New more powerful wireless router/card needed?

[Katar]

Okay I decided my old wireless router was broken and caved in and bought a new router, a Linksys WRT610N (unfortunately v1, I'm not sure if v2 is even available in the UK). I paired it up with two Linksys WMP600N.

Problem is performance is fairly bad at 2.4Ghz (it's appalling at 5Ghz, barely working at 6 metres), one PC is pretty bad at it's weakest the connection is still fairly stable at 3.5Mbps, but normally it's between 81-270Mbps. That PC is 6 metres from the router and it almost has LoS (just clips a doorway). The second PC is having serious problems, sometimes it is okay others it just times out when you try to ping the router. Now the PC has a wall between it and the router, but the distance is about the same as the first PC. The thing is the old router and wireless cards worked perfectly, using G and Pre-N they get much better signal strengths in the same locations. I'd still be using them except for the fact the cards don't work under Vista or Windows 7, and the router refuses to assign a correct IP address to Vista or Windows 7 clients.

I've tried all sorts of settings for the router, pretty much everything you can imagine and different drivers for the PCI adapters. Nothing sensible seems to improve the situation, moving the router into the same room as the computer obviously fixes the problem, but that requires a long cable to the modem which is not feasible. Now I could find datasheets with the RF power of the Linksys stuff, 13dBm for the router (11dBm at 5Ghz), and 13.5dBm for the cards, now I'm not an expert but that seems a bit low when the datasheet for v2 of the router is listing 17dBm which is almost twice the power, I think . The old stuff was Belkin and they, typical of Belkin , don't provide that info.

Now here is the question. Should I buy another router or adaptor that is more powerful? Or is there some better/cheaper solution?

I'm currently trying to get the e-retailer to take back the WRT610N and/or the WMP600Ns as I think that 6m isn't that far to expect a wireless connection to cover, is that unreasonable? I am not hopeful after my first contact though.

[abaxas]

Sounds fecked to me. Although wireless can be 'freaky' at the best of times, it cant be that bad.

Get it RMAed.

[Katar]

Just the Router or the cards as well?

Either way I need options on something more powerful that can penetrate a supporting wall and still travel 6m. Draytek 2820n seems a good option, but I can't find the output power of that specific model and have no idea of the range/penetrating power. Range and power is important at my current house, interference is virtually none. I've got a Draytek Vigor 120 for a modem so it doesn't need a modem.

[AledJ]

How about homeplugs or the powerline units from belkin?? I'm using the powerline adapters from belkin, and for now they are doing a far better job than wirless.

[Katar]

How do they perform on wiring that has been in place for at least 30 years?

[AledJ]

How do they perform on wiring that has been in place for at least 30 years?

I have lived in my parents house for the past 23 years, and I think the wiring is at least 30 maybe more. The house was is big end of terrace house which was owned by the guy, who built the street in the 1900's. I do occasionally get some issues but not as much as I did with the wireless. It will depending on how far the plugs will be apart, and also the state of the wiring in the house. I would advise the belkin powerline adapter but I have had to send one pair back. There are a lot of brands out there, and i think they are all much the same. If you have a search on here the are a few threads on homeplugs/powerline adapters.

[Katar]

The wiring isn't the only problem with Homeplugs, some of it would be newer about 25 years and the rest at least 30. There is only one double socket in each room, so it's going to prove difficult or expensive to use Homeplugs. I wish this house was built in the 1900s, more like the 1800s, at least.

[Katar]

Well I've got an RMA for the router at least. Funnyily enough the Belkin has decided that it will accept wireless connections from Vista/W7 clients now. It must be the moon and stars are correctly aligned, and the Belkin is in a good mood . The old Belkin actually gives out much better signal strength as well, 4-5 bars at 6 metres through a wall, compared to the WRT610N with 4-5 bars at 4 metres for the 2.4Ghz and 4 bars at 2m for the 5Ghz with LoS. Still got the WMP600N in the machines, bit of a waste of money as the old G cards should of worked under W7 .

At least the search for a new router isn't so desperate now. Thinking about a Netgear WMDR3700 and hoping RangeMax actually lives up to it's name.