have QoS settings. So here are a few options:

0.) Contact ATT and see if they have a higher-end modem/router that supports QoS.

IF ATT doesn't have one, then you can do the following.

1.) Purchase a router that supports QoS - TP-LINK TL-WR841N Wireless N300 Home Router or NetGear NightHawk
1a.) If you have an older wireless router lying around, you can install DDRT and/or Tomato on it. However, you may also be limited to lower speeds.
2.) Set your 2Wire to Bridge Mode.
3.) You can copy your settings (manually) from the 2Wire over to the new router, so you do not have to go through the hassle of handing out WPA2 keys and SSIDs to all the machines again. As long as the SSID and the WPA2 key are the same, the machines should automatically join.
4.) Follow the manual for which ever router you got to enabled QoS.
4a.) If you want to setup static IPAs for your all your devices you can.
5.) Buy some decent sound-canceling headphones so you do not have to hear your sister complain and whine about slow internet speeds. ;)

I'll cover a few options based on price and level of technical knowledge needed.

For T-Mobile Customers

If you're a subscriber of T-Mobile, I'd recommend taking advantage of their Wi-Fi CellSpot loaner program for a $25 deposit.

This program gets you a T-Mobile optimized router, which is a modified version of the
$100+ Asus RT-AC68U.

It is missing some options from the stock Asus unit but still has options for stuff like bandwidth prioritization and QoS (the thing is also preconfigured to give high priority to wi-fi phone calls).

User-friendly Options

• TP-Link Archer C7
  
  This costs about $80-90 and is probably the best overall option for anyone that wants a decent wireless router that has a lot of useful options. It lets you specify bandwidth settings that apply to an entire guest network (both upload/download speeds), as well as limit bandwidth to specific devices. This unit is generally recommended by r/homenetworking for a cheap, decent router, and by Wirecutters.
  
  
• D-Link DIR-880L
  
  Roughly $100 - I used to use D-Link wireless routers and they are easy to use and I have . This model can also be loaded with DD-WRT if you're so technically inclined. DD-WRT is an open-source firmware that can be loaded onto a variety of routers that gives a lot of options for power users. The default firmware will still have options to control bandwidth and QoS, so you won't need any advanced special firmware.
  
  

  More Technical Options
  

  
  If you want to learn some slightly more advanced configuration, one of the most price-accessible options is a Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X combined with a Ubiquiti AC Lite wireless AP. This combination costs roughly $120-130, but it is better than similarly priced (or even more expensive) home consumer combination wireless routers and provide a lot of options and features.
  
  You can traffic shape at the EdgeRouter X, so you can do things like limit the bandwidth provided to the wireless network to begin with, or limit it to certain clients. You could also do limiting at the AC Lite access point and create a special group of users (basically, login information) with limitations on that group.
  
  The ERX can handle an ISP connection of probably up to 900 Mbps, though I have no first-hand confirmation of this as my home connection is 200/10. I've been running the ER-X and UniFi AC Lite at home for about two years with no problems, and fairly heavy internet use.
  
  However, if you just need a relatively easy consumer router, go with the easier options.

A heads-up - this is selling at the same price on Amazon.ca at the moment with free shipping.

There are APs that have some switch capability, but most of them are enterprise level. You can put a router into AP mode and it may also switch locally, or you can install an open source OS on a router and set it up that way - but it's going to have more poor performance than a stand-alone switch or AP.

• Ubiquiti AC-LITE $80
  
• TP-Link 8-port switch $30
  
• 1ft Ethernet $1.50
  
• Power strip $6
  
  Total: $117.50 which is less than most routers and with better wifi and switching.

I think it's only a difference of $50, not $120. But personally, the standard POE on the PRO is worth it.
Lite
Pro

To add some details for OP. All they need is a simple cheap unmanaged switch. They should be able to get that for under $25. Here's one at Amazon for $20: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

At my house I have the following at the moment:

• Fios ONT
  
  
• Ubiquiti Edgerouter-X, connecting to the following things via Cat5e cable:
  
  

1. UAC LR (to cover most of my house)
   
   
2. UAC Lite (on a cable run up to the top floor of my house to cover the upstairs)
   
   
3. Google Voice VOIP box
   
   
4. 12 port unmanaged switch to go to all the other ethernet jacks around my house
   
   Now some of those ethernet jacks are in locations where I have multiple wired devices (like my office or home entertainment center). In each of those places I have a second $20 unmanaged switch that I use to turn that single jack into multiple wired spots.
   
   Unmanaged switches are cheap, incredibly easy to setup (literally just plug them in) and high performance, you can basically use them as an ethernet splitter. You do NOT want to use a router in place of them for no reason, as the router's going to bring a bunch of network complexity and isolation that you neither need nor want.
   
   TL;DR Unmanaged switches are neat

The unifi ac-lite is $81 on amazon so out of your budget but it's just barely enough to cover my small ass apt.. your house is smaller than this?

You can't use an "Ethernet splitter" but you can buy a small home switch.

You can get them for under 30$ at your local electronics store or on amazon.

I'd suggest a model like this one.

Processing packets at gbit speed without dedicated switch hardware isn't likely to happen at a $35 price point for a while yet.

UBNT makes a $50 unit that can do it, but they do so with dedicated hardware to offload packet processing.

I suggest you look at replacing the laptop with one of these. Less power hungry, smaller, built for purpose, less heat...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00TQEX8BO/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1474222863&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Tp+link+wifi+bridge&dpPl=1&dpID=318ous0SXGL&ref=plSrch

Personally, I'm a fan of Ubiquiti's EdgeRouters. Honestly, I haven't had any experience with other routers (minus crappy consumer grade Netgear and Buffalo), but the EdgeRouters can still do a lot.

It's got a full GUI, you can SSH, TELNET I believe, SNMP, etc.

Another option is to build your own with PfSense, which is very much in depth but it's got quite a learning curve (at least for me). If you're willing to put in the time and effort, this is the way to go.

Also, I'm sure you know this by now but these are only routers, you'll need a wireless AP to go with these.

Edgerouter:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511763952&sr=8-2&keywords=ubiquiti+edgerouter

PfSense:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrQrt8r_uYg
https://www.pfsense.org/

All the links contain affiliate links (tag=lx7-20&linkId=fe646f143f52bb0de1504aa396676d4e). Unaffiliated links are below. The user has posted affiliate links before, so I believe this is not an "Oops" mistake. The users also posted this in Beermoney as well, but it was removed because of the affiliate links included.
_____
Access Point - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512/

Router - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YFJT29C

Powerline Adapter - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EE9APYS

Modem -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016PE1X5K

Ethernet Cables - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E5I7VJG

Parts List:

Power Adapter

Raspberry Pi

USB Super Nintendo Controller (This is the best one I have found so far)

HDMI Cable

WiFi Dongle

Other Items you will need:

USB Keyboard

Monitor or TV with HDMI Support




Now you dont have to use these parts exactly, there are plenty of other parts you can use. I am pretty sure that you can play Roms up to Playstation 1.



There is also a new Raspberry Pi 3 that is compatible with the RetroPie software which has WiFi and Bluetooth integrated into the board.

Helpful Video's to tackle technical issues with your RetroPie:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtht1mv6ty8xMBwgHX9RCkplqeSRxyHiC




Here is the Case I found on Etsy. There are plenty of other sellers but this guy was great!

There are USB wifi adapters for Raspberry Pi that cost less than half that:

http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY

The items used:

Raspberry PI Zero <- Bougth mine at local store.

http://amzn.com/B00S82B0VA <- Karaoke Mixer

http://amzn.com/B00SNLIG5O <- 128GB SD Card for storage

http://amzn.com/B001MSS6CS <- USB Audio Card

http://amzn.com/B003MTTJOY <- Wifi Adapter

http://amzn.com/B005HKIDF2 <- Usb Hub

A total of around ~$90



Edit

If a mic is needed that add $20
http://amzn.com/B003GEBGA0 <- Mic

It is as simple as screwing in the coax cable into the modem and picking up the phone and reading comcast the "MAC" number on the back of the router.

Here is a good one comcast accepts - http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1409477977&sr=1-1&keywords=comcast+modem

If you want to go a step further, pick up a router that accepts tomato firmware and get that going.

Modem

WiFi

Don't pay Comcast for modem rental, just buy your own and break even in under a year. Setup is easy. Rentals are a ripoff.

There is no such thing as a "gaming" router or modem. All of that is marketing fluff.


Having both your own router and modem is a good idea. See here for good examples:

(I am assuming your USA)

Modem:

MOTOROLA 16x4 Cable Modem, Model MB7420, DOCSIS 3.0. Approved by Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Charter Spectrum, Time Warner Cable, and More. Downloads 686 Mbps Maximum (No WiFi) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A1E6BA2/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_S9xKCbK9FCPTA

Router:


NETGEAR R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 Dual Band Smart WiFi Router, Gigabit Ethernet (R6700) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_qgyKCbRJE7W46

Wired is always better than wireless. However, if wired is not possible, position the router close to the device and use the 5g band. This is the closest thing to wired on a wireless connection.

Alright, best case scenario time.

For a heavy workload you want 15 or less clients per access point. You can do up to 30 per AP but performance drops off quickly.

At minimum you will need 5 AP's. 10 is going to be far more realistic.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512

Even an entry level pro-consumer radio like the UAP-AC-PRO is $137 a piece. So almost $1400 already.

Beefy edge router and a switch will also be on the shopping list. Sticking with theme of Ubiquiti for this theoretical build:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Edgerouter-Router-ERPro-8/dp/B00IA5J8M8

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Edgeswitch-Gigabit-ES-24-LITE/dp/B012GUVIY8

$530. Of course, this gear is so popular because that price is considered rock bottom if you ask anyone that works with Cisco gear.

Now, the real cost of this build is the client adapters. With 10 AP's you have 10 clients per AP and each AP has 3 streams available so your clients should have matching adapters. 1300Mbps is the theoretical maximum but you can't have that because wi-fi is half duplex, and then halve it again because you aren't testing in a Faraday cage. So 325mb/s is a reasonable expectation for a single client on an unloaded AP. With 10 clients joined you might get closer to 500mb/s total.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
Wireless Network Adapter | TP-Link Archer T9E PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter | $79.99 @ Best Buy
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $79.99
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-07-05 19:37 EDT-0400 |

Oh dear me. $8000 in wireless adapters. Plus that $1730 in networking gear. Add a thousand more for the time it will take to get the hardware installed.

Now go ahead and break down the cost of Cat6 cabling plus enough switch ports for your clients. Multiply it by .5 to account for how much faster and lower latency a wired network will be. CAD files are usually a bit large, I'm sure it will be noticed.

That link is NOT the UAP-AC-Pro. It's the older UAP-Pro, which is an 802.11n only product. You do NOT want that one.

You want this one: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/

That's the new UAP-AC-Pro. It's $130ish. It supports 802.11ac (3x3 antennas) and true 802.3af PoE.

The UAP-AC-Lite is around $80ish as I recall. It also supports 802.11ac but with only 2x2 antennas, and it uses special 24v passive PoE so you have to use the Ubiquiti injector or a special Ubiquiti switch.

The difference between real PoE and passive PoE is that real 802.3af PoE has a handshake sequence for safety. When you plug an 802.3af device into a compatible switch, the device signals that it needs PoE power and then the power flow is turned on. This prevents damage to non-PoE devices.

Passive PoE just means that power is sent down the line without consideration for what's on the other end. If you plug a non-PoE device into a Passive PoE port, that non-PoE device will receive PoE and will usually be damaged or destroyed as a result.

Please note that the injectors included with either device are passive. IE, the UAP-AC-Pro's included injector is JUST an injector, no handshake.

The best way to do things is to get a real PoE switch like a Ubiquiti US-8-150W or a Netgear GS110TP, and the Ubiquiti UAP-AC-Pro.

However if this is the only PoE device that you have or will have, then you're fine to just buy the Lite and use the power injector... just be careful which port goes where :)

First of all, its not really fair for you to limit your sister's videos to 480p so you can play OW without lag. You should both be able to share the internet, just because you see your usage as more important doesn't mean it is.

Now that that's out of the way, I'm guessing that your main issue is that you are trying to game over WiFi, as you said Ethernet's not an option. I would place most of the blame on one of two things, either you've got a shitty router that cant handle a lot of traffic and is causing latency OR you internet speeds are sub 25MB/s.

Option 1, shitty router: Without knowing the specs for your router I cant tell you for certain if this is the issue but streaming media does consume a fair amount of clock cycles and if its an older router (especially a cheaper model of older router) they are not built to handle that sort of traffic. A new Wireless AC router should be able to handle that traffic easily, I really like the ASUS RT-AC68U. ASUS in general has a very friendly router interface. To utilize AC performance, you may need to buy a new wireless adapter for your PC as well but your current one will connect via N.

Option 2, slow internet: With the above mentioned AC router you can implement QoS, without paying for faster internet this is the only way to resolve your issue. As I said before, its not fair to restrict your sisters laptop to slow 480p performance BUT (at least in my ASUS router) you can make a list of up to 5 devices that will be prioritized in the order of the list. Online gaming does not take much bandwidth, watch your task manager while gaming, most of the time you will be using less than 500 kb/s. If you put your device on the top of the list your packets will have priority, but your sister's laptop should still be able to stream without any difference to her quality. Some routers also have a "game prioritization" mode where they will prioritize known gaming traffic from any source.

Hope this helps, if you have any questions let me know.

Edit: I also would like to point out that I've tried gaming over a Powerline adapter as mentioned below. It was OK but there was still some lag and it seemed to max out at 100Mb/s download speed. I had better luck with a wireless AC pci-e card and an AC router.

There's no such thing as an ethernet splitter, or at least not which does what you want it to do. There are, however, very small ethernet switches: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Splitter-Unmanaged-TL-SF1005D/dp/B000FNFSPY

I'd suggest that.

The big metal thing up top is called Yagi antenna, which is basically just increases signal strength to nearby WiFi access points. Looks like this one

Connected to that is an external USB network adapter, looks like the awesome T-Link Archer or N150 connected to a USB extension.

​

So what OP is doing is extending range and connecting to a different nearby router, probably optimum wifi off campus or something.

​

EDIT: whoops, OP responded while i was typing. Didn't show up until now.

Op - Go buy a Unifi:

https://smile.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504882410&sr=8-1&keywords=unifi+ac+pro

They are the best WIFI solution I'm come across.

Buy one of these https://www.amazon.ca/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-Access/dp/B015PRO512

Put it in a central location and any device that supports 802.11ac should be able to max out a 150mbps connection.

It only needs one network cable run to it (the power goes over the network cable too) so it's pretty easy to run. Maybe you can run the cable through a cold air return from your mech room.

It's enterprise hardware so it'll likely out perform any $500 consumer grade router out there. I run one of the lower models and it's the best upgrade I've ever made for my home wifi. No drops, rock solid, only had to reboot it once in three years.

Correct.

My connectivity issues all disappeared when I moved from a Netgear Night Hawk router with Shibby's Tomato Firmware to an Ubiquiti EdgeRouterX and UniFi AP AC Pro.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YFJT29C/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512/

Again, took a bit to get up and running but once I did -- I'll never go back to consumer networking gear. The LIFX bulb connections have been rock-solid ever since that move... In fact, 3 of the top 5 devices with the most "connectivity uptime" are LIFX bulbs. The other 2 being the Nest Protects. 😊

Try this one: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG108-8-Port-1000Mbps-Desktop/dp/B00A121WN6/

somthing like this could help depending on your need. All the fun of having ethernet in the wall except for cutting of drywall.

Unlike the other PC gamers in this thread, I'd say that rig for a PS4 is a decent deal - if you do plan on replacing your PC with something a little more powerful, as you say in another thread.

Once you pick up the PS4, what you need first and foremost is a PS+ subscription, which I think is $50 a year. Multiplayer is more or less dependent upon it (except where noted, in certain games). With the service, you also get two free games every month. So far, they've all been smaller indie titles, though the PS3 is seeing some older AAA releases. You can still make a PSN id to buy games and suchlike off the PS store.

Next, you'd probably want a second controller, especially if you're into fighting games like Mortal Kombat or Injustice. Sportsfriends, one of the free PS+ games this month, is also local MP only, and I've really enjoyed it so far.

If your WiFi is not ideal, and you don't have a LAN connection direct to the PS4, you could look into one of these.

Finally, you could look into upgrading the hard drive. 500 GB doesn't last long, since the PS4 installs all games, even ones on discs, to the hard drive. With each title clocking in between 25 and 40 GB, not to mention the two free PS+ games every month, it's gonna run out fast.

Thankfully, it's really easy to replace, as detailed here. I've heard good things on /r/PS4 about a certain 2TB Samsung hard disk, but I cannot find it right now. Or you could go for an SSD, which is faster but more expensive.

That's about all I can think of at the moment. Now for the disclaimer:

If your primary motivation for the PS4 is Destiny, you might want to hold off. I'm enjoying the game, but I would not recommend it to anyone who hasn't already tried it and decided if it's the game for them. I played the open beta for between six and eight hours before deciding to buy it. If you can, play for at least an hour or two on a friend's system before taking the leap.

I know unsolicited advice is often unwelcome, so feel free to skip the following paragraph if you want to:

UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOLLOWS

You could upgrade your GPU and get a PS4 for cheaper than assembling a new rig from scratch. I'm pretty sure you could sell just the GPU for between eighty and a hundred bucks.

UNSOLICITED ADVICE ENDS

Cheers, and welcome to the PS family!

These usually work: https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494949588&sr=8-1&keywords=network+electrical+outlet

Obligatory Ubiquiti EdgeRouterX routers cost $60 comment.

You want a bridge, not a repeater - a repeater wouldn't help. You need something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Travel-Extender-TL-WR802N/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1480305232&sr=8-4&keywords=wifi+bridge

You create a wifi network with this, and join your Google Home and phone to that. Then have he bridge join your dorm's wifi network. This creates a wifi network that only you and your Home see.

Our installation fee was 59.95. I signed up for the 29.99 25mbs for 12 months promo. My first bill was right around $90 and the rest of my bills for the next 11 months should be at or around $34. The installation really was necessary though as there was no cable line running to our house from the main line.

I bought my own modem from Amazon, $68.99, and noted as such when I signed up for Comcast. It is a no-brainer to buy your own modem-- Comcast charges $6 or so a month for a rental so after the first year it's $72 down the drain versus a modem you can use forever.

As soon as the tech left, I plugged the modem into my WiFi router no problems (I might have cloned the MAC address of my laptop but I don't think I did-- I don't think they care about that anymore).

The service has been very consistent, fast, and reliable. No complaints.

Good luck.

I just ordered a Surfboard 6121 and its a really great modem. Pair it with an ASUS router like this and you have a wonderful combination. The range is extremely far, you can customize a lot of settings and you don't have to pay the monthly price. Comcast was charging me $8 a month for my modem, so after 6 months ill have paid for it already (picked mine up on sale).

You ran that test to comcast. That's not even across the internet. You have a serious problem that is not directly related to comcast sucking. Shitty speeds like that have Three sources: Bad wifi or ethernet connection to your PC, bad modem, bad wiring in your house (almost always splitters).

Assuming you have a laptop, and your cable isn't fished through the wall, but mostly runs along baseboards (as comcast does), you can take yourself, your laptop, and your modem trace the cable down to the first splitter that you have in the house after the cable comes inside, detach the cable from the input side of the splitter, attach the modem, plug your PC DIRECTLY into the modem via ethernet (be sure to turn off wifi) and run the test again.

(note: if you have one of those wifi modems shitbags that comcast rents, you shouldn't.)

If your speed improves dramatically and your ping times become reasonable, it is the wiring. Remove your splitters and either buy your own from amazon (make sure to match the specs. you want a splitter that can handle the frequencies the docsis 3 require), or take them down to the comcast store and ask for replacements (best if you not explain, they usually don't care and will throw them right at you no matter what). If after you apply those splitters back into the system, your speeds at your preferred modem location do not improve, repeat again at each splitter and replace the faulty length of coaxial cable.
Chance this will fix the problem: 80-90%

If your speeds do not improve, try a different ethernet cable. If that doesn't fix it, take your Modem (Assuming you lease) back to comcast (the store. do not bother calling support) and either ask for a replacement, or ask that they stop charging you a rental fee of $6 a month and go buy your own for the cost of 6-10 months of rental fees.
Chance that this or the previous steps will resolve your issue: 99.99%

Should your speeds be shit even after all of this, you need to call Comcast. At this point you are either in a really old apartment building with shit wiring throughout the building (Cocmast / your landlord's problem), there's something wrong in your neighborhood infrastructure (comcast's problem) or you live in a formerly segregated neighborhood that has irreparably bad infrastructure (society's problem)

I'm using these.

The way they work is quite simple. Plug one into an outlet near your router and insert an ethernet cord into it. Plug the other into an outlet near your ps4 and connect an ethernet cord to it.

Now you have wired internet access. No other settings required.

Any unmanaged switch from fairly well known brands will be fine. I recommend Netgear — the metal ones, like this one: https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Protection-GS105NA/dp/B0000BVYT3/

I had issues with TPLink and DLink and older plastic Netgear ones (actively avoid those— they like to hang under certain conditions)— even though you might think that switch technology should have been polished by now.. turns out it isn’t.

An ethernet switch will do what you need. It looks like a router but it's specifically for instances where you need to share a single ethernet cable from a router with two or more devices. They are pretty cheap. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FNFSPY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_-COywbDM7ESXM

Just plug all three cables in and the switch will take care of the rest.

Make an all purpose travelpi.
Get a PI3, load it up with raspbian or your preferred OS and throw it together with this Screen and case combo. Add some heatsinks to keep it cool, put emulation station on there for all the downtime gaming action you could ask for. Then have some fun playing with accessories. Here's a bluetooth vehicle diagnostics monitor you can use with pyOBD to monitor any 96 and up vehicle to check gas mileage and check error codes. Here's a GPS module for logging miles and checking locations and for the times you just absolutely must get wifi no matter what heres an adapter and antenna that will reach out and touch someone in the next country.

Edit: game pads

$159 on Amazon

I use the Asus RT-AC68U personally:

http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC68U-Wireless-AC1900-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00FB45SI4

But they both AC1900 routers, which you can read about here:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/32238-ac1900-innovation-or-3d-wi-fi

Netgear's firmware is garbage. The only manufacturer that I've been able to get consistent performance and reliability out of is Asus. I don't think it's a coincidence that their firmware is open source and based off of DD-WRT.

Although their models have gotten cheaper over the years. I bought my AC87 refurbished for $180 probably four years ago now, and it's still running great. The AC56 (I think that was $120 when I bought it?) that it replaced started giving me trouble after a year or so.

If I had to make a recommendation today, it would probably be the AC68 (currently $140 on Amazon), although if you were in a small apartment the AC66 ($65 on Amazon) would probably also do you well.

Asus provides regular updates to their routers, and there's good support for third party firmware.

Picked up this 8 port unmanaged switch from TP-Link for 14.99 instead of the normal 39.99.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zImlDbAH101TG

Just use a powerline ethernet adapter to move between those locations. You won't have full gigabit speed, but they have come a long long way.

This link is for the 500Mb speed, but the 200Mb (which is fine for most stuff) is only $20! http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/

I can't believe that after 173 comments, no one has the explanation as to why this is the case. I guess it's finally my time to shine. Simply put, the PS3 uses a wi-fi standard that's currently in most homes today. The PS4 uses a newer, faster standard. So why is it slower then? Because most people's routers aren't upgraded to this new standard yet. Sony made the PS4's wi-fi module more future-proof, but as of now it's definitely too future-proof. There are two work-arounds to this issue. You either A) buy a router that uses the new wi-fi standard or the better option IMO, B) buy one of these genius little network powerline adapters. Why do I think the powerline adapter is better? It's cheaper than most routers that use the new wi-fi standard and it's a wired connection. You ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS, want a wired connection with your gaming devices. Save the wi-fi for your phones and tablets. Wire connections are faster and more stable than wi-fi. The network powerline adapter allows you to have a wired connection even if you don't have the ethernet wire routed to the room with your PS4.



"But wait u/IVIajesty, how does this marvelous machine pull off such a magical feat???"



It's simple young padawon. You connect the first module into the outlet and into your router. It sends the ethernet connection throughout your homes circuiting. You connect the second module into the outlet by your PS4 and into your PS4 via ethernet cable, and alakazam! The internet signal is transferred over through the rooms. It's like having a wired connection, without having a wired connection! Woo!



Bonus LPT: If you have an electronics store like Best Buy or Fry's by you, you can buy the device from them and make sure it works. If it doesn't, they have 15 day return policies. This device works in pretty much 99% of home circuiting layouts. There are a few cases where the circuiting of the home isn't compatible with this device, but it's rare. If it doesn't work, you can always return it.



Bonus-Bonus LPT: Best Buy and Fry's both price check, so if it's cheaper on Amazon or any other reputable online vender, make sure you take advantage of that to save a couple extra bucks.



Edit: Used some bolding and italics to make my comment sexier.
Edit 2: It seems as though I might've have confused standard with a different word or I might've gotten my info from an unreliable source. Crossed out the wrong info. Guess I'm not a savior after all :'(

Here are some things you can try if you haven't already:

1. Use ethernet the whole way. If you do this, there will be almost no latency or noticable compression. This may not be feasible for the steam link itself, but you can likely pull it off for the PC connection. The less Wifi you use, the better the picture quality is.
   
2. If you can't use ethernet, try using a Powerline adapter. Essentially these things send super small electrical signals through your house's circuit (unnoticable to any of your appliances) to replace ethernet. It's not quite as fast as ethernet, but It's a hell of a lot faster than wifi and should be fine for the Link. You can only use this if your PC and Steam link are on the same circuit.
   
3. If you can't use powerline either, use a 5GHz Wifi connection if you can. It has smaller range but much higher bandwidth so you won't have as much latency / compression
   
4. If you're using Wifi move your modem, PC, and steam link away from large metal objects (think about what's behind your walls!). Note that the material is important here - wifi signals can travel through wood and drywall pretty easily but not aluminum.

TIL I have the same router as Linus Torvalds


ASUS RT-N66U

The wireless router supplied by Buckeye is junk. What I did was get the modem without wireless and bought the modem below.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=dp_cerb_1

I just bought this from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XC6GJ0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My speed went from 50mbs to 120mbps. Thats worth $80. Also, for that much speed, make sure your firewall has a gig interface on it.

For comparison:

7 x 12 = $84

Motorola DOCSIS 3.0 Modem = $86

You may want to contact them and have them check the signal levels at your modem; you'll have to have a cable guy come out usually for no charge. I used to work for TWC/RoadRunner, this was a common problem. Also, make sure your modem is not attached to multiple (usually the tech will give you a special one that will only degrade the signal by -1.5db) splitters so it gets the best signal possible. You basically want it to be the first device connected directly to the cable trunk outside. This is very important. Cable modems are very picky. If Charter supports it, and you can afford it, pick up this cable modem (just call them and ask.) It improved my speeds on Comcast. As and added bonus, you won't be renting a modem from them for ~$10/mo so it will pay for itself pretty soon.

I do, it’s cheaper in the long run. Bought mine in 2014, still works great paid between 100-150 but can’t remember.

This is the model I bought in 2014.

I've got one and it was recognized immediately with no issues.

http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-Wireless-Adapter-Wizard/dp/B003MTTJOY

buy this and quit renting

no he doesnt. its all about how you set up your network. i have a linksys EA3500 handling 10 devices. i have a crap router behind it handling my checkpoints farm for that IP(10 devices). i have a netgear something handling 15 devices on a different IP. the key is to separate the channels. i run mine on 1, 6 and 11. no overlap for the 3 programs i run (sb, perk and checkpoints).

however, if you are going to upgrade, may as well as upgrade to something commercial that will handle the traffic you're throwing at it:

use this as your router (this is what im about to upgrade too)

use this as your access point for your wifi devices. add more as needed

$300 routers are trash compared to something under 150 thats commercial-grade.

Don't buy anything you listed.

If you truly had no budget:
-AP: http://www.amazon.com/Meraki-Cloud-Managed-Wireless-Access/dp/B00FA1TNZ2
-Router: http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Edgerouter-Router-ERPro-8/dp/B00IA5J8M8

For your budget:
-AP: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512
-Router: http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C

TP Link is supposed to be good with Linux

This works for certain without any configuration - http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN722N-Wireless-Adapter-External/dp/B002SZEOLG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1449448506&sr=8-5&keywords=tp-link+wireless+adapter

I was looking for routers. Here's a few I was watching. Went with just the router don't need a modem.

2 in 1. Modem/router combo.
$140 ARRIS SURFboard SBG7580AC Docsis 3.0 Cable Modem/ Wi-Fi AC1750 Router

Just the router. $75 NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1750 Smart Dual Band WiFi Router (R6700)

There are plenty of good routers that are under $120. Heck, the Nighthawk is on Amazon for $99.99 and is a solid choice, and there are other options for cheaper that would still be considered a quality WiFi router.

Get this:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

or the cheaper 5 port option if money is an issue. You do not want a hub, you want an unmanaged gigabit switch. Run a cable from your router to the switch and then you can run multiple LAN connections off this switch and your router will give out IP's just like it being plugged into the router.

With this kinda thing.

Get a powerline. It uses the outlets and runs the signal across the electrical wires. My xbox gets about 5mbs down wifi but about 75 mbs Wired.

TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps by TP-LINK http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_pJTWtb1PBK8A4

So, if your connection is slowing on desktop while hardwired I'd forgo the access point for now and get a dedicated router, an Edge Router X, instead. I'd then set your current device into access point mode and see how it goes.


Having said that, are you sure it's your router/ap and not your ISP speed?

My wireless connection was too poor for the Steam link, and I rent a room so I couldn't run ethernet through the walls. Instead, I found a good solution in using this powerline ethernet adapter.

I would say it is sligthly better than a chromecast. Rather than only being able use a couple streaming services from an appstore. With the steamlink, you can basically stream whatever is on your desktop.

A ethernet connection is highly recommended though. I've use these with some success.

Buy a Tp-Link I bought one a while ago and it fixed all my problems I was having.

TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_zQYFwbA7ZNW41

How many more ports do you need? (Now, and say for the next year or two, looking ahead?)

Five ports: (leaves your four ports to work with, since one port is used to connect to your router)

​

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG105/dp/B00A128S24/ref=zg_bs_281414_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XF6W03YMBKHZVSTYKM35

​

8 ports (leaves you seven to use for your devices)

​

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Internet-Splitter/dp/B00KFD0SEA/ref=zg_bs_281414_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XF6W03YMBKHZVSTYKM35

​

Another five port, all metal case, lifetime warranty (not a big deal)

​

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet-Unmanaged-Protection-GS105NA/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=zg_bs_281414_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XF6W03YMBKHZVSTYKM35

​

​

Yer probly, you just mean something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-SF1005D-Unmanaged-Desktop-Switch/dp/B000FNFSPY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478613816&sr=8-2&keywords=lan+switch ?

study for CompTIA A+.

They teach you stuff that a normal every-day user wouldn't need to concern themselves with, like OSI layers, types or protocols and standards for data transition. I think it also covers some aspects of security like what hashing is, types of encryption, and gets you used to some tech lingo that an average user may not understand.

After that, go for Network+, it dives deeper into...well, computer networks.

Plenty of free resources for both certifications online. And if you do decide to test for the certifications, they look real gucci on your resume if you have no prior IT experience.

After that, if you have some spare dough, pick up a cheap used laptop for probably $150 or so, and probably pick up one of these guys as well. You don't need any fancy specs. Just enough for you to download Ubuntu and learn linux, setup a challenge for yourself to navigate the operating system using the terminal and the terminal only. That includes installing new programs, opening up files, executing scripts, everything. No double clicking allowed, limit yourself from using the GUI of the OS as much as possible. If you want something done, learn to use the terminal to do it first.

And imo it's really important to do it in that order. Don't be like a lot of people, who thinks buying a laptop and a airmon-ng compatible wifi adapter will make them all set to start becoming a 1337 hacker, and lost interest in a month or two and have basically just wasted their money. Hacking really doesn't have a set course, but if you find yourself with enough interest and discipline to grind through two boring (but very informative) certifications, I believe that then you know you are in the right field. Mostly, you pick up pieces of knowledge here and there, no book is gonna be a fit-all solution towards becoming a hacker. It is the sum of those pieces of knowledge, that makes a hacker a hacker.

If you can't get the wifi going, powerline adapters may be a great alternative for you to provide a consistent and reliable network connection to your PS4 as long as you have outlets available near both the router and PS4.

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA2010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUIY4/ref=pd_tcs_subst_e_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=021B2W1R5TGXTHZNPQVR

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0 -- I've found better prices tho. Just plug into coax and then treat it like an ethernet port; you can have multiple adapters on the coax "network."

Yes, you can. You'd use a couple MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) adapters, with one on each end. This should allow you to push ethernet over your Coax. Having never done this myself, it should work fine in theory, but other factors like cable quality and length will probably come into play.

Here's a link to a pair you can purchase on Amazon: Link

I have MoCA adapters working with Verizon FioS. Its awesome. MoCA 1.1 gives 175 Mbps shared.

I have them next to each TV (3 total). Much better than Wifi. I do not see ocassional drops I used to see with wifi earlier.

I have had ocassional (may be 4 times in 8 years) when I have to reboot the moca adapter as it got out of sync but very rock solid otherwise.

I use Actiontec MoCA 2.0 adapters - no-referral Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013J7O3X0/

If you want a affordable gigabit setup with Ubiquiti just run this setup.

• USG $110
  
• Unifi AP AC Lite $80
  
• TP-Link 8 Port Unmanaged Switch $25
  
• 1000' cat 5e $85
  
• 24 port patch panel $19
  
  If you don't have a gigabit connection you can swap out the USG for an ER-X which will knock off $50 but if you have the $50 to spend I would suggest staying with the USG so all your managed products are on the Unifi admin interface. You can also save some money by going with 500' of cat 5e if you don't need the full 1k foot spool.

I'd go with Ubiquiti products. Something like a Edgeroute X SFP and a Unifi AC lite.

I've got the slightly older Unifi AP and it's bulletproof. And with the X SFP you won't need the power injector for the AC lite. I setup the AC lite for a friend and it's also very solid, easy to use product.

Check out /r/Ubiquiti

No, you need Wi-Fi of some sort. If you can't add a Wi-Fi router, you might be able to purchase an inexpensive dongle (like this one) and run a Wi-Fi network from your computer. Otherwise, you'll have to rely on public Wi-Fi networks like at a library or restaurant.

You don't have to do top tier everything for a homelab.

Most people will never need managed switches, much less Cisco branded stuff. TP-Link makes competent and reasonably priced dumb switches.

For the router, I used to run pfSense on a custom PC build (~$300 about 6 years ago) but I'm already familiar with enterprise router settings and found all the features I could want in a consumer grade Asus router. At the end of the day, port forwarding, WiFi and OpenVPN are everything I'd ever want it to do. I can offload any heavy lifting or advanced features to my server.

If you're not looking to be super fancy, here's a simple homelab setup:

• Asus AC86U Router: $170.14
  
• 24 port TP-Link Switch: $89.99
  
• 8 port TP-Link Switch: $19.99
  
• 2 Bay Synology Diskstation: $166.87
  
• Dell PowerEdge R710 Server: $209.95
  
  You can swap up or down based on needs but the router does all the basic stuff most people will need it to do. The 24 port switch should be more than enough as the primary switch for most people. The 8 port switch is great for secondary locations. The diskstation can handle your backups and cloud storage and is a nice balance of convenience and price. The R710 server can handle Plex, NAS duties and probably some light duty VMs.
  
  The big add-on expense will be the hard drives, of course. You could probably get by shucking the 10TB easystore drives to save a bit.
  
  I use a custom built server (Xeon E3-1231 v3 @ 3.4GHz, 16 GB RAM, built around 2012 and upgraded the CPU a few years ago) and have never owned a R710 myself, so I can't say much on the actual limits of what you can do with it. That said, I'm suddenly really tempted to grab a R710 to use as network storage because I've reached the limit of my current server. The biggest weakness I see in the R710 is the CPU isn't too beefy but its still decent given the sheer number of (8)cores/(16)threads. Plex and less demanding game servers are probably the limit of what it can handle but it should easily handle a number of less demanding VMs.
  
  Anyways, as a starter setup, this should more than satisfy most people.

If you really want to have a high quality, robust solution then ditch the consumer grade stuff entirely. What I (and many others) would suggest is something like using the Ubiquiti Edgerouter Lite as your router. Then you run Ethernet to one (or more, if your house is big enough) Ubiquiti Unifi Access Point to provide wifi. These are rock solid, business class products for a great price. And the best part is if you need more coverage, you just plug in another Unifi access point and put it where you want.

As for a modem, most people on here would recommend the Motorola line, like the SB6141 or the SB6183, but those are dependent on being on your ISP's approved modem list (though most major American ISPs approve of these particular modems).

So.... if I understand this correctly, T-Mobile is offering this $200 router on Amazon for a refundable $25, if you say you need it for Wifi calling, regardless of whether or not you use wifi calling?

You're telling me I can have a $200 router for $25? No strings attached?

EDIT: More info after some research: http://slickdeals.net/f/7193262-t-mobile-personal-cellspot-ac-router-by-asus-free-for-postpaid-25-deposit

TL;DR - Yes, postpaid customers get a $200 router for $25 to use Wifi-calling on T-Mo branded smartphones (not Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 bought from Google). Prepaid customers get charged $99. These charges are technically refundable deposits. This router is probably better than your home router you currently have, and is very lightly modified, so it's an overall upgrade to your home network.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Support/dp/B00F0DD0I6

Impossible to go wrong with an R7000. Powerful enough for a small business (<75 people), and the WiFi coverage is amazing.

no

Get an unmanaged switch. That's the only way I've found to do it when I was there.
https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Splitter-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=unmanaged+switch&qid=1571187194&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-3

I can't tell for sure from the photos, but that cable is probably at least CAT5e or better, which is just fine for 1GB ethernet in the house.

You need to cut off the phone jacks and install CAT5e or better RJ-45 jacks with a punch down tool. Do this conversion at every place where you want network. Then in the basement you need to punch down the other end of each cable separately to a CAT5e or better patch panel. Then you need to run short CAT5e or better patch cords from the patch panel to an Ethernet switch. Finally you need to connect your router to the switch, either directly, or through one of the network jacks you installed in the house.

Eh, without knowing the router, I can't tell you that. The quickest and easiest, plus best performance, would be to just slap in a Gig switch, plug that into the actiontec, and plug your clients into the switch. Then the wired clients get Gig lan amongst themselves, and only drop to 10/100 when going wired-to-wireless or wired-to-internet.

Something like this would be fine for you http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00006RVPW&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Z8KMTZGGRKVQ055QS7G

Dude. Go for the ethernet through power lines adapter first(btw this is more commonly called a powerline adapter).

This one has 500 mbps, which is considerably higher bandwidth than wifi. It will also give you lower latency, and a generally more stable connection. Take it from me, I have had some TERRIBLE experiences with wifi repeaters. Powerline ftw.

Or you could go all out and get the best of both worlds. Buy one of these, another router, and a powerline adapter. Then what you do is you set it up downstairs (where you normally have your router), and have it go, modem -> ethernet switch -> old router. Then plug one end of the powerline adapter into the switch.

Then plug in the powerline adapter into the wall upstairs where you want wifi. Plug in your new router to it. Set the SSID (the wifi name of your router), as the same name as the router you have downstairs. BAM. You now have STRONG wifi anywhere in the house. Devices will automatically connect to the router with the stronger signal. It will only appear as one wifi network on phones, tablets, etc.

Had this same issue - still can't stand Wifi due to dropouts and latency, so bought an Ethernet over Power adapter instead. Uses your AC line to provide a solid connection to your router anywhere in the house.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ethernet+over+power&qid=1569066338&s=gateway&sr=8-3

I bought THIS. I use it exclusively with openELEC and when I hooked it up my router was about 40 FT from my box.

THIS is running on my Raspberry pi openElec box that is right now about 15 feet from the router (on a different floor)

I haven't tested the range on either, but both work great.

I suggest doing a virus scan that's completely outside of Windows. That way any malware that might be there will have less chance to execute and interfere with the scan. It's also useful just as a second opinion.

1. Download Xubuntu or Lubuntu and follow their instructions ( Windows USB | Windows DVD | Mac USB | Mac DVD) to put it on a flash drive or DVD. Or you could use your preferred Linux distro, if you have one. Lubuntu is more lightweight, while Xubuntu has a nicer interface. The reason you may want to burn a DVD is that some computers are unable to boot from USB.
   
2. With her computer off, plug the drive in (so that Windows has no chance to modify the drive), and boot her computer from it. Choose the "Try without installing" option.
   
3. If you're not using Ethernet, connect to WiFi (probably the default password on the side or bottom of the router). If her WiFi card doesn't work out the box, use Ethernet (perhaps via Powerline Ethernet adapters) or a well-supported USB WiFi adapter.
   
4. Look in the app menu (similar to Windows start menu) for the package manager / software center / app store / whatever they call it.
   
5. Once there, search for ClamTk. ClamTk is a GUI for an antivirus program called ClamAV. If you prefer, you can use ClamAV from the Terminal, but you'd need to look up the commands yourself.
   
6. Open ClamTk, make sure it downloads the latest virus definitions, and then tell it to do a recursive scan of a directory: the top level of her hard drive.
   
7. Let it run. It may take a while to go through all the files.
   
8. If it finds anything, look through the list to check for false positives.
   
   When finished, click on the app menu (same one as step 3) and tell it to restart. When prompted, remove the flash drive / DVD and then press enter.
   
   These are NOT complete, step-by-step instructions. They're only enough to sort of convey the general idea, so some of these may require a little trial & error or Googling. If this is new to you, try it on your own machine first before doing it on hers. VirtualBox is a free program for using virtual machines, and you could use that for practice.
   
   Keep in mind that no work or settings will be saved while booted from the flash drive. Everything is kept in RAM unless you save to a disk. Linux doesn't get installed to her machine unless you deliberately run the installer program.

It's also wise to buy a cable modem yourself since you won't get charged to rent theirs.

If you buy your own it will pay itself off in about a year (7$/mo) and anything after that is pure savings.

Surfboard

Buy this modem and the router/wireless access point of your choice. I like this one but you can go cheaper or more fancy if you like. Connect the modem to the cable line and the router to the modem. Write down the MAC address and serial number for each thing.

Next, take a shot, and call comcast. Tell them you want their $35/month internet-only plan and you have your own modem. Connect the modem to the cable line before calling to make things easier. They will try to sell you some stuff and get some info, but just be patient and stay on target.

This is where it gets fun. If you've been graced by heaven, you'll be done in 5 minutes but I've never seen this happen. Most likely you will be transferred around to several people, having to repeat the same info while they struggle to activate your modem. They will claim there's no signal, they'll say "maybe it's not supported," and they'll very likely drop the call at least once. Keep calling and eventually, probably within 45 minutes to an hour, they will miraculously succeed.

It will end up costing $40/month, because there's some retarded $5 fee on top of the subscription. If they try to charge you for a modem rental or installation, challenge it immediately.

Yes, this is the easiest and cheapest way to get internet in this city. Fortunately, setting up gas/electric is about a 5 minute phone call with the lovely folks at national grid.

This is going to get downvoted because of the A word, but, the Apple Airport Extreme is an extremely capable and stable wireless router.

http://www.amazon.com/AirPort-Extreme-802-11n-5th-Generation/dp/B0057AVXJA

The 5th generation version is still fine. Go up to $200 and you can get the current version, which is AC capable, etc.

If you have game consoles, which like uPnP, be advised the Apple does not offer uPnP.

If you have game consoles:

http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1750-Gigabit-Router/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1376407132&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+ac66u

or

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1376407149&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+ac66u

This:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-popular

I have a T440p (High Sierra and Linux Mint dual boot) also and Wi-Fi isn't working, Lenovo has a whitelist for Hardware, so changing the Wi-Fi card is not that easy. I just use a Wi-Fi dongle -> https://www.amazon.es/TP-LINK-TL-WN823N-adaptador-inalámbrico-10-7-10-11/dp/B008IFXQFU/ref=sr_1_3?__mk_es_ES=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&keywords=usb%2Bwifi&qid=1564018664&s=computers&sr=1-3&th=1

​

VGA port is also useless.

Thank you! I've just tested a TP-Link TL-WN725N that I use on my SNES Classic, and I was able to go online in RetroArch on the PS Classic!

Here's an Amazon link to the TL-WN725N.

I've also tested a TP-Link Archer T9UH just for the hell of it, which did not work, as I expected.

EDIT: Also for the hell of it, I have just tested a Cable Matters USB 2.0 to Ethernet adapter, that I use on my Raspberry Pi Zero W, and it works on the PS Classic too!

Here's an Amazon link to the USB 2.0 to Ethernet adapter.

For Wifi, Unifi Access Points are often recommended by /r/HomeNetworking. Having a few AP-AC-PRO's is probably what I'd go for. (Enterprise-grade hardware on the cheap, and not much more difficult to setup than consumer AP's either)

Also a mesh system trades speed for coverage. It's usually only recommended when it's difficult to route multiple ethernet lines to separate access points. I know Unifi systems support seamless handoff between AP's, acting just like a mesh system.

Check out /r/HomeNetworking for more insight. They can give some good advice, especially since a streaming house isn't exactly a typical scenario.

One network jack is totally appropriate for a little general-purpose hobbyist SBC.

If you want a little, inexpensive computer with lots of Ethernet jacks, just buy one. If you want an Odroid N2 with an extra network jack, add one.

USB! Check out Amazon for inexpensive adapters that will improve your online gaming on the Switch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M77HMU0

It's a nighthawk router. I currently use it and it's phenomenal, looks badass, and can handle gigabit speeds quite easily.

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1750-Smart-Router/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495048991&sr=8-1&keywords=nighthawk+netgear

I have an 867MHz G4 TiBook, running OS 9. I do most of my writing on it.

It isn't that heavy, although I guess that depends on what people mean by mobile. I'm not hiking somewhere to setup and work on it, so I don't have an issue. I wouldn't think twice about a bus/train commute with it. It's just a laptop. Doesn't hurt at all to use on your lap, if that's what you mean.

Battery life is poor, but it depends on what you do and how you want to use it. At full brightness and running the CPU for performance, even without crunching I can burn through the battery in an hour or so. But turn the brightness down, minimize everything else that eats power - I can get 4+ hours out of it. If you're serious, you either buy a new battery, or take the time to rebuild your own.

You say you don't need WiFi, but if you do: AirPort cards don't play nice with OS9, and they don't support WPA2 so they don't really connect anywhere even on OS X. What I do is use a USB-powered travel router that basically turns wifi networks into an ethernet connection. Aside from a couple of cables and a tiny box connected when online, it's a really simple way to connect to any/every modern wireless network - I recommend it even if just to surf and download classic software directly to the system. Speaking of surfing: Classilla. You can do quite a few useful tweaks to it, block out ad servers, and ultimately you are able to surf most reasonable websites (Reddit, Google, Mac Garden, anything text-driven or served by the great wiby.me search engine for ancient-friendly websites).

That said, the TiBook makes for a great writing machine with OS9, specifically because it takes that effort to get online and be distracted. Even if you can't get all-day battery out of it, it puts you in your creative space and leaves you alone. Even if it needs cables, or a power outlet. When it comes to writing, the most important aspect of a laptop to me is how much my fingers and wrists like the keyboard, and the keyboard is great.

If you are so inclined, I also recommend a good solid clamshell iBook. They are bulkier and heavier, and smaller screens really bother some people, but the keyboard is without a doubt the greatest laptop keyboard I've ever used (and it's a common sentiment around the web).

I bring my roku and use a travel network router. If there is any authentication, any device connected to the router can act as the authenticator. I usually use my phone to enter the room number and last name. Then the session is tied to the router.

>Plus it all seems inefficient since I already have the LAN throughout the house.

If you already have Ethernet pulled to places all over the house, then wired Access Points is the obvious and correct answer.

Ubiquiti is the king of reliable Access Points. But switching to Ubiquiti requires a bit more knowledge than your typical wireless router / repeater system, so if you choose this, you'll have to do a bit of learning too.

For 900 sqft on two floors, you can likely get away with just one Access Point mounted on the First Floor in the Center. That would easily cover the floor, plus very likely cover the floors above and below it too. A Ubiquiti nanoHD is my go-to recommendation lately, but if you are trying to save some money, an AC-LITE is fine.

nanoHD:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Internal-1733Mbit-Ethernet/dp/B07FFNTLJD/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=nanohd&qid=1574904222&s=electronics&sr=1-4

AC-PRO:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=nanohd&qid=1574903775&s=electronics&sr=1-5

AC Lite:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-YWMgbGl0ZQ%3D%3D-ac_d_rm&keywords=ac+lite&pd_rd_i=B015PR20GY&pd_rd_r=382f4fce-b8fd-41f5-9d83-2ce30c7d4867&pd_rd_w=2JjVi&pd_rd_wg=IV1TH&pf_rd_p=e2f20af2-9651-42af-9a45-89425d5bae34&pf_rd_r=BRFTH2F9ZHRVN6T7YH6B&psc=1&qid=1574903705

Since you already have Ethernet presumably at ground level, you can also consider the Ubiquiti In-Wall units as well. These units provide you Wireless Access Points PLUS they give you two Ethernet ports at ground level. If you can get your gamer and game machines plugged into Ethernet instead of wireless, you'll have the ideal setup (streaming and other things are fine on wireless).

So maybe 1 ceiling mounted AP in the middle of the first floor, one in wall where the gamer is (for Ethernet ports as well as supplemental WiFi on the second floor), and maybe one In-Wall in the basement if needed (good chance it won't be).

AC-In-Wall:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-UAP-AC-Iw-Wireless-Access/dp/B06XZLP8Q6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1YA0NR13TWSGZ&keywords=ubiquiti+in+wall&qid=1574903832&s=electronics&sprefix=ubiquiti+in+w%2Celectronics%2C199&sr=1-2

If you do get 2-3 Ubiquiti APs, you'll probably want a PoE switch to power them all. This is another expense, unfortunately, but makes installation much cleaner.

>Based on what I've read (and experienced before) one kungfu wireless router isn't likely to provide adequate coverage throughout the house.

If you didn't want to go the Ubiquiti route, your house is actually a pretty good candidate for an Asus or Netgear, since it's 900sf stacked on top of each other. These consumer routers are pretty good these days. Unless your house is all brick and metal, I don't see why it wouldn't cover it.

Ubiquiti Networks Unifi 802.11ac Dual-Radio PRO Access Point (UAP-AC-PRO-US) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1uY.ybZ0ZY0V0

You must have gotten a dud because mine has work flawlessly for over a year.

That makes more sense. That would totally work. Pretty much any router put into access point mode would work. I was using an old Asus router as an access point for a while but it overheated and eventually died. I can highly recommend a Ubiquiti access point. Its what I eventually switched to and I'm extremely happy with it overall.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/

Do you have an Android smart phone or tablet?
If so, DL the Wiggle wifi app.

With it running, you can walk around the property and better triangulate various signals.

If you have a macbook, you can do the same thing pretty much with Kismac. I use WiFiFoFum to do it with an iPhone, but it requires jailbreaking.

Subnet Insight is an absolutely amazing app for iPhone for taking keeping track of your local network and keeping it safe. It's $5, and the only non-free software I'm linking.

If you have an external wireless adapter, or are willing to spend $15-$30 on a specialized one, I can walk you through putting it in monitor mode and really getting the the bottom of the issue.

Here's a simple tp-link USB wifi adapter you can use to monitor all transmissions over B/G/N wifi, [for only $11 amazon prime.] (http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN722N-Wireless-Adapter-External/dp/B002SZEOLG). Here's a very high quality (and foolproof) directional antenna you can use to make it much more effective for less than $30.


^Also ^a ^lot ^of ^the ^advice ^you've ^gotten ^so ^far ^is ^pretty ^badummmmm, ^or ^too ^complicated ^w/out ^better ^context.
But don't be discouraged. Network internals & also wifi/radio signals are complex topics, but the basics are accessible enough to pick up quickly in your situation.

Your father is VERY good with computers? You are basically screwed unless you can dramatically up your game.

Basically, a knowledgeable person can upgrade a router with open source firmware, and give himself god-like powers over the network. Your every move could be tracked.

Your father, if sufficiently skilled, could give you access to Internet that is upside down, or only directed to Kittens, or he could make every single image blurry or missing. More subtlety, he could just log every single thing you do on the 'net.

And it isn't even that hard, it just takes knowledge of what is possible, and the use of Google to figure out how to do it.

There are things you can do. Get a cheap USB WIFI adapter first. So you won't show up on your father's router with your current WIFI adapter. Then, tether to your Android phone, or piggyback off of a neighbor's WIFI.

Last, keyloggers are a possibility - they could be hardware or software related. It is possible to install a hardware keylogger inside the case of your laptop if the installer is sufficiently technically talented. A keylogger, or other software or firmware would completely compromise your computer and prevent you from hiding almost anything that you do.

These are $10 and the work right out of the box.

The best solution for using WiFi on your desktop would probably be to get a PCI wireless card, like this one.

If you aren't comfortable adding a PCI card, or don't have any space for one, you can get a USB wireless adapter, such as this one.

Finally, if you want a better solution that's not running a long cable, buy power line adapters. You plug one into a socket near the router and connect it via Ethernet to the router, then you plug another one in beside your PC and run Ethernet from it to your PC. It uses the wiring in the house to carry data, and is often better than WiFi.

Personally, I would go with the power line adapters then the PCI wireless card.

I don’t think OpenBSD supports Broadcom WiFi at all. Your best bet is probably to get a supported USB adapter. I have a couple of these that live in my OpenBSD laptops that have junky onboard WiFi. Mostly old Macs with Broadcom WiFi.

I have this usb adapter that I use from time to time, and this which I use pretty much all the time and have had for about 2 years. I like being able to move the antenna to get a better signal, right now it's velcro'd to the wall behind my bed.

If you go the usb route I'd probably buy a larger one that I have that has external antennas, like http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN722N-Wireless-Adapter-External/dp/B002SZEOLG/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1421374210&sr=8-8&keywords=usb+wifi. But I'd still go PCI if you use it a lot, probably last longer and have a better quality connection.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=ap-ac-lite&qid=1569085300&s=electronics&sr=1-3

This is what 98% of us here would recommend. As noted below, you don't need the Pro version if you're just installing this in a moderately sized home with 10-15-20 devices connecting to it. The Unifi software is powerful, yet intuitive, and gives you plenty of control and features - And it will scale well if you decided to either add more Unifi AP's or a Unifi switch or firewall down the road. The great thing about these types of AP's is that they are PoE, meaning you can deploy them anywhere with just a single Ethernet cable providing both data and power.

>I've considered trying to run an Ethernet cable to their side and then adding a repeater (is that the right name?)

Repeaters are trash. Don't bother.

>Also, was thinking it might work to put the router in the center of the attic?

Location of the router doesn't matter, just the access point.

How to get decent wireless coverage on both sides of a double? Stop using consumer grade all=in-one garbage. Get a dedicated access point (AP) that you can mount on a wall or ceiling and your coverage will be much, much better. Personally I use the UniFi line of access points from Uniquiti. UniFi AC Pro for $150, UniFi AC Lite for $78. technically you need to install the controller software someplace to do initial configuration, but that software doesn't have to run 24x7 (unless you're a dick and want to do a captive portal to make your neighbors log in). The UniFi line is Power over Ethernet (PoE) as well (with an injector) so you only have to run one cable to the device. Additionally if you need you can add an additional access point and have handoff between the devices.

The AP doesn't have to be from UniFi. I just suggest them becasue the configuration is easy. The iPhone app makes pairing the AP to a controller stupid simple as well. I used an entry-level Cisco Meraki AP for three years before replacing it. You could get one for free by watching a webinar and got a three year license. UniFi doesn't have licensing.

You can use any COX approved cable modem and router with an external access point. If your router has an AP built in just turn that off.

Since you are looking to share with your neighbors you may want to look at the "unlimited" data package. that is an extra $50 USD month. If you have multiple TVs all streaming content it adds up fast. Between the neighbors and myself we average 3 TB a month. I can always tell when the COX CSR looks at data usage.

These are great access points for the money.

So instead of using a mesh system, you will get much better performance using WAPs instead. The most popular one here is the UAP-AC-lite. You will still need a router, so you could buy a new one, like the Edgerouter X, or if you're happy with the netgear (except for the wireless performance of course) You can keep that and just run the WAPs off of that.

This thing is pretty good, and if you already have a router it's not a very expensive addon. The caveat, it needs a cat5 connection from your router handing out DHCP addresses to work, it won't do routing on its own.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY

What console are you using? Generally in a situation like this you want a small unmanaged network switch so that your router isn’t a single point of failure for show data. Netgear 5 port gigabit switches are like $30-40 and worth it.

So your map would be a wheel with three spokes: console, router, and node, all directly connected to your network switch.

And though it isn’t a big deal with a small network like this, it’s good to limit the number of choke points in your system. If you’re running everything directly through your router, you have to count on it to successfully and quickly relay all of that show data, and it might not be very good at that, many routers only have 100/mb/s network ports. Also if someone unplugs the router, your show will go down.

NETGEAR 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS105NA) - Desktop, and ProSAFE Lifetime Protection https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yjV0CbKGVJ63Q

You've got two real options:

First is a switch like this for like ten bucks

This technically puts you on whatever network the campus' router is putting you on. They could keep everything isolated on a per port basis... or they could have you networked to internal resources... or even to the entire dorm. You could probably tell by opening up network places and seeing if anything pops up.

Second is a router. I'd say get a wireless one and then you'd be able to share your own wireless SSID to your phones/tablets/laptops or whatever. For 30$ you can get this Asus one. I like Asus because it's pretty easy to configure their stuff and you're able to use it as an AP, Repeater, Router or a plain old switch if you want to.

I'd suggest a router so you'll have your own firewall and you'll be able to setup your own wireless network in your dorm.

These blow powerline adapters out of the water.

Actiontec Bonded MoCA 2.0 Ethernet to Coax Adapter, 2 Pack (ECB6200K02) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013J7O3X0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8bLFAb4AZ4KYJ

if the ping is the same either way, then i guess it doesn’t matter. but you should look into getting one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=mp_s_a_1_3/138-4569046-3886957?ie=UTF8&qid=1541919341&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=powerline+ethernet+adapters&dpPl=1&dpID=41SIVgLUmaL&ref=plSrch

i use it to get a wired connection in my room far from the modem

The wifi card might have been damaged or disconnected from the antenna cables. You'll need to open the laptop to get to it. Or you could buy a usb wifi adapter. Like this thing for instance

The Xbox adapter definitely wouldn't work. A generic USB bluetooth dongle would probably be fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Raspberry-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1520616913&sr=1-3&keywords=plugable+bluetooth

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgamingtechsupport/comments/533gid/connecting_ds3_to_pc_using_scp_and_bluetooth_40/

At a combined 2880 x 1440, the two displays actually have 1.6 times the resolution of the standard Rift and Vive (‎2160 x 1200). It's a huge difference, like a generational advantage, comparable to jumping from an old Oculus Dev Kit to the current model. I should mention that despite the much higher resolution, the screen door effect is still there (which means you can still see a raster of pixels in front of your eyes), however, it is now possible to ignore it after a few minutes of playing. With these headsets, you can make out objects in the distance more easily, texture detail increases, text becomes readable, instruments in virtual cockpits are now actually useful (eliminating the need for immersion-breaking HUDs), there is less flickering. Even if your PC can't handle the higher resolution, an upscaled image will still look better, because the screen door effect is less pronounced. Recently, there have been performance improvements and changes to the reprojection algorithm, which have reduced hardware requirements by quite a significant margin. It's actually possible to use these headsets with integrated graphics for less demanding applications like 3D video, virtual tourism apps that mostly rely on 3D photos and simple games.

With the Samsung model, you get the same display resolution and colors (thanks to OLED) as the expensive Vive Pro (2880 x 1600), but better lenses.

Another advantage that Windows MR headsets like the Lenovo Explorer and Samsung HMD have is that the setup is incredibly simple. There are no external sensors, laser projectors, adapters, breakout boxes, power supplies, etc. There's just a single cable with USB 3.0 and HDMI at the end. Setup time at a new location is at most two minutes for full roomscale, just a few seconds for just standing or seated VR. This means that MR headsets are truly portable and can be set up anywhere. All you need is a well lit room. That's why I bought my Lenovo Explorer.

There is one disadvantage to these headsets: The controllers (which need a compatible bluetooth adapter - Microsoft recommends this one, but others can work as well) and their tracking are not as good as those of the Rift and Vive. Head and positional tracking through the built in cameras and sensors is virtually flawless, you can walk aroud in VR just like with the Vive (which is great), but the controllers have to be in front of you at all times in order to be accurately tracked, since they also rely on the cameras used for positional tracking. This isn't a huge issue however, since the camera's field of view is larger than the user's and since in most games, you will be interacting with things that are in front of you. Fast movement outside of the camera's view is still tracked well enough through sensors built into the controllers (like with the Wii), like grabbing a shield from behind your back or swinging a sword around. What can not be denied however is that ergonomically, both Vive and Rift have far better controller shapes. It's not bad though, it's just that this is the one aspect where it becomes obvious why these headsets are less expensive than Rift and Vive.

One great (and in my eyes essential) aspect about Windows MR headsets is that there is almost full compatibility with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift games, via two free tools: Windows Mixed Reality SteamVR (from Microsoft themselves) and ReVive. With the latest Windows update, rumble support has finally been added, which was the only missing feature. Launch just the first tool in order to play games designed for Vive, run the latter for Oculus Rift titles. The number of games with native MR support is also steadily increasing. Here's a regularly updated list of compatible titles:

/r/WindowsMR/comments/7c97lm/steam_games_status/

There is a small selection of VR games and applications on the Windows Store, but the vast majority can be found elsewhere as well, mostly on Steam. One noteworthy exception is HoloTour from Microsoft, which is a fantastic virtual tourism application, the perfect complement to the astonishing Google Earth VR. Definitely check both out!

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.

Make sure you have a good bluetooth dongle in the line of sight of the headset. This was recommended from Microsoft: (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZIILLI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Secondly, make sure you have good overhead lighting. Natural lighting doesn't work that well.

Third, if you can, upgrade to the insider version of windows. Things are running much more smoothly on this.

Fourth, see: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-enable-windows-mixed-reality-joysticks-any-steamvr-game

I'm curious for a source too, but it's not at all far fetched. Scanners are tiny nowadays and could easily be put into the feed chute of a shredder. The guts of this would do nicely. Data over power lines certainly isn't a new technology. Hell. You could use a wifi scanner and not even screw with that.

I could cobble this together in my garage over a weekend probably.

Edit to fix link.

if you are living at home and/or have access to your router, consider powerline adapters instead. the jist is they let you run a wired signal over your house's power grid, rather than running a huge cable through your house.

there's a few rules about using them, but for 90% of people they work great.

if you're in a dorm or something and cant actually get to the router, than u just want a cheap pci AC adaper, something like this

I keep hearing good things about these MoCA 2.0 adapters. MoCA has been around quite a while, it works, and the latest generation stuff is actually gigabit fast.

As someone who has used three generations of powerline stuff, definitely stay away from it unless you have no other alternative. On a good day I see 60Mbps from the "1,200Mbps" adapters and they need to be cold reset (unplugged) after most power flickers.

Sounds like you are looking for Ubiquiti and a UniFi cloud controller.

http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Enterprise-System-UAP-AC-LITE-US/dp/B015PR20GY/

https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/209376117-UniFi-Install-a-UniFi-Cloud-Controller-on-Amazon-Web-Services

It does everything you're asking and can be fully managed through a web interface without connecting to the clients network

I recommend MOCA 2.0 over those. I have a bunch at home and they work very well. However, You do need coax run to where you are planning to put your stuff - and it works better when you run it detached from the cable tv network.

edit:fixed url

I use these https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Enterprise-System-UAP-AC-LITE-US/dp/B015PR20GY/

Just spread them around your house. I used 3 for my house, not even a single spot has no/weak signal.

I'd say the TP-Link Archer C7 or the ASUS RT-N66U should do the trick. If you want to go nutty there's always the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite and UniFi AP AC Lite, but this setup isn't as plug-and-play as the first two.

That particular seller is too pricy for the AC pro and probably distorting your decision.

http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-Access/dp/B015PRO512/

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1184036-REG/ubiquiti_networks_uap_ac_pro_unifi_ap.html

I'd still take 2 AC lites over 1 ac pro though if that was the choice.

A lot of the "ooh" and "aah" factor of a home is in the kitchen and bathrooms. That's also where you get the most money back at resale.

So if you're deciding where to spend money, that's where to spend it.

You've probably been advised to run ethernet network wiring. I'd also plan to hide wireless access points like these in the attic or other hidden areas. You will be amazed how much you enjoy stable, fast wifi access throughout the house for your various devices. Wired ethernet is better, but most devices these days have wifi built in and don't need gigabit transfer speeds. Just use it.

Where will your broadband modem go? Now's the time to plan for distribution of TV/network/etc. and designate an "IT closet."

Decide now where you might want wall-mounted TVs and plan for it with power and other connections. A nice recessed outlet with cable management can make that whole process much simpler.

In the garage, at the least, wire for 20A outlets. You never know if a future tool or device will need a lot of power, and it's not fun to retrofit. Is there a possibility that you'll ever have an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid? If so, wire one 240v/90A circuit for each potential EV. That'll max out a new Tesla, even if it has the high-amperage charger upgrade.

I adore having a separate beverage/wine fridge and separate under-counter ice maker. They're expensive, but they make hosting a party much easier. Another must-have is a built-in warming drawer. It's super convenient and I can't believe how often we use ours to keep something warm while the rest of dinner is finishing up or because someone was late getting home and didn't get to eat with the family.

Uhm, none of the above? Yeah none of the above. It looks like you are looking to spend around $200-230 for your networking gear, which is fine, we can work with that!

• Router: Ubiquiti Edgerouter X normally $50 but appears to be $60 right now. Get fucked I guess.
  
• Switch: TP-Link switch $25
  
• Access Point: Ubiquiti Unifi UAP-AC-Pro $130
  
  Total is around $210
  
  Now here is the thing with this setup. You will mount your access point on the ceiling as close to the center of your home as you can. It will give you much better coverage than the netgear setups, as well as a far more mature and stable access point. If in the future you decide you need better coverage still you can just buy a second one and hook it up, make sure to wire it back into the switch as well. The access point comes with a PoE injector so you only need to run a single line to it.
  
  You are buying gear for your business, buy business grade gear :) Especially because it costs you the same anyway.
  
  

Well, some free advice that you can take or leave - you spent entirely too much money on that router. I mean, there's overspending and then there's overspending. You overspent big time. You paid for that router what equipment from Ruckus costs.

You will recieve exactly zero benefit from 802.11ad, considering you have no devices which can use this speed, your internet provider will not come close to maxing out AC in the next 10 years, along with the fact that your average x265 compressed 4K stream is about 12 mbps. You might, maybe possibly find one that is 100 mbit. Regardless,you have no need whatsoever for 802.11ad.

As far as your wifi coverage, all you need is a decent 3x3 router with normal antennas. Funky plastic desinged to look like a stealth bomber does nothing for your wifi. The following router/access point is $90 bucks at Microcenter, amazon, or newegg

http://www.microcenter.com/product/414584/ARCHER_C7_Wireless_AC1750_Dual_Band_Gigabit_Router

If you need you can even buy two for less than half of what you did pay. It is what I use at home, they work well.

You could also explore Ubiquiti AC-Pro access point models, but it does seem like you need a router. But, again, you can buy three of these for less than one access point you did buy, and they will cover every square inch of your house.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512

Lastly, your offer of $20 bucks an hour is low. Good IT is $100/hour on the low end. But, your suggestion of $150 is a fair price for someone to come and do this job right for you.

It could be possible but I don't know if it would the phone would pump out that much power.

We already have stuff like http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003MTTJOY/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/190-9632706-9095906 (I use one on my older laptop that has a fried wlan card, this USB wlan works like a charm)


If we can get a USB OTG phone and somehow load the drivers for this USB wifi adapter and then add software that makes the WiFi Hotspot work, then sure.

There are a few options out there, Motorola's are consistently rated very highly. I've linked to one here that supports up to a 172 mbps downstream, but doesn't have a built in wireless router (you would have to plug in a wireless router to access the internet wirelessly). There are also a few options to pick from that include wireless routers, and/or support faster speeds if you need it (it won't make your existing connection faster though, it just supports a higher level of bandwidth).

https://smile.amazon.com/SURFboard-SB6121-DOCSIS-Retail-Packaging/dp/B004XC6GJ0

This would be a good option if you want a built-in wifi router:

https://smile.amazon.com/SURFboard-SBG6782AC-DOCSIS-AC1800-Router/dp/B00GJ7Y7MU

You will have to call Comcast to provision the modem (basically just read them the MAC Address on the bottom of the modem and wait a few minutes). I've done this twice, and it's been straightforward. You can always just tell them that you don't like the idea of hosting a public hotspot (which you do if you have a Comcast modem with built in wifi-- it broadcasts on SSID "xfinitywifi" and is accessible by anyone that has a Comcast subscription).

Worst case scenario, your modem keeps breaking a day out of the one-year warranty and you have to buy a new one every year, but you're still breaking even and at least you haven't given more money to Time Warner than absolutely necessary.

I got the "Motorola SB6121"

Also the "Motorola SB6141" is a good one too. It's technically "better" since it has an more down stream channels then the 6121. I bought the lower model since it was cheaper.

I got it on amazon and made sure it was new in retail box, direct from Amazon and not a 3rd party seller.

Yeah, getting your own pays off in less than a year. Everyone should do this.

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ can handle up to 160mbps
http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI/ can handle up to 320mbps

Not that it matters right now, but the 6141 has a little more futureproofing.

So the first thing you should decide is what type of internet to get. The vast majority of people get cable or fiber (if they can afford it and if it's available). Both of those options give you good reliable internet. The cheap option is to get DSL which works over telephone lines. DSL usually has low speeds and isn't as reliable but only costs like $30 a month compared to $60-100 for better internet. If you like to stream movies or do anything outside of very basic browsing, I would say to get cable if you can afford it. What you do then is find a provider for that internet (internet service provider - ISP). Comcast, Cox, AT&T, Verizon, and many local companies are ISPs but you're probably limited to only one or two in whatever region you live (assuming USA). You should also know that these companies have random naming conventions for their services (Comcast calls their cable Xfinity while AT&T calls theirs Uverse) So you go to their web sites and compare plans and find something that works for you (if you don't know what speed you need, I would recommend 20 Mbps or more for streaming and normal use, 50 Mbps if you're a really heavy user). You can use this to find out what providers even have wiring in your area (if the top speed for a certain provider only shows as 10-25 mbps, then it's likely only DSL).

If you go with cable, you'll need both a modem (which receives the internet connection from the cable built into your apartment) and a router (which takes that wired connection and turns it into wireless - wifi). I would recommend buying your own hardware because companies like Comcast charge you something like $7-10 a month per modem/router that you get from them, which ends up being more expensive than buying your own to start with. If you buy your own modem, make sure it will work with whatever cable provider you select (something like this is standard). After that, you hook up your router. There are many to choose from. You can get one for as little as $10-30, but I would recommend getting a better one like this if you can as it performs exceptionally well and is easy to set up as well.

If you have any specific questions, let me know.

Make sure it's DOCSIS 3.0 and also look at the number of channels up and down.
http://www.amazon.com/Arris-SURFboard-SB6121-Download-Packaging/dp/B004XC6GJ0/
That one is 4 channels up and 4 channels down. It says on the box that it'll max out at 172Mbps. If you're paying for more than that, you're going to need a better one.

You can grab the Asus
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=twister_B00NQQWQ3Y

Or you can get the nighthawk for 180 but can be found for less if you search online
http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6

I have Webpass and love it. You can use wifi which will give you about 500mb/s but a wired connection will get you up to 1gb/s.

Your "phone jack"/"cable jack" should be the same, its just an ethernet jack. The webpass technician can explain all this and help you get set up.

You'll need to buy the router yourself,
this is the one I use but just search around on Amazon if that one doesn't work for you.

The TP-LINK Archer C5 is a good cheap router.

If you have more in your budget, I'd go with the C7

And then, even better (imo) but more expensive, the Asus AC68U

Here's a good one

Not really - they're trying to get the price as low as possible while still generating profit. I'm sure they have stats on how many people use the port, and it didn't make sense to include it when looking at the cost / benefit analysis.

People that want it can pick up an adapter for $15 and go on their way.

Will this work on the switch?

> Can I just use any inexpensive ethernet adaptor, or is it recommended that I use the one specific for the Switch?

The Switch can only use adapters with chips that are, or act like, the ASIX AX88772 chipset.

You don't need a Switch branded one though. I suggest this AmazonBasics one, although you need the USB3 version; even though the Switch doesn't support USB3, the USB2 variant uses a non-compatible chipset.

> Will anything bad happen like the bricking when put into a 3rd party dock, or will there really be no difference?

It just won't work. Nothing bad will happen, but nothing at all will happen.

----
See this post for more information.

you need this ethernet to usb adapter plus this apple usb c adapter.

I don't know if the macbook is compatible with other usb c adapters though. If it is, then you could save a little there, but still, 100$ to connect with an ethernet cable, after purchasing a 1000+$ pc...

I think the problem might be the ethernet adapter. I don't have that adapter, but it looks like the USB 2.0 version doesn't work with the Switch; you want the USB 3.0 version.

EDIT: Yeah, I definitely think it's your adapter. Look at all the reviews that mention the Switch on the USB 2.0 version versus the USB 3.0 version

Tired of renting our router from Xfinity. Would this be a good purchase?

NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router (R6700) - AC1750 Wireless Speed (up to 1750 Mbps) | Up to 1500 sq ft Coverage & 25 Devices | 4 x 1G Ethernet and 1 x 3.0 USB ports | Armor Security https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OrIlDbK06QEAT

Edit: thanks y'all I love this subreddit

You're not going to have any issues if you're on 5ghz with a wireless N or AC router. They aren't even expensive.

A wireless AC router is just as good as plugging in an ethernet cable and should get you gigabit speeds.

The only caveat is the original PS4 doesn't support 5ghz iirc. The slim and the new one do though and every model of the Xbox One does.

EDIT: I also posted more info in this post too but some ignoramus' (including OP) just downvoted it out of sheer ignorance.

EDIT 2: Here's a link to a great and affordable gigabit wireless AC router. Only 90 bucks. ASUS makes one for about 65 that's almost as good (shittier management interface/options).

You can by AP Clients for not much money, basically they can be configured to connect to a wifi network and then expose a ethernet port for you to connect a device to. I've yet to meet a ethernet device Debians installer can't figure out.

I use the below for installing things on to my tablet hybrid:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=twister_B01KPTBU0O?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Couldn't agree more. Had issues last year, then got this modem and this router and have been flying ever since. Spending $90 may seem steep, but you pay monthly to rent it anyways.

Those messages about speeds being inadequate is done because owners of modems with the DOCSIS 2.0 or lessor are not going to get the speeds they pay for. Those messages do not come through on modems DOCSIS 3.0 or higher because you can get the full speeds.

I own a DOCSIS 3.0 modem - this is the one I purchased: http://amzn.com/B004XC6GJ0

Here is also the list of DOCSIS 3.0 modems approved by comcast based on speed tiers, just select what speed you're getting and it'll show you the compatible modems: http://mydeviceinfo.xfinity.com/

Plug your computer straight into the modem and do a speed test. Write down whatever speed you got and then test the speed over your wi-fi. If there is a large difference you are having issues with your wireless connection. Quite a few things can cause problems with wifi especially if you live a high density area. There are a few phone apps that will actually find open wifi channels that aren't being used by your neighbor and after you find one you can set your router to that channel manually. In addition to that Cox often has problems with their DNS servers so I tend to use googles (8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4)

Edit: There's a lot of information in the paragraph so please feel free to pick my brain with any questions.

Double Edit: I would definitely bite the bullet and buy your own router if you are trying to play games and stream stuff. 100 bucks nowadays gets you a do everything router with a 5ghz connection instead of 2.4 which is a lot better for streaming and online games. This is a good example

You might want to check if you can run multiple devices off your connection as they may only provide you with one IP address (similar to a normal home service from an ISP).

In this case you will need a router to connect up all your devices. Any standard home router will do the trick. I use an ASUS RT N66U - 4 wired gigabit ports, 802.11n Wi-Fi and it's nice and speedy with my 100mbit WAN connection. $129.99 @ Amazon.

However if your uni/college allows for multiple devices per room (ie, they provide you with multiple IP addresses) you will be able to get away with using an ethernet switch. As mentioned in other comments, opt a model with faster Gigabit ports as nowadays there is really no big price difference and the extra bandwidth could come in handy one day. A basic 5-port TP-Link Gigabit switch is $19.99 @ Amazon (or you can get an 8-port model for $24.99 @ Amazon).

Don't get a hub. I honestly haven't seen one on sale for years anyway, good luck trying to track one down!

Don't keep your wifi bound to their shitty equipment.

Do a hard-wired connection from their shitty modem to a better wifi router like this ASUS model. We use these at work and their range is pretty awesome. We went from needing four routers in the building to only needing two.

Just get a USB wifi adapter. Something like this or if you want one thats smaller and less in the way you can get this one. The smaller one probably has less range and lower max speed.

Or if you have extra expansion slots and need faster wifi you can get a PCIe wifi card like this.

NOTE: I haven't done much research on this so the listed products are just examples of the types of solutions available. By no means am I recommending these as the best in their respective classes. I just own TP-link stuff and trust them is all.

2 story house? id forget about wifi and get a bunch of powerline adapters like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUICG/

Micro-stuttering and high ping spikes are usually caused by packet loss, which often has to do with shitty WiFi. Some games seem to handle poor connections worse than others. I had a similar experience with Titanfall 2.

I resolved in by plugging in Ethernet. It's not a convenient solution, but since the connection issues are coming from you, there's nothing the devs can really do.

If you don't have an ethernet port in your room, try a Powerline adapter. (Not an affiliate link or anything, just an example of the cheapest one you can get)

You get two adapters. Plug one into a wall outlet near your modem and plug an ethernet cord into it. Then you plug the other one into a wall outlet near your computer/xbox/PS4, and plug an ethernet cable from it into your machine. It basically turns your powerlines into a giant ethernet cable. It's not as fast as direct, but it's a million times better and more reliable than WiFi.

Yep!

I got this one

I learned about it when I was planning my PC and looking for ways around having to use wifi. thought it was too good to be true. It isn't.

Very nicely done /u/drift0r. Way to keep it simple enough for the average person to understand.

What I really would like to know is what would be the benefit of getting an expensive router such as Netgear's Nighthawk AC1900 vs. the standard router/modem that comcast provides me with already? Is this where QoS becomes a huge defining factor or is that router just so expensive because of the power and range it offers for the wireless signal?

EDIT: Basically, is the nighthawk worth even considering or any "gaming" routers for that matter?

What you are looking for is called a switch.

http://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-ProSafe-Gigabit-Ethernet-Desktop/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427551913&sr=8-1&keywords=netgear+switch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FNFSPY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Its $10 and its a plug and play. Dont waste your money on buying another router

Unfortunately most gaming headsets are quite overpriced, a popular option without spending a lot is this mic that clips onto normal headphone wires ($8) maybe get that and save up for a better headset or some good headphones and a modmic.

For the internet if you have to use wireless get the internal card, if you can run an ethernet cable do that and consider a cheap usb adapter for interim.

I think you're mixing issues... Klisch will certainly let you install software or drivers if you need.

And antennas don't need drivers or software, it's the card that needs a driver.

I use an Alfa external card, and Amazon will recommend several antennas if you need more than that.

https://www.amazon.com/Alfa-802-11b-Wireless-Original-9dBi/dp/B001O9X9EU

I've also heard good stuff about TPLink external cards. https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N150-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN722N/dp/B002SZEOLG

I would take a Raspberry Pi.
Add an HDMI to VGA Cable.
Mix in a little Wi-fi Adapter.
Season to taste. (Wireless KB/M, USB drive, Chromecast, Wireless controller, Nintendo Emulator, Wireless speakers, etc...)
Mount behind monitor and mount monitor on wall in garage or bathroom and add a dash of power.
And then play games, watch movies, sports, etc....In the bathroom, garage, shed...

^(I have no idea if this would work but now I want to try it).

^^*Fixed ^^spelling

$8

Edimax EW-7811Un 150Mbps 11n Wi-Fi USB Adapter, Nano Size Lets You Plug it and Forget it, Ideal for Raspberry Pi / Pi2, Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux (Black/Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_e.tNxbKF8WXNB

This adapter works when following these instructions.

Get yourself a Ubiquiti Edge router and AC-AP-Lite. Network problems done.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C/ref=pd_sbs_147_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00YFJT29C&pd_rd_r=XWMVACJREC989AK6NVZZ&pd_rd_w=TT8Ar&pd_rd_wg=4sK3H&psc=1&refRID=XWMVACJREC989AK6NVZZ

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1517765893&sr=8-5&keywords=ubiquiti+access+point

Ubiquiti Edgerouter X workhorse of a router for the price

Ubiquiti Uap Ac Lite excellent wap that will far outperform that old linksys. step up to the pro if you need more range or have a lot of wifi devices

I found that using a better bluetooth controller works better. If you know how to use bluetoothctl in the terminal its super useful. Something like this will work well.
The bluetooth works much better for me after as the built in one i got about a metre away before it would have issues now i can get 20m~ with the external one. I have a feeling its a mix between cheap bluetooth designs and the drivers for the chips. For reference I have a C101PA

I'll add to this thread.

If your motherboard has integrated bluetooth, it most likely has the antennae at the back of the computer and probably has wifi combined with it. Both of these are a problem. Get a "dongle" and use a cable to bring it to your desktop or use one of the usb ports on the front of your computer.

As per Microsoft: do NOT use a usb3 port!

Microsoft recommended dongle.

You can buy Bluetooth adapters for under $15 while the Xbox adapter currently costs $32, so this is a good thing.

It'd be cheaper to just get a Bluetooth adapter on Amazon while you're at it. At least then you can use it for other things as well.

One like this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009ZIILLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_J4ZPyb23DGPF1

Microsoft suggested this bluetooth adapter for WMR in one of their troubleshooting guides.

This one. It was actually $14. My bad.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZIILLI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You could do 3 sets of these to throw data around the park, for 6 units total. 3 would be mounted on your main building:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-NanoStation-Dedicated-Management-NS-5ACL-US/dp/B078NN1J4K

Then 4 of these, 1 in the main building, 3 in the corners of the park:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-M-US-Unifi-Access-Point/dp/B01N9FIELY

If you still have dead spots to fill in, you would add in more Unifi Mesh AP's, and use the wireless uplink mode. If you do that I'd suggest swapping in a Mesh Pro to improve capacity for that cell.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-M-PRO-US-Unifi-Access-Point/dp/B01N1VMBUR

The idea is to avoid using the Unifi wireless uplink mode as it cuts down the capacity of that cell. Uplinking multiple times really hurts a lot, especially with many hungry clients. Start with a solid foundation, and stretch out the installation only where necessary.

I'd top it all off with a USG and a cheap 8 port switch

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Security-Gateway-USG/dp/B00LV8YZLK

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

You'll also want a cloudkey to manage the Unifi computers, or consider loading the controller software on a PC. And don't forget to buy 6 gigabit 24v PoE injectors for the nanostations, or 3 of these and a 4 port 24v gigabit midspan injector:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-POE-24-0-5A-Gigabit-Port/dp/B00NAENDX4

Assuming you don't need PoE (as you didn't mention it), the two 'best' for your situation are likely the TP-Link SG108 or Netgear ProSafe GS108UK. Both are unmanaged 8 port gigabit switches with metal enclosures (for longevity and passive heat transfer).

They perform similarly - that is, very well with full 8x 2Gbps = 16Gbps backplane. Personally, although I do have the TP-Link due to a special offer I took advantage of, I'd actually recommend the Netgear.

The TP-Link has cheap no-name capacitors on its board, which will give up sooner rather than later (all caps dry out eventually). Amazingly the Netgear has no caps at all. Literally there's nothing to go wrong on the thing; by rights it should last practically forever. I'll be replacing my TP-Links with them when the time comes.

Kids these days....

But back on point, I'd recommend a nano/travel router like this one here - https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Travel-Extender-TL-WR802N/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=dp_ob_title_hi

There is truth to this statement. I was adapting the argument from what I recommend regarding server/workstation backups (which are lackluster, untested, or nonexistent in many places I've consulted for).

The main point I like to get at though is the increased reliability in having hardware meant for heavy or 24/7 use, and then not too difficult to replace if things go pear-shaped. Also that they wouldn't necessarily need to be replaced with the same exact model.

I've recommended cheapo setups with SOHO gear, but with a spare on-hand pre-configured for the environment. However I can no longer recommend off-the-shelf gear for the most part, with things like this edgerouter X becoming so cheap and available.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YFJT29C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zQHUBbWVR0R2X

Do note, business/prosumer class routers are routers alone. They don't provide WiFi. As for your Edit two posts above, that's not SQM, that's just their branding of QoS. If a consumer router has SQM it'll be a tad bit more expensive, $200+ since it's going to be marketed toward gamer types, and that commands a premium.

The Edgerouter X is well-loved here because it's a cheap ($50 compared to Cisco's $300+), small, business router that can handle 1 Gbps one way. There's SQM on it, you can isolate guest networks with it, consumes 5 Watts at max load, is metal, and is more configurable than all the consumer routers.

If you choose to get one of these wired-only routers, you can plug in your wireless router, set it to AP mode, and it'll do its WiFi thing, transmitting data to the wired-only router to be routed.

check out a thing called Powerline Adapter https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=ZS4BI96GD1BJ&keywords=powerline+adapter&qid=1550932169&s=gateway&sprefix=powerline+ad%2Caps%2C339&sr=8-3 its basically a wired connection through your existing powerlines in the walls its convenient because you don't have to stretch a long Ethernet cord all the way to your console https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywQeJCa3jl8

Well you can use the defective cat5e cable as a fish to pull a new cable run. You need to detach/destaple it, and redo the job. Depending on the run, it might be difficult, but it's the only way to get gigabit.

​

If you have 100mbps internet or less, you won't see a difference as long as you're not copying files across the devices. Use your cable tester on your cat5e cable, if you have at least 4 good pins, rewire those to pins 1,2,3,6 (from left to right on the connector).

If you don't have 4 good wires, well you need to rerun anyway.

There's always powerline adapters, but those are hit or miss. Make sure you have a good return policy (Walmart).

​

​

You can probably try a powerline adapter. This one will run you about $40.

So you're essentially using wifi because the extender is wirelessly connected to your router and that's the most likely culprit here. If you can't pull a direct cable from your PC to your router then the next best thing is powerline ethernet.

TP-Link TL-PA4010KIT AV600 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 600Mbps https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sFmWDb503BQ0H

I'm not saying you should do this. I'm saying you might have an option you weren't aware of.

Eh, they're cheap enough just to try it. This is the set I went with. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501130350&sr=8-3&keywords=powerline+adapter

You should consider using one of these. I use one to have Ethernet hard wired to my PC in my home office which is not near the router. Speed is legit.

Use an ethernet cable if you are able.

If you have access to your router, you can try changing the channel settings to minimize interference with other nearby networks. Wifi Analyzer is an app you can use to find the best channel.

If the issue with ethernet is the distance to your router, you could look into something like these: https://smile.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG

Plug one into your router and then plug in the other one wherever you play in your house and you'll get all the advantages of an ethernet cable.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_Vi6LzbZK41W7J

It sends the signal over the power lines.

You plug them into electrical sockets. Some are better than others. You definitely want to do research before buying.

I use some that work flawlessly, except they disconnect every once in a while, and take a few minutes to reconnect. The signal is great over a pretty long distance, and the speeds are as advertised.

One thing to keep in mind is your speed is going to be only as fast as the slowest point. Since you didn't mention it, I'd recommend physically connecting a computer to the router and seeing what kind of speeds you get you of that. If your ISP just isn't delivering on the high speed, going super fast inside the house won't get you anywhere (unless you do a lot of file transfers inside the house).

I don't know what kind of building materials are used in your house, but the majority of the time wifi will work just fine. For myself, I started with a set of Powerline Adapters, but was relatively unimpressed with them. Your wiring may work better though, try them out and keep your receipt.

I ended up using just regular wifi for my setup, and since I am only paying for 100 down, it is more than fast enough. The adapter I got has big antenna, and going through a few walls isn't an issue at all. Whole lot cheaper (and less effort) than trying to run some wires over to where my office is. Strangely, I get better / more consistant performance out of the regular wifi channels rather than the 5ghz too. Still goes faster than my internet, so I don't care

MAC addresses are tied to the physical adapter being used. A "MAC address ban" could be easily circumvented by buying one of these or even more simply, switching from wifi to ethernet or ethernet to wifi (as it would be a different physical adapter hence different MAC address).

AmazonBasics USB 3.0 to 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M77HMU0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_EC3vCbH07JBQR

UGREEN Network Adapter USB 3.0 to Ethernet RJ45 Lan Gigabit Adapter for 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet Supports Nintendo Switch Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MYTSN18/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oC3vCb173PES1

Older Thunderbolt 1 and 2 devices, such as those designed for Apple Mac products, would need an adapter to work with Thunderbolt 3, since Thunderbolt 1 and 2 used Mini DisplayPort (mDP) ports while Thunderbolt 3 switched to USB Type-C.

From slowest to fastest, you have:

• 480 Mbits/s: USB 2.0
  
• 5 Gbits/s: USB 3.0 (aka "USB 3.1 Gen 1", confusingly)
  
• 10 Gbits/s: USB 3.1 Gen 2 (aka true USB 3.1)
  
• 40 Gbits/s: Thunderbolt 3
  
  That's for speed. For the shape of the plug, you can either have USB Type-A (traditional USB shape) or Type-C (the new shape). There's not necessarily any connection between the shape of the plug and speed, though on the XPS 15 9550 the only Type-C port is a Thunderbolt 3 / USB 3.1 Gen 2 port, while the other Type-A ports are USB 3.0. The new MacBook and Chromebook Pixel have USB 3.1 Gen 1 (equivalent to USB 3.0 speed) Type-C ports, while many smartphones coming out with Type-C ports are still working at USB 2.0 speeds.
  
  USB 3.0 or above would be preferable, so that gigabit Ethernet is supported. You can get one that uses the Type-C port if you want, but it will still work at the same speed (USB 3.0) as the normal Type-A version. Adapters that take advantage of USB 3.1, much less Thunderbolt 3, are still rather rare. In any case, using Thunderbolt 3 just for Ethernet would be overkill: better to save the Thunderbolt 3 port for a full-scale dock or an external graphics card.
  
  So, enough background. Some options:
  
  
• AmazonBasics USB 3.0 to 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter ($16.95)
  
• Anker Unibody Aluminum 3-Port USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet Hub ($26.99)
  
• Anker USB-C to 3-Port USB 3.0 Hub with Ethernet Adapter for USB Type-C Devices ($27.99)
  
  The two Anker devices also include a three port USB 3.0 hub, for connecting other stuff.

Back in stock!

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1750-Smart-Router/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&psr=PDAY&ie=UTF8&qid=1499740595&sr=1-1&keywords=router

I use this Netgear Nighthawk. Works great for me and very affordable. There is a mobile application that makes it very easy to make changes to your network like changing your wifi name and password and managing devices connected to your network.

Forget about a card. You'll get a faster, more reliable connection with a bridge and won't need to screw around with drivers. If your router is 802.11AC, get this one for $35. If your router is 802.11N, get this one for $30. In either case, put it in "Client" mode and connect it to your computer with a short Ethernet cable. Also connect a USB cable from the computer to the bridge to power it so it'll turn on/off with your computer.

TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router - WiFi Bridge/Range Extender/Access Point/Client Modes, Mobile in Pocket(TL-WR802N) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_f1Y3BbX91J5NC

This is what you will want. You can tell it to connect to your apartment's Wi-Fi with it and then set your own hot spot up with your own password. Put the chromecast, home and any other device you want private on there. I have one for a similar situation and it works great! 👍

Apple takes full advantage of Wifi-Direct, so you may end up not even needing to put your phone on WiFi all that often. Or just simply turn off Auto-Join.

Personally I would use a little Wi-Fi re-broadcaster with a hidden SSID. Such as this.
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Portable-Travel-Router/dp/B00TQEX8BO

Here are the suggestions:

Motorola SB5101u if you just want to keep service and essentially tread water. This modem is old, but still supported. It won't take advantage of the newer DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 technologies, but neither will your Comcast service.

Motorola SB6121 or SB6141 will allow you to keep service, be supported for a longer time than the older SB5101, and take advantage of DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 technologies

Motorla surfboard has been working well for me on comcast.

Welcome, /r/cordcutters! Dropping TV is really the best way to diminish the money and influence of corporate media, even if you're stuck paying your cable company because it's the only decent internet provider in your area. Whether or not you drop cable, you can save a further $8-10/mo by buying your own cable modem instead of renting from your ISP.

Excellent modems are just $50 or $70, or cheaper secondhand. I'd recommend retaining your return receipt long-term, as cable companies frequently continue charging for stuff you canceled/returned, and you'll want some evidence down-the-line to shut down their fraudulent fuckery.

Lists of Compatible Modems for Different ISPs: Comcast, TimeWarner Cable, Cox, Charter, MediaCom, Bright House

The following modems all have exceptional ratings:

• Motorola SB6141 ($69) (pretty future-proof, and necessary for speeds over 150Mbps)
  
• Motorola SB6183 ($99) (only necessary if you have top-tier speeds of 300Mbps+)
  
• Motorola SB6121 ($49) (fastest payback, and good enough for most plans)
  
  
  Any DOCSIS 3.0/3.1 modem will do, but I'd recommend against getting a combined modem/router (also called a "gateway"). Wireless standards get updated a lot more frequently than internet speeds, and if there's ever a problem with your internet, it's much easier to isolate the problem if you have separate devices.

I have had Comcast in bellingham for the last 3 years and have only had an outage or slowdowns twice. The first outage was out for about 5 hours when there was a windstorm and then just last week I believe when there was another. The downside reason for these is that we up here in bham do not have under the ground fiber in a lot of areas as they are on the power lines in most cases.

Now, I am not defending comcast, but I also used to do networking for companies and 90% of the time people were having slowdown issues (not service issues) was because they were using an old/really bad router/modem. What I would recommend is not using the modem and router that they give you (they give you a combo now), they are complete shit.

1. They have xfinity wifi which if a bunch of people connect to will slow your connection down a lot.
   
2. a router is just like a computer. I could turn the computer you are reading this on into a router if I wanted to.
   
   Now with this in mind slow downs are all about connections. Connections are the bane of shitty hardware routers. Let's say that every time you go to a website you make 1 connection. well if you have 200 people on your router that is 200 connections per website. But that isn't really the case. Every time you go to a website you are going to be making at least 5-8 different connections, because of all the ads and other things that have been coded into the website. so lets say you have 4 people on your router and that is now 32 connections. Well now lets say you have 8 different tabs open per 4 people with 8 connections per tab now you have 256 connections. For a bad router that is getting up there and add to the fact that it is probably the modem router combo. It is going to be even worse in its ability to handle connections. This is even worse if you have xfinity wifi as while it may not affect your "speed" like they say it will overwhelm the router. My friend had one in the UW area in seattle. It was incredibly slow and we upgraded the router/modem to ones that I had them buy and now they have no issues what so ever.
   
   If you want to have less issues with slow downs you really need your own router and modem. here is what I would recommend.
   
   Motorola SB6121
   
   http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415128088&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+modem
   
   D-link DIR-655
   
   http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-Wireless-Extreme-N-Gigabit-DIR-655/dp/B000LIFB7S/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&srs=2529294011&ie=UTF8&qid=1415128174&sr=1-1&keywords=d-link
   
   These are the best for the price and they get the job done better than everything else I have tried without getting into really expensive business hardware. That modem is rock solid. Also the benefit of owning your own is that it pays for itself. You don't have the 8$ equipment rental fee anymore.
   
   TL;DR buy that stuff I linked above and 90% of your issues will go away. I can handle over 800 different connections at once on that router. AND IT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.

I have the Motorola SB6121 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem. There is a newer version SB6141. I am not sure what do you get with the newer version though.

They use DOCSIS 3.0. Here is a modem that would suit you very well:

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1367523882&sr=1-1

Midco is very fast and reliable.

I'll suggest that you get them separate, mainly for two big reasons in my head:

1. As /u/wft_gamer pointed out below somewhere around here, combo units typically aren't as reliable (in my experience as well) and will lack features.
   
2. Separation allows you to only replace one of two devices, instead of one whole device in case. You'll want a reliable modem and a separate router also because you can replace just the router if you are so inclined to, such as when you're looking for some shiny new features, like 802.11ac or Gigabit Ethernet.
   
   I suggest getting the SB6121, which supports DOCSIS 3.0, something important that you'll need to keep in mind when purchasing modems so that you'll get the most bandwidth out of your connection. Then pick out a router that you like.
   
   If you are set on picking out a combined router/modem combo (again, not advised), here are key words you'll want to find (they're usually promoted somewhere on the box in big letters):
   
   

• DOCSIS (that's the cable modem standard)
  
• Wireless-N (That's a home router feature)
  
• 4-port (Router)
  
• Router/Modem (Okay, this one is sorta obvious.)
  

Do you currently rent a modem? If so, you can buy your own for $60.....you have probably 'bought' your current modem a dozen times over in rental fees.

There are benefits to a new modem if you are on a higher-speed package. That being said, the ones provided by Comcast now let you 'share' your connection with other Comcast users (which can be disabled, but it isn't well documented).
Comcast will eventually stop supporting Doscis 2.0 modems (which you likely have if you have not upgraded for a while), but you can simply buy one like this and be okay. http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6121-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426271479&sr=8-1&keywords=motorola+surfboard

Your home have coaxial? Go with MOCA

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=moca+adapter&qid=1559224045&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Something like this. Basically, it will let you run an ethernet connection via coax.

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0

​

I am sure others can chime in regarding the specifics of setting it up with your Comcast service. I haven't had Comcast or run MOCA in years, but it did work very well when I did.

​

MOCA is worth the investment. You just need a cheap router from goowill to blanket the house with WiFi. I use this one

Unless the cabling has been cut or otherwise disconnected inside the walls you most certainly should be able to use MoCa adapters to bridge ethernet through any available coax outlet in your apartment. I use actiontec double bonded moca 2.0 adapters and get ~980mbps across the existing coax in our house.
https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0

Useful to run ethernet from fiber terminal in the front of the house to a switch in the back that provides ethernet to server, two smartTvs, nas, printer and an AP providing signal to outdoor cams

It goes a little above budget, but, they are both very solid devices, and recommended like crazy here.

Go with a separate router and AP. You get better placement for the access point and a router that can handle a lot more than 150MBps.

Ubiquiti AP-AC-Lite

Edgerouter Lite

If you want a not as capable, but still fast and cheaper router, Edgerouter-X

WiFi range extenders are not an optimal solution for high bandwidth uses like streaming, or for use in gaming since they can add some latency to the connection.

A floor plan of the house would help to see what you are dealing with here. And how many Square feet? Without this info, everything below is a guess.

I would do the following. You may not want to make such an investment.

• Remove the range extenders
  
• Shut down all WiFi from your cable modems
  
• Don't install, but place a Ubiquity Access Point in a central part of the home as a test.
  
  Did the network performance improve everywhere and is working how you want it? Can you wire it in that location? Paying an electrician a $100 might be great if needed. The install will be for a single CAT5e or CAT6 cable. The power for the AP is sent from what is called a power injector that comes with the AP through the network cable. This is how I did it in my home.
  
  If it did not work well, and assuming you live in a 2 story ranch style/wide house, I would do the following:
  
  
• Install the Ubiquity AP in one corner of the house on the first floor.
  
• Run a cable for a second Ubiquity to the second floor, opposite side.
  
• Run the Ubiquity controller on your PC. This will allow you to use the same SSID (WiFi network ID) for both APs. As you roam throughout the house your devices will seamlessly jump from one AP to the other without changing networks. This is what large offices that are well setup do. And Ubiquity allows a homeowner to do the same for a lot less $$$.
  
  Good luck!

I would not suggest using a bunch of consumer routers for such a situation. Instead, use some dedicated hardware. Depending on how technical you are, you might be better off hiring this work out, but if I were in your shoes, I'd be looking at either a gaggle of Ubiquiti's UAP-AC-Lite WAPs, their UAP-AC-IW, or a combination, depending on where they'd need to be installed.

They are controlled via Ubiquiti's free UniFi Controller software, which can be run via their Cloud Key, on a RasPi 2 or 3, or a Windows / Linux / OSX system. You can also configure basic settings through the iOS or Android apps if you don't wish to use their Controller software. With the UniFi Controller software, all settings for all access points are in one UI. You can easily add / remove WAPs as needed.

They are PoE powered, so you don't have to have power run to whichever locations you decide to install them (a limitation you will have with a bunch of consumer routers), and they come with the PoE injector needed. You can also power them from a PoE switch, but be aware that the UAP-AC-Lite doesn't use 802.1at/af PoE specs -- it uses a 24v passive PoE, and there aren't many switches (that I'm aware of) that support it. If you go this route, you might look at the UAP-AC-Pro, which won't have this issue, but is a bit more expensive. :)

You're building a new house, with a brand new network -- don't cheap out on this part, as it'll only bring you misery in the end (especially if you have a WAF to deal with). :D

That would be better for sure, add one of these and you'll be good to go. Or save some money and get the lite version.

And then to really get a nice SOHO network going add an Edgerouter to replace that C7

As /u/nonades mentioned, /r/homelab is a good place to ask as well.

My setup:

• pfSense on a dual-NIC fanless Atom
  
• Netgear GS724Tv4 managed switch
  
• Synology DS216Play with 6TB drives
  
• I'll soon buy a Ubiquiti AC Pro or Lite to replace my old Linksys E3000 running Tomato, but I'm able to get 16MB/s samba throughput so there's not much rush here.

Everyone is telling you to get a gigabit switch and put all your routers into AP mode. They're forgetting one important thing. You still need a router/firewall on your incoming connection. I recommend the following:

1. pfSense firewall/router. You have many options when it comes to pfSense. You can build a device out of an older computer. The requirements are an x64 processor that has AES-NI (just Google your CPU brand, model and AES-NI. You must have that for future versions of pfSense. Also, it'd be best to have an Intel NIC. Not RealTek or Broadcom. Intel is well supported in pfSense. Or, you could buy a new device. You could buy a new computer and build it yourself or you could buy directly from Netgate. If you don't have anyone that's good with computers you should buy from Netgate (and even if you do have someone who's "good with computers"). Try this model: https://store.netgate.com/SG-3100.aspx
   
   
   
2. Gigabit managed switch. The reason I say managed is that you never know if you'll need to create VLANs for a guest network. You can get a nice switch from eBay. Or if you get a specific Netgate device (SG-3100) it has a switch built in. If you get support on the device (which is extra, but I recommend it) you'll get assistance setting up the appliance with guest VLAN. If you just want a cheaper pfSense device you will still need a switch. Dell, HP or (my preference) Cisco. PoE is nice, but not needed.
   
   
3. Access points. There's no other way to say this. You guys are using the wrong hardware. You should be using prosumer/enterprise level equipment. What's nice is that you don't have to spend enterprise level prices to get this equipment. I'd recommend Ubiquiti AP AC Pro access points:
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512
   
   When you purchase individual APs from that link above, the PoE injector comes with it. The 5 pack does not have injectors so you'd need to buy those separately. Now depending on the size of each floor, you might need more than one AP one the floor. In WiFi, you never want to max out the transmit power. This seems like an odd thing to say. But think about it, if you're in a lecture hall, you can hear the professor easily because he's using a mic and speakers. However, if you have a question you have to speak very loudly (since you sit at the back of the room). It's possible you can't speak loudly enough for him to hear you. This is the same for wireless devices. Just because you blast your AP, doesn't mean that long distance devices have the power to talk back. This wastes your battery. This is the reason for multiple APs.
   
   This isn't really that bad, price wise. These devices will allow the frat to have good signal strength throughout the house. If you have more questions or would like assistance with the config, I'd be happy to help.
   
   

Get this and this and you'll never have a problem ever again

a lot of /u/mz-s s information is incorrect.

first, 5e will do gigabit all day, every day. though price isnt a significant factor between 6a and 5e, 5e is going to be less expensive and easier to terminate. 6a is primarily used for 10GigE in datacenters, and you are unlikely to see any benefit from it in your home.

second, to set up multiple devices you need one run for gigabit (over 5e) to all of them. set up a cheap gigabit switch that /u/arizonalad suggests (should be <40$, ex: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG108-1000Mbps-Desktop-Gigabit/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1450427438&sr=1-4&keywords=gigabit+switch) in your media center and you can provide data to basically as many devices as youd like.

none of the devices you mentioned require anything more than gigabit (most of them would be perfectly happy with 100mbit).

one of OPs points is right - dont run only what you need. run at least one more, with an accompanying string if possible. youre not likely to need it, but youd rather have it than not.

This switch:

TP-Link 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG108) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_05sRDbSE5KCBN

Please just buy one of these for $18 and avoid the hassle

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My system is

Modem -> Google Wifi -> switch - > (multiple computers/tv/game systems) -> switch -> (more computers) -> Google Wifi puck #2

And this works great

Try one of these as you will get a faster and more stable connection

I used to use QoS using Tomato firmware on an ASUS RT N-16. It made things better but it wasn't even close to perfect.

I got myself a pair of Powerline adapters and connected it directly to the router. I highly recommend you do the same. I used this setup after I moved and didn't set up QoS.

I use this: https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474796121&sr=8-1&keywords=powerline+adapters

The cheaper one needed to be restarted once/twice a day. This one I never had to.

If you're having issues with ping and bandwidth from wireless, try powerline adapters. They run data through your wiring by slightly altering the frequency the electricity is going through. They're fast, fairly reliable (not perfect, but FAR better than wireless), and resolved all of my ping and bandwidth issues, allowing me to play several rooms away from the ethernet adapter without significant ping difference or internet speed issues.

Also helped my parents resolve the problem of poor wireless reception on the bottom floor of their house (their wireless router is on the third floor).

So I sent my ps4 in and they sent me a new one and the problem still existed, I ended up getting power line adapters(http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393865305&sr=8-1&keywords=powerline+adapter) to make my ps4 have a wired connection using my powerlines, and now it's super fast. 18-19 mbps when my connections is 20mbps.

Unless you get a Slim or Pro, your best option is an Ethernet Wall plug adapter (something like this). It would help you get a wired connection without moving the router or PS4.

This is the exact one I use. It does its job. There are also powerline adapters that are supposedly pretty great. I don't have a set up that would work with them, but I've seen them recommended plenty of times.

Two options:

1. Get a set of Powerline Ethernet Adaptors. These allow you to run ethernet through the existing power lines in your home (without impacting their ability to deliver power), or
   
2. Get an external WiFi ethernet adaptor. This will plug into your PS4s ethernet jack, and will then connect to your WiFi router. A decent such adaptor is likely going to have better WiFi than is built into the PS4 (and you may be able to find one that has a better antenna as well).
   
   HTH!

Amazon price matched this

$179.99 on Amazon.ca

NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi Router (R7000) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00F0DD0I6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_h8T.Ab0ABW4SS

This ASUS is right in your price range, and has all the great QOS and scheduling tools you've heard about. But if you're already paying for a premium router, please go for the AC-876. I can easily get 4 floors and 400 ft of range out of it with 2.4 GHz N band 300 Mbps coverage, and at least 200 ft of 5 GHz at least 1200 Mpbs AC band (my AC devices can only do 1.2 Gbps AC, but it's rated higher). This is a future proofing router than you should easily get 5+ years of use out of. You can also probably find a better price through another vendor, this is just the quickest link I found. I've seen them for closer to $200, but never sub.

Just search for the best AC routers. I am not familiar with OpenNAT or why you need it, but aside from that a typical AC router would get the job done for all of the thing you want to do. Your actual internet service may hold you back, but the router shouldn't.

As for the wireless range, try to run an ethernet cable to get the router closer to the middle of your house. That will be far cheaper than getting a more powerful router.

something like this will be more than enough to get the job done. You could definitely spend less if you wanted though.

Edit: Turns out Chromecast does require not just a wifi connection to communicate with devices on the network, but also an internet connection in order to run the "apps" that handle the steaming.

---

Back when I was in living in my university's dorms and my roommates and I wanted to use Chromecast, we bought this TP-Link travel router ($25) to just create your own quick private wi-fi network.

If you buy that little guy (eligible for Prime), you can probably set him up at home and connect your Chromecast to it before you leave. Then you should just be able to plug them both in at the cabin, they'll reconnect to each other, and after connecting whatever device you're streaming from to the wifi network, you might be able to cast your movies. Of course, none of the connected devices will have an internet connection which may be required for certain apps/services to cast even if the content is stored offline but I can't tell you for sure which ones, if any.

Or, you can go the safest route (dare I call it "old-fashioned") and just get an HDMI adapter for your tablet. Let me know what tablet you have and I can find one that should work.

Likely your ISP restricts you to one DHCP IP address, if you successfully connect a unifi straight into a modem you will pull public IP addresses for all your connected devices, from my work with Unifi AP's you need to place them after a router. Your setup needs to go modem>router>unifi

Without a router there is not NAT, also there is no firewall to secure the network either. I would couple it with a ER-X, cheap and powerful UBNT router. Use the built in setup wizard and you're done.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C

I had a spare Apple router laying around. Haven't had issues at 30-40ft or so. WiFi is a tricky business, because no matter where you go, the environment will always be different for WiFi channels.

A lot of places are broadcasting on 2.4g or 5g. So having a router/ap that does both is probably your best bet for flexibility.

If you're wanting something simple and cheap, just look at some basic home routers like Linksys (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014MIBLSA/ref=twister_B07FTFK622?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1).

If you are willing to do a bit more pre-setup (one-time) and have a greater throw for your WiFi, I would suggest an ubiquiti edgerouter and Ubiquiti long range access point (https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C)
(https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Long-Range/dp/B015PRCBBI).
That'll get you DHCP and a longer distance than most retail routers.

If you need any more suggestions or have questions, let me know. I'm a certified network engineer.

Edit: the reason I like ubiquiti is because it scans the current environment for wifi channel conflicts and makes the appropriate adjustments.

I've seen two people suggest ubiquiti, and I would also as well. Thought some links might help you get an idea of what to look for. Usual disclaimers that I'm not suggesting that you get the specific equipment here, or even that this is the best setup I could've gotten. Do you're own research etc.

In my home setup I have:

• 1x EdgeRouter X
  
• 2x [EdgeSwitches] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LHU98EK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• 4x UAP-AC-PRO 802.11ac Access Points
  
  Running over Shielded Cat6A. I don't have as large an area to cover as you, but I do have some pretty thick stone walls in my house that are very effective at blocking wifi (and cell) signals. I have somewhere on the order of 50 devices connected pretty consistently and haven't had any real issues in over a year. Setup isn't trivial for a non-technical person though. Do-able, but not trivial.
  
  Edit: one nice thing with this particular setup is everything outside of my network closet (and some things inside it) are running off of PoE, so I don't have to worry about running new electrical to the access points.

Simple. What you want is something like a 5-port Switch.

example

Edit: accidentally linked a 10/100Mb switch first time. You'll want Gigabit.

You need to purchase a small ethernet switch like this:

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-GS105NA-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged/dp/B0000BVYT3/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1496096921&sr=1-6&keywords=ethernet+switch

Plug all the cables (Roku, PC, connection to router) into the switch and you will be good to go.

I have a Netgear GS105 and it works fine. Amazon

Get yourself a little switch like this. At least when I was there, they didn't care if you had a switch / hub inplace, they just got angry with routers. 1gpbs may be overkill if drexel isn't offering 1gb to the room, you can save 10 bucks or so with the 10/100 switch.

If you're over 3 floors you won't be able to do it wirelessly with a single AP.

What you can do is run a cable to the first floor, put a switch or access point with a switch integrated there, run a cable from that to the second floor, switch there, same again on the third floor. Switches aren't mind-blowingly expensive for okayish ones.

If I were you I'd at the very least run a cable to the second floor and put a second access point in. Something like this. I'd throw some switches in - if you want absolute cheap as chips and aren't doing >100Mbps, this will do fine.

Wires are the right way to do things. If you can avoid wireless, do so. Wireless is for phones and other highly mobile devices. Laptops at desks, desktops, consoles etc should all be connected by wires.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FNFSPY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's what i bought, I assume it's fine :D

I would highly recommend the Asus wireless routers. Great featureset, you can set up file sharing, guest networks, printer sharing. Super easy to do a basic set up as well.

If you want the latest and greatest in terms of the new wireless standards, this one is the way to go.

Slightly older but still will work for absolutely everything you would want to do would be this one here.

I highly recommend a router that supports third party firmware based on open source Linux/WRT routers. Why?

Because no matter how good your hardware is, if the software sucks it will perform badly under pressure. Average hardware with great software will yield great results. Most software made by the router companies suck, because it isn't tested properly and is often just slightly tailored for each model. They dont' put a lot of effort into it, because that is not what a consumer sees when they buy one (unless you are business user buying business class routers).

For a $100, I recommend this slightly older router that I use myself that comes with WRT software directly from the manufacturer (less setup and easier for you!):

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459468524&sr=1-5

4 people streaming regularly on a $40 router is probably asking for reboots and slowdowns. I don't own any of the routers on this review site, but you might want to look that over. Their pick for best cheap router is the TP-LINK TL-WDR3600

You have to think of routers like little computers that literally route network signals to each of your devices within your home. Just like a computer, the cheaper routers have slower processors and less RAM, which can slow things down pretty quickly when multiple people are doing bandwidth-intensive things like streaming.

I'd seriously consider upping your budget if you want a smooth streaming experience in your house.

Personally, I have a ASUS RT-N66U and it's an amazing router, and I've never had a single issue with it, but it's well above your price range.

I personally find the ASUS RT-N66U to be an excellent router.

You can sometimes find it for as low as 100-105.

The most important question is how much stress do you actually need to put on the router.

As in:

How many devices?

Are they primarily using 2.4 or 5GHz

Are they b/g/n or ac (ac is highly unlikely since its so new). This router does not support ac...though i wouldn't be too concerned with that for at least another 2 years or so.

In all honesty most routers under $40-50 can handle most Perk needs — as well as your other household devices.

Though I always say, its better to spend some more now...than later.

You would like to get:

1. Access Point
   
2. Adapter
   
   This will give coverage to your whole house. It will run you about ~ $60 dollars.

I use a TP-link poweline adapter. It works great for streaming and gaming. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AWRUICG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1415471292&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

this

Is the most amazing thing I've bought. I didn't think it'd work well but I'm getting my max upload and download speeds without any connection issues like I do with wifi. (Router is downstairs I'm upstairs) also bought mine at Frys.

I use this on my PS4 and it more than doubled my speed from when I was trying WiFi. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AWRUICG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1421532993&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

Very easy to install, then you choose wired connection instead of wireless. Best thing I've done for my PS4. I get the same speeds now as if I was plugged directly into the modem.

It's essentially two adapters. You plug an ethernet cord from your router into one, and then plug that into your wall outlet.

You plug the other into a wall outlet near your PC, and run an ethernet cable from that, to your PC.

Faster than Wifi, and runs on magic or some shit. Amazon has one on sale right now:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUICG/ref=s9_top_hd_bw_g147_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=01ZZVYCQNKNH6THBBH1Z&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=77b9e727-3844-3e7b-b75e-2a06ec7f4c9a%2F4d0e19de-8b0d-34bb-b36d-0788592b632d&pf_rd_i=1194444

There's no wifi adapters that'll work with Xbox one since there's no drivers for it...

And instead of running a 60 feet wire, why not just get a powerline like this?

It'll just run the signal through the copper power lines in your house and come out as a ethernet connection on the other adapter to plug into your console.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA2010KIT/dp/B00AWRUIY4

I use this one and it’s pretty good. I only get 20 mbps up/down with it when I usually get 100 mbps up/down wired directly to my router but ping is pretty consistently good

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA2010KIT/dp/B00AWRUIY4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503496948&sr=8-3&keywords=ethernet+powerline+adapter

I recommend getting this over the Wireless Adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AWRUIY4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490119089&sr=1-2&refinements=p_89%3ATP-Link&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&dpPl=1&dpID=41UExpKbEkL&ref=plSrch

This works very well for me

If you think the problem is with your wifi, try picking up a pair of power line adapters. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AWRUIY4/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1418561737&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

For $20, they let you run Ethernet over your power lines. I use several in my old home in the North End and they work great for me.

Buy this:

https://www.amazon.ca/NETGEAR-AC1900-Nighthawk-Smart-Router/dp/B00F0DD0I6?th=1
And put the crappy hitron modem in bridge mode.

• you need bluetooth adapter this is the recommended
  
• buy steam games you want now, the steam sale end in 2 hours
  
• buy extension cables for the bluetooth, usb and hdmi cables

>Do I need to purchase a 4.0 or better adapter

Yes, it won't work with 3.0 adapters.

There's the Plugable BT 4.0 adapter that has official Linux support, although I haven't tested it yet on Linux.

EDIT: Can confirm the Plugable adapter works in Linux with the bluetooth Xbox one controlller.

My solution to the PS4's lackluster wireless card is one of these and about 100ft of Cat6 cable.

Thanks! It's a TP-Link TL-SG108 unmamaged 8 port gigabit switch ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-SG1024D-24-Port-Rackmount-Unmanaged/dp/B00A121WN6/ ) it's a fairly good cheap gigabit switch. I have a few unmanaged gigabit switches from different companies and I've found them to all be fairly similar I usually just go for whatever recognisable brand is the cheapest on Amazon at the time

This one is very small and says in the title that it works with Mac OS.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/

Yeah, one of these (supported by urtwn) in one of these. Not ideal, but hopefully temporary.

The NES Pi Cart was my first project too. I enjoyed the process immensely. Before I started I couldn't solder and had no clue what 'sudo' meant. Now I've built three retro systems, also since December, two with LED's, with zero prior Linux knowledge. I can suggest this guide which will give you a completed system in a few hours.

https://howchoo.com/g/mti0oge5nzk/pi-cart-a-raspberry-pi-retro-gaming-rig-in-an-nes-cartridge?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=picart

If you want plug n play then Buy a NES classic. If you wanna learn some new skills keep on the course man. Had to try some different wifi dongles myself. This one works out of the box with retro Pie and Pi Zero. sNES30 controllers never worked for me. Return and try wired maybe. PS4 controller works flawlessly for me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_ECL4xI3dTpHx7

I use this with Ubuntu GNOME daily. No config or software installation was necessary.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-oU8yb19MESCZ

Edimax EW-7811Un on Amazon

Works right out the box.

^^^pcie*
There are a few options.

1. Use a USB card. They're cheap, universal, and (usually) highly reliable. Just be careful about speed, I once bought an edimax usb card and it was great, but then bought a cheap kootek one and it was actually only capable of around 1mbps
   
2. You can buy a powerline adapter. These let you use your existing power lines as ethernet cables, meaning essentially wherever there's an outlet, you can connect a device to ethernet.
   
3. Just run a really, really, long ethernet cable and staple it to the baseboards. the least likely choice, but i personally don't mind it so i figured i'd throw it in there.
   Keep in mind that you're always gonna get faster speeds with a cable as opposed to wireless.
   Merry Christmas, by the way

The Edgerouter Lite is quite a popular choice capable of handling Gigabit speeds.

If you don't have wireless APs, also grab one or two of the AP-AC Lites.

Use a WiFi Scanner app to find the best 2.4 / 5 ghz channels in your apartment. For 2.4 it's channels 1/6/11 @ 20 MHz. For 5 GHz basically just to find the least congested space.

If both 2.4 and 5 is heavily congested then maybe something like an Ubiquiti AC Lite running in DFS 5 GHz frequencies may help out a lot.

You're better off buying your own router and access point (preferably two discrete devices). The combo devices (modem/router/AP) provided by ISPs are typically disposable low-quality junk that they can afford to buy by the hundreds of thousands, and toss in the trash when they break.

From a security standpoint, it is "best practice" to have your own router and relegate the ISP modem/router to "bridge mode" (where it is acting as only a modem, with the firewall functions disabled). The HH3000 is Bell's device, managed by Bell. By plugging things into it, Bell gets to see what your home LAN consists of. With everything connected to your own router/firewall device, Bell doesn't get to see all of the other devices that live in your home LAN.

Put your router somewhere where it's easily accessible (for inspection of lights, troubleshooting, resets, etc). Put the access point in a central location in the household, and run a cable to it. If coverage is inadequate, considering buying a second AP and placing it in the dead/weak signal zone.

Run cables to as many non-mobile devices as possible; TVs, streaming media boxes, game consoles, etc. Save your wifi bands for mobile devices that actually need wifi (ie. laptops, tablets, phones), and put them on the 5GHz (not 2.4GHz) band.

A pair of dedicated appliances like the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite and AP AC Lite will give you more flexibility and better coverage than any ISP combo device.

Getting this out of the way. USG and UAP-AC Lite. $190 from Amazon.

Or Edgerouter X and UAP-AC Lite. $130 from Amazon (rock solid reliability, but less user friendly)

You can upgrade to UAP-AC Pro is you have devices that can use its spec's. $169 for the AP from Amazon.

Uquiti lites: about $80

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY

AC Pros: $95 each:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Long-Range/dp/B015PRCBBI?ref_=ast_bbp_dp

Six dudes:

EAP 225 about $130, $22 bucks each

AC Lite: $160, $27 bucks each (and you guys get free amazon prime still I think?)

AC Pro: $190, $32 each. Get some cat6 patch cables from Monoprice (or via amazon, with free shipping). You're good to go.

$22 to $32 bucks each: I'd skip a beer day, and pony up for the full AC pros.

Wow, you want to do all that with a Celeron Quad-core? If that's all I had I would throw CentOS 7 Minimal Server on it...
https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/centos-7-minimal-server/

For easy GUI administration use
Webmin: https://lintut.com/how-to-install-webmin-on-centos-7/

For TM Backups use NFS or SMB: https://www.unixmen.com/setting-nfs-server-client-centos-7/ https://lintut.com/easy-samba-installation-on-rhel-centos-7/

To enable NFS on Mac: http://www.serverlab.ca/tutorials/osx/administration-osx/how-to-connect-mac-os-x-to-nfs-shares/

For DLNA use Plex Media Server (enable DLNA in settings): http://brettspence.com/2014/11/17/installing-plex-media-server-on-centos-7/

For Web app hosting etc. use Apache or Nginx with MYSQL & PHP: https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/centos-lamp-server-apache-mysql-php/
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-linux-nginx-mysql-php-lemp-stack-on-centos-7

Use Webmin to administer your virtualhosts using the Apache module or use this Nginx module: https://github.com/vixh/nginx-webmin

For NextCloud use this script https://github.com/PietsHost/Nextcloud-Installation-Script

For DIY IoT edge device/gateway, there's no better for the money than EdgeRouter X + UniFi AC AP (Lite/LR): https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-ER-X-Networks-Router/dp/B0144R449W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494305813&sr=8-2&keywords=edgerouter+x

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494305859&sr=8-1&keywords=ubiquiti+ap+ac+lite

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-LR-Networks-Enterprise-System/dp/B015PRCBBI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494305879&sr=8-1&keywords=ubiquiti+ap+ac+lr

For VPN use OpenVPN (use this script): https://github.com/Angristan/OpenVPN-install
NOTE: With this script it remove passwords by default, just open the script up in a text editor and remove the "nopass" text (4 times) and your good to go! It's very easy to install and add/remove users.

Again, this is a lot for a small little machine to do, but this is how I would do it with the limited hardware you have.

Cheers!

Wire everything you can. Then look at getting the often recommended Ubiquiti AP AC Lite and either use R7000 or ISP provided modem to handle the routing (disabling the wifi in either case) or look at getting a matching Ubiquiti Security Gateway (USG). The bonus is the Ubiquiti gear supports Dynamic Frequency Selection which could help eliminate interference from your neighbours on the 5ghz spectrum.

Hardware with Ethernet where you can and get a decent wifi ap for stuff you cant. I picked up one of these awhile back for my phone/tablet and stuff that has no ethernet cable and no issues from it. https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1549167421&sr=8-5&keywords=ubiquiti+wireless+access+point

But in a gaming machine ethernet no way around it, don't wifi on a device over ethernet because its "easy" it will only cost you a LOT more time in the long run vs running that cat5 cable or even MOCA adapters.

The new Ubiquiti Unifi AP AC Lite is what you need - http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Enterprise-System-UAP-AC-LITE-US/dp/B015PR20GY

The AP's don't need the controller to function, just get provisioned. You can run the software on your PC to setup the AP then never run the software again once its setup.

I run one of the UAP-AC-Lite AP's behind my 60E.

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY

Agree with u/RedSyringe, the powerline adaptors will be the bottleneck. If you want the best setup for gaming replace the powerline adaptors with cable if possible.

Switches:
TPLink
Netgear

honestly you have a 5506 and you don't have a switch to attach to it? What is an unmanaged switch going to cost you that would have the same amount of ports that the 5506 is going to provide you, $25? What is 25 bux when you have already invested 400 or so into a firewall, you time researching and configuring will be worth more than that $25 switch. can't do etherchannel unless you have a switch/device on the other end that also supports etherchannel/lacp.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Gigabit-Ethernet-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1496271784&sr=8-3&keywords=10+port+switch

http://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Cat-5e-Waterproof-Outdoor-Underground/dp/B0092TJ4K2/

http://www.amazon.com/EZ-Bridge-2-4GHz-Outdoor-Wireless-System/dp/B004EI0F0O

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-SG108-1000Mbps-Desktop-Gigabit/dp/B00A121WN6/

Don't worry about the number of ports on the router. You should get a switch to provide the ethernet ports that you need. A perfectly good 8-port gigabit switch is like $20. example

For the router and APs, in your budget, you could get a Unifi security gateway ($140) and 2 Unifi UAP-AC-Lites ($70 each). That would be a super capable and very easy to manage set up. It's possible to go cheaper on the router, like using a EdgeRouter-X ($60) instead of the USG, which is perfectly capable for home use, but not as smooth to configure as the Unifi line.

This is going to be very dependent on how deep into the weeds you want to be getting with your setup. We've got one key, being "needs to do gigabit internet". Another is you seem to be looking for gigabit/AC wireless. You also mention needing an AP on the far side of the house.

Do you expect that the router will have wifi capabilities on it's own? Some of the options that I know will handle gigabit throughput don't have built-in wireless.

The "easy" answer - meaning, if you just want good stuff that works well enough and don't want to learn all there is to know about networking before you get your LAN running - is to go with Ubiquiti gear. An EdgeRouter Lite will do gigabit for your router (as long as you don't get fancy, like trying to do QoS/rate shaping) for about $90.

You would then need at least one AP to handle the wireless, for which a UAP-AC-Lite would probably work okay - that's about $80.

For getting the ball rolling, just about any 8 port "dumb" switch would do, but you can get a TP-Link TL-SG108 gigabit switch for $30 on Amazon right now. You'd almost certainly want to replace that eventually, but it won't be useless and it's a good price.

Eventually you could look at getting a 16 port Ubiquiti switch and another AP or two if you have a large area to cover, and there's options for unified configuration setups I believe.

If you really want to get snazzy, spring for the Unifi Security Gateway which is the same hardware as the EdgeRouter Lite, but works with the Unifi controller software. Get that, as many APs as you need, and a Unifi switch and you can (eventually) run a VM for your Unifi controller to configure all of it through one, locally controlled web page.

A switch and some cheap color coded cables! Made network setup a breeze.

Folding tables/chairs make setup and breakdown easy. Set up an extra for snacks/drinks.

Put a small cheap waste basket at each table to keep tables clean and clear.

Velcro Strips keep cables tidy at the lan or the battlestation as well as keeping them from tangling in your bag.

A switch is basically a port splitter. A decent dumb switch can be had for between $10-30 for 5 port options (depending on what you're looking for and if you get a good deal) and 15-35 for an 8 port version.


8 ports for 22 if you don't want to search. It won't do PoE but you might not need that.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Optimization-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6/


At a high level, plug any free port on the ERX into the switch and the switch will then "give" the ERX more ports - though two devices, both attached to the switch don't necessarily need to push (most of their) data to the router since there'd be a direct path.

Nope! They use Zigbee. You can find one of the threads with handlers and pairing instructions here. Although poke around a bit to make sure it's the most current, it's been a while since I loaded my handlers.

In several months I haven't seen any of my Xiaomi door sensors or motion detectors drop. I have seen 1 of my 2 Magic Cube's drop, however I think that may have been during a SmartThings outage and/or my doing.

If you get them connected and you do experience dropping, there's a good chance you may need to extend your Zigbee network with a repeater. The Iris Smart Plug works really well.

Also, you can add more LAN ports to your Google WiFi. Just purchase a 10/100/1000 Gigabit Switch and connect any port to any of the LAN ports on your Google WiFi. Move your Hue, ST or Energenie over to the switch and you'll have extra space.

Here is an example of a small cheap switch that would work well.

I'd recommend getting an unmanaged switch because you still want the eero to be the brains.

This one works great:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Get a couple of home plugs like these. Be done with crappy wireless connections

https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468626937&sr=8-1&keywords=home+plugs

Either a long cable, or a powerline adapter.

A PowerLine device, like the other guy suggested is perfect for avoiding running Ethernet. I use them around the house for running network to my TV, Xbox, and media player. You can even connect a network switch on the receiving end to connect multiple devices.

It basically uses the power lines in your home/apartment as an Ethernet connection. Generally much faster than Wi-Fi, and the greatest advantage is signal stability. You get a solid and consistently low ping, which you can't always get from wireless. Also, all data that is sent between adapters is encrypted, and it takes about 30 seconds to set up.

The previous recommendation is a much older device that is really slow and overpriced.

Get this and you'll be set!

TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps by TP-LINK:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/

Edit: added second paragraph for more details.

Absolutely worth it. I use this one for my rig, which gives me faster speeds than WiFi and was a breeze to setup. I've had it for a couple years now and will probably stick with powerline adapters moving forward.

Don't get that SSD. it has known performance issues.

Here's a 250 GB Evo 840 (also known issues but not as bad as kingston) for $65. Link

Also definently go i5 if you can. Do you need wifi in your motherboard? WIll a powerline adapter work for you?


>Being that this is my first PC I'm still learning about all the connections on the MOBO. What are some gotchas I should be looking out for?

Make sure the PSU has an 8 pin connector - your graphics card will require it. They usually have a 6+2 pin or an 8 pin. Edit!! - looks like it has a 6+2 pin, you're good OP.

Also be advised - that is a non-modular PSU (which is fine) but your case is a mini-ITX. I have had that case in the past. Cable management is challenging but not impossible, especially if you do nothing with the 5.25" bay drive. But if you load it up to capacity, it's gonna be a tight fit.

Are you using WiFi to stream or are you hard wired?

My wife and I had the same issue with ours cutting out and it was because our router was in a different room compared to the TV. I installed one of these and we haven’t had issues with quality or it cutting in and out.

Powerline Adapter!

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408836237&sr=8-1&keywords=powerline+adapter

Use power to Ethernet adaptors. They are great (or they won't work at all, it all depends on how your home is wired up).

Something like this

You could always use Powerline adapters instead. Overall, though, you don't need fast internet to be competitive, you do need low ping. Wifi might bring up your ping somewhat, but probably not that big of a deal.

Use a powerline Ethernet adapter, then. Those things rock and come in a ton of different varieties. They are on the expensive side(for a really good one), but are way cheaper/easier than running cat 5 through the walls.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_LcAJDbAW9PJ7W

Amazon link for a basic 600mbs version.

Like u/TheDavld said, most likely you are playing at 1080p unless you have the ps4 pro. 4k@30 fps or 1080p@60. Best case framrates, I would go for 1080p@60 fps every time. Given that you might not care for having 60fps vs 30fps. There is a solution for better network connectivity and the 4k screen. I have a set of these. Faster and better connection than WiFi but not as good as Ethernet. Good middle ground. I have these as a quick hookup around the house that I do not plan to make permanent/run Cat6 too.

Run a really long cable. At my in laws house they feed ethernet through the air return registers.
Unless we are talking 100 feet or more then you wouldn't see any noticeable signal degradation.

You could also try a powerline adapter. I have one for my rig and haven't had issues though milage can vary with them.

I think the convenience of a bundle and free 2 day shipping will make a lot of people overlook an increase in price.

And buying all these components separate its only looking at like a 6 dollar increase, for your 56 dollars are you buying the same things?

http://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Pi-Model-Project-Board/dp/B00T2U7R7I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1449350224&sr=8-3&keywords=raspberry+pi+2b

http://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Case-Heat-Sinks/dp/B01188HGT0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1449350251&sr=8-5&keywords=raspberry+pi+canakit+case

http://www.amazon.com/Kootek%C2%AE-Supply-Charger-Adapter-Raspberry/dp/B00NL7WK2U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449350270&sr=8-1&keywords=raspberry+pi+ac+adapter

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-MicroSDHC-Standard-Packaging-SDSDQUAN-008G-G4A/dp/B00M55C0VU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449350290&sr=8-1&keywords=8gb+micro+sd+card

http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1449350308&sr=1-1&keywords=wifi+dongle

http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-High-Speed-Cable-Supports/dp/B017TEUC66/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1449350332&sr=8-12&keywords=hdmi+cable


Thats 77 dollars. I'm sure you could find it for cheaper, but those are all comparable to whats actually in that kit (or exactly whats in that kit)

Hi, I'm a founder of Parsec. You should use this dongle. It works really well. https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY. Also, it's not about the bandwidth of 2.4 vs 5. It's about the interference. 5ghz is much better for that reason.

Will a cheap wifi adapter like this
https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY
work effectively?

http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-Wireless-Adapter-Wizard/dp/B003MTTJOY

Reccommended by multiple users in the community, I got it and it works perfectly, with no setup.

I use the (TP-LINK TL-WN881ND)[www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0079XWMEI] and the (Edimax EW-7811Un)[www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY]. I never had any problem with them

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003MTTJOY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482978078&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=edimax+ew-7811un&dpPl=1&dpID=31ChKj3dl7L&ref=plSrch

This one works without needing to install drivers to Tails, make sure to get the N150-Nano.

Never figured out how to make my Asus wifi stick work with Tails. Cheap one's far easier.

Aside from the intellectual challenge, have you considered buying a wifi adapter off Amazon for $10-15 that already has support in the raspbian kernel?

16 years ago we recompiled our kernels and we liked it by golly, but if there's no need to then please consider saving yourself the headache!

Edit: $8, prime shipping: This is the one I use with my pi - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MTTJOY - worked first time, no driver issues at all. I would recommend using the wifi setup tools (to connect to your access point) in the graphical windowed environment rather than manually through config file edits. Either way there are lots of tutorials out there.

I have this one. I don't use it that often because it's mainly for my Raspberry Pi, but it works perfectly on both Windows and Linux in my experience with no drivers to install.

You might need them to get you a new modem. Sometimes they give you old hardware if you didn't opt for a 30mbps+ package that uses a newer modem. My mom has a similar problem right now, she had 20mbps upgraded to 30mbps and they never upgraded her to a docsis 3 modem. Also I think you can get the correct modem for about $60 at Amazon and save on the modem subscription fee until Google Fibre rolls out for you.

Nooooo. The gateways are notoriously bad.

Go buy your own docsys 3 modem.

These are good safe bets:

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI/

Buy your own wireless router + modem on amazon & save on the rental fees. I bought this modem and it works great. Six months renting is the same price as buying your own.

When I had their 15 meg service, my DOCSIS 2 modem worked well. They required me to upgrade when i switched to 30 meg service.

Be sure to buy your modem, though, if you plan on using it for longer than 6 months. Here's one like the one I have. The rental fees are a joke when considering the cost of owning outright.

Get the same kind of modem you would for any cable ISP and buy your modem and router separate (trust me)

List of cable modems on amazon as sorted by popularity

My recommendation for a modem is either a Motorola
6121 or a 5101 Both will easily last you 4 years with the 5101 being cheaper but using older technology that 1) Limits you to ~35mbps actual speed and 2) slightly worse connection quality in some scenarios.

---
This is probably a better question for a tech subreddit since there is probably nothing specific to Cox in IV that should influence what modem or router to buy.

A few months ago I got rid of my residential service and replaced it with an Internet only business service and I'm getting a little over 100 Mbps down and 20 Mbps up.

Even if you don't want to do that make sure you have a decent cable modem. The SB6121 is DOCSIS 3. You can check you own signal levels and logs easily. It gives you ammo when calling tech support. If you see T3 and T4 timeouts in your log, a tech should come out and check the cables.

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0

If you wanna save a little extra each month, and have some cash.. get one of these.. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XC6GJ0 ... since u are only around 90mbps it should have no problems keeping your max speed.

All you have to do is give them the MAC ID off the box and tell them you own it, and just have to return the rental box to them and if the rental fee is like mine u should save $10 a month.

Just buy your own and get rid of the monthly fee -

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1414516582&sr=1-1&keywords=cable+modem

My isp blew my modem while I was at their offices complaining about their shit tier service. I know this because during the time that I was at their office my buddys were chatting on skype and my internet magically went out at the exact time that I was up there, it stayed out for a week because we didn't know what was wrong and it took them a week to actually show up to tell us we needed a new modem This was only a month old before it just suddenly stopped working. They tried to tell me that it wouldn't handle their 50mbps internet because he had no fucking clue what the hell he was talking about.

FiOS in Middletown. Don't bother with DSL if you can avoid it, Comcast or Cablevision will give you better speeds for the money. If you don't need a home phone, grab one of these modems so you don't have to pay the shitty rental fee.

I had a fantastic experience with Cablevision during my time with them, so if you can get their service go for it.

Option 1

Option 2

$70 Motorola SB6121 http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0 (supports up to 170Mbps downstream)

$88 Motorola SB6141 http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6141-DOCSIS/dp/B00AJHDZSI (supports up to 343Mbps downstream)

I suppose it depends on the service provider, but I've always used Motorola Surfboard modems with my Comcast service. I recently purchased this sb6121, but would probably just recommend saving the money and getting a basic one like this sb5101u.

I purchased the former with the hope of future proofing and maximum performance for gaming, but I doubt it will ever make a serious difference. My gain was 1mb as per www.speedtest.net over the one I had been renting. $7 savings a month, it will be paid off in ~1yr.

$420 - 1 year 30/5 cable Internet

$80 - Cable modem

$90 - 1 year Netflix gift certificate to myself

$100 - 1 year Hulu gift certificate to myself

$70 - Over the air antenna

$180 - Prepaid CallCentric

$46 - Cisco ATA for CallCentric

$986 for one year of high speed Internet, 1 year of Netflix, 1 year of Hulu, all the over the air HD broadcast stations, near unlimited telephone calls, and all the equipment needed to make it run. No monthly payments or bills for one year. Accessible from my smart phone, smart TV, and computer.

The Motorola SB modems are great! I can confirm they work for both Comcast and TWC. (Parents have comcast and a 6121, I have TWC and have used a 6141 and 6183). Here are a few links to them:

SB6121

SB6141

For routers I use an Asus RT68CU, but I have a lot going on in my apartment. You could get away using any name brand, cheaper one really.

Your primary options are Century Link for DSL and Cox or Comcast (depending on location) for Cable. Century Link offers slower speeds at a lower price point. Cox has higher speeds at a slightly higher price point. Both companies offer deals that will get you a discounted service for a while. For example, Cox is offering their Preferred plan for $20 a month for 6 months.

From personal experience and from what others have told me, Century Link can often times be difficult to work with, have unreliable speeds and spotty service. I haven't dealt with Comcast in Tucson yet, but from previous experiences they are alright. Right now I'm using Cox and their service has been very reliable and I don't have any real complaints. One thing I absolutely recommend if you go with Cox is to purchase a DOCSIS 3.0 modem (example). If you use a DOCSIS 2.0 modem chances are you will receive low speeds at most points of the day if you live in more populated areas of Tucson. DOCSIS 3.0 gets around this issue since it is capable of connecting to multiple downstreams instead of just one.

There really isn't a "best" since ISP's in general can be a pain to work with. If you want the best in terms of reliability (personal opinion here), speed and data cap I would pick Cox and pickup a DOCSIS 3.0 modem, just realize you will end up paying a bit more.

Yes.

1. Buy DOCSIS 3.0 if your cable company supports it
   
   
2. Buy one with a minimum of a 100Mbps ethernet port - 1Gbps is better.
   
   
3. You will lose connection a lot less frequently with a quality self-purchased modem (as long as the physical cable in your house isn't crap)
   
   
4. I have had phenomenal luck with Motorola Surfboard modems over the past 10 years or so (before that, back in the beginning of DOCSIS 2.0 days, Surfboards were absolute cack).
   
   This one right here is a beast:
   
   http://www.amazon.com/Arris-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0

http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373960370&sr=8-1&keywords=docsis+3.0+cable+modem

I was considering the SAME thing. this would do very well.

Yea it looks like there are other responses, but I'll mirror. A Docsis 3.0 modem if you buy one (link below) helps amazingly. I get consistent 25Mbps down and 4 Mbps up. When I had the modem they gave me it was very sporadic. Sometimes there are latency issues, but the speed is always spot on. Also if you are on wireless in Blacksburg, it sucks, radio interference and all from everyones wireless devices in apartment buildings, it kind of goes the way of cell phone signals on game day. Try plugging a ethernet cord straight into your router when its slow and see if that isn't the issue. If it is, there are ways to deal with that, but its always good to figure out if it truly is Comcast or not.

(http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS-Cable/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1347941339&sr=8-3&keywords=surfboard+6120)

It's really simple to just order the service online. I recently signed up for 50 mbps at $39.99 a month(I think it's called "Performance Internet"), did a home installation, and my speed tests are all showing me I'm getting about 60 mbps.
You can rent a modem/router through them for $10 a month, but I just bought this modem and this router instead and they started working without any problems right out of the box. Figured after 9 months I'll have saved money compared to renting, plus I get to keep them.

This time around I never even had to make a single phone call to Comcast, where as two years ago when I lived in Alabama I spent 8 hours on the phone with them to get stuff set up. It's hit or miss if you have a problem starting off, but once it's running it's usually very reliable.

When ours died, we bought this one http://www.amazon.com/ARRIS-Motorola-SurfBoard-SB6121-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0.

Setup was a breeze.

It could be several things, but if you have a shitty modem and/or a shitty router that could be the issue. I had the same problem when I was using the modem provided by my ISP. I bought my own and I haven't had a problem since.

Here is my modem and router:

Modem

Router

They might not be the best, but I wasn't looking for the best, I was looking for something reliable and affordable. Hope this helps.

I just did the same thing a few months ago; ditched Comcast cable services and kept my Comcast internet. I've rarely had issues with Comcast's internet service so I've been quite happy. I only pay $30 instead of $110! If you haven't purchased your own modem, I highly recommend this one. That way you have no more $7 a month rental fee for a Comcast modem.

Just because you aren't noticing lag doesn't mean you aren't lagging from your opponents perspective. Getting set up on LAN is really only polite.

Since your router is in another room, something like this will be helpful. Just pair it with a proper LAN Adapter and you're good to go!

Question: Are you using WiFi for your PS4?

I noticed with the PS4 that there are some bizarre DNS checks going on. It's not just Amazon that has the problem - it was basically everything. A friend recommended a powerline adapter and I haven't looked back. I liked it so much I setup every major internet device to these.

If you have access to the router/modem, get some powerline adapters. They're better than wifi.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=psdc_1194444_t1_B017X8BK5A

There are a few things you could do. You could get a wireless bridge to convert the wifi back to an ethernet connection. If your house is relatively new you could attempt powerline networking. This would allow you to send an ethernet signal over your home's power grid to an outlet in your room.

Perhaps there is a way to turn your laptop into a wireless bridge, but I'm not aware of one, especially on Windows. I have heard of people doing such things with a raspberry pi however.

What are you looking to do with an online PS2?

>that’s not an option. my router box is downstairs and my xbox is upstairs. there’s no way i could connect it

heh.
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG?keywords=tp+powerline+ada%5Bter&qid=1540088346&sr=8-1-fkmr0&ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1

Try both. Never hurts to find out but we first need to start where all the magic happens and that is where your PS4 is at.

Guaranteed it's your wifi causing your issues not your connection. Give these a shot if you can convince your parents. They are cheap and reliable and offer superior speeds and latency compared to wireless. TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_yWDoub10VHJNY

Connect one to an outlet (not a power strip) by the router/modem and one to an outlet by the PS4 and the connect the Ethernet cables and you have yourself a wired connection that is only about 5-10ms latency over a standard Ethernet connection. And the bonus is it uses your existing power infrastructure to send the information instead of cables all over the place.

What WIFi Adapter did you buy, and what model phone do you have? If you bought an 802.11b/g/n adapter and your phone and router both have 802.11ac, then you'll notice a huge performance difference.

Also, you might want to look into getting a powerline adapter instead.

You might want to try a powerline adapter. It basically allows you to send network traffic from one normal power plug to another in your house. I've used one in the past, and it seemed pretty reliable... definitely better than the wifi you're using now, and they're not too expensive (about $40).

Example:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/

So you'd connect like this:

Router ->

Powerline #1 (which is plugged directly into the wall near your router) ->

Powerline #2 (which is plugged directly into the wall near your xbox) ->

Xbox

I had the same problem, then I bought some of these and it has worked awesome. http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/

I actually prefer this TP-Link AV600 Nano Powerline ethernet Adapter Starter Kit, Powerline speeds up to 600Mbps (TL-PA4010KIT)

As others have said running standard 5e or 6 will work just fine.

I'd like to throw out a couple other options that I haven't seen covered yet.

I've used something like these PowerLine Ethernet adapters at my parent's house and even with older wiring it still worked out very well: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1499982359&sr=8-2&keywords=powerline+ethernet

And another option would be to get a wireless system that is built to handle a bit more. Ubiquiti has a great range of wireless access points that are built to handle the load. You would install multiple access points and then turn down the transmission power of the radios. Doing this will help the devices split up and connect to the access point they are closest to. At the same time those devices are rated to handle something like 30 clients.

You may get some more range out of an AC router, so that could be a small bonus.

You might also check on power line ethernet adapters, as they are cheaper than MoCa (This is not a product recommendation, but something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=psdc_1194444_t3_B008C1JC4O).

Before I bought my house, I used a set in an old apartment building. Worked well for me. I was able to get 120mbps down using it. It should be used as a last resort, but I PERSONALLY had great results.

I used this: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1537210426&sr=8-3&keywords=tp+link+powerline+adapter&dpID=41SIVgLUmaL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Interesting... Is this sort of like a wifi extender but seems much better? What makes this better/how much better is this compared to the ASUS/TP Link PCIe wifi cards?

Is this what you're talking about? https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=lp_1194444_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1491234889&sr=1-1

The link works fine, thanks!

Also on Amazon India for 4.4k http://www.amazon.in/TP-Link-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/

Cannot recommend these enough:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/

One plugs in next to your wireless router, ethernet cable between the two. Other plugs in by your Xbox and then ethernet between the two. Your 360 thinks it's wired in to the router directly, no setup just plug in and you're sorted. Tend to be very reliable too.

You could probably go for the AV200 if you want it a bit cheaper too, unlikely you'd notice the diff.

p.s. not actually sponsored by them - just use them a lot for work.

Powerline networking was made for this type of application. Here's a starter kit on Amazon for cheap. It allows you to use the electrical lines in your walls to transmit data at decent speeds vs having to run cat 5/6 through your walls or having spotty wifi.

Powerline adapters are perfect for what you're looking for. Do not plug them into a surge protector, they get weird. You can get either ones with outlet passthrough or without. I'd also suggest getting these to get that plug off the wall a bit.

Or a Powerline Adapter for considerably less effort. Two minutes to setup feels just like normal Ethernet.

Boosters don't work.

Get a Powerline Adapter

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421029082&sr=8-1&keywords=powerline+adapter

Well, one thing you can do is have a second router as a client bridge (Like a cheap WRT54G) and then have a NIC on the WRT54G feeding into the NAS. Or you can use powerline networking to get 100Mbps through electrical, allowing for a Router to NAS link without clogging up your Wifi. I strongly advise that you use Powerline networking if you have multiple devices that use wifi already.

Of course, the best solution is some ethernet, but since you said that's not possible, go for the powerline solution.

Here's a nice powerline networking solution:
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=lp_1194444_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1382895299&sr=1-2


Cheers ! And happy FreeNas-ing !

3 words: Powerline. Ethernet. Networking.

TP-LINK AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps (TL-PA4010KIT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_45uiybWP9AMYD

Also, frequently check out r/buildapcsales for sweet deals

Other than that, the only thing I might change is the 1050 to an Rx 470 as that maxes almost everything at 1080p

Third option https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sxin_2_ac_m_pm?ac_md=2-0-VW5kZXIgJDEwMA%3D%3D-ac_d_pm&keywords=powerline+ethernet+adapter&pd_rd_i=B00AWRUICG&pd_rd_r=15ecc452-d353-452b-ad79-db8d012dc30d&pd_rd_w=pI7Eu&pd_rd_wg=iA17L&pf_rd_p=808372f4-ce06-4458-88ef-16b605aa053a&pf_rd_r=HWGMJXZF91G1FGDNW6D6&psc=1&qid=1570103016&sprefix=powerline+eth

TP-LINK TL-PA4010KIT - TP-Link TL-PA4010KIT 500Mbps Powerline Homeplug Nano Adapter with 10/100M Ethernet - Twin Pack https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_017HzbABFB3NW

Something like this will work OP. You plug one next to the router with an ethernet and the otherone next to your computer so the internet travels with your house electricity. It worked wonderfull for me

I bought a powerline adapter for my house at college because my roommate watches Netflix nonstop which causes latency issues when gaming. It should be really easy to setup and it fixed my latency. Just plug into the wall next to your router with ethernet cable going in and then plug the other one in next to your computer and connect to the computer with another ethernet cable.

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=pd_sim_147_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=31IYBNuPwFL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=001NFQSQXCB5J4XYZ6V1

You should go wired if possible. If running an Ethernet cable from your router to your PC isn't an option consider using a "Powerline Adapter" it will allow you to send your connection through the existing power-lines in your house.

The connection isn't as fast as a normal Ethernet one and can be subject to some interference but it is still much more reliable than WIFI.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520705471&sr=8-1&keywords=ethernet+through+power+outlet

Power line adapters and a switch. You would not have to run any cables through your house. The power line adapter uses your existing electrical wiring to transfer data. You then use a switch to plug all your devices into.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FNFSPY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1482095330&sr=8-3&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=tp+link+switch&dpPl=1&dpID=41236oqiHrL&ref=plSrch

Edit spelling

I'm not discrediting your connection, but unless it's literally fibre internet hitting near gigabit speeds, it'll still have an impact with wifi vs ethernet. You can use a powerline adapter, plugged in from the mains AC, to sync your computer and router despite distance. This gives you far less of the minor packet loss you could be experiencing.

If you're interested in a powerline adapter, check this. Though really if you get <10 ping in most games, I'm unsure if you need it.

Amazon begs to differ your price assertion: TP-Link AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 500Mbps (TL-PA4010KIT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KTqtyb74AWZCC

If you're only needing this for a single device at a distance, consider Power Line Adapters. They're generally pretty reliable as long as they work at all in your house. They're a two-piece system that uses you in-home power wiring to transmit the signal.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG

They're simple to setup, but again do NOT work in every case. This will prevent having to wire anything, you'll just need patch cables on each end. One to the router, one to the computer. No super long wires, no cabling, no complex setup. Plug in, push a button, and go.

If for some reason installing a cable to directly connect your router to your PC via an ethernet cable is not possible (either you have floors in the way, or just esthetically unviable) you should give PLC a shout, Power-line communication.

Summarizing, it is a device that will carry out data through your electric current without adding noticeable delay. You can connect one device into a power plug, connect an ethernet cable from it to your PC. Then do the same in the room your router/box is at.

This is how they look like, and how much they cost

Look into a powerline ethernet setup. Worked wonders for me.https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV600-Powerline-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_4?crid=376ZQ5COBBWMQ&keywords=powerline+ethernet+adapter&qid=1572378386&sprefix=powerline%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-4

Have you considered something like a powerline adapter?
https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1478127137&sr=1-3&keywords=powerline+adapter

I play using one of these and it works just great. =)

Try this

TP-Link AV600 Nano Powerline ethernet Adapter Starter Kit, Powerline speeds up to 600Mbps (TL-PA4010KIT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_i_UxIbBbJWJ83TK

This might help, I’ve heard it’s better than WiFi although I’ve never tried it. 100mbps is plenty, I don’t think the extra speed will help if you’re still on WiFi.

Honestly, I was in the same boat. Great memories with Smash and my college roommates. Got online to hang out with them when we have time. As long as you don't take every hit seriously and enjoy it for the game, its alright. I use to get mad at the input lag and buttons not working, but I changed to basically play with my friends online (also get a Lan Adapter and tell your friends to as well) and you will have a lot of fun. You might even find another game you guys like to play as well, for us it's Mario Kart, don't drink and drive.

Amazon Ethernet adapter I picked one of these up for a more stable connection in Splatoon. It's been working great so far.

One of these bois into the usb port on the switch dock: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M77HMU0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_uFQZBbXNHJ30N

Anything with the ASIX AX88179 chipset should work fine.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M77HMU0/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MYTSN18/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQM8586/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FFJ0RKE/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LLUEJFU/

All of the above should work with any Android based device. (ie. Shield TV, Mi Box or Fire TV)

I bought this one and it works for my Mi Box. I don't have the S though so I can't say for sure.

Just a hair more expensive than your range, but I've been using this for the past few years and it's just fine.

Since booting is a felony it's a really serious accusation.

It's also really hard to proof

if proven it is really hard to track.


ever since I got this router I haven't been booted, that combined with getting 200mbps download.

The cool thing about CenturyLink Gig service is that you don't need a modem at all. The ONT they provide is akin to the modem in the sense that it Modulates and Demodulates light signals. You just need a good router that supports PPPoE authentication and VLAN tagging usually (that can vary on the region a bit)


This modem appears to be decent for less than $100


Most routers on Amazon/Ebay that have "gig ethernet" and "dual band wifi" should be compatible.


Also don't expect to get gig speeds over wifi ever. That's unrealistic unless you buy the best equipment for clients and for your router. If you need the full speed a hardwired ethernet connection to the router is going to be your best bet.

I just went through the same situation (except I don’t need 150). BUY YOUR MODEM AND ROUTER. I’ve rented the modem/router combo from multiple ISPs over the years and they suck (poor range, internet cuts out randomly, needs constant restarts, etc). Plus it’s $132/year that you’ll never see again.

I bought a like-new router and modem from amazon, optimized the channel settings and my setup kicks 5Ghz signal to the furthest reaches of my apartment, something my previous rented modem/router combos could never do consistently.

Edit: my Setup. I saved some money by not buying brand new. The only component you really need to double check is the modem. Make sure Comcast accepts it.
Modem:
ARRIS SURFboard 16x4 SB6183 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem- Retail Package- Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ITIXYR0?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Router:
NETGEAR R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 Dual Band Smart WiFi Router, Gigabit Ethernet (R6700) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2AZLD2?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

This is gonna sound so lame but I upgraded my wireless router - got this one at about 50% off - my airport extreme has been fucking up lately - which sucks because I really like it. But my printer is having problems connecting to it and the firmware finally stopped updating on it.

Ummm, nice name.

Depends how in-depth you want to go. If you really want to get into networking, Ubiquiti is a way I recommend. Otherwise, you can just go with something like the Netgear N6700.

Also, do you have TV, or just internet?

You need a portable router to log into the hotel's wifi, and repeat it to your room. They likely have AP isolation on, so each device will not be able to see, (or communicate), with each other. You're basically going to need to set up a router to reroute the hotel's wifi on your own private network. it's the same principal as repeating a public access point for use in your house. These will work for your needs:

Alfa Network 1000mW High Power Wireless G 802.11g Wi-Fi USB Adapter with 5dBi Antenna AWUS036H: $29.99 + Alfa R36 802.11 b/g/N Repeater and Range Extender for AWUS036H:$79.99

Cheaper solution: TP-Link N300 Wireless Wi-Fi Nano Travel Router with Range Extender/Access Point/Client/Bridge Modes (TL-WR802N): $27.95

Yes this is the way. Same as for cruise ships.

This one would work for you. You connect this router to comcast. Then you connect a phone or pc to this router and do the Comcast login. Then connect camera to this router. https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Travel-Extender-TL-WR802N/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=dp_ob_title_hi

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_fS6-zbJE8NMDA

I second what /u/darthgeek has said; there isn't really a way to make your Chromecast private without direct access to the router's configuration.

It's also very possible that device discovery won't be possible anyway; also most Unis I know use 801.2X authentication (basically, have to put in your uni email and a pass to connect) so the Chromecast won't work without the travel router anyway.

My friend uses this one and she says it works like a charm - notice it even says "Chromecast compatible" in the description.

That should work. This is cheaper and supports Client mode which is pretty much what you would need. Connect it to your apartments WiFi in client mode, and plug the ethernet cable from it into your routers WAN interface.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Travel-Extender-TL-WR802N/dp/B00TQEX8BO

The best way to do it is to get a travel router. Chromecast doesn't have an authentication page to get you past hotel WiFi logins where you have to sign in every day. You'll likely never get the Chromecast onto the WiFi. The next hurdle is to get past HDMI input locked TVs, which there's a few tricks on the internet but the most recent hotel I was at I couldn't get around it.

Either way, a travel router is a more secure way to browse the internet while at a hotel. It was a great decision in my book and has allowed me to use my Chromecast at numerous places.

The one I got: TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router - WiFi Bridge/Range Extender/Access Point/Client Modes, Mobile in Pocket(TL-WR802N) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TQEX8BO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_iLXZBb4PYJ8TC

Something like this should do what you need, it takes a little bit of networking know how to get set up initially, but isn't super complicated. It will connect wirelessly to the campground network, then allow you to broadcast your own wifi network off of it. it is only 2.4GHz, but the smart home devices mostly are 2.4 anyway so you wouldn't notice any difference there. it also does have a LAN port you could connect a switch to if you wanted to hard wire other devices into it (or if just 1 device you could connect it direct to the LAN port)

tplink nano router that is the model I use

Get two of these and one of these. Put one of the nanobeams on either side of the way you are trying to extend to. You will need a small switch inside the trailer to plug the other nanobeam and the UAP into. The nanobeams in this case replace a physical wire going between the buildings (use one as a sender and one as a receiver).

OP, this is the correct answer. Everyone else is saying a router but those do other things, not just sharing the wired connection over wifi. The most popular access point over in /r/homenetworking is the Ubiquiti Unifi AP-AC Lite.

>Any suggestions as to what I should buy?

UAP-AC-Lite: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY

While your internet isn't very fast you still want to have decent LAN transfer speeds. I highly recommend the UniFi gear, it's solid hardware and the central management is great.

>Presumably I'll just need to give them all the same network name and password, and unique channels, and the devices should choose the best access point automatically? Is there anything else I'd need to do?

Nope, that covers it!

It depends on your budget and technical abilities. For most people getting into this type of networking I usually recommend any of Ubiquiti's Unifi equipment. It all runs off a single web UI and is more user friendly than more serious equipment. You could get a basic 8 port switch and AP from them for less than $200.

Something like this switch and this AP

The AP is powered by the switch using POE (power over ethernet) so you don't need to connect any other cables to it. Unifi is prosumer, it's not quite enterprise level, but it runs on the same principles and can still do some relatively high-level stuff.

Some people in here don't like Ubiquiti products, as they're kind of like the Apple of networking gear, but they provide good products and a good UI imo. I think it's a good way to go for people getting into this side of things. You can get similar TPLink gear for cheaper, but its configuration is more difficult imo.

5ghz makes a huge difference! Take a look at the Ubiquity Unifi AP's they have a cheapish 5ghz model. I love them! There pretty simple to install and just work afterwards.

All they do is be an access point and your current router takes care of the rest.

Honestly repeaters are pretty hit and miss. The better solution is generally a better wireless access point with greater range. If possible wire in a second AP and create a seamless network.

Great value AP (can use more than 1 together if you have a line ran): https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015PR20GY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524511125&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=unifi+apac+lite&dpPl=1&dpID=31-u-5bgo0L&ref=plSrch

If you have to use a repeater I've had good results with this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CGZPQVE/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1524511268&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tp+link+ac1200&dpPl=1&dpID=31QkJ757pTL&ref=plSrch

I've setup 10+ sites with the unifi AP's they work great and are very reliable. Better to make the jump to enterprise equipment then mess around with home grade junk.

Wifi boosters suck. They take an already weak signal and just repeat it. If you already have Cat5 this is what you need. It creates it's own wifi signal, a fresh strong on. I have one of these and can catch a usable signal from it literally a block from my home in the park.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015PR20GY/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PR20GY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There's still lots of old stock out there. Very possible you still got an older one with 24V passive. It's the same SKU which makes it more confusing. There should be a sticker on the outside of the box if it's an af/at compatible one.

consumer grade routers are garbage for perk and beermoney stuff. look into something like this:

https://amzn.com/B00YFJT29C

and for an access point, something like this:

https://amzn.com/B015PR20GY

anything consumer grade is really garbage for perk and things that need a router with more processing power. many of the expensive routers barely have any memory (64mb) yet spout nonsense like 'dual core processor at 1ghz!!'.

means shit if you only have 64mb of ram to work with.

the router i listed has 256mb, and if you need something more, there is an upgraded version of it that has 512.

You could wire up a couple Ubiquiti UAP-AC-PROs, no hardware controller (it's a free app that can be installed on any computer on the network). That's what I and most of my co-workers use for our houses.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdo_AP1cAbX642Q18

I'm also currently researching APs for my new house. If you need a single AP I would get an UAP-AC-LITE which includes a PoE injector for power. If you need multiple APs like me then a switch with PoE + UAP-AC-PROs is the way I will probably go.

Any brand will work and you could get a cheaper one. They differ in signal quality/range, reliability, speed/features and ease of setup.

How they are linked differs by brand.

Turn off the wireless radio on your router and buy [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501096252&sr=8-2&keywords=unifi+ac).

I'd place it in the middle of the second floor and it should cover the whole house.

For outside: [here] (https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UAP-AC-M-US-Unifi-Access-Point/dp/B01N9FIELY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501096437&sr=8-1&keywords=unifi+outdoor)

Might I suggest a more prosummer solution.

Look at ubiquiti gear. It’s what I run at my home and we deploy there access points and switches at over 200 customers. They are excellent for the price

Gateway/router
Ubiquiti Unifi Security Gateway (USG) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LV8YZLK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HE45BbH0YVZR8

8 port Poe switch
Ubiquiti UniFi Switch 8 60W (US-8-60W) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MU3WUX1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hF45BbGNDVBBR

Access point
Ubiquiti Networks Unifi 802.11ac Dual-Radio PRO Access Point (UAP-AC-PRO-US) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PRO512/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XF45BbNXXZSJ2

These products will allow you to make sure your wireless network is on something with the least interference, you can also band steer clients to use the less congested 5ghz band all on the same wireless network. Instead of having to make a separate one 2.4 and 5. Which is what most all in one home devices do.

This will over all be a much more flexible system as well. Find an area that doesn’t have good WiFi coverage. Run a cable and add an AP there, or they can even mesh and do it with out a cable.

This is a great one, though you will need to run controller software somewhere. There is no master/slave stuff with APs, they just each offer a way for wireless clients to connect to the wired network. With Ubiquiti stuff, once you have the controller running, setup is very easy. And if you buy into the whole line (Unifi Security Gateway, and Unifi switch), you can do more advanced stuff like VLAN and guest networks super simple as the controller takes care of all the tricky stuff for you.

2 routers is not the solution. You may need something like this.

Unifi AC AP Pro If your house is long, and the signal doesn't reach, put one of these at each end ( or something simialr ).

It kinda depends what's in the walls in your place. 20 feet and drywall should not cause a problem for any router.

unless it's an old house with concrete or wire mesh in the walls, you shouldn't be ok with a router in the middle.

My go to is the ASUS RT-AC68U It's got good signal and enough RAM to deal with all kinds of shit.

moca is the answer. I was all EoP but needed to get top speed to a second building ~200ft away and these moca adapters worked awesome with easily 500mbps.


Actiontec Bonded MoCA 2.0... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013J7O3X0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

should just need these bad boys https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486440573&sr=8-3&keywords=moca and a coax line

If you have coax cable runs for Cable/Satellite TV, MoCa might be an option. I'm unsure what the max speeds are on it, but it should be much more consistent than powerline. If you have TV via the cable company or an OTA antenna setup you'll need a MoCa entry/POE filter (to prevent the signals from leaving the house), and you'll want to use at least MoCa 2.0 to get near 1Gbps speeds. I haven't personally used the adapters, but if you're willing to try it, and have existing coax runs, buying them from a place that has a good return policy would be what I would try. If you have DirecTV, there's also the DECA adapters (don't use these on a cable TV setup, they'll mess with TV/Internet reception because of the frequency/spectrum changes made to make these work on satellite systems.)

Something like these could work out well IMHO. Reviews seem OK, and Amazon has a decent enough return policy. https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/

The first one is a DECA adapter. It only works with cable that is either not active or has satellite service. It does not work with cable that has an active TV and/or Internet signal on it. It is also limited to 100 Mbps.

The 2nd one is an old MoCA 1.0 adapter so also limited to 100 Mbps. You should get a 2.0 adapter, they are much faster.

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/

This will be your best bet. You'll take a ethernet cable out from your router/switch into one of these and then coax out to the wall. From there you'll place another near the device(s) you need better coverage with and take the coax from the wall into the other of this device, and then plug the ethernet from the MoCA adaptor into your other device or switch.

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482101870&sr=8-1&keywords=actiontec+moca

You can do it yourself.

Assuming none of your existing equipment supports MoCA, you can get a two-pack of adapters like one of these:

Edit: Note that MoCA 2.x is newer and faster than MoCA 1.x, but other than that they work the same, and are compatible with each other.

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013J7O3X0
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019MDRX5A
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EQ4BQG
  
  If one of the devices already supports MoCA (TiVO, some Verizon modems, etc), you can just get a single adapter instead of the two-pack.
  
  You'll also need to get MoCA-rated splitters for your basement (or wherever the cable lines in your house run to). Either get one with as many outputs as your existing splitter and replace it completely, or get a smaller one and use it to split the signal from your main splitter into the cable for each room where you want to use MoCA. You want something like these, but there are many options with different port counts:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00558UJTO
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00556LI1E
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M34OZ2S
  
  Finally, you need a Point-of-Entry filter to prevent your MoCA signal from leaking out to your neighbors through your cable connection. You put it on your cable line before your splitter(s) and it blocks the MoCA signal from passing through:
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DC8IEE6
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4ODQTS
  
  
  Edit: My setup is cabled as follows:
  
  The cable tv / Internet line enters my home in the basement. I have the Point-of-Entry filter screwed onto the cable, and then into a MoCA splitter. Coax cables run from the splitter to various rooms in my house.
  
  In the room with my modem and router, I have a cable from the wall jack to the "coax in" side of a MoCA adapter. I have a short cable from the "tv/stb" side of the MoCA adapter to my modem. There is an ethernet cable from the modem to the WAN port on my router (this gives my router its Internet connection), and then an ethernet cable from a LAN port on the router to the ethernet port on the MoCA adapter (this gives the MoCA network access to the Internet).
  
  In the room with my TV, I have a cable from the wall jack to the "coax in" side of another MoCA adapter. I have don't actually use cable TV service (just Internet), but if I did, I would have a cable from the "tv/stb" side of the MoCA adapter to my TV. There is an ethernet cable from the MoCA adapter to my Roku to provide it with Internet access through the MoCA network.
  
  I actually use this adapter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CZ6WC3A by my TV rather than one of the smaller ones, because it has four ethernet ports instead of one. I bought it before MoCA 2.0 devices were available. If you only have one ethernet port on your adapter but need to connect multiple devices, you can get a small network switch instead. I was just trying to avoid extra boxes next to my TV.

Err..idk what /u/Ryao is selling you, but MoCA isn't that bad, and it certainly doesn't have a higher latency than WIFI!

As long as your FiOS speed is 100/100 or below, you can expect to get your full speed over even the shittiest of Coax cable, it can even generally do 150/150, but Verizon will default to an Ethernet install because it can vary based on your home's condition.

MoCA 1.1 has a PHY rate of about 275mbit (give or take depending on wire condition, length,etc) and you can expect to do about 175mbit over it no problem.

I believe most if not all ONTs are still on 1.1. This will be limiting if you plan on doing transfers over a local network. (I.E. you have a networked storage or something similar).

Rather than running your whole networking coming from the ONT over Coax, I recommend buying a bonded MoCA adapter pack and creating your own, much faster MoCA network.

These do MoCA 2.0, which is a PHY rate of 1.4Gbit, with real world speeds near 1Gbit.

https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0

You plug one end into your router, then tap it into the coax network, then the other end wherever you want your network extension to end. You can either run it to a single device, or you could add a switch/or second AP at the end location.

You can buy as many as the adapter as you want and put end points in different locations if you want a wired connection in those locations.

The one I linked can do gbit assuming your coax is in decent condition.

This guy here tested this specific model and was able to full 104-108MB/s over his network with them.

https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeNetworking/comments/3iei9m/my_initial_impressions_of_the_actiontec_ecb6000/

If you have a spare ethernet port on your router or the "splitter" you mention (I'm assuming a switch) then all you need is an ethernet cable from the switch/router to the port in the wall that runs to the bedroom, and a second ethernet cable running from the mini to the ethernet port in the bedroom wall.

If you'd rather use a MoCA connection then you'd need to buy a MoCA adapter like one of these, along with a Coax splitter & some coax pigtails, and run an ethernet connection from your switch/router to the MoCA box, and connect the MoCA box to your existing coax using a splitter.

So ethernet will be much less expensive considering you already have a run between the two rooms that you can use. And you don't gain or lose anything by going with ethernet over MoCA. I've been running ethernet between my Romaio (recently upgraded to a Bolt) and a Mini for a few years now.

I've been using a pair of these to get internet to the second floor from my basement and they work wonders. You should also buy a POE Filter to put in where your coax enters the house.


Then you plug one into your router and attatch the coax. If you have a cable box, it has a built in splitter to let you hook that up too. Then you plug coax into the other one in the place where you want internet, and then the ethernet cable into your device.

You don't need all that.

Order this - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013J7O3X0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

One plugs into the switch near/on/in your router and the other end goes on to your remote room. From there you can plug the 2nd adapter onto a switch or an AP or whatever. Wammo blamo.

No new MoCA router required.

> unifi ap lite

$115 right now.

> edge router

I assume you mean the ER-X which is 82.66 and isn't in the Unifi product line.

So yes you're in for about $200 assuming you can get by with 3 Ethernet ports, or are you adding a switch to this setup as well? A full Unifi setup (Unifi router, switch and AP) starts at about $400 for the no PoE versions.

In any case unless the space you're servicing is absolutely huge and/or you have Gigabit upload (and need to use it) there's no practical benefit to it over a good consumer router.

You're right, that's the older model. I looked for the cheapest one. Anyway here's the newer model it's only $10 more. Outperforms anything you got. Whole write up shitting on you coming soon. Stay tuned.

Kudos on thinking ahead on this kind of stuff.

It's a more "advanced" router / firewall but the Mikrotik equipment is very powerful, especially for how much it costs. It's not a router common in a home setting, but lots of ISP's use the higher end models for the backbone of their networks.

This will outperform any off the shelf router you can buy at the stores:
https://www.amazon.com/Mikrotik-RB750Gr3-5-port-Ethernet-Gigabit/dp/B01MSUMVUB/

Since you have a month before the event this would give you time to get familiar with the router and make any changes you need.

The router doesn't have wireless, but my suggestion is to always use a separate AP for wireless anyways. Get a Unifi AP::

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Unifi-Ap-AC-Lite-UAPACLITEUS/dp/B015PR20GY/

Now your thinking "I said there's going to be 6-8 people, and that router only has 4 lan ports!" Correct, you should use a switch:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Ethernet-Replacement-Unmanaged-TL-SG108/dp/B00A121WN6

The main benefit of running all these things separate from each other is you don't have to have them central to your gaming. The router can stay with the modem and just 1 cable has to run out to the switch.

Now if you are going to do this more often or want higher end gear, let me know and i'll offer up a different set of suggestions.

Personally, I'd go with a simple dumb switch and a really nice access point

I think this fits your budget, just don't forget to get a couple of patch cables as well.

actually, the above is a lie, I'd personally go with a hAP ac .. and I have, it's just it's not for everyone as it can be a little complicated, .. but the other access point I mentioned above is good too.

What you need to do is log into your AT&T Residential Gateway (RG) web interface, navigate to the 'Wireless Interface' page and find the 'disable' button.

Below link is a how-to guide for Netgear, but the disable procedure applies to all devices:

• how to disable WiFi on AT&T u-Verse RG
  
  https://kb.netgear.com/26747/How-to-disable-WiFi-on-AT-T-U-verse-gateway-and-set-NETGEAR-router-in-AP-mode
  
  Unfortunately your SurfBoard is now only useful to sell on eBay.
  
  With your TP-Link, you can reconfigure it to be in "AP mode", see following link:
  
  
• how to enable AP mode in TP link AC 3200
  https://www.tp-link.com/us/faq-417.html
  
  Basically, to put it in AP mode you give it a static IP address, disable DHCP, then use one of it's LAN ports to connect.
  
  Once you've reconfigured your TP to be an AP, you plug it in (via one of it's LAN ports, NOT its WAN port) to your Uverse RG and it will work as an AP.
  
  Of course if you're not in love with your TP-Link, just buy your favorite Access Point. I used to use only Cisco APs but more recently I use Ubiquiti APs.
  
  Personally am huge fan of Ubiquiti (about $100-175)
  https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap-ac-pro/
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/ref=sr_1_3/136-8799792-5744116?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1527287967&sr=1-3&keywords=ubiquiti+unifi+ap-ac+pro
  

Buy a wifi adapter, they're like $15.

You can download the last version of the linux-firmware package from Debian Sid repository and install it. If it doesn't work there is ndispwrapper but it's way more simple to buy a 15$ working USB adapter like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002SZEOLG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494029810&sr=8-1&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=722n

I like this TP-Link one. It has an external antenna, and is one of few that has free firmware in Linux so it works out-of-the-box.

[Bare-bones wifi adapter] (https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/)

Low end gaming mouse

I can personally vouch that the following peripherals work, but certainly make no guarantees that they are the best options or prices etc. If you are feeling really ambitious you can browse the list of verified peripherals and shop around.

• Logitech K400 wireless keyboard/mouse combo
  
• Edimax USB wifi dongle
  
• Plugable 7-port USB hub (this does not back-power the Pi as far as I know)
  
• The Pi is cable of providing audio/video out either through the HDMI port, or through the yellow RCA port (video) and the 3.5mm stereo jack (audio). If you're already using an HDMI cable, you do not need to worry about the latter two.
  
• Updating the OS: open a terminal and type:
  
  
  sudo apt-get update
  
  sudo apt-get upgrade
  
  and that should update everything.

These are cheap and come highly recommended for basic network access:

http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-Adapter-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY

get an adpater

$42.93 Raspberry Pi

+ $5.79 HDMI cable

+ $10.77 WiFi Adapter

+ $13.59 Case

+ $5.90 USB Wall Charger

+ $8.95 Memory Card 8 GB

+ $17.94 Wireless Keyboard

======================================
$105.87

... and now you can begin to customize it

They also want to make the device available to developing countries, so it's not that unlikely that ethernet won't be available.

also, you might not want ethernet if you've got one of these lying around

The one alternative that comes to mind would be to buy and use a usb wifi adapter, something like this. Then disable the built in wifi adapter.

Alternatively, depending on the accessibility, remove the internal wifi and install a different one, IF the part is the specific issue(and not say, the connection of the part), hp should be able to tell you more.

for an internal wifi that is reported to work with that pc, as per here (provided your pc is the HP ENVY touchsmart 15), would be to get this part(Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260). Note there is a revised and non revised version, am not sure which of the two would work, if not both. That I leave to you.

This looks pretty close to what you're asking for: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Universal-Short-20cm-Right-Angle-90-Degree-Micro-B-USB-Data-Charging-Cable-/321245338289

20cm is pretty short, but you'll still have a little bit of slack to deal with. Zip ties?


Although, really, your wifi adapter sounds way too big. Why not replace it? http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-Adapter-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408500091&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=wifi+adapter+enermax

Aesthetically that will look nicer, and it's not a lot more money than a quality USB cable.

That's usually due to the drivers being proprietary and abandoned. You would be better served spending 10 bucks on a kernel native adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY

It will probably be awhile before im done, just something i play with ever now and then. However Google is your friend. NESpi is a pretty common build. Also I'm an amateur when it comes to soldering lol

My final goal is to have it so it you can insert a nes cartridge with a usb in it and it will read games from this. Also working on getting an old laptop fan to run when it reaches certain temps to help cool it down.

I also tore apart a powered usb hub to power the pi and connect controllers. However I would find one better than mine. Get something with high voltage/amperage. I currently have to power the pi separately instead of through the hub.

Some links for you:



Intro:

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/First-Installation


Switch I use to make so the NES power button works.

https://mausberry-circuits.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/shutdown-circuit-use-your-own-switch


Controllers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N48L71I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0QcmzbVPP292R

Wi-Fi
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WUcmzbESCH58S

Then just any short usb and HDMI extensions.

Hope this helps!