Wireless

[HippieDave]

I'm using a Buffalo Wireless G Router (WHR-HP-54) as the hub of my home wireless system.  At a remote location, I use an access point (Air Station  WLI-TX4-G54HP) and connect a computer to it via ethernet.  I've just installed a home theater AVReceiver that can stream internet content, but does not have wireless built in.  It has a USB port, but I want to reserve that for other uses.  So I'd like to use its ethernet port to connect into the system.  What is the basic unit (least expensive) that will do that?  (I'm fairly close to the Router, but far enough to make hardwiring problematic.)  I love Buffalo, but their product site could sure use some help in describing its products!.

[Artjohn]

The best (and least expensive) advice is to overcome whatever you think is now "problematic" and use any quality Cat5-e or better cable from the AVReceiver ethernet port to a lan port on the WHR-HP-54 (Monoprice or Amazon is a good source for the cable).  They even make flat ethernet cables that can be hidden and have a high WAF factor.

Ethernet over Cable (MoCA) if you have coax near the router and the receiver, or ethernet over powerline,(Google those technologies) are options, but they are more expensive, require new equipment, and are neither as fast nor as reliable as a direct ethernet connection from the main router.

Can't tell from your post whether the Air Station is wired or wirelessly connected to the WHR-HP-54/. I suppose audio streaming, if that is all you intend to do with the AVReceiver, is less demanding than video.

A poorer solution that some may suggest is a USB Wifi dongle for the AVReceiver, but you don't seem inclined to want that either.

Good luck!

[Jotin]

I would go with the WZR-HP-G450H.

[HippieDave]

Thanks.  The air station is not wired to the WHR hp 54/.  It is used to receive the wifi signal in another building nearby where my office is.  I take it from your comment that while wireless would be OK for audio streaming, which currently is in fact my main plan, it would not be as good for video?  My long term plan is to be able to stream or download video off the internet when that becomes the dominant method of distribution.  Does this argue strongly for a hardwire connection? (in would be about 5o feet and is certainly doable, just not as easy as wireless.)

[Artjohn · Accepted solution]

Yes, if your intention is ultimately to stream video, *wired ethernet* from your existing Buffalo Router to the AVReciever would be the best and at the end of the day the least expensive way to go.

Down the road, with a wire to the AV area, you could add a wired router, set it as an AP at the av location, and extend a full strong wireless signal to that area; and have as a bonus, use the unused lan ports as a switch adding 3 or 4 more wired ethernet ports in the area as well.

Tim Higgens runs an excellent site, smallnetbuilder.com, and he explains it well here:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-basics/31576-the-best-way-to-get-whole-house-wirele...

The Buffalo router you have is a good router, and I believe there are even DD-WRT and Tomato distros to extend its useful life. 

Buffalo makes good products, and I would bet you have found that WHR to be a reliable workhorse.

[HippieDave]

I live in what is locally called a "bridge Timbered" house--post and beam construction using old reclaimed redwood posts and beams from the old highway bridges around here that were dismantled and replaced w/ concrete back in the '50s.   Contractors salvaged the beams.  Some of the structural elements are as big as 19x12.  A couple even larger.  So we had a terrible time getting any sort of normal coverage with Lyncsys and other routers.  Put the Buffalo in five years ago or so and have never had a bit of trouble since.  I recommended it to a friend with the same type of construction issues and it worked for him as well.  Thanks for the advice! Wired it will be.

[HippieDave]

Follow up Q:  I already get a strong signal  everywhere in the house with the Buffalo Router and the Air Station AP I have.  But if I wanted just a passive "hub"--that is, adding no wireless features-- at the AV Receiver to hook it up along with a Home Theater PC I'm contemplating building, are there serious quality issues there, or do I just look for the cheapest multi-port ethernet hub I can find? 

[Artjohn]

Assuming you are going to pull or roll an ethernet CAT 5e or better cable to the AV area, and you have no plans in the near or not too far future of adding wireless N or wireless AC to your wireless device stable, (sticking with B and G) and no plans to subscribe to FIOS 150/50 or a Docsis 3 or fiber cable ISP offering greater than 100 Mbps down, then think 4 or 5 port SWITCH, not hub, something like this:

 Buffalo Technology 5-Port 10/100 Mbps Wired Switch LSW3-TX-5EP/W

(White - MPN: LSW3TX5EPW)

[neostrider69]

Sorry Jotin, nothing personal but I've had mine for 2 days already and I've discovered that the firmware for the WZR-HP-G450H which is DD-WRT (SVN 17140 can't find any other version to try, I heard there was one then discovered it was pulled because of a bug) has all kinds of issues that has me refusing to recommend the equipment for a production environment. DDNS issues, the ATH0/VLAN2 resets automatically without rhyme or reason, Non-Adjustable TX power, VLANs settings under Setup doesn't exist but does exist if you know about the Vlan.asp page to type into the address bar, just to name a few issues right off the bat with the DD-WRT firmware... as far as the friendly firmware (v1.85)... uhhh no... not so friendly. I make a change and it's rebooting for 5 to 65 seconds, then it wants me to reenter the authentication to log into the device...It looks like this would be a solid device if all the firmware issues could get fixed. Plenty of NVRAM, good processor speed, nice options... unfortunately at this time I'm about to pull it and send it back to my distributor because I need something reliable and I don't have to fight with daily or hourly.

I loved my WHR-HP-G54... too bad its transmitter died.

[Jotin]

I'm running our latest supported version of DDWRT on our site which is build 17798 at buffalotech.com/support/downloads. "DD-WRT SVN 17140 is not a supported version of firmware. I would try our actual DDWRT firmware before you take back the unit.

I have 0 issues and I am using DDNS myself among other things. I have no problem streaming HD content around the network between multiple devices.