I am by no means a computer geek here. I am having problems with slow page loading, sometimes have to try to re-load the page several times. I am running a net gear router, 54 mbps wireless router, model WGR 614 v7. I have the desktop, our home phone the Verizon Hub (VoIP), the Verizon network extender for cell phone coverage in a bad area, a laptop, Xbox, and Wii. Our cell phones also have WiFi. I know I am underpowered as far as the wireless router, so what I am really looking for is any suggestions.

We hardly ever use the desktop, since we got the laptop. Our home phone is a VoIP kinda like Vonage, so it requires a port. We didn't have good cell reception out here, so we tried the network extender from Verizon wireless. Our laptop is WiFi, so it's not hard wired to the router, and my Xbox and the wife's Wii both access the wireless. We need something that can handle all of that and not slow down the connection. What do you guys recommend for a wireless router?

 

the new wireless n routers can go up to 300 Mbps and have a better range than the older g and a routers.

 

Bottleneck prolly isn't the router. And most of your gear wouldn't utilize the higher transfer speeds of an N class router anyways (xBox, Wii, possibly the laptop and maybe the cellphones).

What's your internet connection rated at? Please don't say DSL.

 

you know i use a virgin moble broadband that gose off the cell towers at 3g and it dose youtube pretty good and fast its 40 a month though but its mobile so you can take it anywhere. i get 3.1 mbs with it if you live out in the boondocks like me it works pretty well.

 

No, not DSL. We have metrocast cable, their high speed package.

I think the package has our internet speed at 7.0 mbps.

 

How many times is the cable split before it hits the router.

 

oh ok i thought you were out in the country where they dont rrun cable so i was just giving my two cents worth well good luck

 

Well part of it is the damn google adserver. I occasionally get long waits while the ads load and my max d/l is 20 mbps.

Realistically, the router is rarely a bottleneck when information is coming from the web. No public server is ever going to give a single user 54 mbps down. The router will affect media sharing between devices on the local network.

But the easiest way of telling is run a speedtest over wirelesss. Then connect directly to the router thru ethernet and run it again. Then disconnect the router, connect a computer directly to the modem and run a speedtest a 3rd time. Compare the results. A large discrepancy between the results will give a general idea of where things are slowing down.

 

Thanks for the info guys.

Kuroshio, I'll give that a try tomorrow. It just seems sometimes when I try to navigate through a page, when I click to open a page or click a link, the page kinda just freezes up, sometimes it just takes a while to load, sometimes it just freezes and I have to either refresh the page or hit the back button and try again. And it doesn't matter what site I go to. It happens on every page and site I go to. I'll post the results here for the three when I get done. By the way, how do I run a speed test? Do I use speedtest dot net?

Indiana, the cable coming in is split at the box outside, off the pole. There is a line coming in for the internet specifically, and another coming in to the TV's in the house. So basically the internet has it's own dedicated line. Our line comes off the road about 75-100 feet, then about 25 feet from the pole to the house. not sure if that matter for high speed cable. And like I said, it comes off the pole to the box outside, then split there, one line in to the modem, and another for the TV's. When we had problems before, the service guy came out and ran the extra line for the internet.

 

Shh... secret info here: I'm a technician for one of the largest cable companies in the US. They shall not be named though their corporate HQ can be seen from my apartment

Drop length and # of splits can effect internet speeds depending on the cable plant. Loose / poor fittings, however, actually is the biggest cause of speed issues. But you'd need at least a halfway decent tech to find a plant issue.