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The Netgear also has beamforming and 5G which is why I'm giving it a try. It's the same company as the Nighthawk so maybe the performance will be on par (although it's ac vs. n).

I'll let you know after tonight (if I get around to setting it up... I procrastinate like that).
 
irvinehomeowner said:
The Netgear also has beamforming and 5G which is why I'm giving it a try. It's the same company as the Nighthawk so maybe the performance will be on par (although it's ac vs. n).

I'll let you know after tonight (if I get around to setting it up... I procrastinate like that).
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Thanks.  I'd like to know if I can use a cheaper router (doesn't even have to be wifi) in the closet and then put my Nighthawk in an open spot in the house.

Unless someone here has a suggestion as to how I can setup all those termination points in the closet to my Nighthawk and still have my Nighthawk in the Great Room.
 
What OpenSky said... and you don't need another router. The Nighthawk is actually for very large homes so if you put it central it will WiFi your entire tract. :)
 
So I actually set it up and the results were surprising.

I think I have 50MB service from Cox and wireless I could not get more than 17-18Mb... the first time I tested it after the new router... 42Mb... the second time and after... about an average of 59Mb. And I'm only on 2.4ghz.

Signal strength has improved (from 4 to 5 bars) on my notebook. I'll test how it is upstairs.

The real test is my kids and their devices, one complains that his iPod keeps losing WiFi connection so let's see how this one does.

So far so good. I'm going to upgrade the firmware and SpeedTest it again.
 
So after more tests, it ranges between 48Mb and 68Mb which is a HUGE improvement over the 17Mb I kept getting on my old router.

The main reason I got this particular model at Costco was:

1. It was Netgear so the same brand as the highly touted Nighthawk which gave me some expectation of similar performance
2. It was on sale, regularly $140 but it was $15 off.
3. The other one they had was the Linksys AC1750 and while faster, for $160, it was only $40 away from a Nighthawk and $35 more than the AC1450.

Like most technology, I usually only get bleeding edge if my need is there and since the Nighthawk is obviously for larger homes (per Netgear's site), this unit should suffice. I'm not a gamer so the bandwidth is really only for Netflix since that seems to chew up the pipe whenever someone is using it. I don't have any Wifi gear set up outdoor so I'm really only concerned with indoor range/signal strength.

I've been trying to read more about beamforming as it seems that the clients also have to support it and since I'm only on the 2.4ghz channel, I'm not even sure if beamforming is being utilized. Whether that's the reason why I'm getting such an improvement is a mystery to me, all I know is it's faster and I didn't have to spend $200 on a Nighthawk. :)
 
Does anyone use the Motorola Surfboard SB6141?  If so, do you have any issues maintaining a stable connection?  The modem is typically sold in white, and I believe the sell/sold it at Costco.  For the past few months, I've had intermittent random dropped connections.  Sometimes a few times a week, sometimes a few times a day.  Whenever this happens, it takes a few minutes for the modem to re-initialize and for the internet to be restored. 

I did some research and it appears some other folks in Irvine have similar issues using this modem with Cox as well, so I don't think it's a defect in the hardware.  Maybe sensitivity to the signal from Cox?  Cox actually came out to my house and checked all the connections and there were no issues.

For those using Cox internet, what modem would you recommend?   

Thanks in advance...

 
Gaming will be big at my house.  As well as the file sharing. I will be getting a 3.0 hard drive once I get my tv.  We haven't decided on the size yet.  But once we do and it goes on the wall then I'll need the file sharing capabilities.

I have a lot of shows I converted from my Old TiVO that I would like to watch via file sharing.  The possibilities of that router is amazing.
 
OpenSky said:
But 802.11ac is growing quickly, with most new smartphones supporting the protocol.
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The AC1450 is 802.11ac too.

If I get a larger house that needs the Nighthawk, by then, it will be cheaper or there will be a Nighthawk 2. :)
 
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