Thoughts on wireless network set-up

G G · 02-19-2017, 10:42 AM

Just curious for some opinions. I know just enough about networking to get in trouble, LOL.

I have a home network as many do. I am currently using a Linksys E1500 N router. I have a Linksys 3200 but for some reason I don't have it in use.

Anyway I pretty much cut the cord 5 or 6 years ago and up to recently used Roku for my entertainment streaming. I also have Playon with the 1channel add on that allows me to stream most TV shows and movies that were ever made. Wasn't necessarily liking the fact that in order for playon to work you have to install a server on your desktop for it to stream through. I received an Apple Tv for free when I subscribed to DirecTV Now for three months. The jury is still out on that and I will probably turn it off after the three months are up.

I bought a Fire Stick on the advice of a friend and added Kodi and exodus to it. It is much faster than the Playon. So I bought another Fire Stick for the bedroom TV. I like the Fire Stick so much that I have unhooked the Rokus and the Apple TV and have Netflix and DirecTV Now on the Fire Stick. It is my intent to also cut off Netflix soon as it's not needed with Kodi, I can watch everything that Netflix has to offer plus more.

This was probably long and somewhat rambling, but I have ordered an Asus RT-87U that will be here in a couple days.

We also for several years use an AT&T microcell which allows us to use our cellphones at home because we live in a very rural area with no cell service. I used it because I had it, but am now wanting to stop using it and just use wifi calling which now is pretty stable.

The microcell seems to have more latency issues than the wifi calling does and I believe it may be due to being double NATed.

I have DSL from my phone company (it's all that's available) and have a DSL modem. I have a dynamic IP from the phone company because they want quite a bit to have static.

It is my intent to bridge the modem to take care of the double NAT, and that should help VOIP be all it can be.

I also have one or two patch cables that are CAT5 instead of CAT5E or CAT6. Should I upgrade the cables to cat5E? I have read that CAT6 really doesn't give me more unless I am running the cable a long way and we are talking about patch cables for connecting the printer and modem and such.

The router I currently have doesn't have gigabit ports but the new one does. But the fact that I only have 10 mbps internet I'm not sure it matters does it?

Is there anything else I should do or some of the things I am gonna do that I shouldn't? I am going to call the phone company tomorrow and upgrade the internet to 15 mbps because I think I can change the package to that for a little bit less than I am paying now because of a two year promotion they are doing.

I also have a lifetime subscription to Celo VPN. I am intending to run it at the router level with OpenVPN so I don't get any letters from the phone company, even though I have been streaming for 5 years and haven't yet there's always the possibility of it happeneing.

thanks

02-19-2017, 10:42 AM	#1
G G BR549 Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Greg Location: Taylor, FL. Posts: 12,725 Trading: (10)	Thoughts on wireless network set-up Just curious for some opinions. I know just enough about networking to get in trouble, LOL. I have a home network as many do. I am currently using a Linksys E1500 N router. I have a Linksys 3200 but for some reason I don't have it in use. Anyway I pretty much cut the cord 5 or 6 years ago and up to recently used Roku for my entertainment streaming. I also have Playon with the 1channel add on that allows me to stream most TV shows and movies that were ever made. Wasn't necessarily liking the fact that in order for playon to work you have to install a server on your desktop for it to stream through. I received an Apple Tv for free when I subscribed to DirecTV Now for three months. The jury is still out on that and I will probably turn it off after the three months are up. I bought a Fire Stick on the advice of a friend and added Kodi and exodus to it. It is much faster than the Playon. So I bought another Fire Stick for the bedroom TV. I like the Fire Stick so much that I have unhooked the Rokus and the Apple TV and have Netflix and DirecTV Now on the Fire Stick. It is my intent to also cut off Netflix soon as it's not needed with Kodi, I can watch everything that Netflix has to offer plus more. This was probably long and somewhat rambling, but I have ordered an Asus RT-87U that will be here in a couple days. We also for several years use an AT&T microcell which allows us to use our cellphones at home because we live in a very rural area with no cell service. I used it because I had it, but am now wanting to stop using it and just use wifi calling which now is pretty stable. The microcell seems to have more latency issues than the wifi calling does and I believe it may be due to being double NATed. I have DSL from my phone company (it's all that's available) and have a DSL modem. I have a dynamic IP from the phone company because they want quite a bit to have static. It is my intent to bridge the modem to take care of the double NAT, and that should help VOIP be all it can be. I also have one or two patch cables that are CAT5 instead of CAT5E or CAT6. Should I upgrade the cables to cat5E? I have read that CAT6 really doesn't give me more unless I am running the cable a long way and we are talking about patch cables for connecting the printer and modem and such. The router I currently have doesn't have gigabit ports but the new one does. But the fact that I only have 10 mbps internet I'm not sure it matters does it? Is there anything else I should do or some of the things I am gonna do that I shouldn't? I am going to call the phone company tomorrow and upgrade the internet to 15 mbps because I think I can change the package to that for a little bit less than I am paying now because of a two year promotion they are doing. I also have a lifetime subscription to Celo VPN. I am intending to run it at the router level with OpenVPN so I don't get any letters from the phone company, even though I have been streaming for 5 years and haven't yet there's always the possibility of it happeneing. thanks