Cable modem suggestions?

[DoYouKubuntu]

Look at my blazing speed!



How did I accomplish this feat? Simple: I strung a 50' cable from the router to the laptop!

No, it's not an elegant solution, but it works. I decided I could live with the slower speed for the most part, but when I really want blazing fast speed, I can connect the Ethernet cable and be good to go. (Keep in mind that the 'slower' speed I'm talking about refers to the speed this laptop gets when physically separated from the router, while connected via wireless; this 'slower' speed is still faster than what I used to get, prior to upgrading both my cable modem and router.) I'll use the cable when I'm doing heavy-duty uploading/downloading and want as much speed as possible.

[GreyGeek]

It will extend only the frequency bands and air interfaces it knows about. IOW, that old thing won't extend 5 GHz signals and interfaces newer than 802.11g.

True, but since my TWC connection is only 15Mb/s a "g" would be just fine as, I suspect, for most people who don't own a fiber connection. Not many people are at 5Mb/s yet.

[SteveRiley]

It will extend only the frequency bands and air interfaces it knows about. IOW, that old thing won't extend 5 GHz signals and interfaces newer than 802.11g.

[GreyGeek]

Oh, sorry, I misread your symptoms. On my previous laptop I had an RTL8192 chip which often dropped the connection. Using the info supplied by "mod info" I experimented with all the changeable parameters and couldn't find a stable setting. I ended up just using an Ethernet cable because my laptop was only 2 feet from the router.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Don't believe so. I experienced identical behavior with my E2500 before I burned DD-WRT on it. The ModemManager showed an active connection but my browser (FF or Chromium) wouldn't respond. Both gave a flatline. Ping would not work. After about a minute it would take off again most of the time.

That's different from what I was experiencing. For me, the connection was actually lost; my 'network management' thingy in my taskbar would show that there was no connection. I'd typically become aware of it when my browser--which always has my ~10 'constant' sites open in its tabs--would tell me because of a failed automatic page refresh. For example, the LA Times automatically refreshes continually, and I'd notice that it had a 'page load error'...and I'd roll my eyes and sigh...

[GreyGeek]

Coincidence?

Don't believe so. I experienced identical behavior with my E2500 before I burned DD-WRT on it. The ModemManager showed an active connection but my browser (FF or Chromium) wouldn't respond. Both gave a flatline. Ping would not work. After about a minute it would take off again most of the time. My wife, who also runs 14.04, experienced no problems with her wireless connection. Dad-WRT solved the problem. The E2500's wireless has worked faultlessly every since.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Thanks for the info, GG. I'm feeling especially lazy these days, so I don't see myself pursuing this right now.

Here's something [else] I've noticed since replacing the old modem, and I'm wondering if it's purely coincidence? When I still had the old modem, MULTIPLE times throughout the day my laptop would lose its Internet connection. I cannot say with 100% certainty that it was/wasn't limited to this laptop. Sometimes I'd have something else handy, like my smartphone or tablet, and would check them to see if they were still connected, but most of the time I didn't. When I would check other devices, they were usually connected--but that doesn't necessarily mean anything, because I have them set to automatically connect. In other words, if their connection had dropped, and then became available again, they'd automatically reconnect, so I wouldn't necessarily see any of that without actually looking to see how long the connection had been up. Anyway, this laptop would lose its connection over and over again--but it hasn't happened A SINGLE TIME since replacing the modem. Coincidence?

[GreyGeek]

Just wondering now if there isn't some use for the old router. It's still sitting here as I haven't taken it out to the garage yet. It worked fine; I replaced it because I wanted a newer, IPv6 capable router, not because it had died. Could it be used as GG describes, or is it simply not the right kind of equipment? It's a Linksys WRT54GL Wi-Fi Wireless-G Broadband Router.

Mmm... my response to your post didn't make it online. ...? The WRT54GL is an excellent wireless router and with the DD-WRT or OpenWRT software can be made native IPv6 compatible. Frrom the DD-WRT wiki:

Make sure you use a build that supports IPv6:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php...#File_Versions

For the WRT54GL you should use dd-wrt.v24_std_generic.bin from here:

ftp://dd-wrt.com/others/eko/BrainSla...4929/broadcom/

If it doesn't work, do the 30-30-30 reset and try again.

Hope this helps,

Mark

IPv6 info: http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/IPv6

[DoYouKubuntu]

It might well work, but it is a wireless repeater, which has a couple of drawbacks. If your lack of throughput is caused by lots of neighbours using Wi-Fi, a repeater doubles your contribution to the collective problem. If you're a hermit on a deserted mountain, maybe not.

Definitely not a hermit on a deserted mountain--although there are mountains within my view! Everyone in my neighborhood has wireless networks.

I was suggesting something like (to use the same brand and site for no particular reason) this, or with an AP at one end. I have no experience with these particular units.

Okay, thanks for the info. Honestly, with the increase in speed that I've noticed since adding the new router, I don't feel a strong need to do anything else. So I think I'm going to stick with what I have for right now and see how it goes. I'm a pretty impatient person, when it comes to things like speed, so we'll see how long this lasts.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Range extenders are simple solutions but in addition to what John said, you could add a little more money and purchase a native IPv6 Gigabyte wireless router and set it up in the bridge mode, which is specifically for range extending. It could also function as a backup router if your primary dies.

Just wondering now if there isn't some use for the old router. It's still sitting here as I haven't taken it out to the garage yet. It worked fine; I replaced it because I wanted a newer, IPv6 capable router, not because it had died. Could it be used as GG describes, or is it simply not the right kind of equipment? It's a Linksys WRT54GL Wi-Fi Wireless-G Broadband Router.

[DoYouKubuntu]

That's a good idea about registering your services online, and I think I have the ideal web site for you to advertise which is this.

Bwwaaaaahhhhh!!

If I were you, I think I'd be in heavy-duty job search mode, BUT I think I'd also be hiring myself out for consulting/freelance work. I don't know, and I'm too lazy to look, but is TaskRabbit in your area? If so, you might consider getting on there. It's a really cool service where people hire themselves out for all sorts of tasks, including things like house cleaning and handyman stuff, but also computer related help and other things. I've used it for handyman projects and have been very happy with the results; the guys who came knew what they were doing. I know they're screened and have background checks done, too.

That's a good idea about registering your services online, and I think I have the ideal web site for you to advertise which is this.

[GreyGeek]

Range extenders are simple solutions but in addition to what John said, you could add a little more money and purchase a native IPv6 Gigabyte wireless router and set it up in the bridge mode, which is specifically for range extending. It could also function as a backup router if your primary dies.

[jlittle]

Thanks for the suggestions. This is new to me! So if I bought something like this TP-LINK TL-WA850RE N300 Universal Wireless Range Extender, and placed it in the room with the laptop, it would increase its speed?

It might well work, but it is a wireless repeater, which has a couple of drawbacks. If your lack of throughput is caused by lots of neighbours using Wi-Fi, a repeater doubles your contribution to the collective problem. If you're a hermit on a deserted mountain, maybe not.

I was suggesting something like (to use the same brand and site for no particular reason) this, or with an AP at one end. I have no experience with these particular units.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Powerline networking has become more reasonably priced these days. If your laptop doesn't move much you could run an ethernet cable to it from an adapter in the power socket that has the laptop's charger. More expensive, have a powerline wireless access point in the room with the laptop.

Thanks for the suggestions. This is new to me! So if I bought something like this TP-LINK TL-WA850RE N300 Universal Wireless Range Extender, and placed it in the room with the laptop, it would increase its speed?