Hey all,

I'm sure you're all tired of these kinds of advice topics, but I could still use the help. I've looked at similar topics but could still use the advice. I've recently purchased an 80GB PS3. I plan to hook it up to my Sony HD television in the upstairs of our house.

I have an iMac G5 (older gen still with reg G5 processor, not intel) and have Comcast HSI. The only minor snag here is that my TV is upstairs, but the computer hooked up to the cable modem is downstairs (about 2 stories). This automatically means I'd have to go wireless in terms of internet connectivity for the PS3. Too expensive to bring a wired line upstairs, or is it?

I've looked on the PS forums and the networking setup guides that have been posted there. So far, nobody has answered me. I've also called up CompUSA and Best Buy to determine the best type of wireless router to buy, but it's difficult to decide because every router has its glowing reports and dysmal ones. Granted, router performance has virtually everything to do with the type of home you're in, the materials the house it constructed with, how many other people in the area also have routers, etc.

I'd like to stick with a Belkin or Netgear router, but I'm not sure which one is best. Obviously, I've had to find ones that are compatible with the Mac OS. (I'm running 10.4.10 by the way). Both Best Buy and CompUSA have told me opposite things:

1. Best Buy is telling me that I should buy a router (perhaps Netgear RangeMax) along with a hub/access point that I can plug into a landline upstairs so that the hub picks up the signal from downstairs. Makes sense.
2. CompUSA is telling me that I should buy one of the Belkin N-1 routers, especially since we're talking about the PS3 and the signal has to reach from our downstairs room to the upstairs.
3. Both tell me I don't need an Airport card for my iMac so long as the router is plugged into the computer along with the Comcast cable modem.

Now, these situations don't have much of a price difference. If I go with an N-1 router, the signal is supposedly stronger and I wouldn't need an access point upstairs (would I?), but it would still cost $120+ for the router (Belkin one looks pretty good but I worry when I read some of those terrible reviews next to the glowing ones and I don't want to be out $120 for something that doesn't work.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=339
852&;pfp=bn (for some reason, the MB doesn't recognize the entire URL, so apologies if you have to copy and paste to check them out).

If I stick with a regular G router, such as a Netgear,
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?pfp=BROWSE&;N=200716+402830&Ne=400000&product_code=319199 or
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?pfp=BROWSE&;N=200716+402830&Ne=400000&product_code=302517

...the price is cheaper, but I'd probably have to get an access point to make the signal reach upstairs and depending on the one I stick with, the price would almost be equivalent to the price of an N-1 router. Now, I'm not stupid. I realize, that the rather unfriendly CompUSA people like to suggest the most supposedly "powerful" routers because they're the most expensive and they want your money, but that doesn't mean those routers are the best or most reliable. I've been told that the N-1 technology is a bunch of hogswallop. I'm not sure.

I'm also somewhat limited in router choice because I don't have a PC at home, but I think I have enough options to get by.

I'm not even sure if the Belkin N-1 routers (even if they're G, and B backwards compatible) would be totally compatible with the PS3 or not. I'd like to be sensible and only get what I really need. So I guess my question and request for advice is the following:

1. Should I go with a more inexpensive router for downstairs and buy the same brand of access point that I can plug into a regular landline and hardwire the connection to the back of the PS3 upstairs? OR
2. Should I take the plunge and buy a more expensive N-1 router with a supposedly stronger signal and just have it connected to my Comcast modem downstairs and hope the signal reaches? I really don't want to have to go out and buy another access point for an expensive router after finding out that, "Oops, the signal strength, even on the Belkin N-1 isn't strong enough. Gotta get an antenna or another access point....sorry."
3. Should I scratch wireless all together and just try to find some way to bring a wired ethernet connection upstairs to the back of my PS3? Is there a way to splice an internet signal that way?

Ideally, number 3 would be best/most reliable because it would make the need for any kind of wireless routing unncessary, but I don't know how expensive it is to do this and whether or not Comcast even could do it.

My house is an older style house built on a concrete foundation, but the walls are mainly plaster/wood, and we have a lot of wood supports in our basement, but I don't think the signal has to go through the basement. Since the signal is a straight line shoot, it should be able to bypass the basement entirely in a diagonal line right to the room where my PS3 will be. I'd say we have about 2.5 stories in our house if you count this downstairs room. My tv where the PS3 will go is on the top floor, so it's a decent sized home, but not gigantic. We have virtually no concrete walls. My computer is close to a corner of my downstairs room facing a window that is technically on the same general side of the house as the room with my Sony HD TV, but I wouldn't necessarily call them next door neighbors. There is a little distance between the two. I'd say, to be generous, about 150 feet.

Any other suggestions/help you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

Dude go to Frys.com and get the airlinks wireless n router for less then 50 bucks. 300 MBPS and it works great. They even have fantastic customer service.

I know that this one is a little pricey, but it's pretty slick looking.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=377018

You may want to get a netgear poweline ethernet adapter, this solution works better IMHO and the bandwidth is more stable/predictable.

I like the dlink gaming routers, this is the one I have:

http://games.dlink.com/products/?model=DGL-4300

in concern to running a wired a/o up stairs- I've worked for both Comcast and Charter. Both of these companies charge about 40 bucks to run the new line. granted, they DO NOT do wall fiches for this price. This type of install either comes from the floor (a crawl space) or through an exterior wall (house wrap). If you need a wall fisce (so the wires are in the walls and look like the house was buit that way) I generally charge 60-80 bucks per wall per level, INTERNAL WALL only...no insulation. If the job is easier I will bid it that way. running wire up stairs will take away the worry about the router being a pos.
gl to ya

Get the netgear 824.. you should have no problems with signal strength with your house setup. Heck..even a 614 or 624 would be fine for your app. Just make sure it has the latest firmware installed on the new router. Check your current FW on your new router..then go to netgear's website and make sure it is the newest available. If not..download and install.

If you go the wireless route, I'd recommend Netgear over Belkin any day of the week.

Signal strength has always been better on Netgears and the Belkins firmware is generally very awkward and feature lacking.

The TRENDnet TEW-633GR is currently a very good buy for range and throughput. It seems Draft N 2.0 really makes a difference.

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=3136

http://i9.tinypic.com/81i06l5.jpg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156226

I'm running my wireless on all Apple equipment. Simple and works very well. Look at the apple store in the 'special deals' section and you can usually get a wireless for a bit less.

But you know it will work with your G5 and Apple's software is so easy to use.

I've got mine setup with 2 Airport Extremes in a WDS (see apple for how this works) setup to get the range I need.

IMO, just a lot less hassle and it works great.

I like the dlink gaming routers, this is the one I have:

http://games.dlink.com/products/?model=DGL-4300
+1 on that. I love my 4300. Both my 360 and my PS3 get great signal strength with that router and have had no problems with it.

I just read the write-up on the Dlink gaming router. I'm not sure I'm buying into it. For those of you that have one, are you happy with the performance? Anyone else skeptical?

I just read the write-up on the Dlink gaming router. I'm not sure I'm buying into it. For those of you that have one, are you happy with the performance? Anyone else skeptical?

I have one, basically got tired of the old linksys needing to be rebooted periodically due to heavy usage (BT).

I wanted gig, and the 4300 is a gig switch.

I have found it to be extremely stable, and I can't remember ever having to reboot it due to anything other than a problem with my cable modem.

ps. - I already had 3 computers with gig nics, and I move a lot of large files around between machines.

pps. - I am a network engineer, so I felt a need to justify my upgrade to gig in the house. :)

I've had the D-Link DGL-4300 Gaming Router for over a year now. It's a decent router w/a nice menu but the range is so-so compared to the TrendNet I linked.

Dude go to Frys.com and get the airlinks wireless n router for less then 50 bucks. 300 MBPS and it works great. They even have fantastic customer service.

PlayStation 3 only have IEEE 802.11b/g. IEEE 802.11n routers will have to switch to b or g to
comply with the speed of the PS3. Even if you have IEEE 802.11n you still not going to tap
300Mbps unless you have a T1 or greater connection.

PlayStation 3 only have IEEE 802.11b/g. IEEE 802.11n routers will have to switch to b or g to
comply with the speed of the PS3. Even if you have IEEE 802.11n you still not going to tap
300Mbps unless you have a T1 or greater connection.

A T1 is 1.544 Mbps (Mega bits per second), so that is a lot slower than 300 Mbps.

The max real world speed of a 802.11g is around 20Mbps.

The max speed of 802.11n is around 75Mbps.

A 802.11n router has advantages in that it can receive and transmit on multiple channels at the same time.

So if two PS3s or PCs are connected to a 802.11n router, they both can get the max speeds of 20Mbps, as they can be speaking to the same router on different channels.

If they were both connected to a 802.11g router, they would each have a max speed of 10Mbps.

So a good 802.11n router is best to get. I recommend a Linksys that can be updated to a 3rd party firmware.

Otherwise get a good 802.11g router, such as the Linksys WRT54GL around $50, (The L at the end is important) and update it to Tomato or DD-WRT.

I currently have a wireless n routed but only using G at the moment. The ps3 is about 25 fees away from the router and I can only get about 80% signal on the PS3. Now since the PS3 you can not use just a regular routed you have to use an Access point router since it has to be hardwired to the back. There is one router I been looking at its a bit pricey is the d-link dap-1555 which can act as an access point and as a regular router depending how it is switched in the back of it(so it can be used for other purposes later). I am trying to stream dvd quality video from my PC to the PS3 but its a bit choppy from time to time in my living room but does not chop when in perfect line of sight in my bedroom.

Hey I have the linux router "WRT54GL" what advantages of "Tomato or DD-WRT" have?

I'm running my wireless on all Apple equipment. Simple and works very well. Look at the apple store in the 'special deals' section and you can usually get a wireless for a bit less.

But you know it will work with your G5 and Apple's software is so easy to use.

I've got mine setup with 2 Airport Extremes in a WDS (see apple for how this works) setup to get the range I need.

IMO, just a lot less hassle and it works great.

+1

I have 2 Airport Extreme's and 2 Airport Expresses all WDS and it's fantastic. PS3 just grabs an IP and works great.

IMO forget wireless.

Run the wire or use ethernet electrical.

I ran wireless for a while and for playing video, media sharing, etc it was pretty useless. Trying to view 8mp pictures over the connection was very slow.

I wired the entire house for cheap and bought a Rosewill Gigabit switch for around $40. My limitation right now is the speed of the HD in the PS3. I'm pretty sure your G5 is gigabit.

You'll be much happier and less problems.

I was thinking of getting one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Plugged-85MBPS-Ext-Kit/dp/B000VXIJIG******pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1198942448&sr=8-1

Anyone have any expeirence with one?

YMark your link doesn't work.

Hey I have the linux router "WRT54GL" what advantages of "Tomato or DD-WRT" have?

It's pretty much like Internet Explorer vs. Firefox. Or closed source vs. open source to be more specific. Firefox is filled with features and the latest updates while IE is always playing catch up (though more popular).

Tomato & DD-WRT are the people's firmware, meaning they are created and updated by users for users. Because of that you'll see many more features available that weren't with the manufacturer's firmware. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about so I loaded Tomato on my bro's cheap Buffalo router and can't imagine going back to the original.

If you have a compatible router try it out for yourself and see.