- Apr 28, 2008
- 119
- 0
- 18,690
Note: My system consists of a wireless router on a high shelf in the kitchen ( middle of the house ) going to two PC's and two bedroom streaming setups, which have wireless N adapters that take the wifi and ethernet it into a Hopper and blu ray players, for streaming.
So a few years ago, I bought a RT-N66U as a "higher powered" wifi router, to get good signal strength in my far bedroom, for blu ray streaming. It worked until recently, when I updated the firmware, then the signal strength fell dramatically and it didn't work anymore. The signal at the adapter box in my bedroom fell to about -80db.
So I recently bought the WRT1900ACS to replace it. It started out working phenomenally! I was measuring -35db at the furthest bedroom adapter box. THEN I upgraded firmware and it fell to -60db and didn't work nearly as well.
And along the way, after that experience with the RT-N66U, I was Googling, and saw articles about the fact that these devices are manufactured for international markets, and SOME countries won't even allow them to be as high powered as they started out. I even saw articles that the FCC here in the U.S. has threatened to sue manufacturers, for running more power than they "need" to, and potentially interfering with other devices and serviced. So the manufacturers have been crippling the power output way down, via firmware updates.
That would negate the very reason that I was buying these devices in the first place - to get good performance at the furthest points in the house - the two bedrooms, for streaming, and to prevent rebuffering of those devices.
And it's my understanding that you cant even revert to the original firmware AND revert to the original power outputs. I tried that with the RT-N66U and it was never the same again, after that firmware update.
So if this is as it appears, it's both troubling and frustrating.
So a few years ago, I bought a RT-N66U as a "higher powered" wifi router, to get good signal strength in my far bedroom, for blu ray streaming. It worked until recently, when I updated the firmware, then the signal strength fell dramatically and it didn't work anymore. The signal at the adapter box in my bedroom fell to about -80db.
So I recently bought the WRT1900ACS to replace it. It started out working phenomenally! I was measuring -35db at the furthest bedroom adapter box. THEN I upgraded firmware and it fell to -60db and didn't work nearly as well.
And along the way, after that experience with the RT-N66U, I was Googling, and saw articles about the fact that these devices are manufactured for international markets, and SOME countries won't even allow them to be as high powered as they started out. I even saw articles that the FCC here in the U.S. has threatened to sue manufacturers, for running more power than they "need" to, and potentially interfering with other devices and serviced. So the manufacturers have been crippling the power output way down, via firmware updates.
That would negate the very reason that I was buying these devices in the first place - to get good performance at the furthest points in the house - the two bedrooms, for streaming, and to prevent rebuffering of those devices.
And it's my understanding that you cant even revert to the original firmware AND revert to the original power outputs. I tried that with the RT-N66U and it was never the same again, after that firmware update.
So if this is as it appears, it's both troubling and frustrating.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram