• Navigation
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 3 of 3
  1. #1
    She Shoots For The Stars
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    1,452
    BG Level
    6
    FFXIV Character
    Elizara Paksenarrion
    FFXIV Server
    Excalibur
    FFXI Server
    Quetzalcoatl

    Budget access point/router that could be used as a bridge? Is there such a thing?

    Now I mentioned in my other thread recently that I wanted to do this. I'm hoping at least, I can bypass the potato wireless card on my PS3 so it connects better. (Absolute worst, I can use it on my 'puter as well to stop the minor glitches; I'm sure it's not uverse now tho I've had a bad weekend; Uverse has been having some trouble, Square said. I'm blaming the holiday. But if that'll help my connection, I'll go for it in a new york minute.)

    Trouble is a lot of routers/access points are pretty pricy. I don't have a lot of moola to spare, but I need one that I can use as a bridge. Anyone have any suggestions on one to go for? Oh and I mean sub $50 USD if possible; I don't need a big, bad router, just one that will work and could be used as a bridge. So small and not too expensive is in.

  2. #2
    Salvage Bans
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    852
    BG Level
    5
    FFXIV Character
    Niya Kouya
    FFXIV Server
    Odin

    It all depends on how much throughput you need for that. The really cheap APs usually only support 2,4GHz WLAN rated for 300MBit/s (max), you can expect about 10 Mbyte/s transfer rate with those (since they often also just have ethernet ports rated for 100Mbit/s). The "better" models with dual-band support (2,4 and 5GHz) usually have gigabit ports and can transfer 30+MByte/s under good conditions.

    The cheapest option would be APs from companies like TP-Link, 2,4GHz models start at around 20$. But those are "hit or miss", they can work fine for years or have issues from the start...

    A very reliable version that is still pretty cheap would be APs/routers from Mikrotik. Their cheapest model, the hAP mini, costs around 20$ and has the typical performance for that price range (2,4GHz only, 100Mbit ports). They have a few dualband models below the 50$ mark, but sadly they all still only have 100Mbit. The cheapest option with gigabit and good dualband WLAN would be the hAP ac2 which costs about 60 bucks.
    The only real downside of Mikrotik devices is that they aren't very easy to configure unless you're familiar with their RouterOS firmware. (I could help you with that if you wanna go that route). On the plus side, they are VERY reliable. We've been using Mikrotik devices at work for several years now (internally and for customers), and AFAIK so far only 2 of 50+ of them had issues. One died due to overheating (ambient temp was at fault) and one had half of its LAN ports fried by lightning impact.

  3. #3
    She Shoots For The Stars
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    1,452
    BG Level
    6
    FFXIV Character
    Elizara Paksenarrion
    FFXIV Server
    Excalibur
    FFXI Server
    Quetzalcoatl

    I'll look into the Mikrotik ones Niya, as long as I don't have to import one.

    Just for anyone who wants to ask; unless I can talk Neko into buying a new wireless router and have the net passthrough our RG, we only have a 2.4 GHz WLAN. So dual band would be sorta not worth it unless I can do that. (which I do not have high hopes for atm; due to some recent stuff, 'Neko's feeling pretty poor right now)

    Also I would be willing to try custom firmware as well, since I flashed my BIOS, I understand it isn't any more difficult to flash custom firmware than flash a BIOS so that shouldn't be a huge deal.