Anyone using wifi to stream live TV?

[andy_d]

I'm trying to minimize the number of cables and devices that I'm using. In order to get my bedroom htpc connected to the network I use two Moca adapters. If I could switch to wifi, I would be able to get rid of both

What I'm not sure is how good the signal will be if I were to switch to wireless though.

Anyone here using wifi to connect another device for wireless live TV streaming?

[foxwood]

Do you have an Android phone or tablet? If you do, the free app called WiFi Analyzer is always an eye opener about the competition for the WiFi spectrum in your house.

The only way to be sure if WiFi will work in your particular situation is to try it. In theory, it's supposed to work, in practice it often doesn't.

[andy_d]

Yeah, I live in an apartment building and I have used that app. It's a bit crowded. But if I use 5GHZ? I guess you're right. I'd have to try it out

[lithium630]

I have tried it in the past. It was never consistent. Somedays it would be good, others would have constant network errors. It was definitely not good for the WAF for me.

[kp4akb]

I tried it and we discussed it on this topic:
http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/vie ... =69&t=4818

I am happy to be hard wired after several attempts at wi-fi

[barnabas1969]

I'll chime in. Your choices, from best, most reliable connection to worst, least reliable are:

1: Wired
2: MoCa
3: Powerline
4: Wireless

[JazJon]

I'll chime in. Your choices, from best, most reliable connection to worst, least reliable are:

1: Wired
2: MoCa
3: Powerline
4: Wireless

+1

Steer clear of Wireless unless it's the "ONLY" choice for media center streaming HD tv action

[bmblank]

I did my xbox wireless for a couple years with little to no problems. Now i have a ton of problems on my wired network. I'm not saying wireless is better than wired, just saying its possible that wireless will provide plenty of bandwidth and that a wired network will not.

[barnabas1969]

I did my xbox wireless for a couple years with little to no problems. Now i have a ton of problems on my wired network. I'm not saying wireless is better than wired, just saying its possible that wireless will provide plenty of bandwidth and that a wired network will not.

If you're having problems with a wired network, then you have at least one of the following problems:

* Bad wiring or bad connections.
* Wiring that runs parallel to high current circuits (like to your electric stove, pool pump, etc).
* A network switch that doesn't have a big enough buffer (1Mbit or more works fine).
* A failing network switch.

Keep in mind that your router also contains a network switch. So, if your data is passing through the router on its way between the HTPC and the extender, then your router could be part of the problem. The switch in some routers switches the traffic at the hardware layer, while others use software (firmware) to do the switching. Switching done at the hardware layer is faster than switching done at the software layer.

[bmblank]

Agreed. While i don't have bad wiring or connections, the switch, or more likely, the computer/nic are not set correctly. I'm just saying that there is no one definitive answer.

[adam1991]

I will grant you that, but the odds of a wireless network functioning for streaming HTPC video are significantly lower than those for a wired network.

So if you find a wired network not functioning for streaming video, yer gonna wanna fix that--because nothing *else* is working on that network, either. Whereas the wireless network is probably just fine for surfing, email, Youtube, and downloads. That wireless doesn't work for streaming HTPC video doesn't mean it doesn't work for what it was actually intended.

yeah, I'd like to see that environment where streaming HTPC works fine over wifi but not at all over wired.

[foxwood]

There's also the point that once your wired network is working, it's going to keep working, unless your switch/router/hub breaks*. Your neighbours new XYZ isn't going to interfere with it. The same can't be said for WiFi. It can work one day, and not the next. It can work for weeks without a problem, and then just when you're too busy to deal with it, something will crop up, and you can't tell your neighbour to turn that damn XYZ because it's interfering with your WiFi.

Iffy WiFi coverage is good enough for lots of the things we use WiFi for - surfing from our tablets, printing to our printers, even Skype or Google Chat. But WMC's Live TV stream is usually a bit more demanding, and we don't have the same level of ownership over the WiFi spectrum that we do over any of the wired alternatives.

[andy_d]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I ended up getting a wifi adapter for 5GHZ. That did not work well for live TV. I guess I'll be sticking with the moca adapters for now

[DavidinCT]

Thanks guys for the feedback. I ended up getting a wifi adapter for 5GHZ. That did not work well for live TV. I guess I'll be sticking with the moca adapters for now

I use a Xbox 360 over wi-fi and use my tablet for streaming live tv off, and I will say, even with a good Wi-Fi router, results are very questionable sometimes. Stay hardwired if you can.

[scyto]

I have an 802.11ac wireless router, I use wifi for my echo in the bedroom with no issues.

[JazJon]

I have an 802.11ac wireless router, I use wifi for my echo in the bedroom with no issues.

the new ultrafast 802.11ac is a possible exception to the avoid wifi rule. I was waiting to hear real world use, sounds like you're happy!

[staknhalo]

I have an 802.11ac wireless router, I use wifi for my echo in the bedroom with no issues.

the new ultrafast 802.11ac is a possible exception to the avoid wifi rule. I was waiting to hear real world use, sounds like you're happy!

I have an AC router, but without any AC dongles it will only revert to N (or G if that's the dongle you have). I'm not ready to buy another AC router to act as a bridge yet.