recommend a new wireless router for home use?

[Jimbilly]

I'm using an older D-Link, we run 2 computers wireless, and one cat5, plus netflix (wireless through a wii). I'm not a good computer tech, I can figure out some basic things. It had been adequate, but now that I'm uploading videos to youtube, which takes 210 minutes to upload a 3 minute video, and everything else slows to a crawl, I think I need a wireless router upgrade. I do have 'cable' internet from the city, and a cable modem, so I think my old router is my bottleneck.

What's the Hamer of wireless routers?

[kizanski]

The cable service could be the bottleneck, but let's put a pin in that for now.

What is your current WiFi router (which model)?

[mathman]

Check your internet provider and determine your upload and download speeds. Some provide highspeed download, but much slower upload speeds.

[Jimbilly]

my router is a D-Link DI-524

I'll ask my friend to help me figure out the download / upload speeds.

[kizanski]

What you have there is 802.11b/g.

802.11n would be better.

Your cable company should be able to tell you what you have as far as Internet speed (or that is to say, what they are providing you).

[hamerhead]

[kizanski]

...and then of course, you could go that way.

But the porn takes a lot longer to download.

[gorch]

...

But the porn takes a lot longer to download.

That's what we have the Booties and Boobies threads for.

[gorch]

In Germany the Fritz! Box is very popular. We run one of them in our house and made great experiences over quite some incarnations of the line. Don't know if they are available in the US though.

[unfun75]

A 300Mbps 802.11N router. Get a dual-band if you're feeling sassy. Here's a nice selection at New Egg.

[Jimbilly]

Ahh, it is probably because I'm cheap and pay about $30 a month for this:

September Special only

Residential 6 - $24.95^{1, 3} 6Mb

• Up to 6Mb download and 1Mb upload
  
• 10 megabytes web space
  
• 3 email mailboxes
  

[kizanski]

Yes, that explains a lot...

[mathman]

definitely.

[Ting Ho Dung]

You could also do a speed test of your own since it says "up to". Google bandwidth test.

[kizanski]

No need to do a speed test.

He's getting what he's paying for, and not likely anything more.

[Ting Ho Dung]

By doing the speed test he would know what he is paying for. The words, "up to" mean he is likely getting less. He would then be able to compare plans that would give him a true value.

[specialk]

Well, if he were to do a speed test, this is the one I'd recommend:

http://www.speedtest.net/

[kizanski]

He already posted the slow (cheap) service plan he's on.

What would a speed test tell him that he doesn't already know?

What he needs to do is upgrade his service.

[hamerhead]

I have Frontier (which was Verizon in this area). Choices are severely limited out here (no cable and Frontier is the only land line option). I was on the 1 mbps plan until I couldn't stand it no more, so I called them up.

Dude says, "Sure - no problem. We can bump you up to 7 mbps at no charge. It might take a few days for you to see the difference".

WHOOHOO!! Life was great, I'm thinking. Seven times faster and not costing me a dime. What could be better?

After about a week, the speed test JUMPS from 1 mbps all the way up to 1.5 mbps. 1.5!! So I wait another week. No change. So I call them up.

Lady says, "Yeah, we sped you up, but the equipment in you area only goes to 1.5".

Me: "Seriously? 1.5?!? When will you be upgrading the equipment?"

Lady: "Soon".

Me: "How soon?"

Lady: "I don't have that information".

Translation: A cold day in hell.

My wife has since got a fancy new US Cellular phone with one of them Hot Spot dealies. My speed thru that is between 8 and 9 mbps (absolutely screaming, by comparison) and it's about $15 more a month. I'm going to use it for a while and make sure it's all cool, then Frontier can GFT.

[mathman]

I recommend a lot of people in our area to go wireless for internet service. We are a rural area and except for the main areas dsl or dialup is the only options.