Currently at home we have 3 iphones, 4 laptops, 1 pc using the wireless network(netgear wnr2000 router 300 mps wireless) and alli in all there doesnt seem to be a problem. Ideally i want to run pc over ethernet but its 10metres at least from router. So was thinking of using a powerline setup. Any thoughts? And i want to use the printer(pixma pro 9000) on a print server. I have been looking at wifi range extender(esp with dual band), so what would my best options be.
1) Update router to dual band and use existing router as an extender or access point(if its possible to do that)
2) Buy extender and powerline(pc)
3) how do i go about the print server in all this
Many thanks for looking and trying to make sense of what im trying to do
If at all possible run an actual LAN CAT6 cable. They are trouble free, very fast (if you're running a giga network), and all those wifi signals running through your head will probably someday be know to cause the elimination of a mans sense of humor.. you never know. I run all kinds of wireless devices over a 450mbps router and they're okay, but a hard wired connection is far superior for a main workstation. Actual 1080p video streams need to be ideally compressed to work well over a 300mbps router and even the 450mbps router can have issues depending on format/compression. And what if you want to watch a video, access your NAS, print something, transfer files, download torrents, all at the same time from the same PC? Excessive example I know, but the point is the bandwidth needs add up. Powerline adapters are limited and depending heavily on your house wiring, what else is running in the house, and even at their best won't ever be ideal.. at least the current generation.
If your printer uses WIFI I'd use that. Unless I could easily run a LAN cable to it. Printers don't put that much demand on bandwidth so wifi works well for them.
I'm of the opinion a man with a drill, a big spool of LAN CAT6 cable, and a bit of time can vastly improve their home network to the point of 100% reliability and speed. You'll still want wifi for the portable devices, but the static workstations, NAS's, media hubs, cable boxes, slingboxes, etc, etc.. all become trouble free devices which will never step on each other with a busy multi-user household if hardwired.. I recently installed a 16 port gigaswitch and I use most of the ports.. a good switch is nice to have.