---

My rationale for the chosen products:

---

• CPU: Review
  A very detailed review from GamersNexus. These guys make incredible reviews and will go very in depth into every aspect of whatever they review. They also post on reddit a bit.
  This CPU is just the best bang for the buck right now, no question asked. Intel is too expensive and doesn't let you upgrade the CPU on the same motherboard if you would want to do this in a few years.
  
  This CPU is bought in MicroCenter with a combo kit to save $30!
  
  
• Motherboard: Product page
  A very solid board that doesn't break the bank. It comes with 7 USB type A (standard) & 1 USB type C port on the read. With the 2 from case, we get to the total 10 USB ports that was asked for.
  When you buy this motherboard at MicroCenter, you get a $30 combo deal.
  
  I highly recommend to ask one of the sales people if the BIOS is compatible for the new Ryzen 3000 series. I've heard that they would even upgrade the BIOS for you without extra cost to get it working. But it will probably work out of the box by now.
  
• Memory: RAM is RAM. Brands don't matter too much, speed & latency does have an impact for performance on Ryzen though. This video explains it very well. So I went with a 3000MHz, CL15 set from G.Skill. This will work very well and will give you a decent performance boost.
  
• Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD & 2TB HDD for mass storage. This is a very nice balance in terms of SSD & mass storage I find personally.
  The Sabrent Rocket NVMe SSD is extremely fast and very well balanced in terms of price to performance. The WD 2TB is a very standard drive that got a lower RPM to reduce the noise. It will be a tiny bit slower compared to a 7200 RPM drive, but you'll hardly be able to notice the difference. A slower RPM HDD also on pure merit, will last longer because of the lesser amount of mechanical tear it goes through over time.
  
• Video Card: Review & Review (written)
  This is the best video card for the budget of this build. We could spend less on the peripherals and get a better card, but considering the games that are mentioned. This would be a waste in my opinion. It will perform very well at 1440p (the monitor resolution I suggest) and will just be a lot of fun.
  
• Case: Review
  GamersNexus again! Well, this is an a very silent case. It does not come in army green or has handles, but there are very few cases that have either of that. It does have the 2 ODD which was also requested so I went with a case that got 2 out of the 4 requests. Silence is a main factor for my PC builds.
  
• Case fans: It comes with 2 very high quality fans, which is enough for this system.
  
• Power Supply: Review
  10 year warranty, 80+ gold efficiency, fully-modular black cables, semi-passive fan design, 650W PSU from Corsair made by CWT. The 10 year warranty should tell you enough, but if not then the 9.666.. score for this unit should tell you enough. I remove the "value" score from this review since prices change all the time. Ow right, it is the 750W unit, but the 650W is pretty much the same platform. So very close in performance and quality.
  
• Monitor: Review
  An other amazing review that looks at pretty much everything this monitor has to offer. It's a long read, so in short. It's one of the best TN gaming monitors available right now. It will diliver an awesome gaming experience. It also comes with a USB 3.0 HUB for 1 extra USB connection, since it got 2 on the monitor, but you have to connect it to 1 on the motherboard. So you lose 1 there, but gain 2 on the monitor. Useful for the microphone & something else of choice.
  
• Wireless Network Adapter: This card has been highly rated, although I personally have no experience with it. I also don't recommend to use WiFi if possible. It can and often will be a lot worse compared to a hardwired cable. If you can't reach the PC with the cable, then you can use a power-line adaptor. This will allow you to use the powerlines in your house to get from the router to the PC. You will lose some speed doing this, but it is still much better compared to WiFi.
  Regardless, this card does support both Bluetooth & WiFi. You have to connect the USB cable to get the Bluetooth working!
  
  Place this card in anything but the bottom PCIe x1 slot. Since that one won't work when you put the NVMe SSD into the top M.2/1 slot. They share the bandwidth.
  
  
• Keyboard: Review
  Probably the best wireless mechanical keyboard on the market. It's a 60% keyboard, so no F, arrow or numpad keys. If you want any of these keys, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Also because it's a mechanical keyboard, the switch type is something personal. Ask your brother if he wants to have tactile feedback when pressing down a key and if he would like it to click. The clicking can be very loud, so its something to be well aware of. I personally use MX browns and while I can hear it very slightly, it's by far my favourite switch. I had blues and tried reds as well. I don't like red switches since they don't have any feedback, so I don't know when I pressed the key. It's a minor thing and for "gaming" it can be better since you can press keys "faster" but in my opinion this is not really much of a difference or negative.
  
• Mouse: Review
  The best mouse reviewer there is. He rates it fairly highly and because of the cheap price, it was not a hard decision to suggest this. However, it would help a lot to ask your brother if he could measure his hands and how does he grip the mouse? Knowing those two factors will help to say if this mouse will work or if we should look at something else.
  
• Mousepad: I don't know if he will sit behind a desk or not, but can't forget to get a mousepad. I absolutely love the extremely large ones where you can place the keyboard on it as well. It also helps for your wrists a bit to have a softer place for them.
  
• Speakers: You wanted a wireless keyboard & mouse, so you also get some wireless speakers! I actually personally wasn't a fan of wireless audio for a while. But they've made massive improvements to make me feel a bit more comfortable with recommending it. If you want to use wires, you can simply get the T40 series ii. These speakers have been the bar for sub $100 speakers.
  
• Microphone: Review
  Well, finally a LinusTechTips video joins the list! Well, the Blue Yeti has been pretty much the staple of microphones for high quality voice recording and podcasts. I went with it, even though it may be a bit overkill. But heey, you buy this and can use it for many years while sounding crystal clear. You may even get some compliments on how sexy you sound!
  I also included a stand so that you can actually get it very close to your face that most streamers do. It also reduces the noise of the keyboard by a good amount + no shocks when you place something on the desk because of the shock mount.
  
  

  Hope you like it and If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Absolutely.

For your controller needs, if you want to use a DualShock4, DS3, Wii U Pro Controller or WiiMote, all you need is a mini Bluetooth dongle and a driver such as DS4Windows (google "[controller] driver windows"). With the proper driver they should be supported under most games, but they might require a button mapping tool to work with some stuff (we can help you with that).

If you want to go the easy route and have a controller supported by most games with no driver configuration as soon as you plug it in, an Xbone controller is your choice. However, it will require a special M$ dongle to work wirelessly, and be warned that this dongle only works under Windows 10. Alternately, if you can live with some inferior design features, you can get a 360 controller (which still works with nearly all controller games) and its corresponding dongle, which has the added benefit of working with all Windows's back to XP. However, be aware that both of these controllers require AA batteries rather than the rechargeable packs found in DualShock/Nintendo. You can buy a rechargeable pack for Xbox controllers but it obviously costs extra.

All of the aforementioned controllers will also work over USB with any operating system.

Now to the second part of your question. I assume that you mean you want to play on your TV–this can be accomplished one of two ways and is easy to setup. The first and most obvious way is to simply keep your PC in your entertainment center and hook it to your TV over HDMI, in much the same way that you would your PS4. Steam's Big Picture mode tries to emulate the homescreen of a console to make controller navigation easier, and does a pretty good job of it. Coming from the PS4 interface I'm sure you'll feel right at home–but you do still need a KB+mouse to get in Big Picture from a cold PC startup. This shouldn't be an issue as there are many cheap wireless keyboards with inbuilt trackpads on offer.

The second way is to use a Steam Link. This is a very handy little set-top box that will stream video input over the internet from a PC in the house–if you've ever heard of the PlayStation TV, this is similar. In order to use the Link you must have fast (at least 10mbps; check using speedtest.net) Ethernet on both ends (your PC and the Link) and a controller that connects over USB (either thru a USB cable or a USB wireless receiver. The Xbox receivers mentioned in a previous paragraph currently don't work with the Link but Valve says they are looking into it). It's very simple to setup–hook the Link to internet, plug in your controller and HDMI cable for TV connection, and pair it with your PC. Then you'll have total access to all your controller-supported PC games from the couch, with no loss of graphics.

Also, as a PC gamer, I have a word for you–there are some games that do play better with KB+M, especially shooters. Trust me, once you try something like Call of Duty with a mouse, you will never be able to go back to aiming with controller sticks. If you want this benefit but still find KB+M uncomfortable, there is the Steam Controller which features a more accurate trackpad in place of the right stick, and will work with most of the games that an Xbox controller works with.

One final word. If you are actually, legitimately serious about getting into PC gaming–please for the LOVE OF GOD do not buy a pre-built one. BUILD. YOUR. OWN. Seriously, if you are looking to surpass consoles and get value for money, I CANNOT stress this enough. Although it may seem daunting at first it's really little more than high-tech LEGOs–/r/BuildaPCforMe will furnish you with a parts list so you don't have to bother with that, and then the build will take two hours tops (even if you're inexperienced). There are tons of great videos on YouTube that will show you how–this is my personal fave, although I do advise you not to use any of those parts since that vid is considerably old.

If you have any questions feel free to reply to this and I can help you out.

At a combined 2880 x 1440, the two displays actually have 1.6 times the resolution of the standard Rift and Vive (‎2160 x 1200). It's a huge difference, like a generational advantage, comparable to jumping from an old Oculus Dev Kit to the current model. I should mention that despite the much higher resolution, the screen door effect is still there (which means you can still see a raster of pixels in front of your eyes), however, it is now possible to ignore it after a few minutes of playing. With these headsets, you can make out objects in the distance more easily, texture detail increases, text becomes readable, instruments in virtual cockpits are now actually useful (eliminating the need for immersion-breaking HUDs), there is less flickering. Even if your PC can't handle the higher resolution, an upscaled image will still look better, because the screen door effect is less pronounced. Recently, there have been performance improvements and changes to the reprojection algorithm, which have reduced hardware requirements by quite a significant margin. It's actually possible to use these headsets with integrated graphics for less demanding applications like 3D video, virtual tourism apps that mostly rely on 3D photos and simple games.

With the Samsung model, you get the same display resolution and colors (thanks to OLED) as the expensive Vive Pro (2880 x 1600), but better lenses.

Another advantage that Windows MR headsets like the Lenovo Explorer and Samsung HMD have is that the setup is incredibly simple. There are no external sensors, laser projectors, adapters, breakout boxes, power supplies, etc. There's just a single cable with USB 3.0 and HDMI at the end. Setup time at a new location is at most two minutes for full roomscale, just a few seconds for just standing or seated VR. This means that MR headsets are truly portable and can be set up anywhere. All you need is a well lit room. That's why I bought my Lenovo Explorer.

There is one disadvantage to these headsets: The controllers (which need a compatible bluetooth adapter - Microsoft recommends this one, but others can work as well) and their tracking are not as good as those of the Rift and Vive. Head and positional tracking through the built in cameras and sensors is virtually flawless, you can walk aroud in VR just like with the Vive (which is great), but the controllers have to be in front of you at all times in order to be accurately tracked, since they also rely on the cameras used for positional tracking. This isn't a huge issue however, since the camera's field of view is larger than the user's and since in most games, you will be interacting with things that are in front of you. Fast movement outside of the camera's view is still tracked well enough through sensors built into the controllers (like with the Wii), like grabbing a shield from behind your back or swinging a sword around. What can not be denied however is that ergonomically, both Vive and Rift have far better controller shapes. It's not bad though, it's just that this is the one aspect where it becomes obvious why these headsets are less expensive than Rift and Vive.

One great (and in my eyes essential) aspect about Windows MR headsets is that there is almost full compatibility with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift games, via two free tools: Windows Mixed Reality SteamVR (from Microsoft themselves) and ReVive. With the latest Windows update, rumble support has finally been added, which was the only missing feature. Launch just the first tool in order to play games designed for Vive, run the latter for Oculus Rift titles. The number of games with native MR support is also steadily increasing. Here's a regularly updated list of compatible titles:

/r/WindowsMR/comments/7c97lm/steam_games_status/

There is a small selection of VR games and applications on the Windows Store, but the vast majority can be found elsewhere as well, mostly on Steam. One noteworthy exception is HoloTour from Microsoft, which is a fantastic virtual tourism application, the perfect complement to the astonishing Google Earth VR. Definitely check both out!

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.

$2400 4K Gaming PC

Max settings at 4K resolution will bring any existing hardware to its knees, but we can come very close to your desired 120fps. You should expect to get better framerates substantially higher than the benchmarks below because the video card in this build is clocked 13.6% higher than the reference model.

The key to achieving the highest framerates at 1440p and 4K is simply to include the strongest video card possible. This means the RTX 2080Ti with the highest boost clock frequency we can afford.

• Destiny 2 Ultra Settings:
  
• 1440p: 198fps
  
• 4K: 99fps
  
• Full benchmarks
  
• Micro Center Parts:
  

• CPU, Motherboard
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker Part List
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Core i7-9700K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor | $299.99
  CPU Cooler | be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler | $90.00
  Motherboard | Gigabyte Z390 GAMING X ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $119.99
  Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | $69.99 @ Newegg
  Storage | Sabrent Rocket 2 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | $249.98 @ Amazon
  Video Card | MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11 GB GAMING X TRIO Video Card | $1199.89 @ Amazon
  Case | NZXT H700 ATX Mid Tower Case | $109.98 @ Amazon
  Power Supply | Corsair TXM Gold 750 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply | $89.99 @ Newegg
  Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit | $137.90 @ OutletPC
  Wireless Network Adapter | Rosewill RNX-AC1900PCE PCIe x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter | $59.99 @ Newegg
  | Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
  | Total (before mail-in rebates) | $2457.70
  | Mail-in rebates | -$30.00
  | Total | $2427.70
  | Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-25 21:49 EDT-0400 |
  
  #Explanation of Part Choices:
  
  

• Cpu: This is the second strongest gaming cpu available. You could technically get away with the 6-core Ryzen 5 3600 or the i5-9600K, but with a budget this large it makes sense to spend a bit extra to get an 8-core cpu to future-proof the build against the possibility that future games begin using more than 6 cores. I don't recommend the more expensive 9900K because we don't need hyper threading and the performance difference at 1440p and 4K resolutions will be negligible, and we are better off spending that money on a stronger video card.
  
• Cpu Cooler: This is one of the top two air coolers available and actually delivers stronger cooling performance than most high-end AIO water coolers. It will enable you to heavily overclock the 9700K if you choose. It is currently out of stock, but will be in stock on October 29th.
  
• Motherboard: One of the cheapest motherboards with VRMs strong enough to support overclocking the 9700K. See the Intel VRMs tier list.
  
• Memory: 3000mhz is the fastest speed before intel cpus suffer heavy diminishing returns. 15CAS latency instead of 16 (lower latency results in faster cpu performance). 16GB is more than enough memory unless you will be using this PC for professional video editing or CAD work.
  
• SSD: Cheapest 2TB TLC NVMe SSD with a dram cache and a 5 year warranty (make sure you register to get the warranty). NVMe SSDs are ~3 times faster than traditional SATA SSDs. TLC SSDs are much faster than the cheaper QLC SSDs in sustained reads/writes and do not slow down as much as they fill up. I do not recommend an HDD unless you plan to store large amounts of video files. It's hard to go back to loading games from an HDD after you've experienced SSD loading speeds.
  
• Video Card: The RTX 2080Ti is the strongest gaming video card available. EVGA is considered the most reliable brand with the best customer service. I selected a high-end model (as determined by its boost clock speed). It's boost clock speed is 1755mhz, which is 13.6% faster than the basic models which are clocked at 1545mhz. There are 2080Ti's with higher clock speeds than this, but they either have poor ratings or are several hundred dollars extra, which is just a very poor value.
  
• Case: This is the high-end version of the most popular case (the H500). We want the H700 because this build has very power-hungry hardware (more power equals more heat) and the H700 has significantly better airflow thanks to its larger vents and four case fans. I selected the black and white model just because it was slightly cheaper than the all black model.
  
• Power Supply: 7 year warranty. 750W is more than enough for this 449W system, which leaves plenty of room for overclocking and future upgrades. Modular for easier cable management. 80+ gold efficiency.
  
• OS: Windows 10 Pro as requested. However, Windows 10 Home would be fine as long as this PC will not be part of a large network of computers (like in a business office) and as long as you do not care about the remote access feature that Pro has.
  
• Wifi: It is actually much cheaper to get a separate wifi adapter than to get a motherboard with built-in wifi in most cases, particularly since you need gigabit connection speeds. This model is the cheapest gigabit wifi adapter with a large sample size of good reviews. Rated for 1300Mbps on the 5.0 GHz band and 600Mbps on the 2.4hz band. You can spend a bit more on the ASUS AC1900 if you want an extension cable so that the antennas can be in a more advantageous spot. This would only be necessary if the PC will be far from the router or or if the PC will be stuck under a metal desk or something else that would significantly block wifi signals.

CPU: Great choice.

CPU Cooler: You don't need it unless you OC.

Motherboard: perfect. If you want cheaper option, /u/m0ronsoldier recommended a motherobaord for cheaper price:

>AsRock B350 Pro4 @ Rs.7180 vs. ASUS Rog Strix B350 @ Rs.9900. No major difference other than very slightly less OC'ing capability

RAM: If this model is on QVL. It is fine.

VC: Great choice. 1050 TI is very good budget card. You can play many titles on this little beast. I would sugest to think carefully before buying this card. Since you said you might upgrade, but you are not sure if you will, it is better to buy 1060. think this: you spend 12K for 1050 TI. You sell it for 8K. You buy 1060 6GB for 24K. Total money spent: 12,000 + 24,000 - 8,000 = 28K. If you just buy 1060 6GB for now, you save those extra 4K. Are you getting my point? However, it is also a good decision to buy 1050 TI and see if you will really be needing 1060 or higher-end GC.

SSD: Hmmm...Any particular reason? Besides faster loading times, faster boot, faster installation, responsiveness, there is really no need for an SSD. That said, hard disk are not that bad. I say, drop this SSD because they are costly right now and you can upgrade it anytime later. With win 10 fast startup, your PC will boot up and shut down in seconds even on HDD. If you really need an SSD, go for SATA. M.2 also gets hot faster and needs proper cooling. I would highly recommend you either drop this SSD or go for an 250GB SSD. I am learning blender, a 3D graphics software, and even I don't need a 500GB SSD. I suggest you re-invest this money on 1060 6GB. 1060 is almost 50-60% faster than 1050 Ti. You will really benefit from this VC than an SSD.

UPS: Circle UPS...Hmmm...I know they make crappy PSUs, but UPS? I am not sure. Go for APC or something better. UPS is also something I highly recommend going for.

PSU: Let us come to the main topic. 450W will do the job fine. It is not a wise decision to go for 450W if you will upgrade your components in the future. The bare minimum I recommend is 550W. This lasts longer, and have enough headroom. I say this because a PSU is something you don't really replace in a year or two. PSU is something that should last longer than your CPU and other components. Cheaping out is never a good option. Sometimes they last for longer than 7-10 years. Haha!

Go for TX650M

or

S12G


These two are very good units and better than the CX450M. Now let us again do the basic math. You buy 430W PSU for 3.6K. two years later you find that 430W is not enough for you 1070, you buy a 6.5K unit. Total money spent: 10.1K Now if you had gone for the 6.5K PSU initially, you would have saved yourself 3.5K.

Now I am not saying 430W is not enough for 1060. It is enough. But you are better off with a 550W unit. You can upgrade till 1070 on a 550W model. It will also be more efficient and will stay rather cool and there is also the ease of mind.

Wifi: there is a USB adapter that goes on selling for about 350 or 500. You can check reviews :) Completely your choice.

I apologize. Let me do my best to break it down clearly for you here. Because it's a lot of stuff I was confused too, so I made a document that I hope clearly details my build and the associated costs. For the sake of this, I'm excluding peripherals, because I can't buy them from Memory Express anyways. If you're interested in what I've chosen I can link those too.

So, to begin, ME is holding on to their last 1060 for me, if I do my full system build with them (due to miners, they won't sell it to me alone). As a result, I can price match any of my items with them -- including the video card (of course, I'll be hard-pressed to find the GPU for less than they're listing it for). That's why I listed PCPP -- according to the associate I spoke with, they're willing to price match with any of the sites on there, so long as they have the GPU in stock. This is the most up-to-date build I have -- I've for now excluded the peripherals and the RAM.

****

The CPU is the same as before:

Intel Core i3 8100 3.6Ghz, 6mb

Price Match w/ Vuugo @ $147.25

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX68268

**

The motherboard I think I managed to get the same one from a different ME, and it's being transferred to my local one.

MSI Z370-A Pro

Price Match w/ Newegg @ $149.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX68590

****

The RAM I'm still iffy about. The one I have on the build right now is a Kingston 2x4 GB for $125. I wasn't given a product number and forgot to ask, but through some digging on their website, I found this and I think it's that one because the price is the same (it's the only one at exactly that price). If not, they have it in stock and I can switch it out for this one.

As far as I can tell, it's identical to the one you linked. What do you mean by expandability? As far as I can tell, my motherboard has 4 memory slots. Can I not just add more RAM? Unless I need to use those to connect stuff like my HDD and SSD, but I thought those used PCI-e slots.

If 8 gb will do me fine then I'm happy, I just don't want to have to upgrade any time soon. The 16gb version of the same one is less than $100 more so it's something I'll have to consider. If it was you, what would you do? The choices:

Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB

Price Match w/ PC-Canada @ $117.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX64812

OR

Kingston HyperX Fury 2x8GB

Price Match w/ Vuugo @ $218.50

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX66968


**

From what I could tell, ME had the best price on my SSD.

Samsung 850 Evo SSD 500GB

Memory Express @ $179

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX55510

I think I've decided on 500GB. More storage is always better, and again, I don't want to have to switch, transfer, or upgrade later. I aim to put only my OS and most of my games on there, so it will be dedicated to that.

*****

The HDD I went for 2TB. It's a $20 difference from 1TB so I figured the same as above.

Seagate 2TB BarraCuda HD Sata III w/ 64 M Cache

Price Match w/ ShopRBC @ $72.25

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX63178

*

The GPU I had to change from EVGA, because ME doesn't have that one in stock anywhere. This one, according to the salesperson and the Internet, has two fans and a higher speed. I figured that would end up being better anyways, but again, let me know if I'm causing a problem for myself here.

Asus GTX 1060 3GB

Price Match w/ PC-Canada @ $364.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX63930



The case I had to switch a bit to get one they had in stock. It's effectively the same as far as I can tell.

IN WIN G7 ATX Mid Tower Case, Black

Memory Express @ $59.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX52221




Same with the PSU. Think I used the filter to grab this one, sorted by Memory Express.

Corsair TXM Gold 550W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply

Price Match w/ PC-Canada @ $94.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX65812



The monitor they have in stock. I was looking to get a cheaper one at about 120Hz but apparently nobody has those.

ACER GN246HL 24in Full HD 144Hz LCD LED

Price Match w/ Amazon.ca @ $249.99

https://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX64422



So the total price of all of the above comes to:

$1446,44 if I choose to go with 8 GB of RAM, OR

$1546,95 if I choose to go with 16 GB of RAM.

Prices may fluctuate a bit depending on the prices I'm matching with (I'll review as I get closer to picking up the parts) and tax etc.

I hope that was enough. Please let me know if there's any more info you need. Sorry for the late response by the way, trying to get some homework done at the same time, haha.

Once more, thank you for your help. You've gone above and beyond what anyone would have asked of you, and I appreciate your help very very much. This kind of thing is why I love Reddit.


***

I've added the details on my peripherals below, just for fun. You can totally ignore this if you want, but if you're interested, here's the extra stuff I'm looking to get.

Fasteners

$13.97

https://www.amazon.ca/Monoprice-106457-Fastening-Cable-Black/dp/B004AFUJZC/ref=pd_bxgy_147_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6JVF3PB6QH9VKNGJ9Z50

CM Masterkey Pro S RGB Cherry MX Brown

$139.99

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01D3BDN60/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2Q9BUBJBGLQRF&colid=27HBAHJXQ3YZ9&th=1

TP-Link TL-PA4010KIT AV500 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, Up to 500Mbps, Plug and Play

$49.99

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00AWRUICG/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3UXQO0VKJJAHK&colid=27HBAHJXQ3YZ9&psc=1

Mionix Ambidextrous Mouse (AVIOR 8200)**

$79.99

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00D3F7D86/?tag=pcp0f-20

Hi /u/codyhart - I am a GH4 shooter. It is a great camera, but with a $3000 camera budget, I would buy a camcorder.

As you say, by the time you buy ND filters, a Speedbooster to compensate for the GH4's sensor size, an XLR audio solution with decent preamps and rigging (e.g., a top handle) to compensate for its ergonomics - you might as well buy a real video camera.

In your price range, I recommend a [$2499 like new Super 35 4K JVC LS300 from a JVC authorized dealer] (https://www.amazon.com/JVC-GY-LS300CHU-Ultra-Camcorder-Handle/dp/B00USBVISE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A2G9URD6L8MGV6&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1487606994&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) with a [$238 Canon to micro 4/3 autofocusing adapter] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=351515840152&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) and something like a [used $264.93 Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 lens with a 30 day warranty from Cellular Stream via Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-17-50mm-Aperture-Standard-Digital/dp/B003A6H27K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A3GMNP3CXMIPDP&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1487606647&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20).

The LS300 has these features the GH4 lacks:

• 1080/120p slow motion (the GH4 is limited to 1080/96p)
  
• built-in ND filters
  
• built-in pro XLR inputs with phantom
  
• dual card slots (the GH4 has one)
  
• top handle
  
• LOG profile (the GH4's LOG profile costs $100 extra)
  
• built-in IP encoder for [live streaming] (https://youtu.be/Y3oYNy47yYo) with a [$9 wi-fi dongle] (https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
• SDI out
  
• full size HDMI out
  
• power zoom rocker with [prime zoom] (https://youtu.be/0Eq4_hPzQPc), which gives you a 2.5x lossless zoom with prime lenses
  
  I have shot with this camera, it is a solid pro camcorder with the ability to produce high quality 4K video at a reasonable price.
  
  Here are a few examples of the image quality this camera can produce:
  
  Narrative
  
  
• [UrbEx by Filippo Chiesa] (https://vimeo.com/200431612) (4K)
  
  
• [Даниил Хармс стихотворение Страх |Тест камеры JVC GY-LS300 by Александр Носовский] (https://youtu.be/xyO_-T7BhdM) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Test Footage by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/qQoDt62DNak) (1080p)
  
  Music Video
  
  
• [JVC GY-Ls300 Test 001 by Dario Viola] (https://youtu.be/LRWuOhLSAi8) (1080p)
  
  Corporate/Commercial/Interview
  
  
• [Halloween AM Skit by Robert Grant] (https://youtu.be/knzu5ZLgYMc) (1080p - Local TV promo - LS300 used on some shots)
  
  
• [KW Realty Group Experience, Anniston, Alabama by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/5fSgXSCEg9M) (1080p - [Azden SGM250 pro XLR microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Azden-SGM-250-Professional-Powered-Microphone/dp/B00XWG2YBW//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) plugged directly into the camcorder)
  
  
• [Indian Oaks Event Center Community Golf Course by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/CLBbyXualSs) (1080p)
  
  Live Event
  
  
• [Supersonic Lips - House of Blues - Mas Musica Festival by Juan Flores] (https://vimeo.com/185562492) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Sample low light Footage (The Pocket Band) by Lonzos Studios] (https://youtu.be/VXEWARTJhv8) (2160p)
  
  Wedding
  
  
• [4K Ultra HD Wedding Film - Kassandra & Ralph's Photo Shoot by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/d4pILlMyFEM) (2160p - shot with manual Rokinon cine lenses)
  
  
• [Kristin & Doug's Wedding at Glen Magna Farms 4K Ultra-HD Wedding by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/GdKBKd5_e2Q) (2160p - shot with the LS300 and a Sony AX100 consumer camcorder)
  
  
• [Wedding with a jvc gy-ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/154440004) (1080p - shot with the LS300 and Panasonic auto lenses)
  
  J-LOG on Vimeo (please watch at 4K and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [Japanese garden with the JVC gy ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/162712903)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K J-Log Vision] (https://vimeo.com/138523082)
  
  
• [Palm Springs Photo Festival 2016 - JVC LS300 footage by Zachary Andrews] (https://vimeo.com/164723392) (4K J-LOG)
  
  1080p on Vimeo
  
  
• [Breathing in New Life] (http://vimeo.com/120445118)
  
  
• [“Honmonji Temple” in GY-LS300 by moribun] (https://vimeo.com/139214323) (downscaled from UHD to 1080p, downloadable if you're a Vimeo Plus or Pro member [if you're not, you can sign up [here] (http://vimeo.com/pro/new?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=prosubscribe-cj-vimeo-bizlander-300x250-20130424&utm_campaign=7696)])
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 Camera Test] (http://vimeo.com/122736335)
  
  
• [A Snowy Day in Ann Arbor, Shot with the JVC GY-LS300 by Chase Stanton] (https://vimeo.com/158042771)
  
  J-LOG on YouTube (please watch at 2160p and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 4K J-Log1 "KYOTO New Year's Day" by GAIPROMOTION] (https://youtu.be/efJrfawjVw0)
  
  Non-LOG Gammas on YouTube (2160p)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 UHD 4K w/ Canon 70-200 and 85mm lenses by JVCProfessional] (https://youtu.be/QYCdxMrvAoA)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Clips by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/OzgGwCUdZV0)
  
  
• [EVS’s test footage for the JVC GY-LS300 4K super 35 Cinema camera] (https://youtu.be/S47dceBcuJI)
  
  
• [TOKYO“I”land KOWA PROMINAR w/JVC KENWOOD GY-LS300 by Satoshi Watanabe] (https://youtu.be/WO8DW5d0isE)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K Footage by elton chong] (https://youtu.be/0pYEFhE3xLE)
  
  This camera is not perfect. It has a tiny viewfinder and LCD, so you'll probably need to buy an EVF - and, although it has 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, it is still an 8-bit camera.
  
  But for less than $3000, it is the most flexible large sensor, interchangeable lens 4K Super 35 camcorder on the market.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with finding the right camera for your needs!

I can't believe that after 173 comments, no one has the explanation as to why this is the case. I guess it's finally my time to shine. Simply put, the PS3 uses a wi-fi standard that's currently in most homes today. The PS4 uses a newer, faster standard. So why is it slower then? Because most people's routers aren't upgraded to this new standard yet. Sony made the PS4's wi-fi module more future-proof, but as of now it's definitely too future-proof. There are two work-arounds to this issue. You either A) buy a router that uses the new wi-fi standard or the better option IMO, B) buy one of these genius little network powerline adapters. Why do I think the powerline adapter is better? It's cheaper than most routers that use the new wi-fi standard and it's a wired connection. You ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS, want a wired connection with your gaming devices. Save the wi-fi for your phones and tablets. Wire connections are faster and more stable than wi-fi. The network powerline adapter allows you to have a wired connection even if you don't have the ethernet wire routed to the room with your PS4.



"But wait u/IVIajesty, how does this marvelous machine pull off such a magical feat???"



It's simple young padawon. You connect the first module into the outlet and into your router. It sends the ethernet connection throughout your homes circuiting. You connect the second module into the outlet by your PS4 and into your PS4 via ethernet cable, and alakazam! The internet signal is transferred over through the rooms. It's like having a wired connection, without having a wired connection! Woo!



Bonus LPT: If you have an electronics store like Best Buy or Fry's by you, you can buy the device from them and make sure it works. If it doesn't, they have 15 day return policies. This device works in pretty much 99% of home circuiting layouts. There are a few cases where the circuiting of the home isn't compatible with this device, but it's rare. If it doesn't work, you can always return it.



Bonus-Bonus LPT: Best Buy and Fry's both price check, so if it's cheaper on Amazon or any other reputable online vender, make sure you take advantage of that to save a couple extra bucks.



Edit: Used some bolding and italics to make my comment sexier.
Edit 2: It seems as though I might've have confused standard with a different word or I might've gotten my info from an unreliable source. Crossed out the wrong info. Guess I'm not a savior after all :'(

There is a product out there called Powerline Adaptors that might be able to help you out. That link is just the first one I saw, but they range from 35-90 bucks. They use your home power outlets to transmit internet signals to other rooms. The rooms have to be on the same circuit, I believe. Do some research, but it would essentially allow you to run wired internet to other rooms easily.

Having a wired ps4 makes a literal world of a difference. If I was on wifi, I think I would literally get 1/10th if my actual speed. Last time I check I went from the 180/20 to like 20/2. For the actual remote play, there is an option in the ps4 for the vita to connect directly to the ps4. In some cases that works best, but for me I opt to go through my router to the ps4, and it’s a dream. There’s some boxes to check/uncheck on the vita and ps4, plus a few other network actions like changing device channels and so forth for additional fine tuning. I did tons of research and spent tons of time tweaking it. Once you go through it all and get it just right, it’s just...chefs kiss....perfect. Regardless, id highly recommend getting a Vita anyway if you don’t have one! Loads of great games, a wonderful feeling handheld, and of course, the remote play. If you ever do decide to pick one up, feel free to hit me up if you have any other questions

One could make a ghetto channel bonding router of sorts fairly simply, but that's probably overkill for the average lone nomad.

Or with the advent of thunderbolt/usb3.1, you could even just do it with your one computer if you aren't doing a vehicle.

Speedify will let you bond a bunch of connections together and short of thousands and thousands of dollars in equipment, it's the best thing going.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhBeD5fRAmY

you can just keep slapping wan connections in whenever you are. take an arbitrary number of 4G, wifi, ethernet sources and combine them for bandwidth and latency improvements.

As a thought exercise lets take this picture and built out something for it.

1 person, 1 laptop, carry-on travel mode style. It's gonna be very Dongle-y, so it's practical mostly for when you camp out somewhere for a while to work. This probably isn't worth setting up at the airport unless you are trapped a good long while.

That laptop we want to have a solid peripheral bus with lots of bandwidth. Ideally Thunderbolt 3, but the 10gb USB, or honestly probably even the 5gb USB is gonna do for most people anyway.

Then we get a hub device with lots of ports on it.

This thing probably has at least USB3.1, and thus 5.0gb of bandwidth there probably.

amazon makes a perfectly serviceable hub with external power option:
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-USB-10-Port-Power-Adapter/dp/B076YRWV6Z/

Then you grab a few usb3.0 to gigabit ethernet adapters for flexibility of input:
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-1000-Gigabit-Ethernet-Adapter/dp/B00M77HMU0/

plus some USB wifi adapters (so you can get on multiple wifi networks at once)

This is apparently the amazon favorite. Having an actual antenna is nice.

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-1200Mbps-TECHKEY-Wireless-Network-300Mbps/dp/B07J65G9DD/

plus USB 4G modem sticks you can put local sims in. This is all gonna depend on where you travel. NA is different from Asia, etc.

Verizon offers one for $250 they claim works in 200 countries. On the other end, a Huawei stick that works in most of the world is like $60 and you can just keep popping sims in and out of them as you travel around and grab local ones. You can probably even just buy modems locally too as you travel. If you aren't buying from a carrier in north america, it's generally gonna be easy and painless.

You could also use phones as well. cheap ones have modems that can max most towers anyway, and they mostly all use the same antenna design now.

Some little baby usb extensions so you aren't fighting to fit things in your hub:
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Black-Extension-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00S2N2Q4U/

All those things are tiny and can go in a little electronics roll or bag or something at the bottom of a backpack:
https://www.amazon.com/ProCase-Electronics-Organizer-Universal-Accessories/dp/B01EN4PP4E/

1. Run the VR compatibility check: https://store.steampowered.com/app/323910/SteamVR_Performance_Test/
   
2. Upgrade to Windows 10 version 1809:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
   
3. Load Steam VR: https://store.steampowered.com/app/250820/
   
4. Load STEAM WMR: https://store.steampowered.com/app/719950/
   
5. Bluetooth: For all but Samsung Odyssey HMD+, be sure your computer has a Bluetooth capability to talk to the hand controllers. If capability is not built in, buy a Bluetooth dongle and plug it into a USB 2 port. AND, if possible place this in an USB 2 port that is away from the Headset connection to the computer --- perhaps the front of the computer. Known to work (Plugable Bluetooth 4.0 low energy.): https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Raspberry-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI
   
6. Plug in the your headset:a. Headset HDMI: plug headset HDMI connector into your graphics cardb. Headset USB: plug into USB 3 connector (blue or red)This will cause the headset software to install the headset to start runningAlternate approach: https://www.windowscentral.com/how-set-your-windows-mixed-reality-headset
   
7. Pair your controllers:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/enthusiast-guide/set-up-windows-mixed-reality#set-up-your-motion-controllers
   
8. Play Space: be sure you clear plenty of space. If you are 6 foot, you need a nine foot ceiling. You can break controllers, your hands, or TVs etc. if you do not have enough space. I found that standing on a rug the siz of your safe area (for me that is 8 feet by 6 feet) enables my feet to tell me if I am heading toward a boundary where trouble lurks. A padded rug or yoga mat helps with being able to sense edges and play for long sessions.
   
9. Games: start with free and check STEAM for the most played. Consider:
   
   a. The Lab
   
   b. Rec Room
   
   c. Google Earth
   
   d. You Tube
   
   e. Beat Saber
   
   f. Elven Assassin
   
   g. Arizona Sunshine
   
   h. Gorn
   
   i. Pavlov
   
   ​
   
   
10. Location of free WMR software for education: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/shop/apps?q=victoryvr
    
    to see the way school use these to make middle and high scholl curriculums, as well as, other items from VictoryVR education company : https://www.victoryvr.biz/victoryvr-products/
    
    ​
    
    
11. Buy rechargeable batteries: people say the Amazon basic rechargeable are great; highly rated from IKEAhttps://www.amazon.com/Ikea-ladda-Battery-rechargeable-2450/dp/B01MQ0U97A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1544531944&sr=8-4&keywords=ikea+rechargeable+batteries#customerReviews

I'm a little late to your question but here's my two cents:

1. Nothing will be as good as running a cable. CAT5E or CAT6 won't really matter much for most users. CAT6 will get you past the 1Gbps speed at certain distances, but CAT5e supports 1Gbps at 100 m (about 300 ft). CAT6 is also more expansive and more difficult to work with (the strands are thicker which means they won't bend as well and they are harder to crimp connectors). The cable and connectors to do this will cost less than the Moca or powerline adaptors, but obviously you have to install the cable and that can sometimes be prohibitive. You could hire an electrician and he could possibly do it for less than $100, so don't rule that out either. Modular jacks can be terminated in a wall jack without the need to crimp, like Leviton (https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5G108-RW5-QuickPort-Cat-5e-White/dp/B00029IYUM/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539285173&sr=1-4&keywords=leviton+wall+jack). All you need is one cable and you can connect multiple devices in your office and even put in a wireless access point so your phone has a good connection.
   
   
2. Barring the cabling option, I think powerline is the next best option. A pair like this (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B5BTKS3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1) will only cost you $70 and will give you speeds of a few hundred Mbps in most cases. It's cheap, easy, and reliable. I have personally experienced that these work pretty well, although not as good as real CAT5 cable.
   
   
3. If for some reason you must go with Moca, a pair like this (https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200S02/dp/B013J7O3X0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539284526&sr=1-1&keywords=moca%2Badapter&th=1) will cost you around $170. I have personally experienced that these are mediocre performance wise, but it depends on the coax wiring in your house. If you only have a 2 or 3 way splitter, and it's RG6, and not that long, they might perform OK. But if you have a 5-way splitter or a long distance over RG59, these will not perform well. In addition, you should install a MOCA filter (https://www.amazon.com/TiVo-Authorized-Point-Entry-Filter/dp/B01EKCL1U6/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1539284803&sr=1-2&keywords=moca+filter&dpID=31qi88Oe0PL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch) on your main cable line to prevent your network traffic from getting to the outside pole, where somebody could conceivably sniff it. All of these Moca adaptors will reduce your cable signal a bit and could lead to some boxes not getting their required signal, resulting in channel dropout or digital noise in the picture. I can't think of a scenario where Moca would work better than powerline adaptors.

You are good at this troubleshooting, gold star to you sir!

You're getting there, but basically you just need to be more careful in future not to remove the drivers, but uninstall the device itself (because how are you going to get the drivers again without a connection)

Right, you need to get the drivers somehow. Do any of your friends have a WiFi USB dongle you could borrow? It's basically a wireless network card on the end of a USB. You can pick one up for pretty cheap on Amazon, and I would recommend this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491853009&sr=8-2&keywords=edimax

Invest in one of these, they are lifesavers for situations exactly like these. I have about 5 lol.

If you can find a friend who has one, or get one yourself, install the driver that comes with it on CD and plug it in. You should get a WiFi connection right away under something like 'Wifi 2' in your network settings.

Go back into Device Manager and under the Unknown Devices section you should find some devices there, that are not recognised because of the lack of drivers.

Right click on each of them and click Update Driver Software, and then click Search automatically on the popped up window.

Let it do its thing, and it may take a few minutes. Windows 10 happens to be fantastic at searching for drivers, and it should find the drivers you need no bother at all!

Best of luck :)

I've had tracking issues in the past but seem to have finally figured it out. It's finicky and there are a few things you need to do to get the best experience.

​

First of all, Microsoft suggests this bluetooth adapter.

Second, try different USB ports on your system. If the port you're using shares the same controller as the headset itself or some other device it may not be working perfectly. Try 2.0 and 3.0 ports until you find one that works best.

Third, I have my adapter on an extension cord so I can bring it as close to my play area as possible.

Fourth, try the Marvel driver that Microsoft recommends. Go to Device Manager and find your bluetooth driver, right click and go to properties>driver>update driver>browse my computer for updated driver>let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer; now uncheck "show compatible hardware" and find "Marvel Semiconductor, Inc." then choose Marvel AVASTAR Bluetooth Radio Adapter".

​

After all that I have basically perfect tracking. I can play Beat Saber about as well as this system can handle I think. In fact I just finished a bunch of the original songs at 135% speed today and it kept up without losing tracking.

Donor? why not new?

Here's a black one

Here's an orange one from a site that you will want to use a reloadable MasterCard to buy from

while it's open replace the laser (check your model number for exact laser replacement, this is just an example)

Open ps2 loader and all that.. I ended up having to order a swap magic disk to install free mcboot but there are other ways.

This is optional and expensive, but it will also be an upgrade for any internet connected device around your TV:

• Grab 2 suggested dual-band AC routers suggested here and flash one (or both DD-WRT is awesome) with DD-WRT or Tomato. If you already have a dual-band AC router, there's no reason to replace it, just get one dual band AC router and flash it.
  
  
• If you haven't already, replace your old router with one of the new ones (the one you don't have to flash with DD-WRT). Configure it as normal, you just upgraded your WiFi significantly though.
  
  
• Take the other router and follow the instructions to install the latest version of DD-WRT/Tomato, your going to need the additional functionality of these third-party firmwares.
  
  
• configure this router as a wireless bridge device, set it to connect to your other router in the 5Ghz spectrum. Make sure that you set this router's IP address as something other than the default 192.168.1.1 or you will have to start over with a 30-30-30 reset.
  
  
• Plug it in behind your TV and plug in anything that has an ethernet port to it (the PS2 with the hard drive kit obviously, but your Xbox 360/one, PS3/4, set-top boxes, smart TV, HTPC, rasberrypi, etc)
  
  
• If your PC is pugged into the router with a cat6e and has a gigabyte nic, your done. If you have your PC on a wireless network, you need to check to see what revision of WiFi your wifi nic supports. If it supports AC, you don't have to go any further. If it's a G/N card, you will also need to upgrade it as well. Laptop suggestion, Possibly needed accessory if you need a long card, Desktop suggestion
  
  What has all this done? Well, firstly your network is now upgraded to AC and that has given you a ~1Gbps link to your modem and other PCs on the network (assuming that you upgraded them all with new WNICs). have fun transferring your entire install of Fallout 4 from one PC to the other in a matter of moments, this would be a great time to look into faster internet packages because you can handle it.
  
  But the other thing, the thing that made you have to do all this scary firmware flashing on expensive networking equipment? Your devices now have a 1Gbps link to your router as well. That's far far better than the NICs in the consoles/set top boxes and since the PS2 has no wireless NIC, this was completely necessary to have it attached to your TV and be able to stream the ISOs off your PC. The router is working backwards, using WiFi as it's WAN connection and supplying connection to the ports.
  
  This is essentially the setup I have, except I'm using my old Dual-band N router as my wireless bridge. The PS2 can load a game far faster than it could off the disk through the network, but also my 360/PS3 can download content and updates far faster than they can with their internal adapters. Anything pulling network video will be more responsive, and will be able to utilise the full speed of your internet connection for things like Netflix.
  
  Is it a lot to connect your PS2 to the WLAN? oh yeah, but your also upgrading your connection for everything else you use at the same time.

Congratulations on the new job! The story I am about to tell you is in regards to a new job as well. As well as the Spartan race, my older brother and his wife compete in Camp Gladiator down in Austin every year. From what I can tell, it seems like a satisfying accomplishment.

For the past year, my job has had a really awful boss. After my old one retired, this lady came in from another store, and has since been the bane of my working day. I could write an entire rant about that, but the biggest issues where our gears would grind together was how we viewed basic semi-formal workplace communication. I have been openly scolded on the sales floor (working retail here) many times before, one particular time that always come to mind was for helping a customer when I was paged into her office to help with her computer. She came storming out and started raising hell because she wanted to finish her order so she could leave early. The customer tried defending me, and she gave him the "this does not concern you" routine, so I stepped out of my professional bubble and snapped. I yelled back at her. It was like one of those cinema moments. She was speechless, the customer wore a big grin, and I certainly felt better for doing it. I wasn't worried at the time about getting fired, the whole ordeal was on camera, and I feel I could have contested it. Since then I had only been given shifts where I would close a ten hour shift Friday night and open one Saturday morning. Though noting is particularly wrong with this, I was the only one on the schedule who was getting the treatment, and when others tried to switch shifts with me, the request would get denied. This went on for five months. I was not having this, so I called corporate offices and explained what was happening. After some fiddling around, I was approved to transfer to a store that was not only closer to home, but was changing over to the machinery I am trained in.

This has been the best week ever! because as of this Wednesday, I will have completed my seventh day at the new place. I love my boss, my new director and I are pretty much the same person as far as interests go, and I feel I can do a lot at this new place to make it my own. The icing on the cake of it all, the last day I worked, I learned that my old boss is no longer employed at the store that I was at before, and I would like to think I had a part in that. As awful of a fate as it was for her, she can not be in authority and be demeaning her employees over needing computer help.

I would love this small, cheap wireless dongle for my latest project. I'm planning on making a portable computer out of a Raspberry_Pi (tiny, credit card sized computer) that can be worn like a forearm protector. The dongle is usually more expensive, but the item recently dropped down in price. Having a small wireless attachment for my device would save me the need of having to plug it in to an Ethernet port to access the internet, defeating the purpose of 'portability' I am going for.

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B

Supports CEC. Comes with 4x USB 2.0 slots, an HDMI, quad core ARM A7 processor, 1 GB RAM, and an ethernet port. Also has GPIO pins but I don't know of any Kodi related uses for them. It is an extremely low power device (uses about $3 worth of electricity per year) and requires nothing to keep it cool (e.g., no fans blaring in the middle of your favorite movie).

Base cost is $35. Requires a microSD card, an HDMI cable, and a microUSB charger, all of which can be purchased for approximately $5 each. An existing microUSB charger, such as from your cell phone or a device like a Kindle or Chromecast can be used, of course. Optional components include a case ($10-$20 or 3D print your own), USB wifi dongle ($10+), and an external hard drive ($50+). A few companies put out bundles that include a Raspberry Pi board and various components such as this basic one and this more complete one. A wireless keyboard ($20+) can also be handy. Product links are provided as examples; there may be better deals or smarter purchases to be had.

You'll then want to use a minimalistic Linux distro such as OpenELEC or OSMC, both of which are designed specifically to run Kodi and have optimized builds for a Raspberry Pi. OpenELEC seems to be more popular and is what I use myself. Installation is easy -- you just download and write to your SD card (oh yeah, you might need an SD card reader, $5). If you'd like you can also install a "real" Linux distro and install Kodi in that as you would on a regular desktop computer. You can either store your media on an external hard drive connected to the Raspberry Pi or on a separate computer or NAS and share your files over your LAN.

Pros:

• Cheap base cost
  
• Low power
  
• Very hands off after initial setup
  
• CEC! Use your TV remote to control Kodi
  
• Hardware decoding for h264
  
• As it is full-fledged computer you can easily add in additional software such as emulators, a web browser, etc.
  
• More of a DIY solution (may be a con)
  
  Cons:
  
  
• A few plugins (typically they are Windows dependent) and more computationally intensive skins may not work
  
• May get pricey if you need to buy all the separate components
  
• Can not handle 10-bit x264 (aka Hi10p; rare outside of anime fansubs) or HEVC (aka h265) files.
  
• No 4K output, max resolution is 1920x1200
  
• More of a DIY solution (may be a pro)
  

Yes I do (Althought I always recommend Cable over Wifi ,but I'll just assume that isn't a possiblity for you :P )

The Archer T series are good. The 3 models come up as top, T6E , T8E , T9E. Some do 802.11AC wifi others don't. Depends on your router and home network if you would have any use for that.

Those are all PCI Cards you place inside your PC. The Asus PCE-AC68 also deserves a mention if we are talking about High performance Wireless cards. Althought its expensive.

You can also go the USB route, you'll end up with dongles like this Netgear AC1200 which is a excellent USB options, but once again pricey (See the trend, dont worry we are getting there)

A more affordable PCI Options would be this TP-LINK WDN4800 N900 or a USB dongle like this TP-Link WDN4200 N900

And if you are really low on funds you could go for something like the Asus USB-N13 for 18$ or TP-Link N300 which is only 11$.

Personally I'd recommend you grab the TP N900, either the PCI or USB variant would do fine , PCI is faster, USB is probably a bit more versatile as you can use it with any PC/Laptop. N900 gets great reviews all around and it supports 802.11N , should be plenty fast for gaming. One issue the N900 seems to have is Digital signage with W10 ,so you need a different driver than the official one to get by this issue and use 5ghz. Not sure if thats relevant for you.

Either way ,you see the trend, Asus and TP-link are really my go2brands for anything networking.

I realize I still gave you a ton of choices, might not be the most helpful, but atleast you'll have some direction to look.

I switched from a wireless Xbox 360 controller to a wireless DualShock 4.

Overall I'm pretty happy with the switch.

Initially it was fine, but towards the end I found that the wireless connection with the 360 controller started to become unreliable with it randomly dropping the connection, and the analog sticks started to drift rather than staying centered.

Using this Bluetooth adapter (which, incidentally, uses the same Broadcom controller as my MacBook Pro) since my PC does not have Bluetooth built in, and these DualShock 4 drivers has been a near-flawless experience.

The only current issue that I have, is that I need to remember to switch off the controller (hold down the PS button for 10s) before connecting a USB cable if I had been using it wirelessly and need to charge it, or else both the wireless and wired connections are active at the same time and inputs get doubled up.

I had previously preferred the asymmetrical design of the Xbox controllers, but I think Sony really did a good job with the DualShock 4 compared to previous DualShock controllers.

That said, I'm not sure that my aim is as good as with the 360 controller in FPS games, but it may also be that I've simply not used a controller with FPS/TPS games in some time now - I do tend to prefer a mouse for that.

And while the trigger design is now concave rather than convex, I still prefer using L1/R1 for aim/shoot rather than L2/R2. The nice thing is that you can simply remap them in the driver rather than needing a game-specific option - a surprising number of recent PC ports revert to locked-down "profiles" when using a controller rather than letting you remap the keys as you wish.

The d-pad is fine for games - better than an unmodified 360 controller, though it's really only good for cardinal directions - so it's great with platformers for example. I don't find that it "rolls" very well if you're playing a fighting game which requires quarter-circle or half-circle inputs though.

Having a trackpad on the controller is nice when using it with a PC, for those games which work with a controller but open up a launcher window that requires mouse input before starting for example.

The DS4 is a very lightweight controller, though I will say that the vibration is a bit weak. However setting it to 150% in the drivers seemed to fix that.

The battery life could be better, though I have not personally found it to be an issue as long as I remember to plug it in after I'm finished gaming. I think it helps that you can disable the "light bar" on the back when using it with a PC. And it works as a wired controller too, so it's not the end of the world if the battery runs down.

Strangely though, the driver reports 1-2ms polling when using the controller wirelessly, and 4ms when using it via a wired connection.


I do wish that the white controller was out before I bought mine though. For some inexplicable reason, they used glossy plastic surrounding the d-pad and face buttons which needs regular cleaning. I always wash my hands before using the PC out of habit, yet it still ends up looking grimy because of this.

Wifi is utter crap, I used it for 2 months in my new home and had horrible lags. I switched to something called powerline. You basically take a cable from your router, stick it into a plug connected to your power outlet and then you take another plug and stick it into an outlet near your computer and from there you take an ethnernet cable and connect it into the PC. It took 5 minutes to set up and I had to install LAN drivers for my motherboard.

I have these and they work great. Also these powerlines work great for streaming!

Ok to your build, this is what I came up with:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor | $119.99 @ Newegg
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-78LMT-USB3 Micro ATX AM3+ Motherboard | $59.99 @ Newegg
Memory | Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1333 Memory | $59.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $59.99 @ NCIX US
Video Card | MSI Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB Video Card | $169.99 @ Newegg
Case | Thermaltake Commander MS/I Snow Edition (White/Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $44.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply | $44.99 @ Amazon
Optical Drive | Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer | $17.99 @ Newegg
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit) | $89.00 @ Amazon
Monitor | Acer G236HLBbd 60Hz 23.0" Monitor | $109.99 @ Newegg
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $761.91
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-10-12 11:18 EDT-0400 |

This rig could play most games on high settings (skyrim will be no problem), but since Bf4 is still in it´s beta stage, it is hard to say how the 7870 will perform. But it should play it with acceptable fram rates on high settings. The processor is an 6 core AMD CPU and will be strong in games optimized for multicores.Also it is very strong in multitasks. I added in an extra 1tb hdd, but you can leave it out if you want to put that money towards the purchase of an SSD.
Both Motherboard and the case support USB 3.0, so this is taken care of as well.
8gbs of RAM is standard and can be easily upgraded, there are3 more slots available for RAM in the Motherboard.
The case has enough slots for case fans and extra HDDs, so cable management and air flow should be no problem.
The monitor has an 23" screen and supports 1920 x 1080 resolution, it is a good choice when on a budget.
If you have any more questions, let me know and I will be glad to help you.


Edit: There was a mistake in the PCpartpicker list that showed the wrong price for the RAM, fixed it but now the build is 760$. I hope it is not to big of a deal, since shipping is already included in the price.

Hello,

I kinda had a problem like this a while ago, and it took me quite some time to determine what was going on, which, as it turns out, wasn't related to Steam or CSGO. Despite what others have said, for me it was a hardware (or firmware) issue. Anyway, here's what I figured out...

I run a Wifi setup because where I'm located I am not physically close to my router for LAN. My problem was similar to yours in so much that attempting to download updates would either corrupt the game, or end up with saying the download was corrupt. In any case, it turned out to be my primary WLAN card. To fix the situation, I swapped over to my secondary WLAN card and, go figure, update downloads started working just fine again with no corruptions of any kind. Not entirely sure what the issue is, considering the primary card works just fine for every other application, but this is the root of the problem, so changing up your cards is your best bet. If you don't have more than one, or if you use LAN vs WLAN, here's what I'd suggest you do...

For WLAN setup:

• First off, try using LAN over WLAN if feasible. If not, keep reading...
  
• Change to a different wireless card. If you don't have one, buy another cheap one from Amazon. [This] (http://www.amazon.com/Panda-Wireless-PAU06-300Mbps-Adapter/dp/B00JDVRCI0/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1463330990&sr=1-6&keywords=usb+wireless+adapter) USB wireless adapter works just fine. I don't recommend things I haven't used myself.
  
• With the two cards installed (once you have two), make sure you are using the new one.
  
• Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings > Right click on the OLD adapter > Disable > Now make sure you can connect with the new adapter > Restart Steam and try downloading updates again
  
  For LAN setup (physical cable from router to PC):
  
  
• Given that most computer only have one ethernet port, you options are limited.
  
• Try wireless like above, recommendation on wireless adapter still stands.
  
• Try a USB ethernet adapter. In this case, [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Ethernet-Network-Adapter-Chromebook/dp/B00484IEJS?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00) one should do just fine. I use it for my Chromebook in areas with only LAN access.
  
• With the USB adapter installed, make sure you are using it.
  
• Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings > Right click your built in LAN port > Disable > Now make sure you can connect with the new adapter > Restart Steam and try downloading updates again
  
  If none of that works, the only other option I'd suggest to you that I didn't see listed here already is changing your download region in Steam.
  
  
• Go to Steam > Settings > Download > Download Region > Change this to any region WELL AWAY from your current one, which is typically the one closest to you.
  
• After change, restart Steam and try downloads again.
  
  The region change did not work for me, but did for many others, so that's the only reason why I mention it. In any case good luck!
  

I submitted the following comment when I made this post yesterday. Unfortunately it got blocked because I accidentally included a couple referral links which I just copy/pasted off the piratebox website. Thanks to the mods for promptly getting back to me about why it kept getting deleted.

SD card and shipping & handling not included.

pi zero - $5.00

pins - $8.95

[wifi adapter](https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN722N-Wireless-Adapter-External/dp/B002SZEOLG?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top) - $13.33

right angle USB ports - $5.64

USB battery - $3.99

micro-mini usb cable - $2.89

Total: $39.80

*I used an Alfa AWUSO36NH but the TP-LINK TL-WN722N should work. More information on compatible network adapters here.

The optional Illuminated LED shutdown switch makes this device easier to use but costs an additional $16.99

About

PirateBox software runs on inexpensive hardware to connect users over an offline wifi network. Join it and your browser redirects to a simple interface where you can share files, chat, and stream video.

Pifm is a small program you can install in a Raspberry Pi PirateBox, aka “pi(rate)box.” It can broadcast on FM radio to inform potential users about the PirateBox wifi network, play uploaded music, and with a USB microphone Pifm lets you talk live to your audience.

Improvements

The first version of this project was well received so I'm back to share design and documentation improvements. Pi(rate)FM Zero is now fully self contained. It turns on and off with a button press and can automatically broadcast information about the wifi network over empty FM stations at user defined intervals.

Controversy

Back in March I was told the FCC would raid me, disassemble my pi, fine me up to $50,000 and label me a terrorist. I'm happy to report none of that happened :) The FM signal may be messy but it's also short range. The Pifm developers claim it can broadcast up to 100 meters. In my experience (with a 20cm antenna) it goes no further than 40 meters.

To my understanding this device is legal in the US under 47 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Section 15.239 and the [July 24, 1991 Public Notice (still in effect)](https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-297510A1.pdf]. From the FCC's website:

>Unlicensed operation on the AM and FM radio broadcast bands is permitted for some extremely low powered devices covered under Part 15 of the FCC's rules. On FM frequencies, these devices are limited to an effective service range of approximately 200 feet (61 meters).

Thanks to everyone who shared concerns over Pifm's legality. I took /u/QuirkyQuarQ's advice and experimented with a 100 MHz low-pass filter. Unfortunately, the FM signal leaks through the network adapter. I'll continue to look into it. Pifm may cause interference but there shouldn't be any trouble if you keep it away from airports and don't attach massive antennas to it.

Why not use a car/smartphone FM trasmitter?

You totally could. It might even be better in some situations if you don't mind a slightly larger, more expensive device with an extra battery to charge. Keep in mind you'd lose the ability to live broadcast with a microphone or play audio directly from the PirateBox.

Going forward

In my next version I'd like to improve the PirateBox interface and make a way for users to rate playlists while having Pifm automatically play the highest ranked tracks. Users could upload music and vote on which tracks gets played. It'd be your own personal short range interactive digital-analog radio station hosted on a private intranet.

Bonus**

Here's a .img file for your convenience. Just install it to an SD card (at least 4 gb) and run it in a Pi Zero to get started. Note: auto broadcast on FM isn't enabled by default so you'll need to add a cronjob as detailed in the guide if you want to activate this feature.

You are correct. In my experience, this is generally not a problem. The hotel is probably giving you a slower uplink anyway. Or, even if you're not getting max speed, you're getting plenty to watch Netflix easily.

I'm not aware of a native two-radio travel router. However, being that I am a network engineer and interested in this kind of thing, I eventually ended up looking for a dual radio solution just to see if I could make it work. If nothing else, at least this gets my LAN traffic off the same frequency as the other nearby hotel guests on my same hotel AP.

I started with a Ravpower Filehub that I already had. I was going to link you to the Amazon page for it, but it appears they have reused the same page to sell a new version of the device that doesn't look like mine and I don't know if it can be used in the same way. The one I have looks like this:

http://www.getdatgadget.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/RAVPower-All-In-One-FileHub-3.jpg

That travel router is nice because it has a built in USB battery bank. That can be nice when you're trying to find the magic spot in the hotel where wifi is strong enough. I find the best positioning without cables, then plug it in.

I installed OpenWRT on it and went looking for a USB wifi radio to add on. OpenWRT has limited support for USB wifi radios, and in fact I couldn't find anything 802.11ac. I eventually found this dual-band N adapter, which is supported:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SZEOLG

This gives me a true two-radio solution. The USB radio is dual-band and the internal radio is 2.4 only. OpenWRT isn't a super user-friendly solution, but it works for me. For example, it is up to me manually to set the LAN/AP channel to make sure it isn't simply sitting on the same channel as the WAN/client radio.

I have used this in a number of hotels (I travel a lot) and it works well with my Chromecast. This gets me past the captive portals on the Chromecast, and also on devices that are technically captive portal capable but annoying (like the Kindle). One login on any device is all it takes for all of my devices, no matter how many or which ones I bring.

I've even used it in a hotel with 128 kbps Internet that was too slow to stream. I was able to use Plex on my laptop to stream local content across the travel router's LAN to the Chromecast. The slow Internet WAN wasn't enough to stream on, but it was enough for the Chromecast to load apps and consider itself connected to the net.

One caveat: Some hotels limit the max speed of each client. If you log into their network with your phone and laptop as different clients, they each get a share. If you use a travel router, they both have to share a single client's allocation.

Random other advice: You know how streaming sticks often come with a short 3-inch or so HDMI extension cable? Use it. One of the hotel TV HDMI ports destroyed my Chromecast's HDMI connector (it actually pushed one of the pins on the Chromecast's HDMI connector back), and it would have been better if it had just destroyed the HDMI extension cable.

Unlike the other PC gamers in this thread, I'd say that rig for a PS4 is a decent deal - if you do plan on replacing your PC with something a little more powerful, as you say in another thread.

Once you pick up the PS4, what you need first and foremost is a PS+ subscription, which I think is $50 a year. Multiplayer is more or less dependent upon it (except where noted, in certain games). With the service, you also get two free games every month. So far, they've all been smaller indie titles, though the PS3 is seeing some older AAA releases. You can still make a PSN id to buy games and suchlike off the PS store.

Next, you'd probably want a second controller, especially if you're into fighting games like Mortal Kombat or Injustice. Sportsfriends, one of the free PS+ games this month, is also local MP only, and I've really enjoyed it so far.

If your WiFi is not ideal, and you don't have a LAN connection direct to the PS4, you could look into one of these.

Finally, you could look into upgrading the hard drive. 500 GB doesn't last long, since the PS4 installs all games, even ones on discs, to the hard drive. With each title clocking in between 25 and 40 GB, not to mention the two free PS+ games every month, it's gonna run out fast.

Thankfully, it's really easy to replace, as detailed here. I've heard good things on /r/PS4 about a certain 2TB Samsung hard disk, but I cannot find it right now. Or you could go for an SSD, which is faster but more expensive.

That's about all I can think of at the moment. Now for the disclaimer:

If your primary motivation for the PS4 is Destiny, you might want to hold off. I'm enjoying the game, but I would not recommend it to anyone who hasn't already tried it and decided if it's the game for them. I played the open beta for between six and eight hours before deciding to buy it. If you can, play for at least an hour or two on a friend's system before taking the leap.

I know unsolicited advice is often unwelcome, so feel free to skip the following paragraph if you want to:

UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOLLOWS

You could upgrade your GPU and get a PS4 for cheaper than assembling a new rig from scratch. I'm pretty sure you could sell just the GPU for between eighty and a hundred bucks.

UNSOLICITED ADVICE ENDS

Cheers, and welcome to the PS family!

Umm to be honest your probably fine with the one you have. The reason I recommended the one there is because I have the 100MBPS UGREEN one and it works great and have had no issues. Even things as far as having the Ethernet cable stay securely into the adapter on these is nice which I have had one other where that was an issue. But yeah I imagine the Nintendo ones are great so you should be good with that!

EDIT: Nevermind someone mentioned before that there is a specific chipset for Ethernet adapters that is best for the Switch so if you don't have it might be best to upgrade. Here is the one I found for the best price that they recommended: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Ethernet-Gigabit-Network-Adapter/dp/B00AQM8586

I think most of your questions depend on how you plan to use your Switch. For me, 99.9% of the time I use it in handheld mode, so accessories important for my usage are different than someone who primarily uses it in docked mode.

​

• HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Whichever mode you primarily use your Switch in, I highly recommend getting a Screen Protector and microSD card. The screen on the Switch covered by transparent soft(er) plastic that is easy to scratch. Most Tempered Glass screen protectors should offer enough protection against scratches (like https://www.amazon.com/amFilm-Tempered-Screen-Protector-Nintendo-Switch/dp/B01N3ASPNV/)... and some Switch cases (like the Nyko Thin Case https://www.amazon.com/Nyko-Thin-Case-Dockable-Protective-Protector/dp/B072KHS2Q5/) comes with one. As for microSD, I'd recommend getting at least 128GB from a reliable brand (200-400GB if you plan on playing a lot of games on the Switch). Both Sandisk and Samsung are reliable brands, but BE CAREFUL where you purchase your microSD from... as many online resellers sell fakes or can have their stock contaminated by 3rd parties. I personally have a 400GB Sandisk (https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-128GB-microSDXC-Memory-Adapter/dp/B074RNRM2B/) in my Switch, and I have only have 122GB free (100+ physical games, 22 small indie downloads, and 3 full-size downloads).
  
  ​
  
  
• HANDHELD ACCESSORIES: For me, a good grip (I use both Satisfye https://www.satisfye.com/ and Skull & Co https://www.amazon.com/Skull-Co-GripCase-Set-Comfortable-Replaceable/dp/B078WGT97X) is essential. Both of these have "bundles" that include zippered carrying cases that holds your Switch, several game cards, and other accessories. If you are on-the-go a lot, I would also recommend a good Battery Pack (I use the Nintendo-branded Anker 13400 with Power Direct https://www.amazon.com/Delivery-PowerCore-Nintendo-Official-13400mAh-Portable/dp/B07DMFL3SJ/), and a spare AC Charger if you don't want to unplug your dock each time (I only use the official Nintendo one https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Switch-AC-Adapter/dp/B01N7RUZ49/). Here is a good website on which battery packs (and chargers) work well with the Switch: https://switchchargers.com/.
  
  ​
  
  
• DOCKED ACCESSORIES: For me, I leave a dock permanently attached to my AV setup (which is why I bought a second AC Charger). I recommend buying a compatible LAN adapter using the ASIX AX88179 chipset (I use https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Ethernet-Gigabit-Network-Compatible/dp/B00AQM8586/) and a CAT5 or 6 cable to hardwire your dock into your network. I'd also invest in extra Joy-Cons and Joy-Con Grips (like Satisfye's Mini Gaming Grip https://www.satisfye.com/products/mini-gaming-grip) or a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (https://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Switch-Pro-Controller/dp/B01NAWKYZ0/) for your own comfort and for multiplayer.
  
  ​
  
  Hope this helps as a starting point!

Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there. It's been a while, that build is stale. Let me sort you out a new one, alright?

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4440 3.1GHz Quad-Core Processor | $179.98 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $108.99 @ Newegg
Memory | Team Zeus Yellow 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $67.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $69.93 @ Amazon
Storage | Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $74.99 @ Micro Center
Video Card | PNY GeForce GTX 970 4GB XLR8 Video Card (2-Way SLI) | $329.99 @ Amazon
Video Card | PNY GeForce GTX 970 4GB XLR8 Video Card (2-Way SLI) | $329.99 @ Amazon
Case | Rosewill STEALTH ATX Mid Tower Case | $59.99 @ Newegg
Power Supply | Antec TruePower Classic 750W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply | $60.00 @ Newegg
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $1281.85
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-05 04:04 EST-0500 |

That's a bit more on-target for price. Nicer PSU, too. And the 970s are in stock at last, joyous day! If you'd prefer a more, er, "refined" case, you might consider snagging the [Fractal Design Core 2300] (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/fractal-design-case-fdcacore2300bl) that's on sale at the moment and throwing in a pack of [Cougar fans] (http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cougar-case-fan-cft12sb4), as that would be likely slightly more cooling at the same price, albeit with a different aesthetic.

Cheapest way to get a legitimate copy of Win8.1 is through a school or other educational facility, but if you're not a student, it's probably cheapest just to buy through Microsoft/buy a hard copy online. OSes can't really be found cheaply if you don't want the caveats that come with places like /r/microsoftsoftwareswap.

Ah, you like the free games feature? Always considered it a bit of a gimmick myself (granted, I don't really play AAAs, so I'm not the target audience), but if that's the case you'll want to make sure you get it through a retailer that's promising it (Newegg, for those 970s up there), as it's per retailer rather than per card, memory serving.

Last I recall you cannot transfer a Windows 8 installation from any OEM machine (laptops included), so you're outta luck there. If you do feel like playing with Linux, though, my favourite distro is Kubuntu.

Some motherboards come with integrated Bluetooth, but it's uncommon. You'll want to toss in a [USB] (http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTD-400-Bluetooth-4-0-adapter/dp/B007Q45EF4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1415178700&sr=1-1&keywords=bluetooth+4.0+adapter) [adapter] (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833320166) if you need it. Well, I suppose that in theory some wireless cards support Bluetooth connections, but most of those are for laptops, so you'd be looking at losing your M.2 slot (plus, you know, they're more expensive).

If you want the absolute best reception possible, a PCIe card is the best choice. Not too expensive.

If you want something that'll save you money and still offer solid reception, there's USB adapters.

Alternatively, depending on how old your house is (I'm not sure of how the logistics go; you'd have to search around on that), powerline adapters are the next best thing to a wired connection.

Wired > Powerline > PCIe > USB

USB isn't bad, but PCIe is a good sweet spot if a powerline adapter wouldn't work.

So roughly $10-40 for WiFi. It's well worth it over purchasing a motherboard with it built-in.

---

With your budget? Yessir. Hardware before luxuries.

---

It's not hard at all. There are plenty of instructional videos and articles on how to do it.

tl;dr Make a bootable flash drive (at least 4GB on the drive; might as well have a bigger one, though), put the Windows ISO on there (make sure your Windows is tied to your Windows account; not as a local account either), install it to the SSD, boot up, sign in with the same Windows email as before, and activate it. Easy as that.

Make sure you wipe your hard drive, too.

I recently had to figure out broadcom drivers on a Lenovo Thinkpad with Debian...it took a while but was thankfully well documented...I'd recommend a known-compatible USB solution...although I'm ambivalent about wired-vs-wireless as long as you're mindful that WiFi-isn't-Ethernet™

Two known good (native support) solutions -

WiFi: https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY

Ethernet: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Micro-B-Ethernet-Adapter-Raspberry/dp/B00RM3KXAU

Else, google will be your friend to find someone else who's figured out this specific hardware/software stack. Honestly, with all of the dependencies that you'll likely need to satisfy via a thumbdrive (or something??!), you probably really want a working network connection (or a lot of patience). I tried the Thinkpad's wifi without a network connection at first, and quickly decided to go find an Ethernet cable...

If you had another rPi with a working network connection, you could use that hardware to bootstrap the rPi Zero's sdcard && os && driver...

If you do get this adapter working, make sure to come back and update with how you got it up and running...you probably won't be the only person with this question :)

I've gotten mine to work very well, save for the whammy bar. I'd recommend getting a USB Bluetooth receiver (I have a built in MOBO Bluetooth receiver but it didn't work). This is the one that I got.

1. Once you've got your Bluetooth receiver, download and install the appropriate drivers for it. In my case I think I just used Lenovo's Bluetooth drivers but yours may be different depending what receiver you get.
   
   
2. Get XPadder (it's only $10) and place it somewhere you can easily access it; I have it in Documents.
   
   
3. Press the PS4 + Share buttons at the same time to reset the controller. The white light should be blinking rapidly.
   
   
4. Open your Bluetooth settings. I'm running Windows 10 so it might look a little different, but you should be able to turn on Bluetooth if it's not already on.
   
   
5. Press and hold the Sync button for ~10 seconds on the controller right next to the D-Pad. Your controller should pop up at this point and you can click Pair. The white light will stay on at this point. If it doesn't pop up, try restarting your computer or reinstalling the drivers. Make sure the drivers are the correct ones for your Bluetooth receiver (unless they're all just generic drivers, I'm unsure).
   
   
6. Open up XPadder and, assuming your controller is connected properly, it should look like this minus the keys and arrow buttons. If it looks like this then your controller isn't being recognized.
   
   
7. From here just click where my image says PDP Rock Band Guitar, yours might be different, and just start pressing all the buttons on the controller to have them recognized. Whammy won't work as far as I know.
   
   
8. Close out of that window and just click the buttons to assign a specific key press. This will correlate with whatever your keyboard settings for GH3 are. You can follow my layout or choose your own.
   
   
9. When launching GH3, just make sure that XPadder is actually on and that your controller is being recognized properly. During the loading screens for GH3 use your keyboard to get to the main menu, then you can use your controller after that. If you use your controller from the start, GH3 will default to thinking that's the main controller when technically with XPadder you're just supplementing your keyboard with the controller.
   
   Hope that helps! :)

Nope, nothing at all. You are the first person to ever run into the problem of being too far away from your router. There is no technology to solve this problem, and there never will be. Your only solution is to tear down your parents' house and build a smaller one so you'll be closer to the router...

I kid :)

This is a very common problem and it's easy to solve. Here's a few options.

The easiest is probably a WiFi Range Extender. These work decently well at re-generating the wireless signal to increase the coverage area. Put the range extender within the area that still has good coverage, set it up correctly, and it will expand that coverage.

There are a few drawbacks though. Your signal from the range extender will only be as useful as the range extender's signal back to the base station. So if you put the range extender on the fringe of the base's coverage, then you'll see a really strong signal on your device (from the range extender) but the bandwidth will still suck (because the range extender can't make a good connection back to the base).
Also, even when this system is working perfectly, it will reduce your wireless bandwidth by 50% or more. That's because the range extender uses the same frequency to receive and then re-transmit each signal, so each packet takes double the frequency time to send- once to be transmitted, and again to be re-transmitted by the range extender. Note that this may not actually affect your Internet speed- if your WiFi is going at 300mbit/sec, and this halves it to 150mbit/sec, then it's still not a bottleneck if your cable modem is only 30mbit/sec.

A potentially more reliable option is a MoCA Bridge Kit. That takes your local network as Ethernet from your router and re-injects it back into the coax cable. The result is anywhere you have a coax jack, you can just add another MoCA unit and whammo you now have a hardwired Ethernet port. In most houses this works slightly better than WiFi range extenders since you're getting a hardwired connection. To expand your wireless range, buy both this kit and the above range extender, plug one MoCA unit into your router and the coax, the other MoCA unit into the range extender and the coax, and then set the range extender to operate as an access point (not a range extender). Set the network name and security key to be the same as on the base router, but use a different channel. This will give you the fastest and most reliable system overall. Your laptop/phone/etc will connect to whichever device is closest (base router or the range extender working as a second access point).

IMPORTANT NOTE ON MoCA BRIDGES: MoCA only works on houses that use Cable internet and TV. If your house uses Satellite TV, then there's a similar device for DirecTV called DECA. If you have cable internet and satellite TV, that means there's two coax systems in your house (one from the modem, the other from the dish) so whichever bridges you use have to be on the same system.
If you have AT&T U-Verse, none of this shit will work because they use something completely different called HPNA-over-coax that's not compatible with either MoCA or DECA.

Hope that helps! Feel free to ask if you have any questions...

The benefit of doing a bridge is that you get to keep all the features from your main router. In my case I have all the features from Orbi router. Like I can still reserve ip address for each device so that they dont drop from network as much. Eero is just mesh wifi extender for me.

If for any reason you run into some dead spots still with Eero, this Powerline adapter is pretty awesome. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUICG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have all my old 2.4ghz only devices that come with ethernet port like my Bose sound touch speakers and my other network printer connected via this Powerline adapter kit. When I check the connection Orbi consider them as hardwired so the speed is incredibly stable considering I am streaming from Pandora and syncing multiple Bose wifi speakers. I used to get stutters because one speaker gets dropped from wifi and it would stop syncing or playing music. Ever since I switched to the powerline adapters, the problem went away. The music only now stops when Pandora is asking "Are you still listening" I just have hit yes to resume the music.

It's kind of like Eero, just semi-wired. All you need to do is connecting Powerline adapter to router, plugging it into a nearby outlet, and then another where you want the device to be hooked up. There are no cables along the wall.

This is good for appliances and devices that literally dont need to be on wireless especially on older 2.4ghz devices. Fridges, printers, speakers, etc. Also less devices over wifi i think is better for every device in terms of stability. However, if you can get away with just relying on just wifi, dude that's super awesome :)

Other wise, hacking a bunch different system to work together seems to work for me lol. Gotta do what I must when I can't find one single router to handle all the devices and have stable connections.

Firstly I would get a "wifi channel scanner" app like Wifi Analyzer for Android, or anything that has a similar graphic to this. Find a channel that has the least amount of SSIDs on it, but try to stick to 1, 6, and 11 to avoid overlapping 2 channels at once. You can get a full signal but have horrible transfer ("tx") rates if it's too congested.

If that doesn't help you can look into something like Ethernet over power. Then you don't have to worry about only 1 device not working with wifi but everything else is fine. Plus better speed for video streaming.

Lastly, the most complicated option, installing DD-WRT on the router so you can get more control options and more in depth feedback, type in the model number here to see if it's supported, then check out some tutorials or videos on YouTube, it's very popular so there's going to be a lot of help available. Only do it if you're comfortable, and are ok with the possibility that it could "brick" the router. It's a fantastic tool even if you never use 90% of the added features, plus it's free.

Thank you for the well thought out response! What sort of headset do you use on your phone for Discord? I've tried using some cheap bluetooth headsets and my friends usually say I sound like a radio drama from the 50s.

Yeah I keep getting the vibe that I'm gonna need to have a pretty solid connection between the Link and my computer, preferably ethernet. I can't really drill into any walls at my apartment... I'm wondering if I should have one long ethernet cord go out to the Link in the front room? Seems kinda brute force but I guess that would work.

I've also been told that something like this works pretty well, but I'm not sure about it yet. Seems like black magic to me haha but it certainly seems like it would be a more graceful solution if it works.

If you can't go wired, your best option is a powerline adapter. I've never had to use one as I can always wire directly to my router, but I hear it's the best option vs. wireless. Your second best and only other option really is wireless. For wireless, the best option is an internal PCI-E wireless NIC, 802.11 ac to use the 5 GHz band for the best speeds.

A few things:

• Any type of USB to micro-USB cable will work fine. For example: Amazon, Adafruit.
  
• The adapter (the part that plugs into the wall) does need to be 5V - however pretty much all USB adapters will output 5V because that is the standard for USB (other things that have a barrel plug on the end, like laptop chargers, might be 12V, but you shouldn't need to worry about that).
  
• USB chargers are rated at different currents. The original claim was that you could just use any old micro-USB cell phone charger, but some of those didn't supply enough current for additional USB devices plugged into the Pi (mouse, keyboard, wifi dongle etc). If you have a model B+ (which can handle more current than the Model B thanks to a redesigned power circuit) I'd recommend a supply rated for 2 amps, like this.
  
  
• This wifi dongle is very popular. I have it and it works fine.
  
  
• Adafruit has several cases. I have the black one which is currently out of stock there but also available at SparkFun. I think clear cases are cooler but this one works fine.

MPEG-2 HDTV over WiFi is a no-go. Things like Netflix can get away with it for 2 reasons:

1. 3Mbps H.264 vs. ~15Mbps needed for the same quality MPEG-2 from cable, with no option for a lower bitrate stream.
   
   
2. Internet streaming services buffer ahead of what you are watching, usually by 30s or more, so if your WiFi goes away for a second or two (which happens all the time...), it can be playing out of the already downloaded buffer during that time. WMC buffering time defaults to 100 ms. You can raise this in the registry but not by much. The reason they keep the buffer so tiny is because a bigger buffer would make it take longer to switch channels watching live TV.
   
   You have a few realistic options:
   
   

1. MoCA. (Ethernet over coax) Unlike Powerline, these things are actually good, and actually deliver the rated total bandwith they are advertised with! (but exactly half that between any two nodes) The FiOS router is in fact a dual band MoCA adapter, and their default installation uses one MoCA channel for the WAN connection from the router to the ONT and another for the LAN to talk to set top boxes. It adds 4ms latency, but that is still way better than WiFi. In the past year or so, MoCA 2.0 adapters have become available to give it 600Mbps bandwidth, but do not get the offbrands of these -- they are still buggy and need to be rebooted every day or two. Off-brand is OK for MoCA 1.0 as that is far more mature. ActionTec MoCA 2.0 adapters are here: https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1486960250&sr=1-3&keywords=moca+adapter
   
   
2. Configure Windows to act like a router, with the HDHR behind that router with Internet Connection Sharing: http://www.home-network-help.com/windows-7-internet-connection-sharing.html
   
   Note: the MoCA signal is much stronger than the cable TV signal, and even though it operates in a higher frequency range, the periodic scans for other MoCA devices will interfere with cable channels near harmonics of the MoCA frequency. If your neighbors are using it, that may actually account for the kind of signal loss you are seeing. You will need to put a MoCA filter in front of the cable tuner to block the interference. MoCA filters: https://www.amazon.com/2-Pack-Extreme-POE-F201C-Point-Filter/dp/B01FT8C5DW/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1486960793&sr=1-4&keywords=moca+filter -- Note: there are other filters listed on Amazon. I picked these out because it lists a larger stopband frequency which includes the MoCA 2.0 range, not just the primary 2 channels for MoCA 1.0. Oddly none of the ones currently on Amazon blocks the 1GHz used by FiOS WAN, but maybe this is OK because the WAN band wouldn't have the higher amplitude pings searching for new devices on the network. Most cable company STBs have these filters built in, while the InfiniTV and HDHR do not. The cable company is supposed to put a filter like this where the cable enters your house to isolate your signal from the neighbors for stuff like this, but might likely not.
   
   

Honestly, I was in the same boat. Great memories with Smash and my college roommates. Got online to hang out with them when we have time. As long as you don't take every hit seriously and enjoy it for the game, its alright. I use to get mad at the input lag and buttons not working, but I changed to basically play with my friends online (also get a Lan Adapter and tell your friends to as well) and you will have a lot of fun. You might even find another game you guys like to play as well, for us it's Mario Kart, don't drink and drive.

Im not sure about fixing it, but there are cheap solutions. These things are usually pretty cheap, so the built in ones don't usually work very well. This is a [USB Bluetooth adapter] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009ZIILLI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IA6EAbRXS8BC2). This should work with the USB 2.0 ports (if you don't know what that is there a diagram on the Amazon page describing the difference between 2.0 and 3.0) its a really good cheap solution. If you want something more expensive, robust, or integrated with the computer, you can get a [pci express WiFi and Bluetooth adapter] (https://m.newegg.com/products/9SIADMA6PJ9673?ignorebbr=true&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-Mobile&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-Mobile-_-pla-_-Accessories+-+Controller+cards+Add-on+cards+Ect-_-9SIADMA6PJ9673&gclid=CjwKCAiA5OrTBRBlEiwAXXhT6PHVh-zsxy6DehfXXqUbfYiNG1dR8oxkR9aHE_7-JabYYPkcwIlO-xoCbzgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds). As is with this one, most Bluetooth cards that are pci express are a WiFi card that comes with Bluetooth. No garuntee that it's a higher quality (I assume it is). You can find these by searching "pci express Bluetooth". I would only suggest getting this if either you have installed these things before or if someone you know is willing to help you, but it's just like installing a graphics card, but usually without the power cables. There's nothing wrong with the dongle though

Access Points are better than a repeater, but they need to be wired - either you'll have to do ethernet cable run or use powerline adapters (that make use of house wiring) to connect your router to AP unit.

There are 3 in 1 units that can act as either an AP, repeater, router. So maybe get one of those and keep your options open. Something like an Asus RT-N12 or similar.

Then if you can run an ethernet cable from your router to the AP unit, that would be best. But I'm guessing you can't/won't do this, or you would have run a cable already to the bedroom.

So that leaves you with Powerline Adapters. Get a kit from a place with a good return policy in case it's not compatible with your home wiring. Then if all good, just connect your router and AP with it, and you're good to go. Something like this powerline kit should be good enough. Though you can get units with gigabit ethernet or passthrough if you lack wall outlets.

Steam definitely supports multiple controllers. I'm not positive on DS4Windows. You will only be using one or the other, most likely Steam. They both do the same things, either map the buttons to a virtual 360 controller and/or keyboard & mouse. Just keep in mind with two controllers you have to emulate the 360 controller (steam allows setting this up as a per-game basis). How you would use multiple DS4 controllers is exactly how you would use multiple Steam controllers. Basically, you cannot use profiles that emulate KBM with multiple controllers, but the games supporting splitscreen or multiple controllers anyways you won't be emulating the KBM so it won't be an issue. Also as for number of PS4 controllers, this is determined by if you use a generic Bluetooth dongle or the official PS4 dongle. The official PS4 dongle only allows 1 controller, but gives you the ability to use the 3.5mm audio jack and gives less latency. Bluetooth adapters depending on the quality can allow many more than 1, but typically have more latency and don't work with the audio jack. I will be grabbing the official dongle for my room personally because I want the audio jack and if I have friends over it will be in the basement with the Steam Link I'm going to be grabbing soon. Now, I'm not sure if you can have multiple dongles to allow for multiple controllers but that can certainly get expensive. I would recommend you use a generic Bluetooth adapter if you want to use multiple controllers. Here's the one I use with my PS3 controller: https://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTD-400-Bluetooth-4-0-USB/dp/B007Q45EF4

You might need a USB extension cord for that one, because my recliner is too far from my TV I had latency issues. It needed to be like 3 feet away from me to not experience any latency. It might be the adapter is crap, but its the one a lot of people recommended to me. This is also another reason why I'm just going to get the official dongle.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the DS4 has gyro, which is a major advantage over Xbox controllers.

Really nice find! I'm assuming your computer is already bluetooth compatible?

If not, at least for me and others on the PSMoveService Google group, (Great place to ask questions and get help with troubleshooting) you have to have a bluetooth adapter to get the PSMove controllers to pair to your computer.

(I suggest this bluetooth adapter which is used by myself and others for the PSMove controllers)

(Don't forget that first time setup requires a micro USB cable for first time paring)

If so, just be aware that the Playstation Eye takes up a lot of USB bandwidth and you have to plan out where you plug in your devices very carefully for them to all track at the full 60fps.

I'd suggest downloading something like USBTreeView before starting as this will allow you to check your USB root hubs when plugging in your cameras and possibly bluetooth adapter.

Some things to keep in mind when setting this up are:

Try to isolate your cameras away from other high bandwidth devices on the same USB root hub, considering we're using an HMD with an IR camera that also takes up a lot of bandwidth so remember that too.

(This is what my USBTreeView looks like, make sure that your cameras are on USBs with the little H next to them meaning their high-speed.

("USB Composite Device - Camera" is the IR camera)

("ASUS USB-BT400" Is the bluetooth adapter)

"USB Composite Device - Audio, Camera" Is the Playstation Eye)

Most of the time the most cameras you'll be able to get away with are 2 cameras on one motherboard and the front panel USB connections included, unless you buy a PCI/PCI-E USB expansion card for more USBs and root hubs.

(PSMoveService reccomends the Inateck PCI-E to USB 3.0 5-Port

Most likely the controllers you bought were part of the older batches which were manufactured around 5-6 years ago when they first came out, so be sure to check the batteries and you can buy replacements here. (Although you have to open the controller up to access them)

Some of the newer controllers which were released with PSVR have their magnetometers disabled which are used for orientation in PSMoveService so be weary of that if their from the latest batch.

In conclusion, just follow videos like these (This and this) (You can just follow the PSMoveService portion of it) and for troubleshooting either resort to the comments of those videos, the offical Github documentation, post back here and I can try to help, or post in the Google group for help.

Aside from everything else good luck on setting it up and please excuse any grammatical errors you see in this post, it's over 3160 letters long.

Use the router for the powerline -- other users have mentioned the issue with double NAT, but keep in mind your powerline adapter, depending on how much you pay, will be much more limited in bandwidth than the gigabit ports on most modern routers.

If your concern is to extend your wireless network, I highly recommend the TP-Link AV500 WiFi Powerline Kit. I purchased one myself a few months ago and have it set up in my guest bedroom/office, with about 6 walls between me and my AC66U router. Speeds are fantastic, both wired and wireless. I have my laptop connected wirelessly, with my Pi and home server running wired (the adapter has 2 Ethernet ports), so it works out great and I get great N coverage on this side of my apartment now.

In the future, you can just purchase more modules to extend the network in case you have a house or a larger dwelling.

Hope this helps!

This is there one I have

refurbished HP

The best of the WMR sets (this one was on sale last week for $299 so keep your eyes out)

MS recommends this Bluetooth dongle

Note the first two are basically the same: they all are, except for the Samsung which has better screens and manual ipd adjustment. The new version I linked to also has built in Bluetooth so you wouldn't need to worry about a dongle. Again in that price point I recommend Rift, though it's a tossup between way better screens and way better controllers, there :)

Edit: also, run the windows mr test -- you can find it in the windows store. If it says you're good, games like beat saber should run fine

Thanks for the help. I'm currently at home, but will try that when I get back to school. I found and installed LinSSID. Is there a certain number or range I should look for when I'm monitoring a network? My home network signal seems to be hovering around -10 to 10. I'll look for a manual for the program later to better understand the information.

Can you recommend a usb wireless adapter that would improve my computers ability to capture wifi signals? I have this one I tried at school: https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N150-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN725N/dp/B008IFXQFU

Unfortunately, it doesn't help my problem at all and I'm willing to spend more money on a better one to solve my problems. Would something like https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-wireless-n-usb-adapter-w-external-antenna-gnu-linux-tpe-n150usbl help me?

By plug ethernet, are you referring to powerline adapters? Because for internet in a pc in general, that's what I would recommend if direct ethernet is not an option. It's much more consistent than any wifi card could be imo. I own this and it's pretty widely regarded as a good one. It's pricey but worth it and it's basically as portable as a wifi card because your pc is definitely going to be plugged into an outlet somewhere and that's all a powerline adapter needs, an outlet.

Otherwise, pcie adapters that are good... I'll just link one that I've heard about from others that liked it. I think this is popular or this upgraded version of it. Otherwise, there's a tplink that just has a ton of reviews on pcpartpicker, full 5 stars for 200+ ratings which is impressive.

I think the 780ti is much better than the 1050ti. It's just old so I'm assuming it just draws a lot more power than the 1050ti and has much older architecture. But if it saves you a ton of money and you're going to upgrade anyway, I don't see why not. It'll get the job done in the meantime.

Finally, after all these reviews, i'm going to buy these pieces and build my masterpiece-wannabe.

I would like to thanks /u/Raffles7683 for his dedicated, nice and smart help ! Also, thanks to /u/DIK-FUK and /u/golli123.

That's it, the final configuration, which is 2€ cheaper than the first one. WHAT A SAVE. But it's all the way better. I finally picked a I7-6700k as a CPU since nobody seems to know at which point a I5-6600k will bottleneck the GTX 1080, even with a 4.5 Ghz overclock. The debate is running litteraly everywhere and no one has the same point of view. So... I guess i can throw 100€ by the window to be sure and to overlock a i7 to 4.4 Ghz.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU |Intel Core i7-6700K | €325.79 - Amazon.it
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | €34.99 - Amazon.it
Motherboard | Asus Z170-P ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | €109.61 - Amazon.fr
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | €126.04 - Amazon.it
Storage | Sandisk SSD PLUS 240GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | €74.00 - Amazon.es
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | €53.44 - Amazon.fr
Video Card | KFA2 GeForce GTX 1080 EXOC 8GB Video Card | €560.00 - French shop
Case | Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case | €76.32 - Amazon.de
Power Supply | Corsair CSM 650W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | €78.99 - Amazon.es
Wireless Network Adapter | Asus PCE-AC56 PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter | €48.00 - Amazon.de
Monitor | Acer XB271HU bmiprz 27.0" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor | €699.90 - French shop
| Total | €2187.08



The CPU has been edited according to /u/Raffles7683's review and /u/DIK-FUK's build suggest. And updated, because no one knows what is a bottleneck, in real world.
The RAM / SSD has been edited according to /u/Raffles7683's review, again.
* The case has been edited according to /u/golli123's review


I will provide some news in the future with, probably, in build photos :)

I bought this one and it works great, except the cord from the USB to the adapter is too short to fit through the cord slot on the back of the dock, so the dock flap needs to be open. This isn't a problem for my setup since the dock sits inside an open cabinet in our tv stand and you can't see the back of the dock. I think I remember a thread on this sub where someone recommended an adapter that does have a cord that fits through the slot, allowing you to close the back flap, so if that's an issue for you, do further research.

One other important thing to note: the ethernet adapter does nothing for handheld mode. This is probably obvious, but it's worth noting just in case someone doesn't know this already. I play the Switch almost exclusively in handheld mode except for Splatoon, and this adapter makes a huge difference for that, it's like night and day. I should probably start playing Rocket League on the tv as well, but I love being able to play in handheld mode and not hog the tv.

eh that's what happens when I try to do shit with my phone

https://www.amazon.com/Alfa-2-4HGz-RP-SMA-Screw--Antenna/dp/B003ZWPRUI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465983658&sr=8-1&keywords=alfa+panel

AMP makes a very noticeable difference but I don't think it's really putting a full 2W. It's cheap though so worth it IMO. Range depends entirely on location, elevation, weather, and what you are "shooting into". Starbucks into an office building is going to have a lot shittier range than say the top of a parking garrage down into a park.

This is basically my "what a hacker might use" set up. The panel, amp, and a NHA and NHR alfa worked great for long range but had some issues with missing packets in Kali. I found the best collection was using airpap cards in Windows wireshark and running attacks via the alfa set up in a Kali Vm.

Also needless to say the airpcap nx card with the 2 external antennas was king but it's a freaking $700 wifi card so it better be.

https://www.cacetech.com/documents/AirPcap%20Nx%20Datasheet.pdf

If you can get 3-4 airpcap classic cards off ebay for cheap (I found 3 for $200) each one can cover 20 mhz of spectrum and you can link them in aggregate with the airpcap control panel. This makes it highly effective for a leave behind collection device against a router that self adjusts. Price might put it out of the range of a regular hacker and more into the industrial espionage price range. You may be able to find an NX for cheap on ebay it seems like cace is getting out of the market with the whole airpcap line so they are getting kinda rare.

edit

also don't forget the noble cantenna. Looks shady as fuck but it's good if you're on a college student budget. You can usually get them just as good as an alfa panel antenna, they just look like a big sign that says "i am up to no good". Make sure if you are using an alfa with an RP SMA connector to build it out of an RP sma and not a regular SMA. Ie fit the pieces together and make sure they're the right kind before you start doing anything.

http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html

edit edit

also check this little guy out. I found him out after I finished my 802.11 stuff but i like it a little better than the alfa cards. Doesn't come with a super fancy antenna when you buy it but it's a lot cheaper and just as good once you put a panel or cantenna on it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SZEOLG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

>If I buy a USB adapter, can I choose somewhere to disable the in-build adapter and use the plugged in one instead?

Yeah! You sure can disable the on-board adapter. Then it defaults to the other one. We can help too. but it's in device manager in windows.

>Is this a good idea?

Powerline? powerline. Yeah. Is powerline a good idea? Trick question it's always a good idea. It basically bridges a pair of ethernet with your buildings electrical wiring. You just need 2 ethernet cables and physical access to the router. If you're at home or apartment and just can't run a cable through 3 rooms this is great. If you're at a uni or work and lack physical access to the router, then this doesn't help. But powerline is going to be lowest latency, highest reliability, etc.

PCIe adapters are also a good idea. USB adapters are an okay idea. Onboard wifi is really most useful in mITX when you a) need wifi and b) don't have room for a PCIe card.

USB works okay too but frequent dropped connections on most of the USB adapters I've tried. by the time you spend enough for a good one you could have just bought a pcie card!

First, don't go by the antenna bars, they aren't 100% accurate. Download a speed test app, and test the speed strength when you're in your room compared to being next to the router.

I can't imagine losing that much signal strength from being down the hall. You can try moving your router closer to the middle part of your place.

Your current router isn't the latest and greatest, but it is dual band, so I would definitely setup the 5ghz network as well. 5ghz is stronger and usually has less traffic on the frequency, but it doesn't do well with distance. If you have newer phones (iPhone 5 and better), they should have an antenna for 5ghz and might improve your speed. You can easily google if your devices are compatible. Most should now be.

If that doesn't work you can look into getting a MoCa or a Powerline adapter. Don't get a wifi extender, those are crap. Also, I wouldn't bother with any new "mesh network".

If you really need to strengthen your wifi signal, it's always the best bet to run an ethernet cable and setup an Access Point (AP). This is usually the least preferred option for most people because they don't want a cable running down their hallway, or don't want to deal with the hassle of running it through the walls.

It would appear bluetooth functionally is not a part of your computer. To be fair, the method I gave you is not a surefire way to tell, the drivers could be disabled, or the bluetooth chip could be unpowered, but on most computers bought from a company (meaning any pc fully put together and just bought from a Best Buy for example) it should already be set up and ready to go, so it seemed like a safe shot. But I did a quick search of your laptop, honestly I’m surprised it still runs at a usable speed. Your laptop is relatively old and one look at the product page and the fact that it shipped with windows 7 basically told me that you don’t have any bluetooth functionality, being at that time, barely any laptops had it, even some laptops today come without Bluetooth. The driver is probably pushed to all devices with the same motherboard just to be easy, as it takes up an insignificant amount of space and, since you don’t have Bluetooth, it won’t run so there is no performance impacting you. If you would like Bluetooth functionality, you can buy cheap Bluetooth USB adapters at your local tech store or online

The online play is alright, but because of the nature of the Wii U's wifi connection, it's nearly impossible to get good netplay without the use of a LAN adapter.
This is the one I use - it's cheap, and it's always been perfect for me: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MYT481C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you need a guide on how to get one set up, that exists too: http://www.pokkenarena.com/forums/topic/560-your-handy-guide-to-lan-adapters
Once you're all done with that, come to the Discord to get some friendlies, as you're not guaranteed to fight people with good connections on Ranked: discord.gg/pokken
Hope I could help!

tl;dr: Of how to get Splatoon running well easily but for money (which will also benefit every other internet enabled device in your home!).

Step 1) If you're using an ISP provided modem (or heaven forbid modem/router combo), take it and chuck it in the garbage into their returns center. Replace this with a new (new in box, not used), ISP compatible modem.

Step 2) If your router is from 2010 or early, it's time to upgrade. If you don't have one because it was in your Modem provided by an ISP. . . Well, you need to get one (also new!).

Step 2.5 (OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED IF YOU POSSES THE TECHNICAL APTITUDE)) Install an alternate firmware (OpenWRT, DD-WRT, etc) to your router.

Step 3) Get an Ethernet Adaptor for your Wii U.

Step 4) Get a line of at least CAT-5e (just about any ethernet cable you'll find in store long enough to reach from your router to your Wii U (so long as that's less than 100 meters), and plug them into each other.

Step 5) Set your Wii U to run off the new shiny wired connection!

Step 6) If running your Wii U on a wired connection is not an option, nor is purchasing about $150~200 in network equipment viable. Send me a PM and I can help you make the best of it.

Hi there, sorry for the late answer I was out for the week-end!

It will depends highly on what you expect him to do with it, and also your budget. But for the more standard it will be at least:

• The Pi
  
  
• A power cable: the "Alim" was a bad use of a french word for power cable
  
  
• A case or another (You can also build one with Legos! :D )
  
  
• a microSD card for the OS (no preference I took the first link I saw)
  
  Then there can be:
  
  
• A usb wifi adapter if the can't plug an ethernet cable
  
  
• An hdmi cable if you think he will use it on his TV or standard PC monitor.
  
  
• About the controller, if you think he will build a media center linked to his TV with the HDMI cable, some TVs allow the use of "CEC" controller, and so his TV command will be automatically compatible with the Pi. Else, he can use a classic keyboard and mouse set, or some mobile solution or even a snes usb controller if he wants to build a retrogaming console
  
  
• To finish if you have a large budget for your friend there is a lot of accessories you can find in the related articles of the Pi on Amazon, like a webcam, a motion sensor module
  
  
• You can also buy a complete bundle or a starter kit like this if you think he will have fun with all the electronic parts :)
  
  And I confirm, it can be a pretty cool gift for a friend to build :)

>Will a mATX limit how much you can upgrade? I am willing to go down to the i3-6100 or up to the i5-6600k if that is better for my situation. I am willing to put in more money for the ability to upgrade easier.

The h110m motherboard is not really for i5-6600k as it's an overclocking CPU so that would need to be paired with Z170 motherboard. Otherwise you might just rather stick to the i5-6500 as it's not too far off the 6600k performance at stock clocks.

>I noticed that most ATX mobos have 4 memory slots and most mATX have 2 memory slots. Does this mean that I would have to buy a 1x8GB GPU for the mATX if I wanted to upgrade later on?

Well, that build already has 16GB RAM. I think it's enough RAM for the next 6+ years or something. The motherboards RAM doesn't have that much to do with the GPU VRAM, other than you want to have at least as much on the motherboard as on the GPU.

>Overclocking? Is that only for computer enthusiasts/ extreme gamers? Or is it a way to get the best bang for your buck out of buying computer components? (No worries if you can’t comment on this. I’m sure it will be a long one)

Overclocking is about as easy as microwaving food. At the basic level it's two dials, CPU core voltage and CPU multiplier (or GPU core voltage and GPU clock speed). https://www.reddit.com/r/overclocking you can see some guides there on the sidebar and read the WIKI too.


That build can't really be overclocked. i5-6500 is locked CPU (meaning no overclocking) and h110m motherboard doesn't have support for overclocking. Also the RX 480 doesn't really seem like an overclockable graphics card at this point, especially the current reference versions.

>Memory? I am very confused how to pick the optimal memory for this rig. Most of what I have read that is similar to what I am building have either a DDR4 or a DDR3, but have no idea where to go from there.

Currently I recommend everyone to buy those Intel Skylake CPUs like i3-6100, i5-6500, i5-6600k, i7-6660k etc. those support DDR4. And also the Skylake motherboards 95% of the time only accept DDR4 memory.

With that h110m motherboard the maximum support memory speed is the 2133Mhz DDR4, which you already have on that build so nothing needs to be changed. Picking higher speed memory would give no advantages on that motherboard.

For wifi you can add this https://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Wireless-Adapter-Support-TL-WN822N/dp/B00416Q5KI?ie=UTF8&tag=pcpapi-20 or the more expensive version with 5Ghz support.

Maybe this for monitor, 23" IPS 60HZ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824025094&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Well, one thing you can do is have a second router as a client bridge (Like a cheap WRT54G) and then have a NIC on the WRT54G feeding into the NAS. Or you can use powerline networking to get 100Mbps through electrical, allowing for a Router to NAS link without clogging up your Wifi. I strongly advise that you use Powerline networking if you have multiple devices that use wifi already.

Of course, the best solution is some ethernet, but since you said that's not possible, go for the powerline solution.

Here's a nice powerline networking solution:
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=lp_1194444_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1382895299&sr=1-2


Cheers ! And happy FreeNas-ing !

Mini is just the size, no worries, it still is a normal GTX 1060 6GB in a smaller body. As far as the keyboard is concerned, this year I got a Rapoo V700 mech keyboard, no illumination, but still a great one for just 25€. But still for 25€ is OK, for 50(~60€) I'd expect to get a lot more, not just some chinese illumination. Anyway, that's my opinion. I've used this adapter https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-WN822N-Wireless-Adapter-Version/dp/B00416Q5KI/ref=sr_1_33?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1501163112&sr=1-33&keywords=wifi+tplink for a long time and has always worked great, also CSGO ran flawlessly, but as always for very competitive gaming wired is the best option, even if you invest hundreds of $$$ just for wifi.

BTW here are all the keyboards featured in PCPP https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/products/keyboard/#k=1&sort=price&page=1
I'd advise choosing one with Cherry Keys, the other ones are just cheaper chinese clones.

EDIT: Just found this: http://www.corsair.com/en-gb/strafe-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-cherry-mx-brown-ch-9000500-na-refurbished It's a refurb, but comes directly from Corsair and has warranty.

Your post is a wall of text and very difficult to read. It needs line breaks.

First, nothing (such as your smart TV) goes between the modem and the router. Ever. You connect an Ethernet cable between the modem's Ethernet port and the router's WAN or internet port. That's it. Everything else connects to the LAN side of the router.

You also seem confused on what a modem is. There's no such thing as a modem with N or AC. Modems don't provide Wi-Fi, they simply translate signals between Ethernet and Coaxial cable. Any "modem" with Wi-Fi is not a dedicated modem, it's a combined modem and router.

There is absolutely no need to get a modem and router from the same company, particularly since the companies that make the best modems typically don't make the best routers and vice-versa. The best modem you can get is the SB6190. For a router, pretty much the best wireless router you can get is the RT-A68U. Don't even think about A/B/G Wi-Fi, only worry about N and AC.

Now, if you really want to go the route of dedicated devices (which is the best way to go but it's more expensive and needs more tech savvy) then you'll want to avoid getting a wireless router altogether. A wireless router is three devices combined: router, switch, and access point. The router directs traffic between your network and the internet and allows more than one device to connect to it, the switch gives you multiple LAN ethernet ports, and the access point gives you Wi-Fi. You can instead get all these devices separately, and each will do a FAR better job. The way to go here is Ubiquiti Networks. For the router, EdgeRouter X, EdgeRouter Lite, or UniFi Security Gateway. They're all very similar but each have some minor pros and cons compared to the others. They can all handle a 1000 megabit internet connection at full speed. For the access point, UniFi AP AC Lite. You'll also need a switch, as (except for the X) those routers don't do switching. Any gigabit switch will do, make sure to get one with more ports than you currently need.

Powerline is hit-or-miss. Your house has two separate phases of electricity, and the only place they connect to each other is the transformer on the pole. If a powerline device on one phase has to communicate with one on the other phase, the signal has to go all the way to the transformer and back rather than just to the breaker panel and back. This will slow it down. Massively. To figure out which phase is which, look at your breaker panel. The rows of breakers alternate between phases. Odd numbered rows are one phase, even numbered rows are the other. Keep everything on one phase or use something else.

A much better, but more expensive alternative to Powerline is MoCA. If your house is pre-wired with coaxial cables for cable TV, it will be the best thing to use aside from actually running Ethernet cables everywhere. You'll need a MoCA adapter at your router and another in any place you need an Ethernet connection. They're also available in pairs at significant savings.

I'm the guy who nearly tossed my x201 (2.67 Ghz i7 with turbo boost up to 3.3Ghz, 8gb ram, 256 gb SSD). About 6 months ago it started over-heating to the point of dying every twenty minutes. I had to have one of these monsters attached to the vent whenever I used it. That vacuum fan was a big hassle to carry around and meant I was 1 USB port down. About 3 months ago the internal wifi card stopped working so I bought one of these. Those tiny usb wifi cards suck because the antenna is so small, and that also meant I was another USB port down. Finally, the plastic door to my hard-drive bay cracked so my hard-drive kept slipping out in my back-pack.

I ended up buying thermal paste on amazon (~$10), a new wifi chip on ebay (~$8), a new fan (~$5) and a new hard-drive door (~$6). It took me about 3 hours to take the laptop apart, and another two to put it back together. I re-pasted the CPU, replaced the fan (just to be safe... the old one worked fine), and installed the new wifi card. I had to completely disassemble twice after completely re-assembling it (god that sucked) first because the power-port wasn't aligned with the chassis and plug would not go into the laptop, and second because I didn't run the wifi antenna cables very well. I still need to buy and install a new thermal pad for the GPU - I didn't order one because I didn't expect to find one in there (thought it would be all paste). The current GPU thermal pad is cracked and aging.

Anyway, now my x201 is back together and working like a charm. Wifi signal is great, and it runs nice and cool (~40 degrees idle - it's still breaking in). Ran 20 cycles of IntelBurnTest on "High" and it passed with flying colors. I have all of my USB ports available, battery lasts longer. And the SSD doesn't slip out of the bay all the time. All in all, definitely worth the effort and minimal money! Here she is in all her ThinkPad glory.

Honestly couldn't tell you, but I'm also an advocate of USB wifi dongles, because you get to choose which wifi chipset you use, you get to take the dongle with you when you change your hardware and if reception is kinda shoddy you can use an USB extension cable to try and place it somewhere where reception is better. YMMV of course, but I'd take the USB dongle over the integrated card any day.

P.S. Had a little look around, the cheapest option I found was this:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157746&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566

Which is 60 dollars more than your board. It's got a much better chipset of course, which would allow overclocking if you were to upgrade your CPU, but it's definitely not ideal for your specific build.

If you want to go with a USB dongle instead, I can recommend the TP-Link TL-WN722N N150:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N150-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN722N/dp/B002SZEOLG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494790790&sr=8-1&keywords=TP-Link+TL-WN722N

It's about 13 USD and it works like a charm, I use it myself to provide a wireless access point for my mobile devices from my desktop.

It will probably be awhile before im done, just something i play with ever now and then. However Google is your friend. NESpi is a pretty common build. Also I'm an amateur when it comes to soldering lol

My final goal is to have it so it you can insert a nes cartridge with a usb in it and it will read games from this. Also working on getting an old laptop fan to run when it reaches certain temps to help cool it down.

I also tore apart a powered usb hub to power the pi and connect controllers. However I would find one better than mine. Get something with high voltage/amperage. I currently have to power the pi separately instead of through the hub.

Some links for you:



Intro:

https://github.com/retropie/retropie-setup/wiki/First-Installation


Switch I use to make so the NES power button works.

https://mausberry-circuits.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/shutdown-circuit-use-your-own-switch


Controllers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N48L71I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0QcmzbVPP292R

Wi-Fi
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WUcmzbESCH58S

Then just any short usb and HDMI extensions.

Hope this helps!

Wow, I didn't even know this was a thing. I'll need to look at our coax wiring, but this might be the best throughput speed solution and I'm pretty sure out coax comes into the garage and splits from there, so it should work. Also looks like it'll be double what I'd pay for powerline though.

It looks like the Actiontec ECB6200 is currently the only product on the market that gives around gigabit speed, and supposedly the most recent firmware has fixed the speed issues it was having. $163.45 is a bit pricey though.

Has anyone used this that can comment on it?

I bought this powerline adapter and it's been great. My internet isn't very consistent, I only get the 60mbps I pay for during certain times of the day. But that TP-link powerline adapter gives me 65mbps when my connection is good enough. (I double check/verify the connection speed on my laptop).

From what I understand, powerline adapters don't work in every house. Mine works though, and it was definitely worth $28. It cut my ping in half from an Archer T4UH, which is the main reason I bought it. Was tired of inconsistent wifi speeds (I also live in a pretty crowded neighborhood, about 10 wifi channels show up).

If you have amazon prime or can find a store with free returns, I definitely recommend giving it a shot. I don't see any reason to pay for an adapter that is capable of delivering way more mbps than you pay for. Just get one that is capable of delivering what you pay for, maybe a little more.

They're pretty damn neat. But from what I understand it utilizes your house's electrical grid to route the signal through. It was the clear winner vs. wifi for my household. We had 1 powerline sending signal to 3 others upstairs and worked like a charm before hardwiring our PCs directly to the downstairs router.

We've had two separate ones, the TP Link AV500 and the TP Link AV1000. Honestly I'm not sure if there was a difference so I'd probably recommend just getting the AV500. We only went up to the AV1000 when we added on the third person.

Setup is super simple, plug the one adapter to an outlet by the router, and connect the two via ethernet. Then plug the other adapter into an outlet near whatever device (PC, 2nd router, etc) you want to connect, and they'll pair. I believe there may be a button to press.

This power outlet wifi extender works great for $30 and have good reviews. It's probably the easiest one to extend wifi in your house.

If your looking for powerline ethernet this is also a good one for $25 although you'll need to purchase Ethernet Cable for it because the box only includes one ethernet for the router.

You only gotta pay for the adapters and set them up it's pretty easy won't take 10 minute then you'll probably have wifi in your room.

Nice CSGO gambling im pretty sure it's illegal I spend most of my time playing h1z1 or just the casualy league of legend

I kept the standard FiOS router as the ingress/egress to the home simply so I didn't have to deal with fiddling around to retain the service feature integration with the STBs and mobile app. For example all of the mobile app functions work when on the local Wi-Fi or remotely, the STB self-help tools work, and Verizon support working remotely to the STBs still works without having to explain to some support person I'm not setup the way they expect.

I'm sure I could have figured it out, but the time to do so wasn't important to me and I'd rather avoid the headache of a frustrated support rep.

I currently have two AP AC Lite and one AP AC Pro spread around the home. The two AP AC Lite units were part of my original purchase and I added the AP AC Pro later on to boost signal in a couple areas the Lite units were covering a bit weakly due to a lot of walls the signal was going through. I also have the Cloud Key for management purposes which I strongly suggest getting. It makes management, evenly remotely, of the UniFi gear a very simple task.

I do have a USG sitting new in a box for about a year I haven't gotten around to installing. My plan is to hang that off one of the FiOS router RJ-45 ports and run everything non-STB IP related through it, while the STBs using MoCA go around it.

My current setup works great, but it isn't what I want in the end and probably not what you'll see most people with. We moved into this home ~1.5 years ago and it has no network drops. As an immediate solution I started using some MoCA 2 to Ethernet adapters to get IP into areas without network cabling run to them. My intent was to go back and run CAT-6 later, but these have been working so well I keep kicking that can down the road. The adapters I'm using: https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Bonded-Ethernet-Adapter-ECB6200K02/dp/B013J7O3X0/

Here is what I currently have, you'll want to view this in a full browser and not a mobile app to see the layout well.


ONT--> RJ-45 Port--> FiOS Router--> RJ-45 Ports --> Some network connected stuff.
|
|-<#>-->Coax --> <> --> MoCA to Ethernet Adapter --> Small Gig switch --> UniFi AC AP Lite and other stuff
| |
| |--> Set top box
|
|_<>--> MoCA to Ethernet Adapter --> Small Gig Switch -> UniFi AC AP Lite and other stuff
| |
| |--> Set top box
|
|<*>--> MoCA to Ethernet Adapter --> Small Gig Switch -> UniFi AC AP Pro, Cloud Key, and other stuff
|
|--> Set top box

<#> = A three-way equally balanced MoCA 2 compatible coax splitter.

*<>** = A two-way equally balanced MoCA 2 compatible coax splitter. Although the MoCA adapters have a pass-through port for connecting STBs, the FiOS STBs didn't work with it so I added the splitters. The FiOS ONT puts out such a hot signal on coax that the splits don't seem to interfere with the signal quality.



Here is what I plan to do once I get off my butt and run some CAT-6 so I can remove the MoCA adapters and coax splitters.

ONT--> RJ-45 Port --> FiOS Router--> RJ-45 Port --> USG --> Large POE Gig Switch --> Small POE Gig Switch --> UniFi AP and other stuff
| |
| |> Small POE Gig Switch -> UniFi AP and other stuff
| |
| |> Small POE Gig Switch -> UniFi AP and other stuff
|
|-<#>-->Coax --> Set Top Box
|
|> Set Top Box
|
|_> Set Top Box

I've used the TP-Link AV500 set for the past 4 years or so. It looks like those are still the bestsellers on Amazon and go for only $35 for a pair. Before that I used some by Panasonic, but they don't make those anymore (plus they were slower speeds).

I've run into some folks in this forum who really badmouth powerline adapters, but I've had tremendous success with them. Honestly, you have limited options...laying down ethernet cable, using WiFi, or powerline ethernet. Cabling is the best solution, but not practical for many folks. WiFi (even 5ghz) is sketchy (IMHO). Powerline ethernet is generally binary in functionality--either it will work (because the adapters are on the same circuit) or it will not work (and you can just return them). Are they as "good" as a hardwire? Probably not. But when they work, they're more than satisfactory for the Link or even streaming HD movies via a Roku, Xbox, etc.

https://www.amazon.ca/TP-Link-AV1000-Powerline-WiFi-Extender/dp/B06WP2ZT5N?th=1 need wifi on it or passthrough?

The most powerful tower you can get.The whole "upgrade later" raises questions though.The build may be done differently depending on what monitor upgrades you do.Also going all out now but upgrading in like 1 year is not efficient.You will be monitor bottlenecked and the 2080 super will not be used to its full extend.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 3.8 GHz 6-Core Processor | $264.99 @ Newegg Canada
Motherboard | MSI B450 Gaming Plus MAX ATX AM4 Motherboard | $114.99 @ Newegg Canada
Memory | Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $103.68 @ Amazon Canada
Storage | HP EX920 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | $139.99 @ Canada Computers
Video Card | Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8 GB GameRock Video Card | $949.00 @ Newegg Canada Marketplace
Case | Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Mid Tower Case | $89.99 @ Canada Computers
Power Supply | SeaSonic FOCUS Gold 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Semi-modular ATX Power Supply | $96.50 @ Vuugo
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1759.14
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-11-30 10:11 EST-0500 |

I used to have problems but changed my wifi and I can't remember the last time I disconnected.

I got an Ethernet adapter for ARMs which also eliminated my connection issues. I got this one
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MYT481C

Go with Ethernet if it's an option, even if your staring right at your access point while playing. This game has a zero tolerance policy. You only get like 2 game ticks before the room boots you. I don't blame the game for choosing to be less forgiving and more accurate. It encouraged me to make some changes and everyone I play with wins (emotionally) because of it.

Do you have an Android smart phone or tablet?
If so, DL the Wiggle wifi app.

With it running, you can walk around the property and better triangulate various signals.

If you have a macbook, you can do the same thing pretty much with Kismac. I use WiFiFoFum to do it with an iPhone, but it requires jailbreaking.

Subnet Insight is an absolutely amazing app for iPhone for taking keeping track of your local network and keeping it safe. It's $5, and the only non-free software I'm linking.

If you have an external wireless adapter, or are willing to spend $15-$30 on a specialized one, I can walk you through putting it in monitor mode and really getting the the bottom of the issue.

Here's a simple tp-link USB wifi adapter you can use to monitor all transmissions over B/G/N wifi, [for only $11 amazon prime.] (http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN722N-Wireless-Adapter-External/dp/B002SZEOLG). Here's a very high quality (and foolproof) directional antenna you can use to make it much more effective for less than $30.


^Also ^a ^lot ^of ^the ^advice ^you've ^gotten ^so ^far ^is ^pretty ^badummmmm, ^or ^too ^complicated ^w/out ^better ^context.
But don't be discouraged. Network internals & also wifi/radio signals are complex topics, but the basics are accessible enough to pick up quickly in your situation.

So I found my temporary solution. It's by no means ideal, but it does what I want it to and cost me less than $50.

First, I got one of these things to put on my dash. It fits my nexus 7 pretty well, but it is a snug fit.

Since I wanted it to be a clean look, as clean as I could get at this point anyway, I decided to get a bluetooth receiver to plug into my aux input.

You can go cheaper on either, but that works well for me.

That would most likely be triggered from having bad internet (on ur end) to test your speed go into settings> internet> test connection. The higher speed the better, but if you have lower then 7 down and 7 up It would probably mean this is happening on your end.
There's a couple different fixes.

1. If your a little bit tech savvy go into your routers settings and enable QoS with your switch
   
   
2. The easiest fix by far is using Ethernet only certain adapters work, here's the one I'm using
   
   
3. Switch internet service providers or upgrade to higher speed (if possible)
   
   Hope one of these ends up working, best of luck :)

You could try powerline ethernet adapter like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AWRUICG/

If the plug where your room is and the plug where the router is are in the same circuit, it should work great, if not it may be hit or miss.

Other than that you next best bet is to try to improve your wifi with a better access point.

Something like this will be better than most ISP provided routers

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002YETVXC/

Or something like this should really cover a lot of area

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HXT8S9G/

Hey frustration can get the best of anyone. I put my lights on a dimmer as I found my tracking works best when I dial the brightness back maybe 20%. And don't get me started on the BT usb dongle, I was ready to throw the pc out the window when trying to show off my Odyssey at a family member's home. Had good results with this BT adapter. Also, switch all wireless devices to 5GHz / turn off 2.4 GHz wireless on your router if you can at all help it. Once I got all these environmental variables dialed in, tracking stopped dropping off, so it's really worth the time getting everything right. Good luck!

pretty good but get a different network adapter and id personally recommended these changes

Network adapter: http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-WN822N-300MBPS-Wireless-Adapter/dp/B00416Q5KI/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1419014423&sr=1-2&keywords=wifi+adapter

PSU :http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-Builder-Series-Modular-Certified/dp/B00ALYOTTI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419014385&sr=8-1&keywords=PSU

if you play rome 2 or other strategy sims that proc isnt the greatest, the gpu will outshine the cpu in certain games giving huge fps spikes from like 30 one moment to 60 the next

of course this is only select few games anything else is flawless bf4,skyrim etc

Hi there,
I've had two massive Rokit8 speakers for a couple years now and, until now, i've been content with using RCA to quarter or eighth inch adapters as my only audio option. I'm trying to upgrade my setup to allow for 3 things:
1 Wireless input or the ability to connect to a wireless input: I'm not tied to bluetooth, but it's cheap and it has good enough quality for me to use when i'm lazy/sitting on my bed.
2 Aux (or whatever) inputs: i want to be able to hook up my computer and other devices for optimal sound quality when i'm less lazy and don't want to use bluetooth. I also want to be able to hook up one line from my music gear. It would be best if i could keep both a computer and my gear plugged in at the same time so i could easily switch back and forth without unplugging things.
My current idea involves connecting something like this to an audio switcher, but switchers seem quite expensive for how simple they appear to be.
Any ideas reddit?
Thanks!

I agreed with /u/AdmiralHungryMan here, on optical drives. They're commoditized which means they're very much equivalent. Buy a reputable brand but there's no need to spend more unless it's to get a specific feature like BluRay support.

With WiFi cards, what's most important is the chipset inside it. You're going to want to read some reviews on them and do your best to pick one that works best overall. Avoid USB versions if at all possible; while convenient, not only do they typically have worse antennas but the USB adds more complexity to go wrong. I've had good luck with Asus' Broadcom based ones. This is what I use, currently, for clients who needs WiFi on a Desktop. Yeah, it's more money but you really want stability. If you can't get a wired connection to your system, this is my go-to card at the moment.

1. For fear of advertising my own thread... you may find these tips useful on improving your PS4 speeds. I basically had the same problem as you. I was getting 42 mbps download wired on my macbook and about 5 mbps wireless. The PS4 was getting maybe 20 mbps wired and 4 wireless. (Both wireless devices were about 10 yards from my router.) I vastly improved my speeds with the tips from my post. Hope that helps!

2. Since then, I've done two things because I had a little money to spend ($150 to be exact). I bought a new router to improve my speeds to my wireless devices and I bought a wireless bridge to my PS4. I'm now getting about 30 mbps on my PS4 when I was only getting 4 to begin with.

So #1 helps if you have no money to spend and #2 helps if you have some. If anything, I recommend just buying the $30 wireless bridge because it gives you a wired connection.

Good luck!

So the adapters I've found are apparently Moca 1.0. Where is a good place to get moca 2.0? Or do I not need it for my speeds?I pretty much just need 2 basic adapters, no range extension or anything.

Edit: Apparently the adapters I've found are moca 1.1. They are [ http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-without-Routers/dp/B008EQ4BQG] (here). I'm just worried it isn't what I want, but the reviews are great and it seems like it'd be perfect for my apartment. Any input would be appreciated.

The PL1200 is indeed a great adapter, but it's also for Gigabit speeds. If your internet bandwidth doesn't exceed 100Mb/s then you'd be perfectly fine saving some money on some nice little TP Link ones like THESE. It honestly depends entirely on your network speeds.

NAT stuff is going to be done on your router. You'll want to navigate to your router settings in a browser (typically at 192.168.1.1) and find the option that says "Port Forwarding" or something to that nature.

Once you're there, select your PS4's IP address (you may have to figure this one out if you didn't already label it in your router, but you can find it in Settings > Network > View Connection Status on your PS4) and forward the following ports for both UDP and TCP:

• 80
  
• 443
  
• 1935
  
• 3478
  
• 3479
  
• 3480
  
  Here is a site that can probably walk you through the procedure for your specific router.
  
  Edit: Also remember that NAT Type 2 is what you're looking for, not Type 1. Type 2 means that you've got everything configured correctly and your router is doing what it's supposed to, which is what you want.
  
  Edit 2: You could also look into powerline adaptors, which allow you to use the electrical wiring in your home to carry ethernet signals, allowing you to have a wired connection that is typically much more reliable than wireless but less reliable than straight ethernet. This solution is dependent upon how your house is wired though, so if your house is pretty old or the wiring job is pretty shoddy, then you might want to just look into getting a better wireless access point if it comes to needing a hardware upgrade. Alternatively, wiring a house with ethernet isn't the hardest procedure in the world, but I'm not sure if you're prepared or able to do that.

Thanks for answering!
I asked skullcandy support through email about that and this is the answer. So as I saw before there is no any drivers from their website and it is entirely about drivers for the bluetooth adapter and here is a problem. I bought one on friday but it didn't work, and I couldn't find any drivers for that adapter either besides the ones that downloaded after plugging. About those 3 drivers that they suggested. Broadcom doesn't seem to work anymore as on their site it says that you can't download any software. Toshiba seems like it's for laptops because I couldn't get through the installation and Qualcomm looks dead.


So I feel like I need a right bluetooth adapter with right drivers for them to work, if someone has them and use them on PC with adapter, I would love to hear how they got them to work and which adapter they have and if they downloaded any drivers specifically for it or not. Thinking about buying that ASUS one but would love to hear any suggesting from the users first.

Hi all,


Not sure if this sub would be the right place to ask my noob consumer grade question.

I have two sources of audio in my living room:

1. Samsung TV (that has an optical output). So I use this Optical DAC to convert to a headphone jack output.
   
   
2. Logitech bluetooth audio adapter
   
   And I have a 2.1 speaker setup which consists of two M-Audio monitors and a subwoofer.
   
   Currently the issue is that I have to manually switch the connections of my speakers to the logitech adapter's output and later back to the DAC's out.
   
   Is there a device that I could use to switch the connections automatically with a switch (a remote would be even better, but I can live without it too).
   In addition to the switching of audio streams, I would like to have a knob to amplify the sound as per my taste. The reason I need to a volume control is because the Optical DAC doesn't have any kind of volume adjustment.
   
   Being a noob in audio stuff, my guess is that I must look at audio mixers. But when I see "audio mixers" on amazon, I see all these professional products which look like something for a DJ at stage. My requirement is a nice looking living room product which can handle 2 to 4 audio streams as long as I can mute all but one because I would want to listen to only one stream at a time.
   
   I am looking for a high quality device with respected reviews. My budget is under $200.
   
   Thanks for any pointers.

Realtek doesn't make the actual adapters just the chips that run them. Broadcom is another,theres Atheros which Qualcomm owns. Anyway they aren't bad chips. For instance this Asus Is using a broadcom chipset.

Anyway pretty much any PCIE adapter with antennae will probably do. Generally speaking ignore the "gaming" ones as it's the same thing just with some QOS and more software and extra money.

Most adapters that aren't "basic" are probably going to be more than what you need by a large amount. They're are, however, some "nice to haves" things like multiple antennae for both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz for "Beam forming" which works both ways to improve the signal. Or an ASIC for processing the data.

Anyway I spent some time looking and found the Rosewill n900 With an Atheros AR9380 It's bigger brothers have similar Atheros chipsets if you want to bump up to wireless AC, assuming your router supports it. Anyway Atheros are good chips, found pretty much everywhere but sometimes the implementation isn't so good. (Mostly labtops and not add-on cards) On the hardware side anyway. Make sure you have good drivers and any updates that come along should be checked.

Intel's little niche for wifi is little standalone chips that go into laptops for the most part. They do have adapters that you can use to place them into desktop computers but then your looking at the chipset plus adapter and you kind of have to know what your going for. I did find quite a few PCIE cards but most had older chipsets. And one good premade Has one less antennae but also has bluetooth and supports AC. Needs an empty USB slot on the motherboard to use bluetooth.

Asus makes some excellent PCI-E Wi-Fi cards. I have a PCE-AC56 and it has worked flawlessly for me for over two and a half years. It's well within your price range and it offers excellent performance. If you're looking for something a bit more powerful, the PCE-AC68 is basically the upgrade to the PCE-AC56, and I can only assume it performs slightly better. A final choice is to go balls to the wall overkill with the PCE-AC88, which I find hard recommending unless you need massive range and signal strength, which doesn't seem to be something you require. It's also out of your stated price range, so this one is entirely up to you. Any one of these should handily solve your problem. If you're looking for a good quality Wi-Fi solution that doesn't take advantage of your wallet like a prison bitch, the PCE-AC56 is a great choice.

I don't know why more people haven't heard of these, but I've had great success with moca adapters (power over coax). They offer faster speeds, better reliability, and easier setup than Ethernet over powerline adapters.

Would highly recommend powerline over a wifi adapter! wired connection is always better imo! other than that looks like a beastly build... leaving 450 on the gpu should get you a awesome card as well. Good luck!

I have Eeros and am a big fan, but it sounds like you need some hardwired connections. One option that worked well for me was using the preinstalled coax cable in my last apartment. Every room seemed to have coax hookups, and I could run it over the same coax that spectrum was running my internet connection on.

What you'd want is a MoCA adapter (or really, at least 2, one per end) to inject ethernet over coax and then pull it off elsewhere in the house. Had 450Mbps at my Xbox 2 floors away from the modem, and an eero beacon on the other side of the room for wifi devices.

I used these from Amazon with great success. You'd also want to put a high-pass filter on the incoming connection from the street to keep your network private.

As for wiring it up: Modem <--> Eero <--> MoCA <--> Coax Cable (the same one the internet was going to the modem on) <--> MoCA (in another room on a different floor) <--> switch <--> TV, Xbox, Receiver, etc. And the filter on the coax splitter outside coming from the street.

I got one of these from Amazon for $52.99 to extend the range from my crappy Verizon FiOS Actiontec router. The big difference is its not a repeater, but a range extender. At best, a repeater can only boost an already poor signal, meaning a slow connection, though stronger, remains slow. The range extender actually extends the wifi network itself.

With the range extender, one end connects to an ethernet port on the router, and gets plugged into a wall socket. The other end can be plugged into any other wall socket in the house. The two ends communicate via the electrical wiring (which is basically turned into an ethernet network between the two ends. The second end broadcasts a wifi signal with faster speed than the Actiontec wifi since its driven by one of the ethernet ports. Set it up in 5 minutes and works awesome. Gives me full coverage for a 3,000 sq/ft house. Highly recommend.

Depends what you mean - there are a number of things CoAx can be used from in conjunction with a (set of) Raspberry Pi(s) with the details being country specific

1. Legally watch Free to Air Broadcast TV - Get a DVB-T/T2 or DVB-S/S2 tuner if you're in Europe or an ATSC tuner if you are in North America. Install TV Headend (comes with OSMC) and connect the tuner to your aerial or satellite dish via the Coax and the tuner to your PI (Only Ireland, the UK, and Germany have full free to air presence via Satellite for there main channels AFAIK - most places you'll need an aerial which can receive digital tv broadcasts) - you can now watch and record (with a suitable external hard disk) broadcast TV on all your RPi's using something like OSMC. You can use one tuner to watch all the channels on one multiplex at the same time - in the UK that might be BBC ONE HD on one Pi, BBC TWO HD on a second one, and ITV-1 HD on a third. In Boston USA that could be WGBH-DT1, WGBH-DT2, WGBH-DT3, and WGBH-DT4 at the same time. You can add more tuners to increase flexibility.
   
   
2. Share the video output of one RPi round the house - If you mean watch the output of one RPi on all the TV's in the house via the TV's built in analogue tuner - then an RF Modulator will allow you to take the composite output of the RPi and modulate it onto an analogue TV frequency. If you were in the UK Something like the TRIAX TRI-LINK Kit coupled with a TVLink at the remote end and an IR receiver at the main PI would allow you to do this. You can also get DVB-T Modulators with built in HDMI inputs for better quality. However the cost of these and the low costs of RPi's means it's just cheaper to get multiple RPi's.
   
   
3. Use the Coax as network cable - In the US MOCA adapters (e.g. https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-without-Routers/dp/B008EQ4BQG ) allow you to use your existing coax cable as a substitute for running Ethernet cables - however they are expensive, if possible you just want to run some Ethernet cabling.
   
   However when it comes to Value for Money 2 and 3 are pretty much a waste - WiFi and Ethernet are less expensive alternatives which should work just as well or much better. 1, depending what channels you can receive FTA via your aerial/satellite dish may well be a sound investment. Unless you have a large number of rooms where you always want to watch the same programme as on the main set don't bother with 2. either (the only reason I've done that is I already had the RF Modulator from when we used to share Freesat)
   
   RE: Point 1, A few things to note if you're in Europe:-
   

• Germany, which has historically had extensive FTA broadcasts on satellite, the commercial FTA channels are in standard def only (i.e. HD is only for ARD, ZDF, and the third channels) - while over on DVB-T the only FTA services are those from ARD/ZDF/3rds and use x265 which the PIs struggle with - i.e. in Germany you want to choose satellite and you'll be stuck on SD.
  
• Ireland - You won't be able to use a Sky dish for FTA channels from RTÉ - you'll need a dish aimed at KA-SAT which carries Soarsat - if you can get it Soarview is a better choice as it includes UTV Ireland.
  
• UK - Local TV channels (e.g. Notts TV) and Sony Movie Channel are only FTA on terrestrial, but otherwise Freesat is now the better choice and can use an ex-Sky box coax cable/dish

I suggest doing a virus scan that's completely outside of Windows. That way any malware that might be there will have less chance to execute and interfere with the scan. It's also useful just as a second opinion.

1. Download Xubuntu or Lubuntu and follow their instructions ( Windows USB | Windows DVD | Mac USB | Mac DVD) to put it on a flash drive or DVD. Or you could use your preferred Linux distro, if you have one. Lubuntu is more lightweight, while Xubuntu has a nicer interface. The reason you may want to burn a DVD is that some computers are unable to boot from USB.
   
2. With her computer off, plug the drive in (so that Windows has no chance to modify the drive), and boot her computer from it. Choose the "Try without installing" option.
   
3. If you're not using Ethernet, connect to WiFi (probably the default password on the side or bottom of the router). If her WiFi card doesn't work out the box, use Ethernet (perhaps via Powerline Ethernet adapters) or a well-supported USB WiFi adapter.
   
4. Look in the app menu (similar to Windows start menu) for the package manager / software center / app store / whatever they call it.
   
5. Once there, search for ClamTk. ClamTk is a GUI for an antivirus program called ClamAV. If you prefer, you can use ClamAV from the Terminal, but you'd need to look up the commands yourself.
   
6. Open ClamTk, make sure it downloads the latest virus definitions, and then tell it to do a recursive scan of a directory: the top level of her hard drive.
   
7. Let it run. It may take a while to go through all the files.
   
8. If it finds anything, look through the list to check for false positives.
   
   When finished, click on the app menu (same one as step 3) and tell it to restart. When prompted, remove the flash drive / DVD and then press enter.
   
   These are NOT complete, step-by-step instructions. They're only enough to sort of convey the general idea, so some of these may require a little trial & error or Googling. If this is new to you, try it on your own machine first before doing it on hers. VirtualBox is a free program for using virtual machines, and you could use that for practice.
   
   Keep in mind that no work or settings will be saved while booted from the flash drive. Everything is kept in RAM unless you save to a disk. Linux doesn't get installed to her machine unless you deliberately run the installer program.

I don't live in a FiOS area anymore, so I can't actually give you a step-by-step guide. You're going to have to figure out a lot of this on your own.

Here's a brief primer on FiOS MoCA:

MoCA is a system for transmitting IP over coaxial cable. In most FiOS installs, there's actually MoCA running on two different frequencies: First, the WAN-side connection from ONT to the primary (in 99% of installs, only) Actiontec router, which IIRC runs at 1000 MHz. Second, the LAN-side connection from the router to any cable boxes and other MoCA devices, which runs at 1150 MHz, and is bridged to the router's WiFi and LAN ethernet ports. You're going to want to get your second router to listen to this 1150MHz signal, but not to act as a DHCP server.

If you disable the 1000MHz (again, not sure this is correct, but it's labeled as something like WAN Coax) MoCA connection, your secondary Actiontec won't have any way to connect to the ONT directly, which is what you want.

The first problem that comes to mind with this setup is getting the non-WAN Actiontec to run a DHCP client on the LAN side. The easiest way around this is probably to configure it using a static IP address in the same subnet, but outside of the primary router's DHCP range, which I believe you can do pretty easily.

Good luck!

Were you able to connect before using macchanger? If not, it's not a Kali or macchanger thing, it's a visualization thing. VMs don't not have direct access to host hardware, the guest OS is separated from the host by a hypervisor.

If you already know this, I'm not trying to sound condescending. It's just a common question on here. I've gotten a bridged adapter to recognize my wifi as a wired connection before, but I can't remember how I did it. Maybe I am remembering incorrectly. Google around if you want, but it's infinitely easier to get a USB adapter or use a wired connection. I use this one:

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N150-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN722N/dp/B002SZEOLG

There are better ones out there and people on this sub will usually recommend a better one, can't remember which one. Anyway, you'll want one capable of packet injection.

I did a research about the Explorer (since I noticed that people love their Explorers and they said good things about it) so I got interested in it as well and I think I can reccommend you to **not use the flip up display thing since it is sensitive and it can break easily** (instead use the Flashlight feature that allows you to see the real world using its cameras without taking off the HMD)

​

As for the BT donle I heard good things about this **Plugable BT dongle** :

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Bluetooth-Adapter-Raspberry-Compatible/dp/B009ZIILLI/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1538640779&sr=1-4&keywords=bluetooth+4.0+dongle

Also some GPUs require the right display port (in order to get 90 fps at max and not only 60 fps) so I am also going to buy the **Plugable Active DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 Adapter**

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S0C7QO8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

And I found that the best rechargeable AA batteries are these of Eneloop (I am also going to buy the standard charger they have with it) :

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JHKSMJU/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?pd_rd_i=B01G3SS04A&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=f52e26da-1287-4616-824b-efc564ff75a4&pf_rd_r=KS01C5W02E586HF605CW&pd_rd_wg=E0zRf&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=M28DE&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=2f98b6c6-cc99-11e8-9fea-e722222b4194&th=1

​

These are the stuff I decided to buy for my yet to be purchased Explorer after doing my research.

There are a few ways to do this, the simplest is with a bluetooth receiver and cellphone, I have this one and it sounds okay: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-980-000910-Bluetooth-Audio-Adapter/dp/B00IQBSW28

The best way to do this is with a USB DAC, this is the cheapest: http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI and works pretty well. There are lots of different ones with different features, you can spend from 30 to 300 easily.

USB DACs will work with windows and android cellphones with OS 5 (lollipop) and higher. I'm not sure about mac or linux support. Something like this may be useful: http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Digital-Analog-Audio-Converter/dp/B005PWPUW6 if you just want to connect optical or coaxial out from a device.

I am not 100 percent sure about this, but if I were you, I would drop the internal wireless card and get this instead. I had an internal wireless card for a long time and have not noticed a performance difference after I "upgraded" to the usb wifi adapter. My interwebs were about 20 Mb/s and the pings on online games were the same before and after the swap(50ish ms). It may be that the USB adapter caps at some point, but i'm to lazy to do the research right now. The only real downside I see is that you would be effectively loosing a USB port. Saves you 30 ish bucks.

EDIT: Also, if you like to save money cause you are poor like me, you might want to consider downgrading your CPU if you plan on getting the 960. I have an i5 4460 with an r9 390 and I think it pairs really well (i.e. no bottleneck). If all we have to look at is the size of yellow bars, the i5 4460 and the i5 6500 appear to be roughly the same power according to this. So you might be able to save a little bit of money and get the same performance if you downgrade the CPU a bit. Keep in mind that upgrading later on might cost a bit more, because you will need to upgrade the CPU for a better card. Also keep in mind that I am not as knowledgeable about these things as others and it might very well be that the 960 and the i5 6500 are a match made in heaven.

Vote for a powerline extender. TP Link makes a good, cheap pair. One goes by the router, the other by you, then plug in a WiFi router of your own, which can be cheap, to extend the network. I'll throw links in when I'm not in mobile, but just wired a friend's condo like this, and it was literally the first pick on Amazon for both pieces. Install was plug, plug, plug, tap sync button, done. Good luck!

Links! Powerline Extender at Amazon

They make more expensive ones, but I doubt your network is fast enough to make a huge difference. Setup is trivial, and hey, easy returns?

Generally, PCI-E is much faster of an interface. However, Wifi speeds don't go nearly as fast as even the maximum speed of USB 2.0. So, speed-wise, it doesn't matter.

The USB one will be good for futureproofing your computer in case you later get a router with AC and 5GHz support. It's also nice in that you'll be able to preposition it to different USB slots for better signal.

For PCI-E, I would recommend this TP-Link one instead of the Rosewill:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-PCI-Express-Adapter-TL-WN881ND/dp/B0079XWMEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483091328&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+network+card&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_three_browse-bin%3A6011949011%2Cp_36%3A700-2500
It's from (in my opinion) a more reputable company; it seems like it's a current model from their website; and it's a buck cheaper and will probably ship faster. Otherwise pretty much the same as the Rosewill.

There is a third alternative I found:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-N300-Wireless-Adapter-TL-WN822N/dp/B00416Q5KI/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483092749&sr=1-3&keywords=wireless+network+usb&refinements=p_36%3A1253503011%2Cp_72%3A1248879011%2Cp_89%3ATP-Link
This would be especially great for if you know you get a bad signal between your router and computer. You can connect it via USB and then stick the device up high somewhere for maximum signal. If you have a place to put the device and don't currently have or have plans to get an AC or 5GHz router, this is what I would get.

Never seen a Surface like device with an Ethernet port. I doubt one exists. They are mobile devices so an Ethernet port is counter to it's primary function.

>absolute best (reliable & smallest) usb adapter for Ethernet?

Hard to say... reviews are scarce. There's this from 2013:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2415501,00.asp
Still a good choice and there are interesting options...
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-Gigabit-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B0095EFXMC/. 476 reviews 4.5 of 5

This from 2016 ... but 10/100??? Not fastest.
http://www.wirelesshack.org/our-picks-for-best-usb-to-ethernet-adapter.html
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B00ET4KHJ2/ 804 reviews 4.3 of 5


Amazon popularity contest and products I have had good luck with
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-SuperSpeed-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00BBD7NFU/ 807 reviews 4.2 of 5

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PC0H9IE/ref=psdc_13983791_t3_B0095EFXMC 584 reviews 4.7 of 5

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Gigabit-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B00AQM8586/. 767 reviews 4.5 of 5


So maybe the Anker model however... would you want fries ports with that?

Thank you for having a thread like this. I have done quite a bit of reading here, including a lot of the links and suggested polls on this subreddit and to be honest I am very overwhelmed.

Short version, here is what I need:

Tactile but not noisy, I want to feel the keys but I don't want a noisy typewriter. A little noise is ok.

Bluetooth, I ditched my desk about a year ago and won't go back, I use the computer from my LayzBoy arm chair with the keyboard in my lap, I no longer have a desk to run wires across.

Size need to be at least 75%, to full size (No 10key)... 60% is way too small for me. Weight doesn't really matter and neither does footprint, I wont be traveling with it.

Budget is a max of 160$ right now, and I prefer to purchase on Amazon.

I don't need fancy lights, I really just need something that works. When I am writing if I get too much input lag I don't always look at what I am writing for upto an hour, if the keyboard is crap I look up and find gibberish on the screen and loads of wasted time and creativity.

I originally purchased this keyboard, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FZVCH4H/ and this bluetooth dongle, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DJ83070/ and while it seemed like quality I just couldn't get it to work, everything connected but the keyboard wouldn't function. It was too small for me anyway, but I guess I got what I paid for at $44. I guess I will go with something 'name brand'?

Has to be simple setup, I am not an engineer or a programmer. Keyboard will be mostly used for writing, reddit, and light gaming like WoW.

I currently use a MS Wireless Comfort 5050 https://www.amazon.com//dp/B014W20C90/ keyboard/mouse combo, and the thing is junk, it has never worked right (Windows 8.1) spotty/odd input lag and most of the time it just stops working at all, It's going in the trash as soon as I replace it.

Thank you everyone for your help and guidance, I really appreciate it.

I found that using a better bluetooth controller works better. If you know how to use bluetoothctl in the terminal its super useful. Something like this will work well.
The bluetooth works much better for me after as the built in one i got about a metre away before it would have issues now i can get 20m~ with the external one. I have a feeling its a mix between cheap bluetooth designs and the drivers for the chips. For reference I have a C101PA

Technically yes but the best ones to get are the USB 3.0 Adapters. If you look on the inside of your Switch Dock you will notice one of the two USB Ports is Blue. The blue indicates USB 3.0. Here’s a link to the exact one I have. I’ve had it for about 6 months and it works wonderfully. There are a few other 3.0’s to choose from that I’m sure all work just as well.

Cool, thanks for the quick reply! You're 100% positive something like this (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZIILLI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) would NOT support mic/audio at the same time? I've come across a few hacky solutions so far but nothing that seems to be reliable/consistent eg; https://www.reddit.com/r/airpods/comments/7gdvma/airpods_bluetooth_drivers_for_windows_10/ -- would an integrated card with 4.1+ work out of the box or would I still have to hack together a solution? Sorry for the loaded question, loving my Airpods so far...just want them to work on all my machines. Thanks again!

+1 for PCI

I game and have never had problems connecting unless it was ISP side (boo comcast). I also stream Netflix and Amazon without any signal issues.

I use [this PCI-E adapter] (http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN881ND-Wireless-Express-Low-profile/dp/B0079XWMEI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405104552&sr=8-2&keywords=tp-link+pci+wifi) with good results. They also make regular [PCI] (http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN751ND-Wireless-Adapter-Low-profile/dp/B005FUGPP4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1405104552&sr=8-4&keywords=tp-link+pci+wifi) depending on what you have available. I'm sure the Rosewill one is quite good too.

I also picked up something similar to [this] (http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-ANT2405C-Desktop-Omni-directional-Antenna/dp/B001VEAI74/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1405104686&sr=8-11&keywords=tp-link+antenna) to help with my signal, since my room is quite far from my router. It will give you some flexibility on your antenna placement, and gave me a huge boost in signal.

For your purposes either would probably work but I prefer having the cleaner look of a PCI card and I'm under the assumption that there is better power/bandwith going through PCI. If you do go with USB, I suggest something like [this] (http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN722N-Wireless-Adapter-External/dp/B002SZEOLG/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1405104921&sr=8-14&keywords=usb+wifi) where you can add on an optional antenna if you have signal issues.

Parts List:

Power Adapter

Raspberry Pi

USB Super Nintendo Controller (This is the best one I have found so far)

HDMI Cable

WiFi Dongle

Other Items you will need:

USB Keyboard

Monitor or TV with HDMI Support




Now you dont have to use these parts exactly, there are plenty of other parts you can use. I am pretty sure that you can play Roms up to Playstation 1.



There is also a new Raspberry Pi 3 that is compatible with the RetroPie software which has WiFi and Bluetooth integrated into the board.

Helpful Video's to tackle technical issues with your RetroPie:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtht1mv6ty8xMBwgHX9RCkplqeSRxyHiC


Edit:

Almost forgot!


Here is the Case I found on Etsy. There are plenty of other sellers but this guy was great!

I'm assuming you already have Bluetooth in your pc? If so my vote would be got the PS4 controller. Using the touchpad as a mouse is why I use prefer it. It's not a mouse replacement, but for that handful of games that require a mouse to launch it's perfect. Just know that any console Bluetooth controller you use wont be compatible with every Bluetooth adapter out there, so there's no guarantee a DS4 or even DS3 will work with what you have, although if that happens the DS4 at least also works with a micro usb cable. If you go this route and end up needing an adapter I recommend the Kinivo BTD-400. Not as cheap as some but it works perfectly with my DS4 and Wii motes.

http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTD-400-Bluetooth-4-0-adapter/dp/B007Q45EF4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

good news, there's a thing called a 'powerline adapter' that will allow you to use the copper wiring in your house as a lan cable

I've used these in the past and they're excellent for your situation.If you ever need more than one port up in your room you can buy a switch to connect to this thing.

Heres a link to amazon for one i recommend:

(under $50)https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-ethernet-Adapter-TL-PA4010KIT/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1_acs_ac_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1549467799&sr=1-1-acs&keywords=powerline+adapter

(under $100)https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-AV1000Mbps-Powerline-WiFi-Extender/dp/B0725LPTZR/ref=sr_1_4_acs_ac_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1549467595&sr=1-4-acs&keywords=powerline+adapter

Heres a link to a youtube video futher describing how these things work:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywQeJCa3jl8


You mentioned your house may not have the proper electrical wiring/layout in order for one of these to work. In my experience that's rarely the case, but it is possible. Amazon has an excellent return policy though. If you buy one of these and it turns out it doesn't work due to your homes electrical layout, you can always return it free of charge and be in the same boat you're in now.

> http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/raspberry-pi-board-and-starter-kit-r45pi
That's quite pricey for the stuff you get:

• Raspberry PI Model B
£24.10

• 4 GB SD Card (Pre-loaded with the latest pre-approved OS)
£4.99 - not preloaded, but seriously, who cares, that's half the fun.

• Mains Powered 4 Port USB Hub (Increases the number of available ports to 5)
£10 (for a 7 port one) http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Pi-Hut-Powered-Raspberry/dp/B00B0ZOCPS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1404229572&sr=1-1&keywords=powered+hub


• N150 Wi-Fi USB Nano Dongle
£7.30 for EDIMAX that works well (amazon)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edimax-EW-7811UN-150Mbps-Wireless-Adapter/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1404229616&sr=1-1&keywords=edimax+wifi

• USB Keyboard
• USB Optical 3-Button Scroll Mouse

£9 for a very very low end mouse/kbd combo on amazon (maplin will be giving you low-end)

• 1.5 m USB A to Micro B Cable with Gold-Plated Connectors

£0.63 (amazon)

• 1.5 m HDMI A to HDMI A Cable with Gold-Plated Connectors (To connect your Raspberry Pi to your HD
TV/Monitor)
£1.19


A total of £57.22 if you source all this from amazon.
probably qualifies for free delivery too with all that.

I use a part that boosts the wi-fi signal to my computer. I may have mentioned it in a previous post, but this TP-Link can take me from barely one bar to full bars for signal strength. Extremely helpful. Pretty inexpensive for what it does for me. At one job I was getting nothing until I plugged it in.
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Wireless-Adapter-Support-TL-WN822N/dp/B00416Q5KI/ref=sr_1_30?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459316296&sr=1-30&keywords=tp-link

It might help in your travels.

You might want to try opening the AppImage in the terminal instead to see what the output is, like ./program.AppImage.

Anyway, Tails comes with non-free firmware so that it works on as much hardware as possible out of the box. I always encourage people to use free (as in freedom) software when possible, but your Wi-Fi adapter will do fine.

Still, if you think you want to change your order, here is the adapter that I use and recommend. It is able to function with free software and firmware on nearly all modern GNU/Linux systems and comes with a small antenna too. (Mine also came with a USB extension cable, a nice touch.)

You can use one of these

RP-SMA Male to RP-SMA Female Wifi Antenna Extension Cable Cord 2m / 6' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E9V8T62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HHtMzb5F3TAPV

To extend the routers antenna. After that you can build a focusing device. Pringles can and parabolic cookware antennas are popular. Google a bit and you'll find tonnes. Extend the routers antenna for one and put a USB adapter in the other. Bam, point to point WiFi.

Wires and plumbing is a good thing. Means the holes are pre drilled and you can just piggy back. 400 ft is a long way for wifi under the best circumstances. Are you sure that's the distance?

Ethernet bought in bulk would always be the best way to go, offering the best speed and reliability. Second to that is MOCA or power line adapters. Both will be faster and more reliable than wifi over that distance. I had better luck with MOCA personally, but power line adapters can be had pretty cheap.

orbi is a beast on speed, but googles app is better. The app has some downsides, like when the cloud barfed a reset a bunch of our units.

I have my onhub/GW in wired gigabit backhaul mode and it outperms pretty much everything. if i didn't have gigabit backhaul I would have kept orbi.

Another option since you're already using MoCA. Check out these actiontec bonded MoCA adapters you can use that to backhaul GW and potentially get the best of both worlds.

yes you can, I play 4 player co-op games on my pc all the time with friends (I use my old ps3 controllers). Also don't buy the Sony dongle since its $25 and only allows 1 controller per dongle. Just buy a Bluetooth 4.0 usb dongle and the free software will over ride the Bluetooth and allow wireless connections. One another note the new xbox 1s controller is now Bluetooth and requires no special software to work with pc use a run of the mill Bluetooth dongle. I use this Bluetooth adapater and its constantly on sale, great range as well.

Yeah, it definitely works best on Mac.

The best bluetooth adapter for Windows is this one based on my findings and several other HHKB BT diehard users.

Also - the AmazonBasics or Eneloop rechargeable AA batteries are a great purchase and I highly suggest!

Gunnie, I wanted to come back and thank you for the suggestion. I did not even know these things existed; and after some research I found that a powerline adapter is definitely my best solution. My new PC will be in my room while the router is in the living room, so there is quite a bit of space and a few walls between us. I have decided to go with this (also a tp-link). You have saved me many headaches from having to deal with wifi adapters. Thank you :)

I'm somewhat in between. I just moved into an apartment where I can't really drill holes or anything to put cables through walls but I also can't stand having to rely on wifi. My router is basically on the other side of the apartment and so the easiest solution I found is one of these. Basically uses electrical wiring of your building as an ethernet cable and it works awesome.

Still about 15ms more latency and 1Mbps slower than being directly wired in but its much cleaner than say running a 100ft cable from the router to my room and I love it.

Any kind of wired connection > wireless in basically every way except convenience IMO.

Don't get that SSD. it has known performance issues.

Here's a 250 GB Evo 840 (also known issues but not as bad as kingston) for $65. Link

Also definently go i5 if you can. Do you need wifi in your motherboard? WIll a powerline adapter work for you?


>Being that this is my first PC I'm still learning about all the connections on the MOBO. What are some gotchas I should be looking out for?

Make sure the PSU has an 8 pin connector - your graphics card will require it. They usually have a 6+2 pin or an 8 pin. Edit!! - looks like it has a 6+2 pin, you're good OP.

Also be advised - that is a non-modular PSU (which is fine) but your case is a mini-ITX. I have had that case in the past. Cable management is challenging but not impossible, especially if you do nothing with the 5.25" bay drive. But if you load it up to capacity, it's gonna be a tight fit.

You can buy an adapter that will allow you to stream music to any receiver. It uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone and then a RCA cable that connects to your reciever. Here is a decent one for $20 https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-980-000910-Bluetooth-Adapter-Streaming/dp/B00IQBSW28

Also that price was high for that receiver. Like the other guy said I would pretty much stay away from pioneer except for a few select models. Nice older Yamaha receivers can be purchased for cheap and they put out some excellent power. I got a RX-V1500 for $40 about a year ago off Craigslist. It was a $800 receiver in 2005 and it still works excellently. Another brand to look for is Denon. You might find a high end Onkyo, Sony, or Pioneer for a good deal but stay away from their lower end lines. Just be sure to research the exact model and you will be good.

You should be able to find a nice one around $50 and I wouldn't spend more than $100.

Was your previous adapter also USB?

Since your phone is fine but your desktop obviously isn't, I'd try getting a PCI-e card if your motherboard has a slot available. Something like this, there are cheaper ones and more expensive ones as well. Those function better being directly connected to the motherboard and they have multiple external antennae.

I've had good luck and bad luck with USB WiFi adapters and it seemed to just come down to the individual USB stick.

I've used the TP-link Wireless Adapter before and it's been pretty reliable and cheap. Lasted me through two different builds before I decided to upgrade. I linked the usb version but they have a PCIe version as well.

If you have a nicer router with features like dual band, AC, etc. then consider saving up for a nicer high end wireless adapter to take advantage of higher speeds. I'm currently using the Asus USB N53 and it's been reliable too.

Did you set it as the default connection in wiiu settings?

Other ideas:

• It's unlikely, but make sure you don't have mac address filtering enabled on the router. That would have prevented WPS from working, though.
  
• Do your 2.4 and 5ghz networks have the same name? Some devices don't like that, but I'm pretty sure the wiiu only has 2.4 anyway.
  
• If you can't get it working, I highly recommend just picking up one of these and connecting by ethernet because it'll work way better than 2.4ghz wifi anyway.

As long as it's a Gigabit adapter, they're honestly all the same speed. I bought the Plugable because it was recommended by lots of others, has great reviews for Switch use, it's affordable, AND it's USB 3.0 compatible. Works perfectly btw, perfect size for the side plate.

The Hori/Nintendo one is more expensive (more than double the price) and doesn't have 3.0 capabilities. Now that doesn't matter right now, but people believe that the Switch console is also 3.0 capable, they just haven't provided an update to "activate" it. If they ever do, and there's any speed increase to be seen, you won't get it with a 2.0 adapter like the Hori/Nintendo.

I had Wyze cameras and had 3D printed outdoor housings but the quality wasn't great at night after our last run in.

Went Ubiquiti. Three G3-FLEX cameras (four tonight) and ran some CAT6 with a powerline adapter for the camera you see above. I'm runing the UniFi Video software on an old Mac mini with a 5TB USB HD but I'm strongly considering one of their CloudKey Gen 2+ to dedicate specific hardware for the cameras/network.

The interface is fantastic, the camera quality is fantastic (they also offer a 4K camera though $$$), and security hardened. I like the idea of them being wired to take that busy constant video traffic off of wifi.

Edit: added links

This is the one I bought 5x of. The plastic shell on 1 has split though exposing the circuit-board but still holds together when snapped on some level.

Some people swear by the official PS4 dongle for best experience but for me these seem fine.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZIILLI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's my favorite out of box wifi dongle for linux, thank god someone sells a USB incase onboard wifi is a issue (I think they sell these at office depo in stores too if that's a thing where you are)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UGG19GW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Your router might have two types of connectors at the back: One for ethernet (RJ45), one for phone (marked with the phone sign). If you plug in your phone into the designated phone plug, it's not a VoIP phone! If you only have ethernet ports, it's a VoIP phone.

If you don't have a VoIP phone and don't need one, look into cheap DECT phones. You can move your router now and have one extension of the DECT phone where your phone is currently located. It's the cheapest solution.

If you already have a VoIP phone, you can extend your network. Move the router and use e.g. powerline adapters to make the connection to the VoIP phone in another room. The powerline adapters transmit the network information via the electric cables in the wall. There will be a slight increase in latency, but VoIP has that anyway. There are proprietary wireless VoIP phones as well that work for specific router models. Check your ISP's homepage if you are interested or call them.

The solution /u/jeffrey_f suggested is viable as well, but only for VoIP phones! However it has the downsides of high cost of purchase and upkeep. In addition the latency will increase. If you don't need another router there to plug in additional devices, I would not purchase one.

Edit: /u/AizenStarcraft suggestion is a VoIP to analogue converter. You can't use that, since you'd need to run a cable.

>My questions are: is there a special kind of ethernet cable used for VoIP.

Nope - any CAT5e or CAT6 cable will do.

>is there an adapter that I could use to connect multiple ethernet cables?

Possibly. But the easiest (and most reliable) thing would be to install a switch somewhere along the line. A 5-port switch can be had from Office Depot for as little as $10... although I would prefer this TP-LINK gigabit switch from Amazon for $21.22. [NOTE: all switches should support speeds of 10Mbps and 100Mbps, also called "10/100". This should be fast enough for most people, and the $10 10/100 switch should work fine. However, a switch that supports the newer, faster 1000Mbps (gigabit) standard only costs a few dollars more, and offers 10x the speed. Essentially, if money's tight, get a 10/100. If you want something that's more futureproof, spend the extra $10 for a 10/100/1000 model.] Also, if your home internet is faster than 100Mbps, you'd obviously want to skip the 10/100 models and go straight for a 10/100/1000 switch.

Setting it up is super-easy: plug an Ethernet cable into your router and run it to wherever you want to put the switch (it will only need a power outlet). Plug the power adapter into the switch, then plug the cable (from the router) into any of the ports. Then, plug in a new cable into any of the remaining ports, and run it to your GF's PC. Done!

EDIT: If Wi-Fi isn't an option, another would be a powerline adapter, which uses your home's electrical system and only requires electrical outlets on both ends, and Ethernet cables from the router to adapter #1 and from adapter #2 to the PC.

Another option would be to take an old (or a cheap new) wi-fi router that supports client mode and use that. Basically, the old router acts as a "reverse wi-fi hotspot", in that takes your home's existing Wi-Fi signal and makes it available via its ports to Ethernet devices.

Looks good. Taking out the monitor, keyboard, and mouse, this is an $833 build. What is your main use for the PC? Could use a slightly beefier GPU, but that is for a future upgrade. I think I have some alternative builds saved on PC part picker that are right around your price point, if you're interested in seeing them. Otherwise, nice build for the price point :)

Oh also...look into these as an alternative to the Wireless card: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396989232&sr=8-1&keywords=ethernet+powerline

Maybe something like plume would be the ticket for you since you say you aren't super technically oriented.

https://www.plumewifi.com/

Or perhaps a powerline wireless extender. Instead of slowing down all your wireless traffic by repeating it, it passes it over your powerlines back to an ethernet port on your router. When it works well, it's great. Not all houses are ideal for powerline networking though, so until you try it you can't really say for sure.

https://www.amazon.com/Extender-Powerline-Starter-300Mbps-Wireless/dp/B00HSQAIQU

If you don't have a high end wireless router, you might just start there. A nice device like the Asus 68u can give triple your wireless throughput or more. With beam steering and 3x3 mu-mimo it will reach further and deeper than older devices.

https://www.amazon.com/Dual-band-Wireless-AC1900-Gigabit-Router-RT-AC68U/dp/B00FB45SI4

Basically nothing of this will fit into the second case. The mainboard for example is ATX, and in that size finding a X470 board is not an issue. Are you dropping the idea of later moving to the small case?

Things I'd change in the S340:

• The G3 has issues with the fan curve, I'd get the Seasonic Focus Gold or the Corsair RMx instead.
  
• The Hyper 212 is not a great cpu cooler, I'd get the Dark Rock 3, Scythe Fuma or something similar, at least a Cryorig H7.
  
  > If I want to wirelessly connect it what’s the best option?
  
  In the small case, the ITX mainboard will have wifi included, and that is really the best option here. Your only alternative would be a Wifi USB-stick. For a regular ATX board you can get a wifi card like https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Wi-Fi-Express-Adapter-PCE-AC56/dp/B00JNA337K. But if you are not moving the PC around anyway try to use an ethernet cable.
  
  > Also if I have the budget should I put more into the keyboard or different monitor.
  
  I'd get a different monitor then, something like this Agon up to a Gsync monitor like the ASUS PG279Q

It looks like the cheapest board with wifi is a mini-itx for $99 or +$60.

I'd probably just buy a PCIe adapter because I don't like USB things hanging off the back.

The biggest decision you'll have to make is if you want to splurge for an 802.11ac compatible wireless adapter. It's much faster, but also would bump your cost up from $20-$40 all the way to $80-$100.

For just internet browsing, 802.11n is PLENTY. You'd really only see the speed advantages of 802.11ac if you were copying files to a NAS on the network/etc. Keep in mind your router would also have to support ac.

For 802.11n, this one looks pretty popular, and is used in hackintosh builds for compatibility:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704133

For 802.11ac, maybe this one?

Asus 802.11ac router

> Development has to start somewhere. If everyone shared your “verdict” no one would create drivers for this stuff.

IMHO it's the opposite. Development is stalled because everyone is afraid to say that "the king is naked".

OpenBSDs seems to have a cultural tendency to bash away all criticism: "you don't need that (ex), you're not using the right laptop, etc" - it's your own fault it doesn't work. That definitely discourages contributions, at least from me.

OpenBSD has been bragging about laptop support - that they're "dogfooding" by actually running it on their laptops, while FreeBSD is apple fanboys who use virtualization. Of course you need the right laptop, a Thinkpad, otherwise you're a cheap idiot. And, as this (for some reason popular) article shows, it still can't be a new Thinkpad, and you need to replace the wireless card... And if you dare post performance and battery life benchmarks, oh boy...

Thus OpenBSD's growing reputation for being a circle-jerk. Self-deception is not a virtue!

In the meantime, Linux now works perfectly on every laptop I try it on, even closing the performance / battery life gap with Windows, so even a diehard license zealot like me can no longer use BSD...

> Through the glory of people who work on making things better instead of complaining about them on the internet, there is a diff that fixes the audio issues!

Good.

> OpenBSD has no bluetooth stack.

Yeah, that'll persuade more people to use OpenBSD on laptop and mobile devices... /s

> Who ever said anything about a dongle??

The whole point of having a laptop is mobility. More and more people work from WiFi (or cellular connections via mobile hotspot) in places where an Ethernet cable isn't available: bus, taxi, hotel, park, coffee shop, etc.

If the WiFi card isn't supported by the OS, a dongle is your least bad option. And I found that a tiny dongle performs very poorly, you need a big one with an antenna - one more thing you have to carry around with you.

> dmesg was sent to the locations I care about. If you want, feel free to send it to where ever you want it to go.

Good. But every dmesg doesn't warrant a cross-posted article with this many upvotes, especially when it's not actually news and not good. Thus my grumpy response.

> What hardware doesn’t come from China?

There are degrees of hardware security and freedom, as with software. Lenovo has been caught with many deceptive practices, and so it scores very low on that security and freedom scale. (And additional point deductions if you're forced to buy it with Windows.) OpenBSD scores highly, but the fact that it focuses on Lenovo hardware is a big minus. In the meantime, System76 scores better by moving in the right direction: bringing assembly to the Colorado and inching closer to open hardware.

Thank you for your input, if you are still interested, I can give an update in the future regarding my speed and wireless situations.

Do you recommend any MoCa to replace my 2 in 1 actiontec router? I was thinking of this: http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethernet-Adapter-without-Routers/dp/B008EQ4BQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406999088&sr=8-1&keywords=moca

Someone living in my house feels conflicted to spend too much money on a router + modem. Unless there's another budget friendly router which is close to the nighthawk then I would be very interested in checking it out.


EDIT: I followed your advice and bridged the actiontec MI424WR acting as a modem and used an old e1000 v1 router. It's working fine for now and we're looking into purchasing nighthawk to improve our internet in the future.

For LAN-adapters, I currently have the AmazonBasics one, but I would like one that is long enough so the USB-side fits inside the dock cover, and the ethernet side can extend past it and not get stuck. The AmazonBasics one is too short, and as such, I haven't been using a cover lately, which I'd like to remedy. Could anyone recommend one in the $10-15 range? Would this one, recommended by the guides at the top be long enough?

(for the record, I have someone I'm giving my AmazonBasics one to for something non-Switch related)

Ok I can see that. Best thing I can say is something like this

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-980-000910-Bluetooth-Adapter-Streaming/dp/B00IQBSW28

If not over time your wife will have to get a dedicated MP3 player or get a superior nexus like you

I used Powerline adapters (500 mbps) but ran into some latency when streaming off my HDHomeRun Prime.

I discovered MOCA Adapters that run over coax that are pricy, but amazing. Requires you to have coax run to the room you want Ethernet. 2.0 can do gigabit, 2.5 isn't really out but will be even faster.

EDIT: Link to adapters. There is a $129 package but reviews seemed to favor this model (6200 vs 6000). Works great with Verizon Fios because you don't need one at the router if you are already using MOCA.

So here is my set up:

A JBL DCR600II sound reciever with 2 ARC1000 towers and the rest of the 5.1 speakers hooked up normally. It's great and I love it but the problem is that the receiver has such a puny little amp, so my speakers barely get that loud. I also would like to add bluetooth capability to this system, but I primarily want to increase the overall volume of the system.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-980-000910-Bluetooth-Adapter-Streaming/dp/B00IQBSW28/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473888530&sr=8-2&keywords=bluetooth+receiver
^ this bluetooth receiver I need to add bluetooth. My question is, can I add a tube amp (linked below) meant for headphones and plug the input to the bluetooth receiver and the output to my sound receiver.

I understand that the reprocessing of the signal inside the sound receiver defeats the purpose of the tubes in the amp, but would I still get a volume increase by doing this?
Basically, input device >> bluetooth receiver >> tube amp >> sound receiver, speakers.
I really want to make this work because I absolutely love that tube amp. its so pretty

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014FASL1A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ADPE7GPX91ORE

Glad to hear it! Hope you enjoy it, it's really cool! If you run into tracking issues with the controllers I definitely recommend these two things (and using them in a USB 2.0 slot if possible):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NH11R3I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZIILLI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I need a wifi adapter that i can hook into my mother board

I know there are mother boards built with Wifi Adapters, but it's too late because I've had my computer finished for about 3 months. I currently use a TP-Link Wifi repeater around my house to try to get us a good connection, but it's pretty bad.

I have a moderately large house and i'm almost the furthest away from the WiFi router. We have no Ethernet ports in our home so everyone has to just use wifi.

A MS Paint diagram of my house:

http://image.prntscr.com/image/1a9b7c60945f4fd7a311777196197dc4.png

Is there any wifi adapter that will help improve connection? I had usb adapters, and they were ass, now we have TP Link repeaters and they're nice but they don't stay connected to eachother for a long time. I'm looking to just build in a wifi adapter to my motherboard. I don't want anything cheap though because this PC will be with me for 5+ years.

Here is my current build (I have a GTX 760 atm, upgrading soon to 1080)

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $233.99 @ SuperBiiz
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | $24.89 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | MSI Z170A GAMING M5 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $167.88 @ OutletPC
Memory | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory | $74.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $149.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Western Digital BLACK SERIES 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $72.89 @ OutletPC
Case | Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $84.99 @ NCIX US
Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA GS 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $69.99 @ Newegg
Monitor | BenQ XL2430T 144Hz 24.0" Monitor | $349.89 @ Amazon
Keyboard | Razer BlackWidow Chroma Wired Gaming Keyboard | $129.99 @ Amazon
Mouse | Razer DeathAdder Chroma Wired Optical Mouse | $54.98 @ Amazon
Headphones | Razer KRAKEN 7.1 CHROMA 7.1 Channel Headset | $89.99 @ Amazon
Other| EVGA GeForce GTX 1080| $599.99
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $2139.45
| Mail-in rebates | -$35.00
| Total | $2104.45
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-05-26 17:14 EDT-0400 |


These are the extenders i have:

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1464297476&sr=8-11&keywords=tp+link+range+extender

I could be talking out of my ass, but isn't ping in online games like LoL and Overwatch based on the game servers' location? So the Speedtest wouldn't be using the same server as LoL and Overwatch use, which could explain the difference in ping. For example, when I do a Speedtest on Ookla I have 22 ms, but my ping in Overwatch is never below 70, which I believe is due to my distance from their server. Then again, I could be completely wrong about this.

The only thing I could think of would be to try a wired connection as the person below me suggested. You could even move your computer into your mom's office (where the router is located) and plug it directly into the router for 5 minutes to see if that effects your ping. If it does, then buy a Powerline Adapter, again, as suggested by the user below and you're all set. A Powerline adapter works by plugging one adapter into an AC outlet near the router, and plugging and ethernet cable from the router into that, and then placing the other adapter near your computer and plug an ethernet cable from that adapter to your PC. This image explains it very simply. Best of luck!

If all you're looking for is an internet connection but can't run a cable across the house a Powerline adapter works pretty well, as long as they're on the same circuit.

I have these: TP-Link AV200 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 200Mbps (TL-PA2010KIT) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUIY4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WHrGzbAM87XEE

Alternatively, a cheap USB adapter would be nice, I have used this one before: Edimax EW-7811Un 150Mbps 11n Wi-Fi USB Adapter, Nano Size Lets You Plug it and Forget it, Ideal for Raspberry Pi / Pi2, Supports Windows, Mac OS, Linux (Black/Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OJrGzbXJTB3PB



Ps sorry about the links, I'm on mobile...

Get a power line, as long as you have a free power outlet in you room and near your modem you will get a better connection since it is wired. I already use one and i'm happy with the performance. My room and the room where my modem is, are right next to each other, but I refuse to use wifi because a wired connection is always better, or until wifi connection speeds become more advanced. Which I doubt it will be anytime soon. Hopes this helps. Here's the one I have right now, fairly cheap, number 1 on Amazon's Best Sellers Powerline Computer Network Adapters

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA4010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00AWRUICG/ref=zg_bs_1194444_1

GLHF

As ePaperWeight mentioned, your shopping list would have a lot to do with what you plan on doing with it.

Keep in mind that the Pi Zero is very cheap partly because it does not have nearly as many ports as a full size Pi. It also has a less capable CPU than a full Pi 3. That being said, it's still impressive that its CPU and RAM are in line with older Pis that were used in all sorts of projects.

The lack of ports means that if you want to connect to USB, HDMI, Ethernet, or Wifi you will need adapters.

For the bare minimum for getting started I would suggest the items included in this kit (not necessarily suggesting the kit itself, these are all standard parts):
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Zero-Starter-Kit/dp/B01N3XNPAM/ref=sr_1_1

• MicroSD Card (needed to install Raspbian or another OS)
  
• Power Supply (any 5v supply with micro USB aka phone charger)
  
• OTG (On The Go) cable for connecting a full size USB device
  
• Mini HDMI to standard HDMI adapter
  
  This will allow you to get a Zero to boot up and display on a monitor. The single USB port will limit what you can connect, but a wireless keyboard / mouse dongle will at least give you standard input devices.
  
  In order to connect Wifi or Ethernet in addition to a keyboard you will need a USB hub; preferably a powered hub.
  
  To connect a Pi Camera you'll not only need the camera module, but an adapter ribbon cable (the Zero's port is slightly smaller).
  
  The GPIO header does not include pins. This is more configurable, but means that you'll need to solder your own.
  
  As you can see, all this can quickly add up. The Pi Zero really highlights the value of a full Pi. So if you're considering the Zero in order to save money run the numbers. You might not be saving much.
  
  The size and lower power requirements of the Zero make it great for embedded projects. Anything that runs on a battery or needs to fit in a small case would benefit from using a Zero. Even then, the faster speed of a Pi 3 means that it will be a smoother experience to program on the 3 even if you plan to migrate the software to the Zero.
  
  Other links for reference:
  
  
• Pi Camera Module - https://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Pi-Camera-Module-Megapixel/dp/B01ER2SKFS/ref=sr_1_1
  
• Pi Zero Camera adapter cable - https://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-v1-3-Camera-Cable-Raspberry/dp/B01LGUJTDG/ref=sr_1_4
  
• GPIO Header Pins - https://www.amazon.com/15Pcs-2-54-Single-11MM-Header/dp/B00FR19WQA/ref=sr_1_2
  
• Ethernet Adapter - https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Ethernet-Network-Adapter/dp/B00ET4KHJ2/ref=sr_1_4
  
• USB Hub - https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-4-Port-Individual-Switches-HB-UMLS/dp/B00BWF5U0M/ref=sr_1_14
  
• Wifi Dongle - https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_3
  
• Absolute insanity down the rabbit hole - https://www.amazon.com/Adeept-Ultimate-Starter-Learning-Raspberry/dp/B01FLSF4PQ/ref=sr_1_9
  
  TLDR; Pick a project and work backwards to figure out a shopping list. Otherwise you'll spend way too much or your new Zero will probably live in a desk drawer.
  
  
  

First, I would want to check to see what the speed of the wifi connection is inside the student housing. That card seems to me to be way overdoing it. I would recommend something more like this, especially if you're going to primarily using public wifi.

https://www.amazon.com.au/ASUS-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1900-Adapter-PCE-AC68/dp/B00F42V83C/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=ASUS+PCE-AC68+AC1900&qid=1574946302&sr=8-2

Then again, the first one isn't that much more, and it would be a lot more future proof for down the road.

And you can definitely use a PCIe riser, just be sure not to cheap out on it, and try to get by with as short a one as possible. ThermalTake is usually pretty good

https://www.amazon.com.au/Thermaltake-Gaming-Black-Extender-AC-053-CN1OTN-C1/dp/B06Y5YNGDJ/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=pcie+riser&qid=1574946555&sr=8-6

Sure, the end goal here is to have the light board trigger cues for lights, sound, and projection. This way we can have things change simultaneously. Any programming for a show will happen on the respective consoles, but the "go" buttons(and some other basic things) would effectively all be tied to the master "go" button on the lighting console.

As it sits, we should be able to do everything and have it work with fairly minimal latency, but I don't really like that we would have to use shownet nodes to convert the DMX outs on the console to shownet, as I can really only get 1 universe (2 if I put a shownet node after my dmx keyboard emulator). I would really prefer to have two Ethernet(RJ-45) outs, one for shownet, and one for artnet. The only way to get the hardware needed to buy something like this. The base OS for the console is XP but I don't know whether the Palette OS application supports dual Ethernet outputs. Here is a poorly drawn diagram of the setup

As others have said, simply search Amazon for "Bluetooth Receiver" and pick one you like in a price range you can afford. You will find hundreds of them.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bluetooth+receiver&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

And then using, most likely, RCA-RCA cable of the appropriate length, connect the Bluetooth Adapter to the CD Input on the Amp, and logically select CD on the front panels source selector of the Amp.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-2-Male-RCA-Audio-Cable/dp/B01D5H8P0G/

Though there are many similar RCA-RCA Cables to choose from -

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=RCA+cable&i=electronics&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

You would prefer to have a Bluetooth Adapter that supports version 4.0 or higher, and that has the APT-X or APT-X HD feature.

The ESINKEN and the LOGITECH look pretty much identical, check the specs, but likely either one will do, both about $22 -

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bluetooth-Audio-Adapter-Streaming/dp/B00IQBSW28/

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Adapter-Streaming-Wireless-Speakers/dp/B016NUTG5K/

Range on the above is pretty much standard at 30ft to 50ft line-of-sight.

There are better Bluetooth Devices, but they cost a bit more money -

https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Certified/dp/B01H6I3YGK/

https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Simultaneously/dp/B07BQYYDNJ/

Again, how far do you want to take it, because there are Bluetooth Devices that can go well above $100.

Easiest solution.

Powerline adapter with a Wifi AP point it. I would suggest picking a few different APs and spreading them out throughout your house. It depends a bit on how the house is laid out as much as the sq-footage as to where they are best placed.

In my experience these are a lot more successful than setting up AP repeaters etc. Plus really useful for connecting via ethernet if you have TVs/consoles etc in different rooms. It is always going to be more reliable than Wifi

Hi all,

Couldn't find anything online to help me here. I have two switch pro controllers and I'd like to connect them both to my desktop pc at the same time.

I have a few of these adapters:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Q45EF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DDSdBbR4HK556


One adapter detects one controller and it works fine in steam. But my computer will not allow my to use more than one of those adapters at the same time, and each adapter will only detect one of the same device at one time.

I'm really not wanting to go for any wired options.

Any Bluetooth troubleshooting advice or links to other Bluetooth adapters that support two of the same device would be awesome. Thanks!

This has been a godsend for me. I would consider this above a Wifi adapter. It's $5 above budget, but it allows you to get an ethernet connection which is leagues better than WiFi.

 

The thing I linked with comes with two adapters, and two ethernet cables. Basically you run an ethernet from your router to the adapter which is plugged into the wall. Then, you plug in another adapter to the wall near your computer and run an ethernet cable from that adapter to your computer. Super simple, much faster than WiFi, and much easier than trying to figure out all that wireless adapter jargon.

EDIT: I just followed your links, sounds like you are already looking at USB adapters and not internal cards. Sorry.

I like these: http://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419545144&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+wifi

Better make sure that model doesn't use a hardware whitelist for the WiFi/BT card. I'm pretty sure it does.

If so, you will need to either modify the BIOS (risky) or modify the firmware on your new wireless card (also risky).

I'd recommend a tiny USB wireless adapter.

The best solution for using WiFi on your desktop would probably be to get a PCI wireless card, like this one.

If you aren't comfortable adding a PCI card, or don't have any space for one, you can get a USB wireless adapter, such as this one.

Finally, if you want a better solution that's not running a long cable, buy power line adapters. You plug one into a socket near the router and connect it via Ethernet to the router, then you plug another one in beside your PC and run Ethernet from it to your PC. It uses the wiring in the house to carry data, and is often better than WiFi.

Personally, I would go with the power line adapters then the PCI wireless card.

DS4Windows.com recommends this one, InputMapper recommends this one. I think either of those should work okay, because they've worked for other people before. Personally I opted to just get two of the official adapters, but that costs a little more. I wanted the audio support, and at least for me the range and latency was better with the official adapter. I do wish it supported more than one controller, though.

I've got one of these Edimax mini USB Wifi's and it works real good. It is showing < $10 and if you look at the "Other Sellers on Amazon" to the right, you will see several listed for < $10 with free shipping. This little guy works great. His antenna is obviously small, so the range isn't ideal for all situations. I personally was quite surprised at the range and never noticed the lack of a full antenna in my use of it. Your perspective may vary.

This other product has an actual antenna and is ~$5 with free shipping all day long. I can't attest to its quality though.

Either one, on one of the many cheap similar "mini USB wifi" adapters, should get you by for awhile, if nothing else.

for triple monitors, it depends more on your gpu, and the connectors you use with the monitors. your gpu has 2 DVI-D's, 1 HDMI, and DisplayPort connection, so as long as your monitors will work with that, you shouldn't have a problem.

the 1060 will do fine with these games at 1080p

ping depends a lot more on your actual internet connection than your wireless connection to your router. but like i said originally that adapter will be fine, as well as the one i posted too.

lastly, do you have access to your router at all, or do you live in a dorm of some kind where you only have wifi hotspots? because if you have access to your router, but your pc just isnt in the same room, you'd be a lot better off with powerline adapters, which are like running a wired connection through your power outlets, rather than relying on wifi. they're magic

Powerline isnt wireless though, unless you get a 2 in 1 powerline adapter that also allows for wifi.

Powerline is where you are basically hardwired into your internet connection even if you are on the complete opposite side of your house. There is an adapter you put in a power outlet by your router and run an ethernet cable from that adapter to your router. Then, you will place a 2nd adapter in a power outlet in the room with your computer and run a 2nd ethernet cable from that adapter to your computer.

The adapters send the signal over the powerlines of the house, hence the name of the technology. This basically allows you to run your full rated speed via a hard wired connection, without any flaws that wireless has like reduced speed due to the dropoff over distance, or the signal cutting out randomly.

I personally have the TP Link TL-WPA4220KIT. There are newer options that are better and cheaper as this is outdated now.

If you dont mind having an ethernet cable running from a power outlet to your mobo, then this should be a good option. Although, if you live in an apartment (where the power lines can span multiple units), or an 80 yr old house with a janky electrical system this is probably not the best option.

I dont have very fast internet (only around 26mbps), but this allows my PC to get that full speed as well as my phone when I use it with the built in wifi adapter that model above has built in. Previously with various different wifi adapters, the best I would get is about 15 mbps. So, for me, this was a massive improvement.

Get a powerline kit? Plug one into a plug socket near your PC and one near the router. Connect them up with ethernet, and you have a faster than wifi connection. Something like this (uk), or this (us). Wifi cards aren't really that great if your existing laptop one isn't very good. Avoid USB wifi dongles, they don't really work long range.
For a keyboard, get a mechanical one if you can. The Corsair Vengeance K70 is good, as well as Cooler Master or Ducky ones for a lower price. I would recommend a brown or red switch for gaming. For a cheaper keyboard, avoid Gigabyte (not very durable), but most other manufacturers are good. like this one for $54
The Zalman Z11 plus is a good cheap case, although you might want to spend a bit more on a NZXT or Corsair one. If you give more details, we can give a better suggestion.

They should both be good cards, the 1660 Ti and Souper use much faster video memory. The Gigabyte you linked to is a 1660 plain card, with slower memory.

GTX 1660 Souper review


Did you consider the RX5700? It is considered the best deal in new video cards. You can see that it beats the 1660 Souper in most tests.

The lists have a really nice gaming monitor. Let me know if you have any questions

Micro ATX

It does not have Wifi/bluetooth. You can add an Asus USB bluetooth adapter.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor | $234.99 @ Mike's Computer Shop
Motherboard | *MSI B450M PRO-VDH MAX Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard | $104.95 @ Vuugo
Memory | *G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory | $87.99 @ Newegg Canada
Storage | *Sabrent Rocket 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | $99.99 @ Amazon Canada
Video Card | *Sapphire Radeon RX 5700 8 GB PULSE Video Card | $485.50 @ Vuugo
Case | *Antec VSK 3000 Elite MicroATX Mini Tower Case | $41.92 @ Vuugo
Power Supply | *EVGA GD (2019) 500 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply | $77.99 @ PC-Canada
Monitor | *Acer VG271U Pbmiipx 27.0" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor | $399.99 @ Amazon Canada
| Total | $1533.32
| | *Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |

#Mini ITX

This has Wifi/bluetooth included with the motherboard. It goes over budget.

PCPartPicker Part List

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz 6-Core Processor | $234.99 @ Mike's Computer Shop
Motherboard | *Gigabyte X570 I AORUS PRO WIFI Mini ITX AM4 Motherboard | $291.50 @ Vuugo
Memory | *G.Skill Ripjaws V 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 Memory | $87.99 @ Newegg Canada
Storage | *Sabrent Rocket 512 GB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive | $99.99 @ Amazon Canada
Video Card | *Sapphire Radeon RX 5700 8 GB PULSE Video Card | $485.50 @ Vuugo
Case | Lian Li TU150 Mini ITX Desktop Case | $149.99 @ Newegg Canada
Power Supply | *EVGA SuperNOVA GM 550 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular SFX Power Supply | $118.95 @ Mike's Computer Shop
Case Fan | *ARCTIC F12 PWM 53 CFM 120 mm Fan | $6.98 @ Vuugo
Case Fan | *ARCTIC F12 PWM 53 CFM 120 mm Fan | $6.98 @ Vuugo
Monitor | *Acer VG271U Pbmiipx 27.0" 2560x1440 144 Hz Monitor | $399.99 @ Amazon Canada
| Total | $1882.86
| | *Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria |

Okay, last question lol. Becuase I'm tight on budget, the A2+ might be my best bet right now. If I go with that and buy a Bluetooth receiver, would any of the following suffice?

• Bose
  
• Inateck
  
• Logitech
  
  
• Esinkin
  
  Really appreciate your help with all of this!

Laptops are nice because everything is wrapped up into one thing, so you don't need to buy everything (monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc). Unfortunately they just don't offer the same performance and reliability as a desktop does.

Do you have a desk to use for this? I think I have a decent computer picked out, but if your budget needs to factor in a desk we're in trouble. The desktop is on Newegg, but the rest is Amazon so you will be able to use your card.

Realistically I would expect this desktop to last 2-3 years until you might want to change something. This is the nice thing about desktops, you can generally add/change parts as you go instead of buying an entirely new computer. I wouldn't say you're expecting too much, but realize this computer is on the lower end but capable. You should be able to do everything you've listed to some degree. Some things (like editing video) may go slow because it does have a budget processor.

Here's the links to the parts so far. We can tweak things as needed.

Computer Adapter Monitor Speakers = ~$435

A note on the speakers, you may be able to get even cheaper ones (if you even need them), though usually cheaper speakers have a "buzzing noise." However, Amazon has these and the reviews seem great.

Another note, you could save $10 on the adapter too, since it seems you won't be needing a great connection. That is up to you though. Here's a cheaper one.

Please then for the love of god do NOT use wireless for gaming. It's not the best connection for it. Look into Powerline Ethernet. It's like wifi in you don't have to be right next to the modem but you still get the stable wired connection. HERE's one that's pretty good and cheap.

You're unlikely to find a mixer that has those inputs built in. Your best bet would be to use adapters for all those sources and just plug those in on the 1/4in jacks. Keeping in mind though that you should also look for mixers that support panning individual channels; each jack on a mixer typically just supports mono audio, so you'd have to send it back to left / right.

For example, I use a Mackie 402 on my desk. If I want to plug in a stereo line on channels 1 and 2, that "STEREO PAN" button has to be enabled to keep it from mono'ing them both.

Off the top of my head, something like the X Air series supports linking two channels and simultaneously controlling them + L/R panning them, for multiple channels, which you would probably need with your amount of inputs. A quick look and the Mackie ProFX12 would also probably suit your needs. Both of these are probably a little overkill for exactly what you need, but generally they both have the ability to properly handle your sources once they're in 1/4in form.

I'm kind of going on at length on this because I 100% did not consider it as a problem to be aware of when buying my mixer for my purposes and just lucked out that everything works.

For those adapters, a bluetooth receiver and appropriate cables for that particular unit, optical converter, and if "A/V audio" means RCA, just slap that RCA-1/4 from earlier in as well.

It really depends on where you are. In NJ it's just fine as long as you have a LAN adapter. I've played people in most of the east coast, and it's been fine except for a few hiccups.

I highly recommend getting a USB 3.0 LAN adapter. The one I have tops out at 100Mbps, and is noticeably faster with pretty much everything than the USB 2.0 version I used for the Wii U. Do be careful though as only certain ones will work.

This post seems to be pretty certain about what Youtube's used. "The audio you hear during a YouTube video will usually be 126 kbps AAC in an MP4 container or anywhere from 50-165 kbps Opus in a WebM container." This and other posts say Youtube previously used 128 to 192 kbps AAC in general.

Be forewarned, the first two comparison systems are both really old. Old system #1 "5.1 in a box" is a Phillips FW768P.
Specs? I generally use it in 2.0 or 2.1 mode because using the center and rear surrounds sounds worse to me.

Old system #2 that I didn't mention but that I also used for comparison is a trusty old set of 2.1 Yamaha YST-MS50 computer speakers. This one's sound was definitely "muddy" compared to the LSR305s.

A comparison #3, I guess, would also include a Soundbot SB520 bluetooth speaker

Most common DACs will be from Samsung Galaxy S6 and S7, although I might eventually consider mixing in a Bluetooth receiver for the wireless capability, but that introduces another variable for quality (especially since I'd most likely first try out a budget model like this $20 Logitech one ).

In terms of how far the speakers are laid out, the manual just has the standard equilateral triangle suggestion, and it seems like people often use them anywhere from 4 to 6 feet apart, which mine are around.