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    Ethernet Wired vs Wifi Internet Questions

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by Drew1, Nov 1, 2013.

  1. Drew1

    Drew1 Notebook Virtuoso

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    I created a thread about my internet going out every night at 3:40am and people say its a power issue since the router powers off at that time when i take a look at the router. Now want to ask a ethernet wired question vs wifi internet.


    http://forum.notebookreview.com/net...ing-go-out-every-night-exactly-same-time.html

    So to sum it up, i am living in a furnished apartment that includes everything including internet. Problem is internet is wifi only so i cannot do wired. Obviously i prefered wired. I live about 3 floors up from where the router is located. I was told internet is very fast and reliable but some times it does get a bit slow and it definitely is.


    In the room where the router is located, there is 2 routers. Well one i think is a router and the other is the modem/router. One is TP Link Wr340gd router. The other is a linksys cisco modem/router... not 100 percent sure. There are many wires that are connected to the tp link wr340gd router. What i found strange was there were 2 wires that connected it to 2 different apartments that are in the same floor as where the router is. Does that mean those 2 apartments they connected an ethernet wire and connect it wired internet? Those 2 wires... each one of them go from that room... to their apartment. And thus i can do wired as well if i can connect an ethernet cable from my laptop all the way to that router? Note... there is only one spot left in the back of the router left to put in another ethernet cable. The other wires are all filled up.


    I also want to mention there are 2 wifi connections. Lets call them Connection A and Connection B. Both have the same password if i want to connect to either one. I always choose connection A. But if connection A has problems or doesn''t work, i choose B. Usually one of them will work very good while the other is either good, okay or not that good. So i always see these 2 connections when im on my laptop until that time of course. However what i found strange is why is it always one connection works while the other i cannot connect to?
     
  2. Drew1

    Drew1 Notebook Virtuoso

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    What i want to know is does that mean i can just buy a very long ethernet cable and then connect it to that router to my laptop then i would get a very fast and reliable internet connection? The thing is this... in my apartment... there is another door that i had no clue what it went to. I opened it and then it actually goes downstairs and if you go downstairs a few floors down or so... the router is all the way down there. I had thought couldn't i just use an ethernet cable and plug it to my laptop then extend and then have it go through the bottom of that door and when i have that door opened... i just drop the ethernet cable all the way down to where the router is? Then once i do that, i then walk downstairs to the room where the router is and then plug it into one of the ethernet ports? The thing is i can actually walk downstairs from that other exit but its kind of tough walking down those stairs as oppose to a regular staircase when i open my regular door. And the other thing is i cannot connect the long ethernet cable from my laptop to the router from my main apartment door to that room directly b/c that wire would be obstructing the staircase if you know what i mean.


    I guess thats the reason why my apartment have that other door next to it where you open it and its basically like another way to get downstairs?


    Because the person told me there isn't wired internet just wireless... but then when i saw there were 2 ethernet cables that connected from the router and then saw it went to 2 differerent apt on same floor... i thought aren't they doing wired instead of wifi?


    The other thing is i actually saw there was an ethernet cable that went from the router that went all the way upstairs. Its like an ethernet cable that hanged a few floors up near my apartment. However... the ethernet cable seemed to be attached to these white spots on the wall? Im not sure how to say it but imagine the router... then a blue ethernet cable connected to it that went all the way up to the ceiling.. only difference is its like stuck to white tape a few inches every few spots away. Does anyone know what i mean by this? I guess its like this so that ethernet cable would be more stable?




    So if i connect it wired with an ethernet cable, would i have to do the same thing like that blue ethernet cable that is connected from router and goes all the way upstairs? Or can i just basically just drop the ethernet cable like that downstairs. It would like im dropping a rope a few floors down if you know what i mean.


    I dont mind wifi but i hear wifi is much slower than wired and not stable. So would you say its better for me to do this? Also i think i probably would need minimum 50 feet wire? I know for sure a 20 feet wire wouldn't be long enough if i had to attach this cable and have it go a few floors down if you know what i mean.


    Just want to make sure before i go and buy a 50 or 100 feet ethernet cable.



    Thank you.
     
  3. mattcheau

    mattcheau Notebook Deity

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    if the open jack is numbered '1,' '2,' '3,' or '4,' buy the 50-100 foot ethernet cable. if it's not come back and tell us what the open jack is labeled.

    Sent from my PI39100 using Tapatalk
     
  4. Krane

    Krane Notebook Prophet

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    No, take a picture.
    It is more stable and much faster.
    Do you mean drop and ugly cable down somewhere and connect it willynilly? Most likely that is a violation of tenant rules.
    Anything can be connected by wire assuming its in your building. You just may have to pay for the installation. Just like cable. In fact, if you have cable you already have this. Your wireless is free because its simple to connect. All you need is an access code.
    Unlikely you can just connect this on your own without violating some tenant policy.
     
  5. KLF

    KLF NBR Super Modernator Super Moderator

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    I'm thinking several different scenarios here.

    1. You have an upstairs neighbour that also likes his internet stable and neatly routed.
    2. It's ethernet cable going to the modem that's hidden somewhere else
    3. It's actually phone cable, going from the modem to the wall plug (but neither of these two was a modem, right?)

    I'm guessing number 2, especially if the cable goes in to the router's WAN port.
     
  6. EasyCruz

    EasyCruz Notebook Geek

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    Not sure if that WIFI router and CAT5 cabling belongs to the property owner.
    But if you have access to it, then it’s not secure. Who wants a router power outage
    during a 5 gig file download? Lots of security issues here.

    Back to the router. Some carrier (TWC, Cablevision, Verizon) must be providing
    WAN connectivity to the outside. If you have a copper land line phone in your unit,
    consider getting DSL. Or if the carrier has a FIOS fiber ONT drop, get a
    3/1 Meg phone + internet package with WAN coax cabling to your own router.
    Steer clear of that router if possible.
     
  7. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    Indeed.

    I don't know what OP's location is, but...if the router is owned by the landlord, connecting to it without permission would qualify as "theft of service" in most states...

    There's gotta be a better way...
     
  8. EasyCruz

    EasyCruz Notebook Geek

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    @ajkula66

    Exactly. The router and carrier services belong to someone else.
    I suspect that person also has admin rights to the routers. Unauthorized
    access by WIFI or cabling is hacking. Unless the user/renter has specific
    permission to connect.
     
  9. downloads

    downloads No, Dee Dee, no! Super Moderator

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    Come on. Stop playing cops - it's really boring. Internet is available to all tenants, covered by the rent and OP has every right to use it - since Wi-Fi is rather poor he wants to use cable connection. That could have been discovered by reading the first post and/or link included in it.

    Sure it would be a good idea to tell building management about it but that's just being polite. There's no hacking involved and no unauthorised access so please move on to either giving advice concerning the actual question or just move on elsewhere.
     
    Qing Dao and mattcheau like this.
  10. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    I'd respectfully beg to differ.

    Wireless access is included in the rent/lease/whatever, wired is not.


    Once again, I don't know OP's location - or yours for that fact - but in my neck of the woods getting a permission from the building management would not be a matter of politeness.
     
  11. downloads

    downloads No, Dee Dee, no! Super Moderator

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    OP's location is stated as Canada in the link in his first post. Not that anyone bothered to read it before giving an unwanted legal analysis.

    Let's stick to networking please. I've seen my fair share of wannabe Johnnie Cochrans in this forum and I'm pretty tired of this.
    Not that it's not appreciated that you guys pointed that out but now that it's duly noted...
     
  12. EasyCruz

    EasyCruz Notebook Geek

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    Ok. Lets talk tech talk. See picture of a typical VZ FIOS setup.
    It’s not a clean install. The one I have is very clean. Power,and all cabling run through ducts.
    Protection everywhere, PDU backup and under my complete control.

    You want a CAT5/6 straight thru with slack connecting to an open Ethernet port on the router. Is there a duct raceway to get from the utility closet
    to your area? Pull the slack in your room. Next thought, I keep unused ports of my router disabled and when WIFI isn’t needed, it’s disabled.
    If you connect and there’s NIC activity, your done. If not, the port needs to be enabled.

    FIOS.jpg
     
  13. jotm

    jotm Notebook Evangelist

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    I take it you don't use Twitter? (sorry, couldn't help myself :))

    Anyway, wired would be best, but another solution would be to get a cheap router + DDWRT to act as your own private repeater (or a dedicated repeater, but DDWRT is more powerful) - get the signal from the main access point (Connection A and/or B) - it would be slower but much more reliable than your laptop connecting straight to the router three floors down. It's not hard to setup, but you do need a bit of experience or patience.

    Supported routers here: Supported Devices - DD-WRT Wiki

    I'd recommend TPLINK, DLINK or Linksys...
     
  14. mattcheau

    mattcheau Notebook Deity

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    as an actual lawyer i stand by my advice, OP.

    Sent from my PI39100 using Tapatalk
     
  15. Aluminum

    Aluminum Notebook Consultant

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    And as an actual lawyer you should know its frowned upon to offer any legal advice outside your licensed jurisdictions, free or otherwise, so which Canadian bar did you pass? :)

    OP, to hijack a meme: pics or it didn't happen.
     
  16. mattcheau

    mattcheau Notebook Deity

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    and as a whatever you are you should know that networking advice ≠ legal advice. what's a canadian bar? is that where they teach canadian lawyers to frown? ;)

    Sent from my PI39100 using Tapatalk
     
  17. bonami2

    bonami2 Notebook Consultant

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    Cmon guy canada rule! What about legality with a router? it cost 40$ :eek2: Just plug that in if you have access to it uh ( hacking wut? i know people bypassing router and maxing out people bandwith yea ( it stupids) but they never get caugh....



    ( The router can be set to shutdown at certain hour wired or wireless so if it that you can still try to connect with the ip to the router and try to change the setting

    This is not called hacking it called ( default password lol :D



    And for connection a and b ( it 2.4 vs 5 ghz probably


    and wireless vs wired dont have real difference today Im gaming on wireless and wired the ping is the same so it good


    TL-WR340G Default IP: 192.168.1.1
    TL-WR340G Default Password: admin
    TL-WR340G Default Username: admin

    Same thing for my bell router i pay for the router i change what i want ahah

    Goodluck my friend :)
     
  18. Drew1

    Drew1 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Okay so i went to that place where the 2 routers/modems are. My internet the wifi had tons of problems... i could not log into any site on at all. It shows me connected with the wifi bars but i couldn't go to any site.


    I then connected my 6 feet ethernet cable into one of those 1 2 3 4 numbers on the back of the router... when i did this... my internet was extremely fast. Also just to make sure... when i do this, instead of seeing those 2, 3, 4 or 5 bars for my internet... i should not see that anymore and see a computer in that area right in replacement of the internet wifi bar? Again the internet was very fast but that area... its like a stairway so its hard to do anything there.


    I took a closer look and that blue wire that connects from the router all the way up... it goes all teh way up and connects to other wires... i dont know how to explain it. But from what i see... i think a 50 feet ethernet cable from my apartment to the router would work. And to someone that said i wouldnt be allowed to connect the wire.. there are 2 other residents in the buiding who connected their ethernet cable from their apartment to that router. However, they have it pretty easy b/c their apartment is on the same floor as where the router is. For me... i have to drop the ethernet cable from this door down this stairwell... however... that stairwell ppl dont go through there. I say its like a 2nd emergency exit from their apartment if their regular door you dont walk down those stairs. Does this give you a good picture of what i mean by this?

    Also i forget to ask this question. But when im connected wired... i see there is the computer icon in place of the wifi bar icon. So when im connected wired... am i connected to wireless connection A or wireless connection B or is it just wired and its none of these?


    Another thing was last time when i connected the ethernet cable from laptop to the modem, i still saw the wifi icon bar and did not have the computer icon. Did that mean i was still connected wifi even though i connected it wired?
     
  19. mattcheau

    mattcheau Notebook Deity

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    you're just wired when you're plugged in, although your wireless card will still be polling for available wireless networks. you can shut off the wireless card/radio either via device manager or a functionally equivalent hardware switch to conserve battery.

    i think the answer to your second question is that you weren't properly connected. right now all you need to worry about is that 50-100 foot ethernet cable though!

    Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro
     
  20. bonami2

    bonami2 Notebook Consultant

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    It mean that the router block wireless from certain hour but not ethernet you can change that or just plug an ethernet cable
     
  21. Drew1

    Drew1 Notebook Virtuoso

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    Okay i spoke to the person and they said i can do an ethernet cable fine as long as it doesn't mess up the wireless router or interfere with the other tenants and that is fine. There is only one jack available in the back of the router.


    I have a 5 feet ethernet cable. I measured to see how long it was to the router, i know that 25 feet is not enough. I measured it and i think 35 feet to 40 feet probably would be the distance it takes. Its hard to measure it exactly b/c i have to open the emergency exit door to the stairway down to the router and have to drop the ethernet cable down.


    Would you guys say its best to just get the 50 feet one? Im pretty sure 35 feet would be enough but 40 feet would definitely be enough though im estimating. Its hard for me to do this walking around with a 5 feet ethernet cable and doing estimates with my hand and it. I assume if its too long.. that shouldn't be a problem? Such as a person using a 25 feet one when a 15 feet one was enough or 50 feet one when a 30 or 35 feet was enough? Or would that be an annoyance/problem? Has anyone used an ethernet cable that way just a bit too long? Obviously i dont want to get a 30 feet one and then its short by a few feet and not long enough. I know 100 percent 25 feet wont do.


    Thing is it seems like 35 and 40 feet ones cost double the 50 feet one.


    This is what im looking at now.

    BlueRigger Cat5e Ethernet Patch Cable (50 Feet) - Amazon.ca

    Thanks.
     
  22. bonami2

    bonami2 Notebook Consultant

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    50 is ok :)

    bad thing start with 100+ meter


    Just take care of shipping fee ;)
     
  23. EasyCruz

    EasyCruz Notebook Geek

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    Before you buy. Consider CAT5 Vs CAT6 550MHz

    50 FT CAT6 prices are $7.29 - $ 30.00 & there’s a CAT6A 10 gig for $17.35 (50 FT)

    CAT6 cable contains four pairs of copper wire like the previous generation CAT5. Unlike CAT5, however, CAT6 fully utilizes all four pairs.
    CAT6 supports Gigabit Ethernet speeds up to 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) and supports communications at more than twice the speed of CAT5e,
    the other popular standard for Gigabit Ethernet cabling. An enhanced version of CAT6 called CAT6a supports up to 10 Gbps speeds.
    As with all other types of twisted pair EIA/TIA cabling, individual CAT6 cable runs are limited to a maximum recommended length of 100m (328 feet).
    Printing along the length of the cable sheath identifies it as CAT6.

    Shop on line: DeepSurplus, FireFold, Sears (Free shipping deals).
     
  24. bonami2

    bonami2 Notebook Consultant

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    Hey man this guy is using internet and your recommend a server grade cable that i dont even use myself and i host server at home lol



    Just buy the cat5e is perfect... you will gain no benefit except losing money....