It seems like every review site I see out there, wants to concentrate on wireless features.
While that is important, I simply don’t use wireless for anything in my house that matters to me. What I am looking for is the best router, for lag free gaming, on my WIRED computer, while my wife can still watch videos and stuff on her WIRED computer, and not cause me lag on my game. QOS type stuff I think is what I need, with fastest speeds over the hard wire.
But yet, every review site I see seems to want to tell me all about the wireless stuff, and how far away I can get, and crap like that.
ASUS makes some nice routers for both wired and wireless function. Having high quality wireless is nice if you have people that need it too, since bad wireless can impact the entire network.
I was looking at the ASUS RT-n88u, I think that is the model number, it had the 88u in it, because it had good reviews, and said that WTFast technology was good for gaming. But then when I started looking at the reviews by customers, it was really bad, because everyone was saying it was dropping the signals and they couldn’t get ASUS to fix it. (while wireless, I say isn’t the important part I’m looking at, I do want something that works and is stable)
Was looking some at the Netgear nighthawk r7000 AC1900, because staples has it for $160, and it is right down the road, beckoning, calling me…
ahem! also seems like I keep seeing Linksys pop up, as a good one with gaming QOS options.
Polekatt try to avoid Linksys at any cost xD …since they were bought by Cisco they have become bigger garbage than D-Link … NetGear is very nice but they have very serious security flaw …
Standard 802.11 n (450 Mbit/s) vs 802.11 AC (~1.3 Gbit/s)
Antenna type
** Wi-Fi equipment is omnidirectional, but 802.11 AC routers will be able to use directional transmission and reception technology dubbed “beamforming”. The router will be able to identify the rough location of the device it’s talking to and strengthen the appropriate antenna(s) accordingly. The idea is to reduce interference.
Spectral bandwidth ( in its most simplified form, is the amount of data you can transmit over a channel in a single or defined range of frequencies)
** If you’re currently using 802.11 n, you’re using 4 spatial streams (4 x 4 MIMO or multiple input, multiple output) and a channel width of 40 MHz (or 20 MHz if you’re connecting to some older devices). Comparatively 802.11 AC can use 8 spatial streams at 80 MHz, which can also be combined to make 160 MHz channels.
*** So this means the AC standard has a maximum spectral bandwidth of 8 x 160 MHz as opposed to the 4 x 40 MHz of the N standard.
Better Modulation on AC standard
** Improved the modulation on the spectrum by introducing 256 QAM {quadrature amplitude modulation} modulation (as opposed to 64 QAM in 802.11 n). What this means to you is an increase in the number of signals broadcast over the same frequency (256 versus 64).
Compatibility 802.11 AC is backwards compatible with devices currently made to use the B, G, or N standard, meaning your existing devices should still work like a charm after you inevitably make the upgrade.
Increased Range 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz
** The most notable benefit to speed is coming straight from the switch to 5 GHz. In your average neighborhood, the 2.4 GHz spectrum is so full of signal noise, it often proves to be a significant detriment to a reliable and uninterrupted wireless signal.
Everything from cordless phones to home routers uses 2.4 GHz which could leave you with a lot of competition in your local airspace. 5 GHz, on the other hand, is significantly quieter and offers fewer opportunities for competition with everyone else on your block. While dual-band routers still make use of the 2.4 GHz channel, the switch to 5 GHz on the AC standard gives you additional options to split your devices into one of two available spectrum’s to improve household connectivity.
!! Everything else is just damn marketing and useless features … Ignore USB 3.0 and or NAS technology … if you need NAS functionality buy NAS device
But Mark2K77 that is all related to wireless stuff, looks like, right?
What I’m confused about, trying to figure out, is the best for WIRED, and gaming over that.
Seriously guys- Its just me and my wife in the house. I have a smart phone, which sits plugged into a charger when I’m home. I don’t do ANYTHING on it, other than take a very occasional call or text.
The only other wireless devices in the entire house is a printer and a roku, both of which are used about once every two months.
So, how does all the wireless features affect me? and thats not trying to be sarcastic, I’m really truly trying to understand, and see if it really should/would make a difference to me, and what would improve my gaming, with only two wired computers, one gaming, the other streaming dumb videos on facebook.
When I play online games, I seem to lag a lot. I have an older small netgear router. I have a suspicion that my problem might be my gaming competing with her streaming videos, and stupid windows downloading updates and crap like that in the background.
Thats what I’m after, the best router that I can fight that battle with.
Arsononion Linksys use to be awesome then Cisco bought them out and despite Cisco having fantastic business class routers they seem to have dropped the ball on the home based stuff!
I used the dynamic QOS, and made my computer the highest priority device on the network. No lag while playing conan, but it was hard to tell tonight, because we started over, and there aren’t 4 million torches and a 7 story building around. lol. But web pages did seem to also load faster, and my wife said her computer was definitely faster and not ‘hanging up’ as she put it.
QOS type stuff I think is what I need, with fastest speeds over the hard wire.
try with Cisco SOHO GB router …