(Part 3) Best products from r/techsupport

There are dozens of routers available for less than $150 that would offer much better performance than what you have now and support more advanced features like bandwidth monitoring. The easiest way to identify something as trash, although there are exceptions, is to ask the following questions:

1. Can you see antennas on it?
   
2. Does it cost more than $40?
   
   If the answer to both is no, you could probably spend $15 at Goodwill or a yard sale and walk away with a comparable router.
   
   Generally, the bigger and dumber looking a router is, the more capable it will be. This is unfortunate, but mostly true until you start looking at commercial-grade items. For home use, something like a TP-Link Archer C7 or Netgear Nighthawk R6700 would make for a good entry point into higher-end routers. Both are <$150, have bandwidth monitoring capability out of the box, should provide improved range and speed versus your current router, and add AC support, which will offer shorter range but much higher speed to devices that support that standard. Routers are one of the few items where 'what's available locally' is actually a reasonable question to ask.
   
   Since your goal is to gain bandwidth monitoring capability without sacrificing performance or paying more than $150, I'd head down to Best Buy or Walmart or Currys or whatever you have nearby, see what they've got in your price range, remember the "Is it trash?" test, and google to make sure that specific model has bandwidth monitoring capability.

It's super easy. I never did it before either, and I'm a female who has zero experience with house repairs. I can build a computer but don't know a damn thing about house repairs like electricity, plumbing, or anything like that. Basically, my dad just used his drill, drilled a small hole and went into the basement and we snaked the ethernet cord up through to my room.

If you want to get a new router, I would recomend getting a Linksys WRT AC1200 Dual-Band and Wi-Fi Wireless Router with Gigabit and USB 3.0 Ports and eSATA. I have the model that's slightly higher, the Linksys WRT1900ACS Dual-Band Smart Wi-Fi Gigabit Router, but I don't think you would need to spend that much unless you wanted to.

Or you could get a powerline adapter or wireless range extender. You could get the TP-LINK AV500 AC750 Wi-Fi Range Extender, Powerline Edition (TL-WPA4530 KIT) which has both and currently has a $10 off coupon. Obviously, ethernet is always better than wireless if possible. Make sure what you get can handle the speed of your modem/router. You can do a speed test with any of these websites (I typically check a few different websites and then average the speed): Ookla Speed Test, CNET Speed Test, Source Forge Speed Test, Bandwith Place Speed Test, SpeedTest.Org, e-Speed Test, SpeedOf.Me Speed Test, Speak Easy Speed Test, Verizon Speed Test, Charter Speed Test.

Remember, if you make any purchase with Amazon, always use Amazon Smile which donates a portion of your purchase to a charity of your choice. So instead of going to http://www.amazon.com, always go to http://smile.amazon.com and help someone out.

In theory this shouldn't be an issue (as long as you make sure to boot into your normal desktop drive when you turn the desktop on. You'll have a choice since the laptops harddrive will present itself as bootable to the bios as well).

I'd probably still recommend against it, however.

Swapping hard-drives is a fantastic opportunity to "start fresh" with a fresh OS install. While it's not nearly as necessary with today's OS's as it was with older OS's like XP, it's still good to clean out the registry of all the junk from old apps, wipe out installed apps you never use, etc.

It's also easier to just plug in the SSD and do a typical Windows install vs. ghosting an old drive to a new one. You could even get something like this to plug the old HDD into. This turns the HDD into a USB drive. So after you're done installing windows to the SSD, just plug the HDD in and copy the documents/pictures/music/etc you want to save off of it. Then you can just wipe the HDD and boom, now you have a USB Hard Drive to hold back-ups!

Most current generation desktops are adequate for your usage case. I'm personally a fan of the Intel NUC form factor (link). This particular model is one of the newer options and would more than handle everything you will throw at it after adding RAM, an SSD, and optionally a wireless card. The total cost is approximately $590, or $710 if you upgraded to a 480GB SSD. You would also need to buy Windows (or use another OS of your choice).

That said, there are a few important caveats. This may not provide the absolute best value for your money on all fronts. I like the form factor, but you could get more for $600-$700 if you used the Toms Hardware Q1 System Builders Marathon, $750 PC article. By the same hand, that PC is massively overkill for your usage model- integrated graphics from both AMD and Intel can easily handle Netflix. You could probably stay around the $300-$400 price range with some help from /r/buildapc. That said, I still like the NUC since I can mount it to the back of my dumb but otherwise nice TV, attach a webcam and do tutoring/blogging/netflix/home theater stuff with XBMC with a clean looking setup.

I think if you're happy to spend the money, it's a sleek option. If not, the other suggestions here are also all very well thought out.

So you tried without the power strip and on a different circuit and it didn't go away? The problem your running into here is it's a fairly old system, so even if you're willing to spend some, is it worth it?

You could invest in a PSU tester they're pretty cheap. But I've never used one before so I can't say if it would show a fault related to your problem. Or take it in to someone, but the cost more than likely doesn't really justify it. You could phone around and see if any shops will diagnose for free. Doubt they will, but it's worth a shot I guess.

Do you have any geek friends. I know I have a couple of backup PSUs just kicking around, so maybe a geek friend would have an extra one to troubleshoot with. Are you interested in eventually upgrading your system or is it still pretty useful?

If you are, you could always use the PSU in the future build. And to be quite frank, trying to replace that MB will be more trouble than it's worth IMHO. It'd be ebay and finding one that wasn't faulty would be hard. Or at least 50 bucks for brand new, if you can find a AM3+ board.

Edited: posted before I was finished writing. lol

Remove the HDD from the Laptop, buy the 2.5" SATA Enclosure from Amazon for $8.99. Connect it via USB to another computer, move the files to another HDD as you wish, or use the current one as an External HDD.

Have Fun.

EDIT: I myself have the Vantec Nexstar Enclosure for my 2.5" SATA from my old laptop. I just use it as an external now. However, I do recommend this product to all my friends who spare 2.5" SATA's laying around.

EDIT 2: Like Zaydene said, MAKE SURE TO DRAIN ALL THE POWER FROM THE LAPTOP. YOU DON'T WANT TO SHORT CIRCUIT THE MOTHERBOARD.

>1. Turn off computer
>2. Unplug from wall
>3. Flip notebook to the bottom
>4. Remove battery
>5. Open laptop, press power button to discharge all electricity
>6. Flip back over
>7. Find a screwdriver
>8. Unscrew the phillips screws that cover a rectangular section of the laptop
>9. Gently pull out harddrive, making sure to disconnect it from the sata connection
>10. Congrats hdd is now removed

Follow the power is the best method of troubleshooting.

First check if the power supply works. You can do this by either getting a power supply tester or shorting out pins 14 and 15. If the power supply doesn't start, it's dead.

If after replacing the power supply, your computer still doesn't start, take out your motherboard and start looking for black stains on or near the surface and through-hole mounted components. Start at the power connectors on the motherboard (CPU and ATX) and work your way from there. You will need good lighting and good eyesight (or magnifying glass).

Any black stains means an exploded component and should be replaced.

The same will hold true for any other peripherals, especially video cards which take power directly from the power supply.

Good luck!

I'm currently using this modem.

And this router, and I love them both. I'm also on a Comcast 105Mb tier.

Now I got the AC version for future-proofing, and because I love taking my phone outside with me and still having high speed. Once I get a good AC lock, the damn thing doesn't wanna let go! If you don't have any devices that can use AC, or don't plan on getting any then you can go with an N66 instead. But I HIGHLY recommend never buying a gateway. You should buy a standalone modem (I LOVE Motorola), and a standalone router (Thise ASUS routers the past couple years are absolutely amazing).

If the new router is configured for 5GHz only, it has faster speeds but doesn't penetrate walls as well as 2GHZ.

Make sure the router is not positioned near any active electrical appliances as magnetic fields can affect the signal.

Make sure the router antennas are positioned so they broadcast upward. Signal emanate from the sides of the antennas. A 45 degree angle might be the best.

Lastly, if you have a cable connection in each of your rooms, tried a coax extender for each room. They use the house coax to get you to the Internet.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FKTMWDE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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...

As you said no beeping, then it's not a memory issue. If the motherboard works, your next step is to check your power supply.

I recommend getting a cheap but efficient power supply tester and see if the throughput is correct. Otherwise, a replacement power supply doesn't cost too much.

If that doesn't work, it's most likely a CPU issue, which will be pretty expensive if you have to replace it, I recommend taking your computer in to a respected hardware shop to see what they can do or have to say about it before making any expensive moves.

Good luck. You're gonna need a mess of adapters to accomplish that.

What you're going to need to ultimately do is get PS4 audio sent as an input into your PC and connect your headphones directly to your PC so you can hear both at the same time.

So firstly you're gonna need to make sure you have an Audio IN port on your PC. Next is transferring the Audio over to your PC. The easiest way to do this is pick yourself up a sound card with optical input. Something like this could work.

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1511642837&sr=1-1&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_browse-bin%3A4091980011%2C2889460011

Then you could run the optical cable from the PS4 to the Optical IN on the card and have it do live playback.

The second cheaper option would be to get one of these devices.

https://www.amazon.com/PROZOR-Digital-Converter-Toslink-Adapter/dp/B00KNNSKV0/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511642983&sr=1-3&keywords=optical+to+3.5mm

Then run a 3.5mm into your PC. It likely won't sound as good but in theory it should work.

You would of course need to make sure you 3.5mm MIC/AUX Input on your PC.

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-External-Converter-Adapter-Desktops/dp/B06XP5R449/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511643145&sr=1-3&keywords=usb+3.5mm+aux+input

Something like this could work on your PC if you didn't have a 3.5mm aux input.

Obviously you'd need the 3.5mm cable like this.

https://www.amazon.com/FosPower-Stereo-Auxiliary-iPhone-Samsung/dp/B00LBJ77ZK/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511643286&sr=1-3&keywords=3.5mm+audio+cable+25ft

And you'd need an optical cable that would plug into the adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Digital-Optical-Audio-Toslink/dp/B00NH11H38/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1511643360&sr=1-3&keywords=Optical+cable

Wireless devices are advertised as being able to transfer up to a certain speed. That means with absolutely perfect conditions on both the test device and the router itself.

With routers, you get what you pay for and if you want semi-realistic speeds of 200mbps over wifi, you'll most likely need a better router. <$100 for a router is meh in the networking world, high speed and longevity for me has been found for ~$150-$200 sweet spot.

I had my Archer C5's set up in a bridge format to basically have a separate network in my home.

Something like this would probably give you better speeds. https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-R6700-100NAS-AC1750-Gigabit/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=sr_1_39?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1483582080&sr=8-39&keywords=Netgear+Wireless+Router&refinements=p_89%3ANETGEAR%2Cp_85%3A2470955011

I know ISP's get shit on a lot in America, and mostly for good reason. However, the chance of both ISP's being the cause of under 1mb/s speeds without them noticing something wrong is extremely unlikely.

You're using a very sketchy tech in powerline adapters, as, like u/TheEthyr said, they are not insulated from interference from other things that use power in your house or outside sources. You also likely have a lot of wifi interference going on for your wireless devices, especially if it's a single band 2.4ghz device.

As the other person said, get a laptop, or your PlayStation or something and hardwire it with an Ethernet cable into the modem, then test the speed. If you test the speed that way and it's good, look into getting a dualband router with external antennas so that you can take advantage of the 5ghz freq and more transmit power. Something like this. A good router is going to be more reliable than powerline in most cases.

Also, Call your ISP.

They are the ones best equipped to investigate this issue, and correct any possible problems with their network. Use them along side your own knowledge to come to a solution without undue bias being directed at the isp being the cause.

Thanks for reading.

Range > speed. If you live in a small apartment, it would be a good option to make sure that the router can cover the entire apartment.

Make sure that the router is 2.4 Ghz and has N network. The router you chose has a max down speed of 150 Mbps, which is most likely faster then your ISP subscription.

The WR841N that was linked is a good choice.

Personally, I am a fan of Netgear, so the N300 is the best wireless router for the money.

Honestly, I don't even bother with enclosures, but if you want one, this looks like a pretty fine one

> The RAM is already in the garbage truck, unfortunately.

Oh, well. Not quick enough this time, I guess. :-)

The antennae on the card might not be connected, or the card could be failing. The connector to the antennae is tricky to connect, and you can easily damage them when you connect them. On the positive side replacement cards are $8 at NewEgg

https://www.neweggbusiness.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIV06X7DH8500&ignorebbr=1&source=region&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleBizMKPL-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleBizMKPL-PC-_-pla-Corn+International-_-Network+-+Interface+Cards-_-9SIV06X7DH8500&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4u-8tICz4gIVCsBkCh0M4QwFEAQYASABEgKubfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

​

If you are on a desktop, and have a spare PCI slot you could buy one of those in that format, and many have a place for an external antennae that will improve your signal and speed. In my mind the PCI-E mini cards are more for notebooks, but if your motherboard has that connection I can see why it was used. Here is a PCI wireless card for $18 at Amazon that is faster than the card you have.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-WN881ND-Wireless-network-Adapter/dp/B0079XWMEI/ref=asc_df_B0079XWMEI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309818716690&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15764911061575811937&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026204&hvtargid=aud-643574997066:pla-343899285340&psc=1

​

Now for really great speed, run an ethernet cable from the router to your PC for some really blazing internet speed.


I would check the drivers and make sure you have the most up to date ones, as your card could be find, just needs new drivers. You might check HP's site.

I'd recommend either the WRT1200AC (if you want to save a few bucks) or the WRT1900AC (if you want better performance), both from Linksys' "WRT" line. Either one will work great (in my experience at least).

If you want the DIY solution, you'll have to be a bit comfortable opening up the laptop. Fortunately it's pretty simple on that model and there's a guide here: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Lenovo+IdeaPad+Y510P+Hard+Drive+Replacement/116083

Once you have the HDD out, buy an adapter like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F7WDZGT

Plug that in to your new PC, and you can copy everything off of it like it's a USB flash drive.

Note: If your laptop has an mSATA or PCIE SSD, you will need a different adapter.

OK. I see on the TP-Link page you sent an illustration that helped clear things up for me.

One unit plugged in next to the router, connected by an Ethnernet cable.

One unit plugged in next to where I want better wifi, connected to "any device" with an Ethernet cable.

Now... what would that "any device" be? Is that the AP? I'm guessing AP means access point. OK! Is that one of these things, Ubiquiti Networks Unifi 802.11ac Dual-Radio PRO Access Point (UAP-AC-PRO-US)?

> Is there a way to force a connection to my router?

I'm not not sure what you mean here.

> Is it possible that I may be too far away (I'm one floor above the router) to have a stable connection?

Yes, different materials can severely reduce wireless signal strength.
If your area is really congested with other wireless access points, it can be a problem.
Since the router is below your feet, point the Asus PCE-N15's antenna towards the floor...maybe this will improve the signal.

Best option is using a wired connection. Running a long 100ft/150ft/200ft cat6 cable might be a bit of an eyesore for some people, but its the only thing that worked flawlessly.

You could also try a wireless range extender. Another option is to use Powerline Network Adapters, but the quality is dependent on how good your electrical wiring is. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWRUIY4

What was the model of your original usb dongle that died? Are you using Wireless-N (802.11n) or Wireless-AC (802.11ac)? Although, 802.11ac signal has better network throughput, it's signal range is the same distance as 802.11n.

I would start here, a friend upgraded an older model Dell laptop with this card with great success:

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-7260-HMWG-Wireless-AC-7260-Bluetooth/dp/B00DMCVKMU/

Can you recommend a router? or should pretty much any do?

i've been looking at these four, I like the bufalo because of the dd wrt, and i like the asus because you can change out the antanae

http://www.amazon.com/BUFFALO-AirStation-HighPower-Wireless-WZR-600DHP/dp/B0096239G0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1367438283&sr=1-1&keywords=buffalo+router

http://www.amazon.com/BUFFALO-AirStation-HighPower-Gigabit-Wireless/dp/B005CSOE1G/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1367438283&sr=1-4&keywords=buffalo+router

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1367438300&sr=1-1&keywords=asus+router

http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1750-Gigabit-Router/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1367438300&sr=1-2&keywords=asus+router


I just don't know what the specs mean or how they compare

Basically any PCIe wifi adapter will work. I'd get something like this

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-Express-Adapter-TL-WDN4800/dp/B007GMPZ0A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492674096&sr=8-1&keywords=pcie+wireless

It has more features than you need, but still isn't that expensive at $35

If you just want the bare minimum at $16

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-PCI-Express-Adapter-TL-WN881ND/dp/B0079XWMEI/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1492675033&sr=1-2&keywords=pcie+wireless

Assuming you don't live a densely populated area where lots of people will have their own networks, or your router is close to your computer then the second will be perfectly fine. The first will provide a bit more future proofing such as being able to connect to 5ghz networks.

What big square thing? Are you talking about the optical port. This would probably be your best bet. Note: I have not used this so I can’t comment on how it works, but it seems to be what you need. And it is only $13 on Amazon + it has prime.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KNNSKV0/ref=psdcmw_3236443011_t1_B00NJCCAKY

Another plus, I believe optical has the best transmission speed.

okay so what you need is a displayport/dvi to VGA adapter
dvi to vga,
displayport to vga.
even though there is a pretty big price difference, either will work just fine, just giving you options. you will plug one end of the adapter into the card and the cord goes from the other end to the monitor. Then it should work with the monitor, and will be able to dual screen or mirror screen with the monitor and TV if you wish.

Most TVs do not have a headphone jack as an audio output. Many do however have stereo output via phono (RCA) jacks. You could purchase an adapter like this: http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=104&cp_id=10429&cs_id=1042902&p_id=7198&seq=1&format=2

Then you could just plug headphones into that, or an extension cable with the headphones. They also make those in cable form: http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021815&p_id=5598&seq=1&format=2

That particular one would need an adapter from male to female to allow you to connect headphones.

Here is one more, you could plug headphones into the cable and the cable into the TV: http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Stereo-Female-Y-Cable-6-Inch/dp/B000I23TTE/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1421715646&sr=8-9&keywords=rca+1.8

Also, some TVs allow you to disable the internal TV speakers, some do not. Some will adjust the volume on the output with the TVs volume, some will not. Also doublecheck that the RCA output is analog and not digital (I'm fairly sure most are)

Hope this helps.

Save yourself a huge headache and buy yourself your own equipment. Keep your own hardware and save yourself some rental fees each month and supply yourself with solid and reliable WiFi.

My equipment:

• TP-Link DOCSIS 3.0 (16x4) High Speed Cable Modem | Max Download Speeds Up to 680Mbps
  
• Linksys AC1900 Dual Band Open Source WiFi Wireless Router (WRT1900ACS)
  
  Spectrum has their recommended modems (which interface properly with them).
  
  http://www.spectrum.net/support/internet/compliant-modems-charter-network/

Something like this - http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN881ND-Wireless-Express-Low-profile/dp/B0079XWMEI

is probably better and more reliable/stable for long term use and for gaming, than a USB solution. Just double check you have a free pcie expansion slot.

You should go for an Wireless-AC Dual-Band router with a lot of antennas.

Some very popular options:

• TP-Link Archer C7 (#1 on Amazon.com)
  
• Asus RT-AC66U (Available free if you have Sprint)
  
• Other more expensive options like Netgear Nighthawk if you want to spend $200+

First off, never use an extender. You're right, it's a pain to switch networks and they just suck overall.

Your #1 option is to install access points that connect via Ethernet to a switch. This is my (preferred model)[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PRO512/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B015PRO512&linkCode=as2&tag=dmtcs-20&linkId=5ea1dbeb7c3154924cda96968684d9b2]. These will be extremely reliable and seem less after installation. They also offer the best coverage and throughout.

Mesh is acceptable (and getting better), but still not as good as dedicated APs. If your house is 6k square feet, take the investment of time and money and get some outstanding APs in there.

> Arris XB6

Wow. Just a quick google shows that many people are having WiFi issues with this device. Which, on one hand is odd because Arris usually makes a quality device. Though, with just a cursory reading, it seems the only bonus of this device is its MOCA abilities, and that many people are suggesting that due to its poor WiFi preformance it's recommended to just buy a regular modem and then a separate device (for example) to run your WiFi.

Long story - short: It's always better to buy your own devices because the ones you get from your ISP will invariably suck. I doubt your issue is the extension cable, and is probably the pile of crap you're renting from the ISP.

The Motorola Surfboard modem is a tried and true device. Really good. There are many options for WiFi, that's just an example.

awesome this was the advice i was hoping for. I was also looking at this card: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DMCVKMU/?tag=extension-kb-20#Ask, however the one you suggested already has high ratings, and with your recommendation i think I'm just going to get that. Thank you!

Rosewill is a good enough brand. From what I can see on WikiDevi (a wireless chipset wiki), your card is a rebadged TP-LINK TL-WN781ND. I have the TL-WN881ND (same exact card but with 2 antennas), which I'm happy with. I get 180Mbps link on it, which is totally fine for my networking needs.

I'm a fan of the ASUS AC1750 and the ASUS AC1900 for general home use. If you want more bells and whistles like mesh capability, MU-MIMO, etc. You'll be paying a bit more money, but you can take a look at Orbi, Netgear and Google for mesh capabilities if you want to go that route.

Additionally, if you want to save some money in the long run, you can buy your own modem. ISPs generally (I'm not sure about Cable America) charge you between $8-$10 a month to use lease their modem. I'm assuming it is a cable modem with a coaxial cable coming in through the back? If it is, you can pick up one of these and install it. It pays itself off generally in 8 months.

These are much higher quality than what the ISP provides and all you have to do is shoot your provider a call and let them know you are setting up a new modem and would like to return theirs. All they need is the MAC address on the box!

Buy this, I'm betting all your problems will be solved.


They are super easy to set up. Plug one end into router, then into the wall outlet (make sure not to plug it into a surge protector, it has to be directly into a wall power outlet)

Then get the other one, plug it into whatever you want to have internet. If you want more than one device in your room to have internet, buy this.

50 Mbps is a great connection, congrats.

Modem: Motorola:

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-SURFboard-SB6141-DOCSIS-High-Speed/dp/B007IMPMW4

http://www.amazon.com/Arris-Motorola-SB6121-SURFboard-DOCSIS/dp/B004XC6GJ0/ref=zg_bs_284715_1

Your two TVs: connect them with ethernet cables if you can. Wired is better.

You don't give a budget but, if you can afford the Apple Airport Extreme (either the new Gen 6, or the recent Generation 5), that will fill your needs nicely.

If not apple: Asus, and get the RT n56U at a minumum.

http://www.amazon.com/AirPort-Extreme-802-11n-5th-Generation/dp/B0057AVXJA/ref=zg_bs_300189_18

A lot of IT professionals use the Apple Airport Extreme at home, the reason being they don't want to have to deal with network hassles. It just works.

http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Dual-Band-Wireless-N-Router-RT-N56U/dp/B0049YQVHE/ref=zg_bs_300189_10

http://www.amazon.com/RT-N66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-N900-Gigabit-Router/dp/B006QB1RPY/ref=zg_bs_300189_2

http://www.amazon.com/RT-AC66U-Dual-Band-Wireless-AC1750-Gigabit-Router/dp/B008ABOJKS/ref=zg_bs_300189_3

None of these routers is cheap, but, with a 50Mbps connection, a cheap router is not going to be able to keep up.

I was under the impression the laptop still ran when it was plugged in but not charging, is that correct? For your HDD, you need to pul it out and see what type it is. Chances are its a SATA port which is still the standard today. Look for an external enclosure to put your old HDD in and you can access the whole thing to get what you want off it. What budget do you have for a new laptop? I'd shy away from Newegg when purchasing because their CS seems to change like the weather. I'd use their website to shop because they have a good filter and sort set up then when you find one you like look for it on Amazon. That way if it arrives broken you know it won't be a hassle.

I'm not familiar with that particular Fluke, but I Googled the manual for it and it it appears you are using it properly, however the meter itself may not be suited to checking for low voltages. According to the manual, it will automatically switch to AC or DC voltage measurement if it encounters a voltage greater than "about 3 volts." Some of the voltages you're looking for are 3.3 volts and 5 volts DC, so the meter may stay in diode check or continuity mode. If so, the beep is telling you that there is continuity, which doesn't really help. Or it could be beeping to let you know it's changing modes when you hit the 12 volt rails. And "about 3 volts" could mean 5 volts or more, depending on the individual meter.Basically, when you're taking the reading, if the meter's display doesn't show V and DC near the numbers, it's not reading voltage.

With the black probe grounded, you should get the following voltages using the red lead on these wires:

Yellow : +12V
Red: +5V
Orange: +3.3V
Blue: -12V
Gray: Should go fro 0 to 5 volts when you press the computer power button (which is essentially what you are doing when you jumper the green and black wires with a paper clip.)

If the PSU fan is not spinning up at all when you put the paper clip in and turn it on, though, the PSU is probably dead or dying.

I recommend getting a cheap power supply tester like this one. It's easier to use than a voltmeter for this purpose, and a lot safer than the paperclip trick.

I would check the power supply. If the voltages are not close to the correct output or if they bounce around alot, then you can get some strange behaviors. I have a power supply tester like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q8SUYHW/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_wIBADb7FACANH

Some Bios will show you the voltages that the power supply is putting out. Try seeing if it tells you when you get it started one time. It should only take 10-30 seconds of watching to see. if the numbers bounce around a lot then i would replace it. (They should be +3.3, -3.3, +12, -12, +5 and -5 ) They generally are not exact, but within like .1. The most important part is that they are stable and not bouncing.

Good luck to you. The other option is to buy a converter optical to rca. Just google that. Amazon has one list for $35.00 that will make your set up work for sure. Fiber from the tv to the converter and analog to the Logitech speaker
Here is another. $11converter

This seems to be a popular one:

http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Enclosure-Tool-free-Installation-Compatible/dp/B00DW374W4/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1406860620&sr=1-3 .

Plus its at a really good price, and has usb3.0. Also, even though the PS3 has no 3.0 support, if you ever choose to use it for something else, you are prepared for it. Let me know if it works out for you.

Something like this would work. Though, if the monitor you bought is relatively new, there's a good chance it has an HDMI port on it as well, in which case all you'd need is this

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Electronics-External-Sound-Cards/zgbs/electronics/3015427011

pick one.

a 7 dollar sound adapter is probably worth what you would expect.

i would actually just spend 30 usd and buy 3 cheapest and see witch of them work the best.

the problem with these is, that realtek sounchip that we probably all use cost like 80 cents.

so who knows how awesome these are.

edit: from reviews this does not sound so horrible: http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Headphone-Microphone-Aluminum-Compatibility/dp/B00NMXY2MO/ref=zg_bs_3015427011_4

If you are able to successfully repair the OS, run a SMART test on your drive. Use HD Sentinel for the same. Trial version is fine.

Alternatively, remove the HDD and put it in an external casing. Now your int HDD becomes an ext HDD. Connect it to any other computer's USB port and run disk checks on the same.

Thank you! This is the kind of support I needed. Nobody goes out and buys 25 different devices lol, they accumulate over time, so I thought this might be something contributing to the issue.

I'm an absolute idiot with this stuff though, so I just want to make sure I'm understanding your recommendation. ELI5...

First off, you think I should buy two or three UniFi AP AC Pro units. Then, remove the Netgear AC1750 and the Netgear extender. Plug one UniFi AP AC Pro unit into the cable outlet in the house, then run an ethernet cable from that UniFi AP AC Pro unit through the back yard and into the office, where it will connect with the second UniFi AP AC Pro unit. Correct?

Thanks so much!

Some SSD drives come with the cloning tools like this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPdCS8p6LjA&list=UU6J6GEjvj01elglZQYo4t8g

Very easy to transfer everything over and boot your system on the new drive.

Then you can purchase a 2.5" Sata "harddrive enclosure" to insert your old Dell hard drive into and use as an external drive.

http://www.amazon.ca/Vantec-2-5-Inch-External-Enclosure-NST-210S2-BK/dp/B002JQNXZC/ref=sr_1_1/177-8820525-3975965?ie=UTF8&qid=1377218918&sr=8-1&keywords=hard+drive+enclosure+2+5

Just plug your external hard drive enclosure into your usb port to backup or transfer files.

Cheers

Your friends psu was for sure 100% good ? Check for 12v and 5v coming from yours. You can get a tester for this on amazon for about 12$. https://www.amazon.com/Insten-24-pin-Power-Supply-Tester/dp/B005CTCD6S

Perfect thanks. I'll buy those two items so. So just to clarify, TV to this adapter using this cable, and then an aux cable from adapter to subwoofer?

You can use both the HDMI and composite out ports on the back of the xbox, at least I've done it in the past with the old white xbox, not sure if it will work on the new one. Either way, just use a pocket knife or screwdriver to pop the plastic cover off of end of the composite cable that you plug into the xbox. That will save you the couple dollars for the special audio adapter that GearGuy2001 posted, just use the one that came with your xbox, leave the video cables unplugged, and get one of [these](http://www.amazon.com/Male-3-5mm-Stereo-Female-Y-Cable/dp/B000I23TTE/ref=pd_bxgy_vg_img_b "I like tacos") so you can plug your speakers right into it.

you cant do that. using a DVI-I to VGA adapter still counts as VGA.

cant use two VGA on new graphics cards.

you need an HDMI to VGA active converter. or DVI-D to VGA active converter. or Display port to VGA active converter.

http://www.amazon.com/LinkS-DVI-D-Active-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00Q8SZ0JO/

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-DisplayPort-Video-Adapter-Converter/dp/B003V4TV8O/

http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Female-Adapter/dp/B008O7RH5C/

While I have not done something like this myself I would think simply buying a HDMI splitter like this to split the signal and an active HDMI to VGA adapter like this to connect it to the VGA monitor should work fine.

Thanks for the reply!

Do you think these would be better?

Is this the cable you're referring to? And I would have to get a male-male 3.5mm headphone cable right?

Are you using wifi to test the speed? If so, try connecting a computer with an ethernet cable (any type will do, if it was bought in the last 20 years). Make sure all other devices are off, or at least not using data. To test, use speedtest.net. It will automatically choose the best server and measure your speeds. If your speeds are still slow, it is your ISP's fault. Contact them and figure it out with them.

If your speeds are fine with ethernet, then it's a wifi issue. Your current router can handle 60 Mb of network traffic, just not through wifi. It could also be metal pipes in your walls creating a Faraday cage. In either case, you should buy a Ubiquiti access point. This is the cheapest option, this one is more powerful, and this is designed for use in large buildings or spaces. They are probably some of the best access points you can get but might take a little setup.

A blown PSU can indeed take out core components when they go. Power supplies usually have fuses to keep this from happening but I am not sure if all do.

The only way I know of safely testing it would be something like this

I wouldn't rule out the PSU yet. Even though the fan spins up, you may not be getting the full 12v/5v/3.3v on all the rails. Another thing is the Power Good signal might not be getting sent, etc. A cheap PSU tester (or multimeter) can help rule those out. This is what I use. There are cheaper versions out there so look around.

You should see some performance gains. The hard drive is probably a serious bottleneck for your computer.

Kingston SSD drives are super cheap. I haven't used one yet, so I can't make any claims to performance.

Something like this for the old drive.

For the OS, you can download the OS from the Mac App store, and do a fresh install. There should be plenty of guides out there on how to install OSX on a new drive. They'll be more detailed than I could be. I don't have any experience with Pro Tools, or how to install it. I suspect you can find a guide for that as well.

If anything goes wrong, you can still put your old drive back in and you'll be up and running.

Personally, I'd get monitors that support HDMI or display port connections, but if you wanted to save money and keep your existing gear... I'd get different adapters than those expensive Digital to Analog adapters with a built in converter.

Your card has one HDMI and one Display Port. I'd get an adapter for each of those, adapted to VGA.

http://www.monoprice.com/Category?c_id=104&cp_id=10419

http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Female-Adapter/dp/B008O7RH5C

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nav_search_go?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=displayport+to+vga

Thanks! Do I need to where any like antistatic glove while working with it?

And would this work? http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Enclosure-Tool-free-Installation-Compatible/dp/B00DW374W4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416858765&sr=8-2&keywords=2.5+hdd+enclosure

i saw those but i wasn't sure if they worked :S

would this one work too i don't need sound on that monitor

thank you so much for the help

If you have a free USB port, this is all you’ll need. $8 and it’s a way better option than trying to crack open the case and solder in a new one.

Optimal Shop 20/24 4/6/8 PIN 1.8" LCD Computer PC Power Supply Tester for SATA,IDE,HDD,ATX,ITX,BYI Connectors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q8SUYHW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qMdRzb9B3AH0S

Looks like a rebrand and I haven't checked the integrity of the reviews, but for sub $20 it's a good diagnostic tool for future maintenance/troubleshooting.

One I have used. Easy and cheap. Worked Everytime. It may save you time in case it might not be the PSU. It will rule it out at least.

https://www.amazon.com/Insten-24-pin-Power-Supply-Tester/dp/B005CTCD6S/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1549703504&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=psu+tester&dpPl=1&dpID=51oGO0bfPqL&ref=plSrch

A good Powerline adapter is only about $30. You can get one here.

I use one and I can promise you that it's worth it.

First of all, I'd definitely check the cable you're plugging them into (if it's a PC)

​

Also, you could invest into something like this and see if they're visible?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Benfei-SATA-Adapter-Supports-UASP/dp/B07F7WDZGT/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1542588052&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=sata+to+usb&psc=1

(useful cable to have anyway)

​

+ If it's a laptop, I'd definitely have a look if it's not because it's overheating? (not sure if that could cause the issue as I've never seen it cause the issue with HDD) - but I guess that depends on what laptop you have.

​

Try going into device manager, finding the device and searching for updated drivers online (will need to do it over an ethernet connection obviously). Maybe there is a compatibility issue with that driver. Alternatively, download older drivers from the manufacturer website if available and try those. Those USB adapters can be glitchy sometimes. If that doesn't work, have him buy a TP-Link TL-WN881ND N300 and try that out. They work well and are fast enough for general use, while being cheap and coming with brackets for small and larger form factors. They are on sale on amazon right now actually. If it has to be a USB one try a different TP-Link one, they are usually pretty reliable.

​

Edit: by searching for updated drivers online, I mean right click > update driver > select search for updated drivers online in the box that appears

Yeah, they charge just to send the guy out so I wanted to make sure what I'm doing is possible in the first place so I'll probably proceed with that soon.

I've seen products like this that connect to the coaxial cables, https://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Dual-Band-Wireless-Extender-WCB3000N01/dp/B00FKTMWDE , maybe I'll get one of those and plug it in the bedroom after verifying that the cable does work.

I would recommend this one,

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Nighthawk-AC1750-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00R2AZLD2?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00R2AZLD2

It's on sale for 90 right now so cheaper than your 100 limit. I would also recommend getting your own modem eventually. This one should be pretty future proof (fast) for you,

https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Gigabit-download-1-4Gbps-Certified/dp/B01M981YYL/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?hvadid=74148473320044&hvbmt=be&hvdev=m&hvqmt=e&keywords=charter+spectrum+modem&qid=1551047796&s=gateway&sr=8-6&tag=msnsmartus-20

It's pricey at 90, but that's one time payment of 90 VS paying 10 a month to rent for however long you use them. It's also rated for other internet providers as well so you can switch services and keep the same device.

Just as others have said, avoid those, "gaming" routers. It's gimmicky garbage. Also avoid combo modem/routers. Too many points of failure that could take out your whole network, and they sacrifice capabilities for convenience.

And lastly, I always recommend to hardwire heavy use devices to your router. More reliable and don't have to worry about signal strength and throughput. Use cat5e or higher.

Have you tried connecting the external drive to another computer? You can also buy an external USB drive caddy, but you need to buy one that would fit the hard drive inside your external drive. The type of caddy needed will depend on the type of drive, 2.5" (laptop drive) or 3.5" (full-size desktop drive, and either SATA or ATA.

Something like this if it is a 2.5" and SATA:

http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Enclosure-Tool-free-Installation-Compatible/dp/B00DW374W4/

oh right, woops!

what types of things should i be looking for when shopping for the best internal WiFi-card?
i'm looking at :

1. http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Network-7260-HMWG-Wireless-AC-Bluetooth/dp/B00DMCVKMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408124250&sr=8-1&keywords=intel+7260
   
   
2. http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TG-3269-1000Mbps-Gigabit-Network/dp/B0034CSUZ8/ref=zg_bs_13983711_4
   
   
3. http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Gigabit-Network-Adapter-EXPI9301CTBLK/dp/B001CY0P7G/ref=zg_bs_13983711_5
   
   

Ah yeah I should have said DP/HDMI from GPU to VGA on monitor, my bad. So would like these three work too? Does it need to be an active one and are these three active ones? Would rather buy from amazon/newegg

https://www.amazon.com/Rankie-Plated-DisplayPort-Adapter-Converter/dp/B00Z08TZNU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Support/dp/B008O7RH5C

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K49SZTK/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687642&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0025ZUF8K&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=B8DPMJ25JT4EHKQTZBN9

Thanks for your time in helping out. Been researching building a new PC and then ran into the problem of finding out new GPUS don't support VGA or normal DVI and adding in a new monitor to my budget would degrade the quality of the PC so was wondering a quick fix for now would be an adapter and new monitor later.

• This is the adapter I have. (Rosewill RNX-N180UB)
  
• This is the router I have. (Netgear WNR2000V3)
  
  >stream 1080p to my wifi tv
  
  Do you know approximately how far away your device is from your router and what speed you connect at? My laptop is near my HTPC and is currently connected at 52Mb/s (58%) and fluctuates up to 78Mb/s.
  
  This issue appears to have been solved by changing encryption levels on the router from "WPA-PSK [TKIP] + WPA2-PSK [AES]" to "WPA2-PSK [AES]". Thanks!

With the ethernet cable I get 70 Mbps. Checked with my smartphone and got 45 Mbps. I wonder if it's the wireless card or the router just isn't sending a strong enough signal to that area. This particular computer is located about 10 feet away from the router but there's a wall in between them. This is the router I have:

https://smile.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Wireless-Router-N300-WNR2000/dp/B001AZP8EW/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1542563179&sr=1-3&keywords=netgear+router+wnr2000

Is the router okay or should I replace that too?

edit- It seems like my router is not AC but only bgn compatible... I'll be buying a new router then.

The word "port" just refers to the physical connections. Ports can be either inputs (they take in a signal) or outputs (which send out a signal). You're in luck though, according to the product manual (page 6) linked from the page you just provided the URL to, the ports on the side of the TV are outputs. If you want to use a 3.5mm cable connection (like for computer speakers) then this adapter (or one like it) is what you need.

Do any of them have Mini-displayport to vga? I have one for work and it works great. $20 on amazon. I also linked a HDMI to VGA.

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Mini-DisplayPort-Video-Adapter/dp/B0031SEMBQ

http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Support/dp/B008O7RH5C

something like this

(UK) https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-DVI-VGA-Cable-Adapter/dp/B000067SOH

(US) https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-DVI-VGA-Cable-Adapter/dp/B000067SOH

But it's an addon item on Amazon (so you need to order to a minimum value for them to ship it), you might find it somewhere else.

I did a little Googling and found a quick and dirty way to accomplish this:

Connect your optical line to one of these.

Then, connect one of these things to it.

Finally, hook up one of these guys.

Hopefully that helps!

A lot of the new Asus wireless routers are getting great reviews, this guy is right in your price range:

Link

Or you can spend a little more for its big brother and get some more power.

Another Link

If you're starting to have the same issue with the old original build, it could be the PSU. The PSU could be failing the PG (power good) check and taking longer than 500ms to communicate the +5v signal with the motherboard. This can sometimes allow the motherboard to power up without completing POST due to the CPU not initializing. You might can buy a PSU tester like this one - https://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Shop-Computer-Supply-Connectors/dp/B00Q8SUYHW/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=PSU+tester&qid=1555653824&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&s=gateway&sr=8-4 - locally. Note that this shows the PG value on the LCD, some testers only have LED indicators to show voltage values detected.

​

Unfortunately, a UEFI/BIOS update won't solve the issue as the newer boards already support the older CPUs. The update is required for the opposite scenario where you have a newer CPU and an older Motherboard. You can also see on MSI's website that the 1700X and 2700X are both supported on the initial UEFI/BIOS revision (7B79vA0) that shipped with the board back in March of 2018.

​

I assume that the GPU is being used in both configurations but if it's not and you're using a different GPU that doesn't require the additional 6+2 PCIe power connections, make sure that the power is connected to the new card as-well-as the appropriate location on the PSU.

​

If possible, a good way to eliminate other variables would be to POST test the components outside the chassis with only the minimum required for POST. You can setup the board on the box it came in with the CPU+Heatsink installed along with the RAM and GPU. Connect the monitor to the GPU (Not the onboard ports as they are not usable with your CPUs and they would be disabled regardless by default with the installation of the discrete GPU. If the board is able to POST then you can look into the other connections and standoff locations to see if anything is causing a short such as a standoff touching the board or a damaged USB port.

​

With the information provided thus far I would suspect the PSU or a connection issue somewhere.

A good PSU tester is always handy to have.

Optimal Shop 20/24 4/6/8 PIN 1.8" LCD Computer PC Power Supply Tester for SATA,IDE,HDD,ATX,ITX,BYI Connectors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q8SUYHW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_68ZIAbSGW8XHR

It says 200mbps that isn't bad? So I just plug one in by my modem and another one by my laptop? Nice!

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Powerline-Adapter-Starter-TL-PA2010KIT/dp/B00AWRUIY4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1498370732&sr=8-3&keywords=powerline%2BEthernet%2Badapter&th=1

> Mic Y Splitter Cable

There are also USB adapters with a headphone jack and a mic input like this one though depending on the connector you could just use one like this

This is possible, but you'll only get one channel of sound for both inputs, so you'll hear game sound in one ear and chat in the other. You'll need one of these and two of these. After you get those, connect the male 3.5mm ends to the sources, and then the red or white wires to the female 3.5mm adapter. Once that's done, you can plug in your headphones into the female 3.5mm jack and enjoy.

Unfortunately, I think your options are pretty limited. Sound software sometimes allows a microphone port to be used as a headphone port, but my general understanding is that you can't run a microphone through a headphone port (at least, that's how it works on my computer).

Here's what you can try: plug your microphone jack into the headphone port. Your sound software might give you a popup asking what device you just plugged in. If "microphone" is on that list, you might be able to use your headphone port as a microphone port while running the headphone jack through a USB adapter like this one. If that doesn't work, I think your only option is a USB headset.

Edit: Pah! Silly me. I just found this thing. It does involve spending more money, but not very much! Note, however, that's it's not compatible with all types of microphone jacks. There's a guide on the product page.

Get an external hdd enclosure
like this one
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DW374W4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1408313724&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

You can pop in the new drive and do a diskclone using acronis
or if you like a freeware try clonezilla but its not as easy and intuitive like acronis.

Once you have the copy you can just swap the drives and done.

Power cable

DVI TO VGA

Please ensure that power cable is correct for the US outlets.

Does the the tv have phono/RCA on the back? If yes you should be able to use something like this to get sound to the docking station and still get sound from the TV speakers.

You'll need an active adapter like this

Oh, right okay, that's a little different then.

I don't think this is possible without a wire, you'd have to most likely settle for a strong WiFi router, or Ethernet over power. (Costs money.)

Alright thank you I will try and reinstall that, but just to make sure I’m buying the right thing , I’m looking to buy this specify USB jack

http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Network-7260-HMWG-Wireless-AC-Bluetooth/dp/B00DMCVKMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408124250&sr=8-1&keywords=intel+7260

I've bought multiple for different laptops. Works great.

I have this router and it works great in my 2 story home. https://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WRT1900ACS-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Router/dp/B014MIBLSA/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1468383500&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=Linksys+router&psc=1

That would be overkill for this person's situation.

I have this and it still mostly fine almost 7 years later for my SOHO at a fraction of the cost of yours (although age certainly has caught up to it, and I'm getting ready to replace it after almost 7 years). Something in this price range ($40-60) would be more than adequate for OP. Don't get the one I have as there are newer options in the price range

Unless OP or you have an unusually large house (which a repeater under $20 would solve), or have speeds above 300Mbps, your router was a waste of money.

Since that graphics card has DisplayPort out, something like this will work.

However, you can also get something like this.

Hey

You're looking for one of these two adapters.

DVI to VGA

DVI-D (Dual Link) to VGA

depending on which DVI port you have on your computer.

http://www.amazon.ca/StarTech-DVI-Cable-Adapter-DVIVGAMF/dp/B000067SOH

http://www.amazon.ca/Importer520-Male-DVI-D-Female-Adapter/dp/B007EA48MA

Those are them but you can find them in other places :)

It depends on the machine, but in your case, certainly not. But danielfletcher is correct, you are describing a normalized audio output. This is a mechanical switch, not controllable by the computer. It works like this.

If you just want to be able to change between headphones and speakers without having to unplug, you could use a usb audio adapter for your headphones. The adapter would show up as its own device, and you can switch between it and realtek. Here's a cheap one.

Run the cable and then get a decent wifi access point, like this one.

Ideally get 2 of them and turn the crappy wifi off on your existing router. That way you can have a mesh wifi network that will properly hand off between access points.

Don't all Xbox One's have S/PDIF? I which case you can get an S/PDIF to analogue converter. Worked really well on my 360. Something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KNNSKV0

Not 100% necessary, but cheap and useful. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005CTCD6S?pc_redir=1404153821&robot_redir=1

Maybe something like https://www.amazon.com/Insten-24-pin-Power-Supply-Tester/dp/B005CTCD6S from an online or local store could help. Otherwise I'm not sure what else to do. Edit: Oh that's just for 24 pin maybe something similar though.

Are you using a HDMI to VGA adapter like this?

Cable Matters Active HDMI To VGA Adapter with Micro-USB Power In Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00879DM56/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TAUAybK8JM24T

You will probably need one like that that has a USB cable to provide additional power for conversion. There probably isn't enough power on the HDMI port by itself. Or your adapter or HDMI port is defective. Verify by connecting it directly to an HDMI TV.

The HDMI port should work even in the BIOS, as long as nothing is connected to the DVI port.

usually you have to get the wifi module from the manufacturer as they do not just accept any old wifi adapter. Another option would be to use a wireless to wired bridge. If you are technically inclined this can be done relativly cheaply. Your best bet would probably be using a powerline adapter to get an ethenet port to your blu ray player

Uhh... the N300 is like $40 (http://amzn.com/B001AZP8EW)... unless you got the Router+DSL Modem combo?

Whatever the case, keep everything you can wired. Use wireless only for your phones, tablet and laptops. Keep the printer wired to your PC, fix the drivers and just share it on the network so everybody can print to it.

I use a Linksys AC1900 on the 5GHZ band. I have no issue maxing out my 110 meg connection.

I've also had good luck with MOCA adapters....

Get a USB hard drive enclosure like this one.

Edit: I have no idea if the specific product I linked is a good one. I just picked a random example off Amazon.

I've got a USB mouse. I've also been using a USB adapter like this for my headphones because I only have one audio jack built in. This is a USB port I never used before. Perhaps I'll stop using it and see if that changes anything.

Thanks for you input!

I was referring to WiFi channels - but that might not help if your router is a problem or you are not getting enough bars.

If you don't mind spending few bucks - I recommend buying a Powerline Adapter like this one .

Basically you get a pair of adapters with Ethernet port each. You plug one adapter in wall power plug near the router and attach a Ethernet cable between it and the router. The second adapter does the same but in the room where your PC is - it basically transmits upto 200Mbps over your power lines. It is hassle free if your house isn't too old.

You'd be surprised at how often new parts go bad. Defects are actually a very common thing. So if your solution doesn't fix it try looking into buying some sort of power supply tester.

[This is the one I use at my shop] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00Q8SUYHW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467820928&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=power+supply+tester&dpPl=1&dpID=51BT85YewlL&ref=plSrch)

It works pretty good and is cheap

Any local shop should do it for free or you can purchase the tester yourself. It's a quick 5 second process:

http://www.amazon.com/Insten-24-pin-Power-Supply-Tester/dp/B005CTCD6S

(I'm not advocating that tester in particular, just showing what it is.)

I have used HDMI to VGA adapters like this one http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Female-Adapter/dp/B008O7RH5C with my PS3, computers, and various other devices without any issue. I currently am using one with the bluray player in my bedroom since I needed an HDMI port for my Amazon Fire TV stick. HDMI to VGA adapters like this are generally much cheaper than a component video adapter.

Sorry for all the posts. I don't know if you'll get separate channels with a basic 3.5mm to RCA connector.

If you get a 3.5mm to digital coax:
https://www.amazon.com/Micca-Premium-SPDIF-Digital-Coaxial/dp/B00V436UQU

And run that to a DAC:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNNSKV0

You should keep your L/R channels for RCA. Monoprice might have better pricing on the cable; a lot of the ones on Amazon were for optical-to-coax.

What kind of TV and amp are you using? I wouldn't spend too much trying to get an analog setup working.

HDMI contains no analog signal so it is not possible for any combination of passive adapters and/or cables to convert it to VGA.

Active adapters work because they use DSPs and DACs to convert from one standard to the other, but of course they are more expensive than passive cables.

So do you know what kind of adapter you got?

Right one
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Micro-USB/dp/B00879DM56

VGA is an analog signal. HDMI/DisplayPort and that DVI port is digital only. If you'll have to buy an adapter that doesn't just carry the connection, but also makes the conversion from digital to analog.
Something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Support/dp/B008O7RH5C?th=1

Not a lot of options if any.From what I gather you need to modify bios to allow other whitelisted (compatible cards)Have a read here.Then google compatible cards for your model after bios mod.Be sure you thoroughly know what you are doing before flashing bios.

http://forum.techinferno.com/lenovo-ibm/4668-lenovo-y410p-y510p-unlocked-bios-wlan-whitelist-mod-vbios-mod.html

Read this
https://outhereinthefield.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/replacing-wifibt-combo-adapter-on-lenovo-ideapad-y510p/

This card should be compatible
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-7260-HMWG-Wireless-AC-7260-Bluetooth/dp/B00DMCVKMU

here is a quick video i found for hp mini to remove hdd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJV1H18TQE

then you would need something like this
http://www.amazon.com/Inateck-Enclosure-Tool-free-Installation-Compatible/dp/B00DW374W4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427618249&sr=8-1&keywords=external+hdd+case

so you could put the hard drive into it and connect and copy your data to another computer or flash drive. still cheaper than an IT doing it.(i am one i would charge maybe 20-50)

as for messing up just take your time keep magnets away from the hard drive and just dont drop it and you'll be fine

Have you performed a wireless site survey? How congested are the frequencies that you are using to communicate with your router? Although your router looks decent, personally I would try a Ubiquiti Unifi access point and see if your performance improves. Ubiquiti access points are highly-rated, amazingly fast, reliable, and a breeze to configure:

https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-802-11ac-Dual-Radio-UAP-AC-PRO-US/dp/B015PRO512/

Yes, the 8.1 machine will be able to see the contents of the hard drive, it might take a while for your laptop to access all the files. It does a permissions sweep and takes ownership of the files, AFAIK.

If it's about 3 years old I wouldn't use the drive as your only back up, it could crap out on you at any moment.

Enclousures are a doddle, look at the retailer reviews before you buy.

Here are some good scoring ones.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inateck-Enclosure-Tool-free-Installation-Compatible/dp/B00DW374W4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419726701&sr=8-1&keywords=2.5+hard+drive+enclosure

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TeckNet%C2%AE-External-Enclosure-Tool-free-Installation/dp/B00DCEECKU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419726719&sr=8-1&keywords=2.5+hard+drive+enclosure+usb+3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ORICO-Enclosure-Tool-free-Installation-Compatible/dp/B00BH83LYG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419726719&sr=8-3&keywords=2.5+hard+drive+enclosure+usb+3

I agree. Looks like OP can use the cable in that link to connect the second monitor to the DVI port (the white one next to where the main monitor it attached). With that cord, it will be blue (from monitor) to white (in computer).

Alternatively, if you have an adapter like this lying around (they usually come with a new video card), you can use that with a (blue) VGA cord. Just plug this puppy into the back of the computer next to where your main monitor is attached. Then a (blue) VGA cable from your second monitor will plug into that adapter.

NETGEAR R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 Dual Band Smart WiFi Router, Gigabit Ethernet (R6700)

Asus

The TV's COAX out looks like a yellow/orange RCA out, right?

You need a DAC to convert the signal from digital to analog.

This should do it.

You'll need a digital coax cable too

What if I had an usb adapter? Something like this http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Headphone-Microphone-Aluminum-Compatibility/dp/B00NMXY2MO
There's currently a built in microphone on my laptop. Since the adapter has two ports (speaker & mic), couldn't I just plug in the 3.5mm into the mic port and into my ipod and then make my laptop listen to the microphone port? Would it be able to output my ipod's audio through the laptop speakers then?

Does your computer output VGA? If not you could get a DVI to VGA adapter. It's a little cheaper. I do this with my setup, however, I have my XBox on a HDMI to DVI cable to my monitor and my computer on a VGA cable to the monitor (as a secondary monitor) and the audio is output by the other XBox output thingamabob to RCA which I then use a converter to change that to 3.5mm and over to desktop speakers...Sorry if that sounds complicated. I had to use what was laying around and it works! So that's what's important, right!?

If he has the money tell him to upgrade his amp. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071RSJBX7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_PDTRAb52S2FV7
This guy is on sale today, very solid option. I push for upgrades in this situation because a decent install takes quite a bit of work, enough work to make the end user want a good payoff. Little band-aid fixes are fine if that's the only option but from personal experience they add up and have their own issues. That said, here's your band-aid: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNNSKV0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_iHTRAbX6F9BKW (RCA cables not included).

Like this? Or do you have any recommendations? https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wireless-PCI-Express-Adapter-TL-WN881ND/dp/B0079XWMEI

I'd like to see a picture of the rear of the TV. The VGA will get up to 1080p. As for a converter:

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Micro-USB/dp/B00879DM56/ref=pd_sim_147_7?ie=UTF8&dpID=41Nnkp%2Bu4OL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0XAG6S66RQ9CS6PXVGEZ

Maybe this?

Yes.

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Support/dp/B008O7RH5C

I'd go with this one

TP-Link AC1750 Wireless Wi-Fi Gigabit Router (Archer C8) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N2ROH0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AZ4OCbW7CABVP

Or

NETGEAR R6700 Nighthawk AC1750 Dual Band Smart WiFi Router, Gigabit Ethernet (R6700) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R2AZLD2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_o04OCbXC78BX2

I've been working in the field for many years and you can test a PSU with a PSU tester or using a multimeter.

The following is a link to a PSU tester on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/eForCity%C2%AE-24-pin-Power-Supply-Tester/dp/B005CTCD6S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407444871&sr=8-2&keywords=psu+tester

Are you overclocking at all? Also, what kind of CPU cooler are you using? Stock or aftermarket?

Have you booted into the BIOS to monitor your CPU temps?

Well, unless I'm missing something here to go from DVI-I to VGA all you need is a simple adapter like this:

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-DVI-Cable-Adapter-DVIVGAMF/dp/B000067SOH

You plug that in to your DVI-I port on your video card, and then boom, you've got a VGA coming out of it to plug into.

Now, I'm not too up to date on modern day video cards so someone correct me if I'm wrong about the next part here:

All the GTX 970s I looked up (which I'll admit wasn't many, just gave it a quick google) had one DVI-I and one DVD-D.
If it is DVD-D then it will not be putting out an analog signal and it won't be as simple to convert it to VGA. You need a converter that would convert if from a digital signal to an analog signal to go from DVI-D to VGA.

Here's one for $46:

http://www.startech.com/AV/Converters/Video/DVI-D-to-VGA-Active-Adapter-Converter-Cable-1920x1200~DVI2VGAE

I've never actually tried one. So, I can't vouch if they work well or not.

If you could, link the card you're buying so I know if I'm correct about that.

As far ass Dual Link to Single Link, I don't think you need to worry about that at all. Dual link just carries more signal for a larger resolution. I treat all DVI cables (dual-link and single-link) interchangeably and have never had any issues. So, I wouldn't worry about that. I'd be more worried about making sure you do have two DVI-I connectors on that video card.


If I'm missing anything here someone feel free to correct me.
Being Reddit I probably don't have to worry about people being shy about correcting me. :)

Something like this would be less of a hassle.

Buy something like This

They make HDMI to VGA adapters, like this ONE

You need this or something like it http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00879DM56/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1372370396&sr=8-4&pi=SL75

Might be less hassle to just get a USB headphone jack like below.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Headphone-Microphone-Aluminum-Compatible/dp/B00NMXY2MO/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=usb+3.5mm&qid=1556027191&s=gateway&sr=8-4

If the splitter does not work,
Try something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Headphone-Microphone-Aluminum-Compatibility/dp/B00NMXY2MO

Just buy something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Headphone-Microphone-Aluminum-Compatibility/dp/B00NMXY2MO

And thumbs up this.

TP-Link N300 Wireless PCI-Express Adapter (TL-WN881ND) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0079XWMEI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_QQhFT2u3MdxmJ

This card works great and I had no problems installing it. The speeds are just as fast as specified. TP link also have a lower speed card for less. This shouldn't affect latency though which is what you really care about for gaming.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AWRUIY4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Here's is the one I found. Will this be able to replicate my speeds from one room to another one upstairs? Sorry to hassle, again, I'm just looking to make sure I'm getting an informed purchase and utility for my work.

Some of them are poorly made. Try this one, it includes an option for usb power that lets it actively convert the video signal.

Remove the PSU and try the paperclip test on it. If it turns on it may be ok. But, in order to test the voltages you would need a proper PSU tester, such as one of these.

I would use a digital multimeter.

There's also a PSU tester. I've never used one but I've seen it recommended here a few times.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-Headphone-Microphone-Aluminum-Compatibility/dp/B00NMXY2MO

I cannot personally vouch for this device but this is along the lines of what you are looking for and seems to have decent reviews on Amazon.

Get a new monitor?
I'm actually being serious here. You've got a decent video card that has technology that moved past the analog VGA signal, that's why they don't include it anymore. Not like it would take up any more room (they could use a DVI-I instead of DVI-D). Do yourself a favor and upgrade your monitor too.
If you just need a picture, I've used http://amzn.com/B00879DM56 before. Don't expect much though.

Your laptop might be defaulting to an external monitor that isn't there. Looks like your laptop has DVI-I out and HDMI out. That means you should check the DVI-D output, VGA using a DVI-A to VGA pin adapter, and HDMI out. Try whichever is most convenient first, and don't forget that most TVs these days have VGA input as well as HDMI.

I guess if you want to rule out power issues, you can get something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Insten-24-pin-Power-Supply-Tester/dp/B005CTCD6S

I use a different type, but it will tell you if the power supply is outputting the correct voltages at your house.

If it isn't that, then it must be EMI. What is the case made of?

Build a faraday cage for your computer.

http://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/build-your-own-faraday-cage-heres-how/

Actually, rereading your first post, the PSU could be okay. You could try purchasing a tester to find out.

you'll probably have to use something like this with an adapter cable however you may have to run this through an amplifier.

or maybe one of these but you'll need an inline volume control on your headphones.

Would this work as well or nah?
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-DVI-Cable-Adapter-DVIVGAMF/dp/B000067SOH

Less than half the price equivalent at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Active-Adapter-Micro-USB/dp/B00879DM56

For up to 200 Mbps, it's $25, cleaner than running cables.

Powerline basically transmits through your house's electrical wiring. You plug one device into an outlet near your router, and the device into an outlet near your computer. Ethernet cable connects from one device to the router, and another cable connects from the other device to your computer.

I paid $35 for mine on Amazon and haven't had any problems with it, aside from having to download a utility to prevent them from going into sleep mode.

Yes, my bad I meant I/O.

Why even even sell it if it won't work

I bought This one because it has good reviews but why even sell it if it doesn't work.

2 routers is not the solution. You may need something like this.

Unifi AC AP Pro If your house is long, and the signal doesn't reach, put one of these at each end ( or something simialr ).

It kinda depends what's in the walls in your place. 20 feet and drywall should not cause a problem for any router.

unless it's an old house with concrete or wire mesh in the walls, you shouldn't be ok with a router in the middle.

My go to is the ASUS RT-AC68U It's got good signal and enough RAM to deal with all kinds of shit.

Thanks, I was about to buy the Asus 1300 today but now I see a sale on Netgear AC1750 (R6700) making it the same price as Asus 1300. It's going on sale now on Amazon and I am confused if I should get the Asus 1300 or Netgear AC1750? Do you know if Netgear one is an older model when to compared to Asus?

Netgear AC1750 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R2AZLD2

Here is the link to the sale - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071R8W11Z

I would personally go with a VGA to DVI adapter if your graphics card has a DVI port (most do). It's cheaper and the adapter passes the video analog, there is no digital to analog conversion like you have with this HDMI adapter you linked.

If you have a free USB-port on the front, you can see about using something like this instead. Otherwise, you're going to need to inspect the internals of your front panel and check the 3.5mm jack for the microphone. I'd suspect that there's a bad connection and something would need soldered, if not the entire port replaced.

This.

Will this work
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F37AVWQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AKXVBT49GGF3B

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000067SOH/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://i.imgur.com/pUZcWYg.png

i am confused

link me to the product I need please

this is what i got

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-DVI-Cable-Adapter-DVIVGAMF/dp/B000067SOH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345847679&sr=8-1&keywords=dvi+to+vga


EDIT

is this what i need?

http://www.amazon.com/DVI-HDMI-Cable-6ft-Male-Male/dp/B0002CZHN6/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1345847816&sr=1-2&keywords=hdmi+to+dvi

dvi to dsub adapter.

edit: http://smile.amazon.com/StarTech-DVI-Cable-Adapter-DVIVGAMF/dp/B000067SOH/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418265135&sr=8-2&keywords=dvi+to+vga

I assume the adapter is what you need here

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-DVI-Cable-Adapter-DVIVGAMF/dp/B000067SOH

>it has DVI and HDMI ports on it aswell

Then you can use DVI to VGA adapter for the second display.

Here is an example: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-DVI-Cable-Adapter-DVIVGAMF/dp/B000067SOH

http://www.amazon.com/electronics/dp/B000067SOH

I believe you can use a DVI to VGA adapter for one monitor and DisplayPort to VGA for the other.