Dilemma: Swap out entire motherboard, or install only Atheros-N card???

Ok...So I try to just plug everything from my dad's current FritzBox over to the new N one...The 7270, by the way. Along with the router, I also bought, for $125 (80 Euros) a dual-band capable USB N stick, which was extremely impressive.

So 1 hour into trying to figure out his complicated phone system, I gave up on that and just wanted to see about the N data. And boy, o boy, this was both disappointing and incredible. With my Atheros N card, I got about 125kbps. Fast as #$%^&, yea, but not what I wanted, which is more like 200-250+Mbps...The N stick promised to deliver that, so I try to install it...STOP! No 64-bit driver...AHHH craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap i thought.

Luckily the Thinkpad I had given my dad for xmas was right next to me, so I installed it there. They're proud of themselves for being "Vista-capable ", but they clearly state: XP (32-bit only) and Vista (32-bit only). Well, I knew my dad wasn't ready for Vista x64, so I installed 32-bit for him. And that gave me the opportunity to install the USB N stick for his Thinkpad. Everything went well, and I open an IE browser, and BOOOOOOOOOOOMMM...242Mbps! Another one. 255Mbps. I was sitting there doing speed test after speed test, as it was so much fun! LOL...

Then there is the flipside...I put everything back to how it was before, and left the room with a long face on. This is the first time where running 64-bit hurts me. But then again, maybe not, as I have the built-in Atheros card with suitable driver! I just didn't want to wait and install the 3rd antenna, which is why I "only" got speeds in the 120's Mbps-wise. So I shouldn't really complain about my own laziness.

The second problem is that contrary to what I had thought, the back of the current router is NOT exactly like the back of the new one. Almost, but one connector is missing, and I don't want to mess up my dad's phone system where you can transfer calls, etc. I don't know enough about it to mess around with it.

Soo...here's my plan. I want to, until I return it for just that, use the router as an Access Point for the N speeds ONLY. I'll see which of the company's AP's meets the high specs of this router.

However, how do I run the **** USB N stick with no x64 driver for it??? Can I run it in some kind of compatibility mode??

Thx!!!

 

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you, TonyT!

Alright, it's up...and it's running...at speeds between 210-270Mbps! I ended up buying an AVM router called FritzBox, model 7270, as well as a USB stick for it. My dad's setup has included AVM products for YEARS, and his router has not needed to be reset since his IT guy first put it in. So basically, I replaced his now former "G "-only router with the 7270. Took me four hours to figure out his complicated phone system, which he uses to transfer calls throughout the house lol...It's pretty cool.

This USB stick I cannot use, as there are no 64-bit drivers for it. I don't need it anyway, as I have the Atheros card, and apparently all my worries about "WWAN yes/no, 3rd antenna internal, etc." were pretty much a non-issue. The only reason I have liked to use the USB stick for is this "AVM Stick & Surf ", which makes setting up the router incredibly convenient and easy! Oh well, if anyone is interested how it works, I'll post, just ask...

Back to the router and the Atheros combination. When I initially took it out of the box, and enjoyed the "new smell" for about 15 minutes, I replaced the router with all his phones, and, of course, configured the network/WLAN. I was STUNNED...which with upgrading my Thinkpad has become quite the routine...anyway, stunned to see the full 300Mbps when I was right next to the router. Well, it makes sense if you're just a couple of feet away from it. So I refresh the page again and again, it wouldn't budge. 300, baby!!! Cool So I start thinking something's up and put a little blanket over it...refresh...signal down to 262Mbps, and it continued to stay in that area...so yea BABY, 300 was for real! hahaaaaaa...

So I placed it as well as I thought was I could, and I consistently get 4-5 out 5 bars on the opposite end of the house, THREE stories up! Typical speeds have been anywhere 220 to 270Mbps, which is just...fantastic! The lowest I've ever seen was 180. HAH...I love that it doesn't matter if I'm as far away as possible from the router considering where I am in the house, the N router and N card are not impressed. Speeds don't change much at all. In fact, when I check the bars, I get the FULL 5 bars more often than "only 4 ".

One more thing. 802.11n does not yet equal 802.11n. Even though Draft 3.0, and then 3.0.2 recently (January for 3.0 for example) just came out, so to speak, this is a Draft 2.0 router, and the fact that it works SO well (or maybe at all for that matter) means my Atheros card is Draft 2.0 as well. You can't mix Draft's.

Anyway, Tony, I want to thank you again for your time and the one knowledgeable post after the other. Thanks for taking your time to help me pull this off.

I also hope that this thread can help anyone doubting if this will work, if it's worth it, or whatever. Oh, it works...Don't listen to the nay-sayers. If anyone ever wants to know anything regarding this project, please let me know. PM me...And most everybody else won't have to mess with an aggravating phone system, which was really what made it take as long as it did. But I learned a lot.

So it's a done deal! I am 4 for 4 with all of the more invasive upgrades I've made to my system!

At the current speed of...264Mbps, I say..............................

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It sure is. lol...200 is still almost FOUR times faster than the THEORETICAL limit of 802.11g, so yes, you're right, I've seen it jump around a lot!!

One more quick q, as I think I want to take the router with me (see last statement for details lol)...In fact, you mentioned in one time, when I was curious as to how to use it as a Access Point. I think it was your post from 3 days ago.

I did try it, and yes, I can turn off the firewall, NAT, etc. on the NEW router per your recommendation and plug in a static IP of the current IP+1. When I do that, however, there is a "Standard Gateway at 0.0.0.0., which I have no idea how to configure. I have a before, and after picture, as well as the error message, all translated, as it might be telling as far as what the issue is.

This is the BEFORE pic.

I drew a few highlights. Sorry, this is all in German. lol...But basically, near the top, I drew a circle around how it is used as a router. I only underlined where it says: Use this option if the router is directly(!) connected to the DSL connection.

This is the AFTER pic.

Now, this photo shows what happens when I click the lower radio button at the top, which I circled again. The underlined portion's translation is:

Use this option when you want to connect the router (FritzBox) to an existing(!) LAN, cable modem, or DSL router(!).

I also marked with an X the part where the NEW router is not in charge of the firewalling, NAT'ting, etc. The translation for what's next to the marked radio button is: Use existing Internet connection in the network (IP Client), which I think is what you meant, right? Also see that I clicked on the second of two radio buttons, as the first would have been to use DHCP to generate an dynamic IP every time, whereas the second is to configure it to use a static IP, and I also changed the last number to a 2, as marked with the down arrow.

This is the error message when I try to save the settings.

And finally, the error message I get when trying to save the settings as it is pictured in the AFTER shot:

Error in the field "Standard Gateway ": This address is located in a different subnet than defined through the IP address and subnet mask.

Sooooooo...I think I'm overlooking a tiny bit of logic here with this "Standard Gateway ". Otherwise, I think it looks good if I want to use it simply as an Access Point...what do you think?

Thanks a bunch! I may actually end up configuring it this way, as my dad doesn't need N. Hah, he hardly uses the Internet at all, so this $400 router would be a total waste for him.

Hey, I know what I could do if you want. Bring you back one of those routers. The AVM brand is fantastic as far as quality, longevity, error-free, no resets needed virtually ever, and it looks pretty cool! Plus you get channels 12, and 13. Whatever that means.

Thanks again, Tony!!

 

Final Phase...final Question...

Ok, I successfully entered 192.168.178.1 as the "Standard Gateway ", which is the "First Default Gateway" in the last pic from my last post, and this is what I get when I hit Next. I could have probably just entered the Second one, too...Hmmm...

Translation of the pic: "You have changed your IP settings. Your router is now operating at the following frequency: ", then you see the IP and subnet mask, and it goes on to say "In addition, your FritzBox is also available through the IP address 169.254.1.1. It is recommend that you print this page. "

I wonder if this 2nd IP address, which I have no idea why it's there, and what it's for, might help.

I'm starting to regret that I didn't just leave it be, but again, I will take this router either back for a refund or an exchange for something less expensive, as I really only need an Access Point while over here, or I will take it with me back home and use it there. I don't know about the legalities about doing the latter, as we don't use channels 12, and 13 for WiFi, but I suppose I can just stay away from using them. Me, stay away from something with a wiff of exclusivity? lol...no...I don't know. I guess it would be best to return it, as, once again, my dad said when I asked him if I should leave the original setup for him and his USB N WiFi stick, and he mumbled something incoherently, but I did hear "I'm hardly on, so don't waste your money ", which is true.

So, back to the Access Point usage of the 7270. I had done a "hard reset" you might say, and restored it to manufacturer's settings (except the updated firmware of course), and now it's configured the way from my last post, with the three pics, as well as the Standard Gateway problem resolved, apparently.

So should I have not done the reset??? I don't know why it would even make a difference. What link is missing here? Maybe the router (7170, the original, "old" one) needs to be told that the access point is there and to use it to broadcast the signal? Some other setting(s) I'm not aware of??

Or is it the 7270, the "NEW" router, that is to be used as the Access Point, and currently configured to that effect (pretty much?)...? Maybe IT needs add'l tweaking?

I feel like I'm once again ALMOST there, and am just missing a final setting or two on either or both routers??????????

Please help a crazy man.

This will be it as far as the N router is concerned. It works great when it is the sole router, including the phones, etc. Now as the Access Point, I need the TINY thing I'm sure I'm overlooking...please help me get this baby working that way, too, which again, I think is only a tweak or two away!

Thanks Tony!!! OMG, do I owe you!!!!

EDIT: I just downloaded and installed this diagnostic utility! This may help resolve the Access Point issue quite quickly.
And here are the results, and the translation of the relevant information next to the ONE thing that did not check out, which you can see by the exclamation point: "Network: DHCP: Yes, IP: 0.0.0.0. There is more than one default gateway configured! Your network card has been assigned one IP address automatically.

That should be telling as to what I have to do...Thanks again !!!!!!