New Router - Old Problem
Posted by: The Man With Nonaim on 09 March 2012
I have recently changed my internet service provider and replaced by mark 1 BT home hub with a "n" spec router. To my ears there has been a small but noticable improvement in sound quality but one problem is still unresolved.
I downloaded a sample track on high-def 24/192 to see if the higher sampling rate gave any sonic improvements. The home hub would last for 20 seconds before buffering and the new router manages 20 seconds. Neither of which is impressive. The sample track plays perfectly on a usb stick so I'm thinking that the router is not up to the job. Can anybody recommend a router which is fast enough as I want to store high-def music on my nas and not on usb sticks.
I should also add that I have tried using the router when my NDX is the only item connected to the home network and no improvement on 20 seconds.
Regards
TMWNN
Um. Perhaps you can find an audiophile router to gain some extra audio improvements over wireless?
Thanks for the quick reply but what is an audiophile router ?
Regards
TMWNN
What i am getting at is you believe you heard a differnce over wireless.
You could not have done.
If you are of the belief a router effects the sound, then you want an audiophile router.
This as far as i am aware does not exist, but good luck in the hunt.
Sounds like your wireless throughput is inadequate for Hi Def files. There are a couple of other recent posts with the same problem.
How far apart are the router and your NDX ?
My guess is several rooms apart.
24/192 is a lot of traffic over a wireless connection. An "n" router should cope but only if the signal is strong (i.e. it's close to your NDX) and there is not much other traffic going over the network.
So try moving them closer together or connect with an Ethernet cable between router and NDX just to test. If you are serious about using 24/192 then I'd go for a wired network - at least for the storage to router and router to NDX. Laptops and iThings can still use wireless.
IT
I would try running an Ethernet cable from router to NDX first and see if that helps. Then try between NAS and router if no better. It may be you are going to need to completely wire your system, but you may find wiring one side will do the trick.
Best of luck.
Many thanks for your emails.
I have now used an ethernet cable between the router and the NDX and this works perfectly with the 24/192 file. It also gave an improvement on cd standard material. The new dilemma is that now I want an ethernet connection but it is impossible to have one due to the location of the router. It's about 20 feet from the NDX in the hallway so I will need to relocate the telephone socket in the same room as the hi-fi. Can this be done and who do I need to contact ?).
Regards
TMWNN
Well, unless you have cat5 telephone cable and have it disconnected fro the telephone company,I don't think that will work (you'll still have to change the wall plates - the ethernet and telephone jacks are different). If you have a suspended floor, you could run an ethernet connection between the two locations, under the floor in the crawlspace.
EDIT: Any electrician can run the cable for you, some may not be familiar with the RJ45 connection standard, though.
You could try a couple of homeplugs. If you've not heard of them, these are little mains adapters that carry ethernet signals over the mains supply. Plug one into the router and the other to the NDX and it works with no need to set anything up. Cost is about £35 per pair.
Note: some purists say that introducing noise onto the main supply may affect sound quality. I have 5 in the house connecting TV's & PVR's, NAS etc to the router and don't notice any difference in SQ.
Many thanks for your emails.
I have now used an ethernet cable between the router and the NDX and this works perfectly with the 24/192 file. It also gave an improvement on cd standard material. The new dilemma is that now I want an ethernet connection but it is impossible to have one due to the location of the router. It's about 20 feet from the NDX in the hallway so I will need to relocate the telephone socket in the same room as the hi-fi. Can this be done and who do I need to contact ?).
Regards
TMWNN
I'd leave the router where it is - why would you want a WiFi network being transmitted right next to your HiFi ?
Just find a way to run an Ethernet cable between the two. Avoid the really cheap and nasty cables and get something that is screened. Decent Ethernet cables are v cheap compared to HiFi and you'll get 1Gbps no problem over a cable probably 10 times the length that you need. Getting something screened will also help avoid any data "noise" radiating from the cable.
IT
Another option is to use a wireless N bridge. I use this for the network in my son's bedroom. I have 2 identical units one is a bridge and connected to the router by ethernet the other is set as Access Point and the PC (NDX in your case) is connected by ethernet cable again.
The wireless frequency used is 5 ghz which is an improvement over the standard 2.4 ghz with less interference and improved connection.
Gerry
Hi, as said you want to try amve away from single collision domains such as wifi or Ethernet over mains where you can as by design they are performace limited for multiple concurrent applications using the network and the timelytransfer of larger files.
BTW the new upcoming wireless standard of 802.11ac could be a game changer however.
But right now the simplest method is wired Ethernet to a switch. You mention a router,you really want to use a switch, or the switch ports on the router. This is where you connect your wired Ethernet to. You can get flat Ethernet cable that you can lay under your carpet now which makes a lot easier than it used to be.
Once again, many thanks for all of your replies. I greatly appreciate your help.
I would like to go to a wired connection but it's going to be impossible to move the router. Sadly, concrete floors preclude an ethernet connection under the floor. The 802.11ac wireless standard sounds interesting but I'll just have to wait until it becomes a reality. In the meantime, it's going to be a wireless connection for causal listening and I'll have to use the ethernet cable for "serious listening".
Regards
TMWNN