Team-BHP - On Wi-Fi & Routers

Go to flipkart-type site and select a few modems of your choice and within your range.

When you are done shortlisting, go to this site

https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Main_Page

and type the modem name and model into the search box

If your modem has broadcom or lantiq chip, you are set. Typically modems based on these 2 chips have best performance even in poor line conditions.

If the modem you selected has realtek or atheros chip, then you may have poor connectivity and frequent drops if your exchange is situated far from your residence depending on your line SNR.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anilp (Post 3581447)

To add to this, isn't the 5 GHz spectrum reserved for defence use in India? I recollect 802.11a not being accepted for use in India due to this.

It permitted for low power usage.
Reference:
http://www.wpc.dot.gov.in/Docfiles/N...0Plan-2011.pdf

Quote:

IND62 Use of low power equipments in the frequency band 2.4-2.4835 GHz using a
maximum transmitter output power of 1 Watt (4 Watts Effective Radiated
Power) with spectrum spread of 10 MHz or higher has been exempted from
licensing requirement (see also GSR 45E dated 28.1.2005)

IND 67 Use of low power equipments for wireless access systems including Radio
Local Area Networks, in the frequency band 5.150-5.350 GHz and 5.725 – 5.875
GHz using a maximum mean Effective Isotropic Radiated Power of 200 mW
and a maximum mean Effective Isotropic Radiated Power density of 10
mW/MHz in any 1 MHz bandwidth, for the indoor applications has been
exempted from licensing requirement. ( See also GSR No 46E dated 28.1.2005)

IND68 Use of low power equipments for Wireless Access Systems including Radio
Local Area Networks (RLAN), in the frequency band 5.150-5.250 GHz using a
maximum mean Effective Isotropic Radiated Power of 200 mW and a maximum
mean Effective Isotropic Radiated Power density of 10 mW/MHz in any 1 MHz
bandwidth may be considered for outdoor applications also.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vid6639 (Post 3581603)

I had posted earlier that I was looking for a good Wi-fi router to improve the range. I was also seeing just too many 2.4GHz wifi signals in my house from other apartments.

Finally got frustrated yesterday trying to figure out which is the best one for good range and ordered the Asus RT-N66U. I know it's way overkill but let me play around and see what all it can do.

I am also looking at this router after reading good feedback. Please post a report.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillsnrains (Post 3580246)

I guess there are any good routers under 2K, which can suit your need. As I said above, I have TP Link W8968 (w/o modem) router in my duplex. I have put the modem in level-1 and signal in level 2 is not that great (read only one bar). I think you need to increase your budget.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for your Inputs hillsnrains. I will be placing my router on the second floor as my desktop is located in second floor. I heard that if Wi-Fi router is placed on top floor we will receive better signal on the lower floors. I was just wondering if this is correct or the vice versa is a good option?

Quote:

Originally Posted by meetbadri (Post 3583569)

I did not notice any significant improvements by placing the router in second level and accessing the same from level 1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hillsnrains (Post 3580246)

I too use "TP Link W8968" for the last 9 months and works flawlessly. I have bought from snap deal for 2,230/-. For this price it is very good. We are getting decent (one bar less) signal at extreme corner of the same floor. This is perfect for a single floor house/flat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lurker (Post 3580222)

Any router with broadcom or Infineon chip will suit your purpose.

Always check whether router has broadcom or infineon chip before buying. It changes from model to model even within same company and product line.

TPLink is W8968 with Lantiq chip.

Lantiq is the company that bought Infineon's router division. So that model would be perfect.

Guys I ordered this antenna from Amazon thinking it would improve things. Unfortunately the antennas on the present routers cannot be removed, so this can't fit.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Can you suggest some routers which this antenna would fit on to? Also does it make sense to buy a router to use with this antenna, will I get good range? Or should I just buy the TP Link W8968 and finish off?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bejoy (Post 3582029)

I am also looking at this router after reading good feedback. Please post a report.

This router is awesome. Range has improved a lot. There are still areas which the router has no line of sight and 2 walls but it picks up a weak signal. Earlier router just used to disconnect.

You can program 2 bands the 2.4G and 5G band. The 5G band has very less range and needs Line of sight else it drops signal.

The configuration settings are aplenty and you can even program a guest network. I can connect a Hard disk and use it as a network storage.

Does anyone here have a Dlink 2750U? I have an issue with the firmware upgrade. Currently I am running on IN1.08 and the latest version is supposed to be IN1.10. I was able to download the firmware from the website but once I start the upgrade, I get an error saying upgrade is failed and the router reboots. Any fix to this issue? Tried multiple browsers and it was the same.

By the way, I was able to extract two useful features from this modem - Network storage facility and Network printing even though I have a USB printer. Both work flawlessly, just that the USB speeds are a little low, suitable for smaller files. clap:

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioholic (Post 3587803)

you can't upgrade firmware on this modem like that.
Do not upgrade on Chrome,
Only explorer (on windows), Safari (on mac) or Firefox
then follow following steps:

first do factory reset to default setting
and then go to firmware upgrade in router 197.168.1.1 menu
select install file and choose to upgrade
do reboot
fill in with settings
reboot again

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioholic (Post 3587803)

What hardware version is this? I think IN 1.08 is the latest Indian driver for one of them

Quote:

Originally Posted by lurker (Post 3587852)

ur hardware version is U1.

firmware version given on dlink India site is for hardware version C1.

1.08 is the best firmware you will get for U1. but it is not given in the dlink India site.

1.10 and 1.11 are there in ME site. You can download and install from there.

C1 firmware will not work for ur U1 hardware.

Thanks for the information! Much appreciated. How do you differentiate between the hardware versions? And can I install the f/w on the ME site onto my modem?

I was looking for this upgrade sometime back since it would enable USB mass storage. However, now I am thinking if the upgrade is really required since I already set up USB storage in the current version. Your thoughts?