Which option suits your setup best?
Which option suits your setup best?
Scenario: I just moved and have a room that isn't easy to get a network cable to. To minimise disruption to the owners I'm debating either getting a wifi device for my main desktop, or a bridge to do same. Use cases: Online gaming, but no ultra twitchy stuff. Streaming General net stuff I don't expect to regularly use more than one desktop. Forgot term, there is a way to share internet via Windows isn't there? Haven't used it in forever. So I could if needed run a cable from net connected desktop to switch, and onto other systems if required. If I got a bridge that would of course go straight into a switch. In case it is useful: Existing wifi router is Asus RT-AC86U Distance is less than 10m. Where the PC is, line of sight will be going through walls/boiler/bathroom. If cable is long enough I could move the antenna such that it would be clear line of sight other than one wood door. If I use my Xiaomi Mate 10 Pro to tether between wifi and PC (it wasn't using data) I get very data good rates. Forgot exactly, but downloads >>100M. Net connection is ball park 400M. If I use a random cheap Wifi N USB dongle, it wont connect to the Asus for reasons unknown (other mobile devices have no problem). I dusted off my Unifi AC Lite and put it next to the Asus. The N dongle is giving me barely 100M downloads, and I see latency varying in Genshin Impact. I have no stability problems with using my laptop wifi with the existing router. In limited searching I haven't found a way that says I could use the Unifi AC Lite as a bridge. So I could buy a bridge or a dongle for the PC. No specific budget in mind but below £50 on Amazon UK would be nice. Reliability of connection and reasonable throughput are priorities.
Have you thought about using a Powerline Adapter? https://www.amazon.co.uk/VIOY-seaside-va...=430576031
On this occasion, I hadn't. I'll look into this further. My past experience with them wasn't great, but I might have just picked a bad product, so shouldn't blame the tech. When it worked, it was fine, but would randomly lose connection and take random power cycling to get them to talk again. I'm also not at that place any more, in case it was an environmental thing.
I’d likely advise against using the Powerline adapter unless your machine’s plugs share the same circuit as the router’s. Bridges also pose problems since they’re designed to cut bandwidth in half or more. The UniFi Lite with its wireless N USB dongle will probably yield poor performance due to the limited 1x1 link and outdated Wi-Fi 4 technology. For better results, consider investing around $50 in a solid Wi-Fi 5/6 card like this one: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Bluetooth...YXRm&psc=1
I've been reviewing the details more closely now. It seems powerline might not be the optimal choice. Amazon reviews indicated users typically reached about 150 Mbps, though a decent Wi-Fi connection could surpass that. I also corrected an error in my previous rate calculations and rechecked everything. Phone tethering: 171d/26u (???) N + AC Lite: 19d/24u (N 2.4GHz) Laptop placed next to the desktop: 271d/26u (AC 5GHz). Edit: When connected via Ethernet to the ISP router, it appears AC is enough for full bandwidth. I discovered the same product on Amazon UK and placed an order. I should have noted a TP-Link USB AC adapter with strong reviews before posting. I’m not sure if I have a PCIe slot available, but I can use my 2.5G Ethernet card if needed since it won’t be used soon.
The location I was in was constructed in the 1980s. The one I’m in now predates that by a lot. I have no idea how old it really is.
To check this further, I received and installed the AX PCIe card. Then I repeated the process this time, making sure to connect the internal USB cable for Bluetooth. Although not essential, I occasionally use console controllers and having it wireless is fine. It turned out my system had sufficient PCIe slots (GPU, 2.5 GBE, AX Wifi, NVMe SSD) but lacked enough USB 2 headers, so I had to disconnect the PSU monitor temporarily until I upgrade to a newer adapter. Overall, performance is adequate for maximum speeds over the network. No noticeable latency issues have appeared. Stability remains strong so far. An extra advantage was adding Bluetooth unintentionally.