Computer Networking
You’d think that someone who works in the computer networking industry would have an easier time with their home network. And maybe I would if it weren’t for pesky game consoles. Just a note, this is rambly and a bit technical, so be warned. Also note that so far I am completely failing at writing about the cool topics I mentioned at the end of January – but I am also still soliciting more topics to write about…
Ok, to be honest, I started typing this out because there was a problem getting Mackenzie’s Wii connected to my wireless network, but then I recalled that you can actually mess with the network settings by non-intuitively clicking around – and of course that the Wii only supports AES for WPA2, which is OK, i guess. Anyway, I got it worked out but that’s the least of my worries.
Because my more modern Xbox360 also has problems with the wireless – in that it often refuses to believe the network exists, even though other devices have no problems. I can watch Netflix perfectly on my laptop, 10 feet further away from the WAP than the Xbox is. And the Xbox, when it can watch Netflix often scales the movies down to the lowest quality. If I plug it in via a long ethernet cable, HD all the way.
So, I have a tentative plan to buy another WRT54GL, put dd-wrt on it (which is what I am running on the current router), and set it up as a wireless bridge/repeater to get more coverage in the flat – which isn’t all that big. I’m hoping that maybe it can keep a more solid connection to the main router than the silly Xbox. Plus the wireless signal in the bedroom (which is the farthest room from the office) is pretty weak anyway – so maybe having another signal on this side of the flat will help? Or at least I can run a shorter cable to the Xbox maybe. I don’t know, but a router is only $50, and if it’s useless, I can ebay it with the bonus of the aftermarket OS already installed!