What we have here is a failure to communicate ....

[StarryKnight1]

I am always amazed with how much time and effort folks are willing to put into these types of forums that help others- great stuff!  This is my first input into the Verizon Forum.

I am endeavoring on improving both my FIOS internet t speed and my home network speed and I can use all the help I can get. I just upgraded from 25/25 to 50/25 and I just tested at 53.5/25.5 (wired) but still getting 23/24.5 (wireless).  I called Verizon several times but was told their responsibility was to deliver the internet speed paid for but suggested I pay for an upgrade in router. This is the equipment I currently have;

-          My house has a main floor (secondary entertainment center), second floor, and a finished basement (primary entertainment center). It is NOT prewired with Ethernet …only CoAx and phone (digital voice with FIOS).

-          Main floor

• Office: Router is an M1424WR Rev. F with 20.19.8 (latest firmware update)
• Living area: Apple TV – wireless

-          Basement

• Network (stereo) receiver in basement (requires Ethernet so not plugged in yet)
• Blu ray DVD player  - wirelessly connected

-          Three newer wireless n laptops  - usually connected wireless

-          Two iphones

-          An iPad (occasional use)

-          PS3 in one of the bedrooms

Questions :

1. First of all, I’m still trying to understand the features of the FIOS router. I’ve read so much I’ve confused myself and I’ve called Verizon and apparently confused them.  They tell me the router is a wireless n router with Gigabit ports , however I don’t think so since my transfer rates between computers are low (wired and wireless). If I check the Status on my SSID, it indicates it’s connected at 54Mbps. However, if I hover over the SSID it’s showing a connection at 802.11n – shouldn’t this connection then be showing 150Mpbs or thereabouts?  
2. I would like to set up server or at least buy a NAS to access movies from all of the tv’s etc. Since my house is not prewired and I don’t want to wire it, I was thinking of:
   1. Using powerline adapters for the entertainments centers. From what I’ve read though I can only find adapters with 10/100 ports so even if they advertise 500 Mbps (for example) they typically throughput around 40Mbps or so for home networking?  Any recommendations?
   2. To improve my wireless network I’m considering:

                                                               i.      Upgrading to the FIOS Gen 3 Router but I’m not sure this will help. Firstly, I’m not sure the range is any better than the Gen 2 router to help reach the basement and upstairs (where the signal is currently weak). Secondly, for the Gen 2 router (‘n’) should currently allow up to a theoretical 150Mbps – right?

                                                             ii.      Buying a second router and installing it after the current Gen 2 router. I will look up on this forum how to do that. However, any recommendations on a router with a good range? Dual band should be better? Maybe other solutions like a second access point elsewhere?

                                                            iii.      Would adding a gibit switch after the Gen 2 router improve hardwire connections? I guess this depends if the GEN 2 is 10/100 or 1000 as I was told over the phone.

3.  currently use WEP security and want to change to WPA2. Should this make a difference in wireless speed? I think I read it should but I don’t know.

[StarryKnight1]

I changed my security setting to WPA2 and now I get 72Mbps in the Stauts and an actual of 44/29 (laptop very close to the router). So I think i have my question # 3 solved. 

[tns]

Wireless-n is only supported with WPA2 and so the wireless speed change.  Should however not effect wired connections.

If it is indeed a Version F it supports draft-n and does NOT have gigabit ports.

[StarryKnight1 · Accepted solution]

Thank you for the info. 

I was thinking of attaching a giga switch to the one of the ports on the router; adding a NAS to a port on the giga switch so that I can have gigabit rating between the NAS and any other device (like a laptop). Also I would add a gigabit powerline adapter to the switch as well, so I could have gigabit transfer rates from any power outlet with an adapter. Is this feasible?

Do you have any recommendations for improving the wireless signal? Maybe I could plug in another access point to a powerline adapter and configure the original router to support that? Would that 'work' or is there a better solution?

[watice]

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@StarryKnight wrote:

Thank you for the info. 

I was thinking of attaching a giga switch to the one of the ports on the router; adding a NAS to a port on the giga switch so that I can have gigabit rating between the NAS and any other device (like a laptop). Also I would add a gigabit powerline adapter to the switch as well, so I could have gigabit transfer rates from any power outlet with an adapter. Is this feasible?

Do you have any recommendations for improving the wireless signal? Maybe I could plug in another access point to a powerline adapter and configure the original router to support that? Would that 'work' or is there a better solution?

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Your slowest chokepoint between two paths will ALWAYS be the maximum speed you can attain. So if you have a gigabit switch with a NAS that also has a gigabit NIC, and that switch is connected to your router which transfers at 52Mbps wirelessly (or whatever the speed is), your speed between a laptop connected wirelessly to your router & the NAS will always be limited to whatever that wireless speed is. 

Your best bet is cat5e. Lots & lots of it, everywhere you need optimal speeds at. As for improving your wireless signal  you could always add your own router which supports 802.11/n and/or 5ghz frequency range, to limit interference from neighbors/microwaves/etc. Verizon sells a 802.11/n router here: https://teleproducts.verizon.com/fios/index.cfm/eh/DisplayDetails