Question What is the router I'll need ?

[brannsiu]

For a long time my desktop PC in my bedroom is connected to the broadband network through a long messy cable from another section of my flat. Now, I'd really like to get rid of the cable now. I have a router which was bought probably 5-6 years ago for $30 or $40. Do I need another router now? Do I need an adapter or something else installed in my desktop PC so as to receive the wireless signal? How much degraded is the signal when it is sent through wireless compared to ethernet? These are important considerations whether I should get rid of the long messy cable...........

 

[Ralston18]

Just to be sure that I understand the current connections (line diagram):

ISP --- (coax, DSL, fiber) ----> Modem --- Ethernet cable --->[WAN port] Old Router [LAN port] ---long messy cable -----> [ Wired Network adapter] Desktop PC.

Feel free to edit and correct my line diagram.

Make and model information for Modem and router(s)?

1) Does the old router support Wifi?

2) Changing from wired to wireless is going to reduce network performance and stability (more interference).

3) You do not need another router. All that you would need is a wireless network adapter for your Desktop PC. However, that wireless network adapter will likely need to have antennas to ensure that wireless is at all reliable and stable. What can happen with most wireless network adapters is that their transmission strength may not be enough to maintain a steady wireless connection.

4) You may be able to configure that old router as an Access Point (AP) but that would still require a router ---> AP wired connection.

Depending on the make and model routers, the applicable User Guides/Manuals may show you how the connections and configurations must be set up.

Example link:

https://www.tp-link.com/us/support/faq/1603/

Overall stay with messy cable and do what you can to improve the cosmetics.

And if possible, take a look at the cable. It may be old, substandard, degraded, etc.. Post what is printed along the length of the cable.

Maybe a new round, Cat 5e, all copper, 22-24 AWG could help with appearances and wired performance.

 

[bill001g]

This is going to depends on what the primary use of your PC is. Many people on this forum play online games where using wifi will cause lag spikes in the game. You never want to use wifi if you have another option if your primary use of the machine is games.

Pretty much everything else works very well on most wifi. There are those rare houses where the wall absorb so much of the signal that you can not use wifi but for most people it is fine.

All you need is some kind of wifi adapter. There are 2 basic types for desktops. You get the internal PCIE card but for best results you want one that has short antenna extension cables that allow you place the antenna away from the back of the case. They also make USB based units and the ones you want to use tend to have external antenna and come with a USB extension. Avoid those very tiny devices the metal case will block most the signal and the very small device have smaller antenna already.

What you have is the best option other than non technical things like appearance. The other 2 options I normally recommend before you use wifi for gaming is look at MoCA if you have coax in both location and then consider powerline networks.

 

[logainofhades]

Your two options are powerline adapters, or a very good wifi 6 capable router, and a wifi 6 adapter, for your PC.

 

[bill001g]

Your two options are powerline adapters, or a very good wifi 6 capable router, and a wifi 6 adapter, for your PC.

I agree but unless you buy some of the best wifi6 equipment it does not support 160mhz radio bands. You might as well use wifi6e the price is about the same for wifi6e and the better wifi6 routers. Most cheaper wifi6 stuff does not preform any better than wifi5 because it can only uses 80mhz radio bands either because the device does not support 160mhz or there is something like weather radar preventing the router from using those frequencies.

 

[logainofhades]

I do not recall the radio bands, but I use this one myself, without issue. I bought it not long after I bought my house, almost 2yrs ago. Been quite happy with it.

https://www.newegg.com/tp-link-arch...-b-g-2-4-ghz/p/N82E16833704408?quicklink=true

 

[bill001g]

I do not recall the radio bands, but I use this one myself, without issue. I bought it not long after I bought my house, almost 2yrs ago. Been quite happy with it.

https://www.newegg.com/tp-link-arch...-b-g-2-4-ghz/p/N82E16833704408?quicklink=true

Yes that is a good router but it is rather expensive. You can get this for slightly cheaper and it is wifi6e.

https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-axe75

This is just a random wifi6e router I used as a example but in general there is almost no price difference between wifi6 and wifi6e.....unless you buy the junk wifi6 stuff.

 

[logainofhades]

Wifi 6e wasn't out, yet, when I bought mine. I also intended to redo the network cabling, in the house, so I wanted the 8 ports. The wireless has been so good, I haven't bothered to do it. That and too lazy to get under the house.