Bluray versus Roku with WIFI question.

[mcad64]

We have a Panasonic PD87 in the bedroom. My wife tries to watch Netflix but it stutters like crazy and is very unreliable. My question is this, if the Panasonic can do B/G/N flavours of wifi just like a Roku, would reception be any better in the Roku? Is a wifi extender what is really needed rather than a different client for Netflix streaming?
Mike

 

[PaulyT]

Can you try using a wired connection, at least temporarily, to see whether it's a network issue or the player itself?

 

[Haywood]

The Roku might have a better WiFi radio than the Blu-Ray player (or not). It is hard to know without trying. A WiFi extender is one option. If your device has an Ethernet port, Power Line Networking is another option that I've had reasonably good luck with.

 

[Towen7]

Haywood is right. In my experience there's really no way to know if one wifi device will work better than other. That said, stand alone STBs like Roku are, in my experience, likely to outperform BD players in most regards; wifi reception, smoothness of operarion, etc.

 

[mcad64]

So a wireless extender is just that. I plug it in somewhere between my router and our bedroom tv and voila , it extends the range correct? The powerline adapter is using my electrical wiring to transfer the signal, is that correct? I plug one of these in my office where my router is, run an ethernet cable from the router to it. In the bedroom I plug in another of these powerline adapters and then run ethernet up to the bluray players, is that correct. I take it this is not true ethernet speeds but would be faster/more reliable than wifi? Yes..no..maybe so??
Thanks for the info!!
Mike

 

[Towen7]

Kind of ... the extender connects to the router and then it creates a second separate network and hands new traffic back over to the router.

The most common are wireless extenders. It just plug into a wall, somewhere between your router and where you have poor signal. You configure it to connect to your router. The you overt devices connect to the extender and the extender passes it to the router.

The other option which you described is an access point. Same principle but the connection back to the router is wired.

 

[PaulyT]

Actually you can use a wi-fi extender without a wired connection. That is, you put the extender somewhere on the outer range of your router (but still within range), and the extender acts like a new hot spot for points yet further away from the router. Basically increases your wifi network coverage distance.

 

[mcad64]

Actually you can use a wi-fi extender without a wired connection. That is, you put the extender somewhere on the outer range of your router (but still within range), and the extender acts like a new hot spot for points yet further away from the router. Basically increases your wifi network coverage distance.

I thought that is what I said?? I think I understand what the wifi extender does, what I am not clear on is Haywood's solution. The powerline adapter would be a wired (albeit cobled together with part ethernet and part home electrical wires) solution, would it not? I don't understand how the signal travels through electrical wire? What is the throughput speed and would this not be a better solution in that because it is wired you would never get signal dropout? Am I missing something?
Mike

 

[Huey]

I thought that is what I said?? I think I understand what the wifi extender does, what I am not clear on is Haywood's solution. The powerline adapter would be a wired (albeit cobled together with part ethernet and part home electrical wires) solution, would it not? I don't understand how the signal travels through electrical wire? What is the throughput speed and would this not be a better solution in that because it is wired you would never get signal dropout? Am I missing something?
Mike

Yes, the signal travels through the electrical wires of the house. I use powerline adapters as well, as well as a range extender. Powerline adapters I think range between 100 mbps and 300 mbps, and are generally idiot proof, just plug and play. I had to get a network range extender as well when I purchased Alexa and Dot, although that still isn't a perfect system, still end up with poor connectivity at times. I could never find one, but my on my want list would be a powerline adapter that also sends out wi-fi signals.

 

[mcad64]

Yes, the signal travels through the electrical wires of the house. I use powerline adapters as well, as well as a range extender. Powerline adapters I think range between 100 mbps and 300 mbps, and are generally idiot proof, just plug and play. I had to get a network range extender as well when I purchased Alexa and Dot, although that still isn't a perfect system, still end up with poor connectivity at times. I could never find one, but my on my want list would be a powerline adapter that also sends out wi-fi signals.

Huey ,
I just got done reading that you can not use that wall socket for anything but that adapter, is that simply because the size of the adapter precludes you from plugging in anything else or is this some sort of hazard?
Edit: Huey I just found a powerline adapter that is also a wifi extender.
TP-LINK AV500 TL-WPA4220KIT Powerline Extender kit w/WiFi 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps

 

[mcad64]

Can you try using a wired connection, at least temporarily, to see whether it's a network issue or the player itself?

Pauly,
I would have to run an ethernet cable from the office, through the living room, up the steps, down the hall and into the bedroom. Not doable.

 

[mcad64]

Haywood is right. In my experience there's really no way to know if one wifi device will work better than other. That said, stand alone STBs like Roku are, in my experience, likely to outperform BD players in most regards; wifi reception, smoothness of operarion, etc.

Towen,
My wife can watch Netflix in the bedroom where the tv is , on her newish Lenovo laptop without a problem. So that make's me think the the Panasonic bluray is not as good at pulling in a wifi signal.

 

[Flint]

Pauly,
I would have to run an ethernet cable from the office, through the living room, up the steps, down the hall and into the bedroom. Not doable.

I keep a 100 ft long Ethernet cable around just for such tests. Most of the time the cable is carefully rolled up at the back of the peg holding my power extension cables in the garage. But when I need it for these sorts of tests, I know where it is and the test immediately eliminates many potential root causes of connectivity and performance issues.

 

[Flint]

Towen,
My wife can watch Netflix in the bedroom where the tv is , on her newish Lenovo laptop without a problem. So that make's me think the the Panasonic bluray is not as good at pulling in a wifi signal.

WiFi is susceptible to interference from household wireless phones, microwave ovens, wireless remote control systems, wireless alarm systems, Bluetooth devices, and anything else like that. It is also very often affected by a neighbor using the exact same WiFi channel and your router's choice of WiFi channels. Finally, WiFi cannot pass through water well and is greatly attenuated by metal pipes and power cables in walls.

Three things you might want to try:
1) Move the BluRay player about a foot to the left, right, or up/down. This could shift its antenna from being inline with something blocking the signal. Often a disc player is in a cabinet with tons of wires draping over the back of it where the WiFi antennas are. Moving those wires aside can make a huge difference.
2) Stop using household wireless phones (who needs a home phone anyway) and turn off the radio on any device you are not using wirelessly (like a Bluetooth radio on a receiver or a WiFi radio on a cabled device).
3) If you can, try manually configuring the WiFi channel on the router to be something different.

 

[hawk52]

http://www.linksys.com/us/p/P-RE6700/

This is what I use. Router in basement. It's plugged in my Great Room (1st floor - Ranch) which is the midpoint of the house. It has 2 bands 2.4 and 5 Ghz. I also like the idea of not losing an outlet. Simple setup and allows for stronger signals. Especially in my office which is about as far away from the router as possible in the house. 80 plus ft in distance and 1 floor up.

I use it for mine and my wife's tablets and phones, wireless printer in my office and TV & Blu-Ray player which are 10 ft from the extender.

I do want to mention I did have to recently (last week) have to get a replacement. It stopped working after 6 months. Would not connect to router. Rebooted the router no luck, did a factory reset on the extender, same issue. Called and got a replacement sent. I just installed it Monday and all is well. I've had Linksys products for ever and this is the 1st time I had an issue. Support was great and it was under "W" so no cost to me.

 

[Huey]

Huey ,
I just got done reading that you can not use that wall socket for anything but that adapter, is that simply because the size of the adapter precludes you from plugging in anything else or is this some sort of hazard?
Edit: Huey I just found a powerline adapter that is also a wifi extender.
TP-LINK AV500 TL-WPA4220KIT Powerline Extender kit w/WiFi 802.11b/g/n 300Mbps

Not sure if you are talking a powerline adapter or a network extender, although with both you can use the other socket in the outlet. What you can't do, is run a powerline adapter through a surge protector, although an extension cord is fine. The powerline I use to feed the squeezebox is hooked to an extension cord, which shares another outlet with another extension cord and works fine. The only problems I have, is sometimes my network will get all wonky and I'll lose either wireless, powerline or both. I'm guessing it's an ip issue as unplugging everything and replugging usually cures it, although it's a pain in the ass.

Thanks for finding that dual adapter, just might have to check into getting that.

 

[Haywood]

Powerline adapters do not deliver their rated speed, but you can typically get at least 100Mbps from the faster ones and that is plenty good enough for streaming.

 

[mcad64]

Ok so I have done a few things. I managed to find , in my bucket of AV goodies, a long enough ethernet cable to run from my router to the bluray player in the bedroom. Netflix worked perfectly. Nothing wrong with the players ability to stream Netflix. Then, as per Flints instruction, I moved the player. The wifi signal got better but not enough to stream Netflix without problems. SO, since my wife can watch Netflix in the same bedroom, sitting 15 feet from the bluray player with her Lenovo laptop that tells me that perhaps the antenna or whatever you call it in the bluray player is not doing a good enough job of picking up my wifi signal. SO, next I either get a wifi extender/repeater or whatever they are called, OR I get one of these powerline adapters. If the powerline can get 100Mbps as Heywood says and is good enough for streaming then that is the root I think I will go. I have a receptacle behind the player and can run a short ethernet cable quite easily. This gets me away from WIFI and the bazillion things we have in our house that are using WIFI. Does that make sense?
Last question, can I use more than one of these powerline adapters? I understand one gets plugged in next to my router. I will have one up in the bedroom for the bluray. Ideally I wouldn't mind one in the livingroom for our PS4 which is currently using WIFI to connect to the internet.
Again, thanks for the help guys!
Mike

 

[Huey]

Yes, Mike, you can use more than one, and I've found they don't even need to be from the same manufacturer. I think you'll be happy with the powerline adapters. I do get a buffering from time to time when watching Netflix, but that's probably more ISP related or other people streaming at the same time. Good luck!

 

[mcad64]

I bought a Dlink PowerLine AV2 1000 Gigabit Starter Kit. I am underwhelmed with the results. First tried it with the PS4 as it is the easiest connection to make. WIFI is faster. Of course it is a straight shot from router to PS4 20 feet away so not really surprised. Then tried the intended target which is the bluray player in our bedroom. Works!! No jittering or hesitation when watching Netflix. Tried to test the speed in the bedroom by first doing a speedtest with laptop wirelessly then with the Powerline adapter. Wifi was faster. SO, for its intended use it seems to be bumping the speed up enough that Netflix is now watchable on our bedroom tv so I am keeping it. I know it is house wiring dependent so I guess I could try some different outlets but of course you are limited by router location and location of device you want to have internet access to.
Mike