Wireless internet connection troubles

[Mentallic]

So I recently moved houses and with it we were given a new modem. I had previously used a modem and my own (relatively expensive) router which worked wonderfully, but now, with this all in one modem+router they had given my family, the quality of our internet connection has noticeably dropped.

At this very moment, I'm the only one connected and my online ps3 games' performance are suffering. My ps3 is located a relatively equal distance from the router as it used to be in my last house and now with even less walls between them.

So anyway, I'm curious as to what your take is on this lowered performance? Could it be that the router might be of a lower quality, or maybe it's even the modem? Maybe it's just the new environment that's tougher to bite through?
Oh, and is it possible for me to somehow use my old router instead and disable the router part of the modem that we were given? At least that way I can either fix the problem or settle my mind knowing that it's not the router.

 

[trollcast]

We've got a similar problem here, the modem/router that came from the ISP (I presume this is what yours is from) is a heap of junk for getting a decent wifi connection. However with ours its possible to connect the a second router to one of the lan ports and use the wifi on it to connect to.

In principle its just the same as using the second router as a wireless access point except, its probably going to be sitting directly beside the modem/router.

So follow a guide like this and you should be ok: http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1575/using_an_old_router_as_a_diy_wireless_access_point/index.html

Note turn off the wireless on the bad router to make sure it doesn't interfere with the good router signal.

 

[Mentallic]

Thanks for the help trollcast.

So after about 5 hours of jumping between calls to my ISP and Belkin (my router brand), the issue has been pretty much resolved - I can use my Belkin router once I set my modem into full bridge mode.

The only problem with it is that I need a specialist's help because my ISP can't provide that kind of support, and I've looked at the user manual for my modem and it doesn't mention anything about bridging.

 

[Routaran]

Thanks for the help trollcast.

So after about 5 hours of jumping between calls to my ISP and Belkin (my router brand), the issue has been pretty much resolved - I can use my Belkin router once I set my modem into full bridge mode.

The only problem with it is that I need a specialist's help because my ISP can't provide that kind of support, and I've looked at the user manual for my modem and it doesn't mention anything about bridging.

My service provider also started providing a router/modem combo. The first thing i did was log into the new device i was provided by my ISP, then disable the DHCP/Firewall services. This essentially turns the new device into a plain old basic modem (router services are turned off so irrelevant) Then i connected my old router into the new device and connected all my computers to my old router and done. My network looks like it used to before Internet -> Modem -> My old Router -> my computers

Trollcast's linked guide is, IMO, a better way because you get better coverage but if you feel the wireless on the old router then perhaps mine may better suit you more. Generally speaking, you'd have to have a really incompetent tech on the other end if they are not capable of helping you disable the DHCP/Firewall services on their router/modem combo. I would simply ask to speak to a supervisor and then ask him/her to help you disable the DHCP/firewall. Once that's done, you essentially configure your network the way it was when you had a plain old modem.

 

[Mentallic]

My service provider also started providing a router/modem combo. The first thing i did was log into the new device i was provided by my ISP, then disable the DHCP/Firewall services. This essentially turns the new device into a plain old basic modem (router services are turned off so irrelevant) Then i connected my old router into the new device and connected all my computers to my old router and done. My network looks like it used to before Internet -> Modem -> My old Router -> my computers

Thanks, this is giving me some hope, I'll try that.

Trollcast's linked guide is, IMO, a better way because you get better coverage but if you feel the wireless on the old router then perhaps mine may better suit you more.

I was actually a little confused with the advice trollcast had given me. The link explains how to set up other wireless routers so you can use them as access points around the house so you can essentially get better coverage, but then

Note turn off the wireless on the bad router to make sure it doesn't interfere with the good router signal.

confuses me, because I don't see how I could use my old router as an access point if my modem/router isn't sending out a signal. And I also don't want to set up access points because the rooms using the internet wirelessly are already so close to the modem that I can't think of any place that would be strategically valid to get better reception.
Oh and as trollcast has mentioned, I don't know how disruptive both routers being next to each other would be, but I sure do want to turn off my new router to avoid it.

Generally speaking, you'd have to have a really incompetent tech on the other end if they are not capable of helping you disable the DHCP/Firewall services on their router/modem combo. I would simply ask to speak to a supervisor and then ask him/her to help you disable the DHCP/firewall. Once that's done, you essentially configure your network the way it was when you had a plain old modem.

It seems that the general tech department isn't trained in dealing with advanced modem features, so I'll try call and get a supervisor to help me out, because the next option is to call their specialist tech support which charge by the minute.

 

[Chronos]

Agreed with Routaran, just wire your modem to the Belkin router, then wire the router to the LAN port on your computer. Disable wifi on your modem, if necessary. You will not need to wire any other computer to your router.

 

[Mentallic]

Agreed with Routaran, just wire your modem to the Belkin router, then wire the router to the LAN port on your computer. Disable wifi on your modem, if necessary. You will not need to wire any other computer to your router.

However, that doesn't work until I can set bridge mode on my modem - at least, that's what Belkin customer support have been telling me.

I've tried calling them up again today and again I've been transferred to the specialist tech support section, and they charge a whopping $99 flat fee. I can get a whole new modem and skip all this technical mumbo jumbo for that price...

 

[Routaran]

Can you please provide the exact make and model of both your new router/modem combo as well as your old router?

 

[rcgldr]

I can get a whole new modem and skip all this technical mumbo jumbo...

That might be the best solution, if your ISP supports it. You didn't mention if this was a dsl or a cable modem. I'm using my own Motorola SB6120 Surfer Extreme cable modem. I think the newer version of thie SB6120 is the SB6141.

 

[Mentallic]

Can you please provide the exact make and model of both your new router/modem combo as well as your old router?

My modem/router is a Technicolor TG587n v3
and my old router is a Belkin F9K1102 v1

That might be the best solution, if your ISP supports it. You didn't mention if this was a dsl or a cable modem. I'm using my own Motorola SB6120 Surfer Extreme cable modem. I think the newer version of thie SB6120 is the SB6141.

Yes, they do support it. It's an ADSL 2 connection, which I didn't know before last week would cause me all this trouble. Most ADSL modems are now sold as a modem+router combo so finding a new one modem that's just a modem likely won't be very easy to find. We also still have our old modem from the last house but that was cable.

Good news though, I found an online tutorial about how to bridge your adsl modem router and I'm going to take a stab at it now.

 

[rcgldr]

I's an ADSL 2 connection

For DSL, some ISP's offer the option of multiple external static ip's, one for each device connected to the DSL modem. You get a block of 8 static ip's, but 3 of those are overhead, so you end up with 5 ip's. I think this utilizes a different and hopefully better ADSL2 modem, but it's an additional monthly fee.

 

[Mentallic]

It was too difficult to figure out, and I ended up making it worse by not being able to reset all my changes and start using the net again, so I went out and bought a stand-alone modem for $80.