burlmart wrote:
I put router back in living room to be near Mr Tivo (necessitated when we dropped landline and I got old flip cellphone w/ PPC).
But, I did omce have it ethernetted to my 2004 HP desktop and it was faster than wireless. but when just browsing, it was not such a deal. I seldom move big files, and only use netflix DVDs to get more recent titles not on streaming
More importabtly, when ethernet-wired and I tried to hibernate, I would return to find computer fully ON a few hours or so later.
A EE friend said to stop that as it was malicious stuff over the cable broadband.
1st and most important is BROWSING IS FASTER being wired, it is more important every day since most websites over the years have added a lot of advertising and fancy webpages which load MUCH faster. Makes browsing the Internet more enjoyable (when using the FASTEST connection possible).
I only use wireless when camping, honestly I don't know how you can put up with 54 Mbps speed.
2nd, "hibernate" is an overrated worthless "feature" which if by chance the wrong thing happens (like a power outage) can render your Windows a doorstop by corrupting files. Hibernation does very little in energy conservation, you basically save only a few watts of power by allowing hibernation. Turn it off.
What I do is simply leave my PC on during my waking hrs and let the "screen saver" take over after 15 minutes of inactivity. If you want to save some energy, simply set your screen saver to TURN OFF the monitor output. What this does is remove the video signal from the monitor and the monitor goes into power save mode. Then all you need to do is wiggle the mouse and your monitor turns on and your PC is ready to be used INSTANTLY.
There also is a setting for your NIC card which is typically labeled like "wake on activity" which you can uncheck. This STOPS your PC from being woke up from any network activity (network activity DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN A VIRUS OR HACKER ATTACK).
3rd, your EE friend does not know what he/she is talking about, if you were getting "malicious stuff" from your WIRED connection using WIRELESS DOES NOT STOP OR PREVENT THAT ACTIVITY. You would STILL get "malicious stuff" through your WIRELESS.
What you have noticed is your wireless adapter setting is most likely not set to WAKE the PC from network activity. Most wired NIC cards by DEFAULT have the wake on activity ENABLED.
Change ALL of your stuff over to WIRED (including your TIVO if possible) and forget about the wireless. Wireless is hit and miss and unless your AP and PC are within the same room you WILL always have variable connection speeds and quality.
I have a friend who lives in a LARGE mobile home court, he TRIED running one PC from wireless. Picture a 70ft long mobile home, AP was in the CENTER of the home. His PC with wireless in the far room at the end of the home (about 30ft from the AP). He GAVE UP on wireless after a few weeks trying to place his UBS wireless adapter all over the desk, up and down, side to side. He NEVER was able to get it to work. GAVE UP and ran Ethernet cable (as I TOLD HIM TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE) under the trailer and is much happier.
There IS a place and time for wireless, but you simply can not beat the quality and CONSISTENCY of a WIRED CONNECTION.
