Hardware Ethernet hub or WiFi USB module?

DiscostewSM · Mar 30, 2015

Currently, I have my room of "tech" on one side of the house. On the opposite side....is where the internet router is. It's placed there because it offers the most convenience to all devices in the house, as well as when we have company over. Fortunately, I have an long ethernet cable that's connected to my desktop computer to the router. This at least let's me do a lot of stuff online that I normally couldn't do. But, I'm looking to connect many of my other devices, like my Wii U, and being on the other side of the house, the WiFi signal is weak.

What I've done for the time being is had my laptop connected with the ethernet cable, and used as a virtual router for my Wii U and such when the signal from my actual router goes unstable from the distance, but I've been thinking of getting a WiFi USB module, and having my desktop computer act as the virtual router, since I use that everyday. The main thing I'm concerned about is stability, as sometimes, my laptop (4 years old) when used has had a slight tendency to just cut off the signal, and even with my Wii U right next to it, I feel like I'm experiencing lag. I don't know if it's just because of the way the WiFi was used, or if it's my laptop. Anyways, because of this, I also thought about an ethernet hub, but that would only benefit a few devices, like my Wii U (via adapter). I'm undecided about what I want to get. Getting both, imo, is not really an option right now. One offers a benefit to a range of devices, assuming the virtual router method is stable, while the other would benefit fewer, but would appear to not have the same possible problems.

Should I go virtual router via WiFi USB module, or ethernet hub? I mainly game with my desktop and Wii U, with the occasional 3DS, but I've been doing a decent amount of 3DS homebrew, and having my router so far away from my workstation prevent a good connection for testing my implementations.

FAST6191 · Mar 30, 2015

For the price of a switch or a decent USB wifi module it looks like you can pick up an old WRT54G, or some other DDWRT compatible router. That will act as a switch to give you more ethernet socket, a wireless router to either give you another location or a private/guest network and DDWRT will give you a proper network device to play with.

cracker · Mar 30, 2015

Another option is a power line network bridge. Many people don't know about these. They work great as long as your line doesn't suffer from a lot of interference and is usually better than wifi through walls.

Edit: Overlooked the 3DS.

DjoeN · Mar 30, 2015

A good descent WiFi repeater?

Personally i would go for an ethernet hub, cable still gives you the full speed you need!
I never connected my x360, Wii-U or Ps3 over WiFi, so i really can't compare how it affects online play, but i bet downloading will have an effect over WiFi or Cable.

DiscostewSM · Mar 30, 2015

FAST6191 said:
For the price of a switch or a decent USB wifi module it looks like you can pick up an old WRT54G, or some other DDWRT compatible router. That will act as a switch to give you more ethernet socket, a wireless router to either give you another location or a private/guest network and DDWRT will give you a proper network device to play with.

Would that allow me to do something like Homepass? I should have mentioned that before (as a reason for considering a WiFi USB dongle).

FAST6191 · Mar 30, 2015

I have not kept up with current homepass stuff but originally stuff like ddwrt was one of the easier ways of doing such hacks -- it should happily allow you to set a mac address of your choosing for the access point.

DiscostewSM · Mar 31, 2015

Almost thought it was my lucky day. I was recalling that my work had upgraded their internet some time ago, so the old equipment was replaced. A DSL modem and an 8-port switch. Found the switch, and attempted to test it out. Unfortunately, it was toast, and would not work at all (plus made a hissing noise). I did find a 10/100 NIC, so I was thinking to myself.

Would I be able to install that in my computer, giving me 2 ethernet ports, and have my desktop act as a pass-through to the internet for my Wii U that would be plugged into the 2nd port?

FAST6191 · Mar 31, 2015

"plus made a hissing noise"
Grab it anyway. Hissing could be something bad but it could also be that an electrolytic capacitor cooked itself. A trip down to fry's and a few cents of capacitors could be all that it needs to be fixed.

Dual network cards. Yeah you should be able to share the internet connection or make a bridged connection.
XP
https://www.microsoft.com/resources...xp/all/proddocs/en-us/hnw_bridge_install.mspx
Windows 7 and probably 8
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/create-network-bridge#1TC=windows-7

Linux (will vary a bit between distributions but probably not by a lot unless you are going all command line)
https://wiki.debian.org/BridgeNetworkConnections

DiscostewSM · Mar 31, 2015

Here I was, all ready to put in that NIC, only to find out that my MB doesn't have any PCI ports.... No point in buying a PCI-E version when the other alternatives (like a hub or WiFi dongle) offer better options.

DiscostewSM · Apr 1, 2015

What about something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FWYGJS/

This looked like what I could use, is cheap, and supposedly is DDWRT-compatible, but from the look of the answers section, it may ship with v9, which doesn't seem to be supported. This one on Amazon is marked as a TL-WR841N, whereas the database specified TL-WR841ND. Dunno if it makes a difference.

While not a router, I did find this...

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR710N-Wireless-Repeater-Charging/dp/B00FRMAOIO/

It would at least give me a port out for my desktop PC, grant WiFi to my available devices, and is small enough that it could be easily carried (alongside my laptop) if I ever needed to take it. Dunno about compatibility with DDWRT though.

RandomUser · Apr 3, 2015

This might be irrelevant, what about Wifi Extenders like this one. Come to think of it Repeaters and WiFi extenders are the same thing :wacko:

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Hardware Ethernet hub or WiFi USB module?

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