Replacement Router

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Greetings All-

I’m not sure, but I think the wireless signal strength of my Pepwave Surf Solo Router is starting to diminish. I’ve experienced movie streaming interruptions a few times in the last week.  My phone’s Netspot app indicated the signal deeply in the yellow range.  Bringing my laptop down closer to the router brought things back.  As I type this post, my 2.4 Ghz connection shows -17dBm and -20dBm for the 5 Ghz connection, both solidly in the green.  My phone is currently 12 inches from the router.

Upstairs in my bedroom, the signal formerly alternated between barely in the green to a bit into the yellow.  Frequently the 2.4 connection is in the green, and the 5.0 connection in the yellow.  When I lost my streaming, both were deeply into the yellow, and Netflix said I didn’t have enough bandwidth to continue.

I like the security of the Pepwave, but I’d like to explore something with a little more wireless oomph.  I don’t think I want to go the mesh route either.

Even when things were working properly, I take a pretty good hit as I start distancing myself from the router location.  The router is about 2 1/2 years old.

Wanted: A router that’s made well, and is both secure and has a strong signal.  As always, any advice is appreciated.

Casey H.

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We have found the ASUS Wireless-AC 3100 Dual Band Gigabit Router to be reliable and powerful.

We use them at home and at the office.  All have been in service for more than three years.

I am working at home right now.

• The router is in my office in the basement.
• It has no problem connecting and streaming content to a WiFi radio and tablet three stories up.
• It is not unusual for the WiFi connection to support two WiFi radios and several HP ProBooks at the same time.
• The house router is also hard wired to two work stations, a smart TV, and a Vonage phone system and it is not unusual for all four to be working at the same time without any problems.

Follow the link   https://www.asus.com/us/networking-iot-servers/wifi-routers/asus-wifi-routers/rt-ac3100/

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Casey H, TechTango

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Have you tried moving the router. Sometimes you only need to move it a half a metre.

cheers, Paul

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Casey H

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As @PaulT stated try moving it around a bit. I had one recently on a wall of an office. Moved it 6 inches to the left and signal strength increased dramatically and solved their issue. I believe their main power feed was located in that wall.

Also, have you restarted the router recently? I will occasionally have to do that on mine to improve signal strength.

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Casey H

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Restart Router AND Modem (if separate devices).

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Casey H

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Thanks guys.  I have restarted both modem and router a couple of times.  I’m somewhat limited in router placement as I’m ethernet connected to it for my main PC as well as for its wireless service.

The reason I thought there might be something wrong with the router is that, although weaker in signal strength upstairs,  there has always been sufficient capability to keep a solid internet connection there.  My signal woes are recent in nature.

Right now, upstairs is -53dBm, which is still solid green.  I have selected channel 11.  At this time there is one neighbor that is also using the channel.  I did not check to see what the neighbors were doing when I was experiencing the significant signal loss.  It looks like one, maybe two, are currently using channel 1.

Casey

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