Lawrence "The Dreamer" Chen's Blog

Many months ago, I was looking at the slow WDS bridge from my main desktop to the rest of the network. The rest of my network which includes both of my Internet gateways, as well as numerous multimedia devices (include my TiVo HD and AppleTV)...so I wanted to speed up the transfer of media to these devices from my main computer.

I then decided that I would do it....I would buy a length of Cat5 and a bunch of command adhesive wireclips and plan a route from one corner of my living room along the wall/ceiling edge to the opposite corner of the living room and then back track behind furniture to where my switch for the main computer was.

At some later point I started putting up the wireclips, but stopped once I reached furniture. I was putting the clips in place by standing close to the wall on my toes...so it was a problem where the furniture was.

I stopped and to put things off to another day....many months passed.

Follow up:

Recently, I contemplated the purchase of an expensive multipurpose ladder that could be adjusted into some kind of form that would allow me to span myself over the furniture and put the remaining clips. But, it seemed that it would have little use beyond this project...so it required more thought.

Then this morning, while my iTunes was slowly syncing a tons of files to the AppleTV....the slowness of this one part of my network got to me. I had a short step ladder somewhere...wondered if that would be enough to help me finish the run, and if necessary get onto the furniture.

I set the step ladder by the first obstacle and got on the top step, and then leaned out to the wall. I could reach and put up a couple more clips. I looked at things I decided that I could do the same over my computer desk....and did so. And, then I was done...with the wireclips.

I then had errands to run and in to work. So planned to string the Cat 5 cable when I got home.

I kind of knew that if I didn't do it now that it might be a while before I try again.

So, after taking care of some stuff I needed to do at home....and still without having had any supper. I ran the Cat5 along the way. Some of the clips were a little to close to the corner, so it wasn't possible to close the clip. But, eventually I was done and I switched out the WAP for the Cat5 run.

Seems I have confirmed that there's a bad switch port on the 5 port 10/100 switch at my main computer.

I did a quick copy a file from a windows share....and it flew along at about 60-65Mbps. That's 5x improvement from the best I've seen with WDS.

Wonder what happens if I replace the switches with gigabit ones. Sure most of the devices on my home network are only 100Mbit. Though there are some that have Gb ports in them, and I'm sure to be adding more in time.

Just wonder if the condo's telco wiring will support gigabit. It is Cat5 wiring and jacks. The cable I just ran says certified for gigabit on it.

Hmmm....