Home network questions

Hi, I am a new member and a novice in home networking too.
I'd like to build my first home network that includes wired and wireless clients both. My wireless clients are my children laptops, that will work in living room (about 20 feet from a main wired PC with a drywall between). Laptops are g/n protocols. Main PCs (two) are in bedroom with wired connection to router. Network provider is Optimum Online boost (30/5 Mbs) with Docsis 3 SB6220 modem.
Now I have ESR9850 as DHCP wireless. I have WHR-HP-G54 with Tomato 1.27 and WRT54GL too on the shelf.
My questions are:
1. What is better to divide router and wireless functions between two devices - router and AP or use only one wireless router?
2 What router(s) for my configuration do you recommend?
3. Will TEW-673GRU works better than ESR9850 as wired router?
Thanks.

Since you already have the ESR-9850 and are you happy with its performance? If so then I would stick with that Router for now. TEW-673GRU would be like having the power of two ESR-9850 in a single unit plus the dual band wireless.

Main AP Router: ESR-9850 802.11n or 802.11g/n mix (mode)
Secondary AP: WHR-HP-G54 802.11g
The third 802.11g you have listed are you using that Linksys?

Download inSSIDer here:
http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider

Use the program called inSSIDer on a wireless laptop and walk around your dwelling indoors and all the floors including the basement and attic if you have one. Go outside in a 360 degree radius about 250 feet for 802.11n and 150 feet for 802.11g. See what type of results you get? Even push to see how far you really can go.

How to use such program, very easy and isolate your SSID name only, don't worry about how many other AP you get. Also report back the readings from RSSi this shows you how well the wireless router is putting out.

-45dBi is very good the lower the better. So the range would be -40dBi to -50dBi when you get higher then the bars on the wireless will start to drop.

5 out 5 bars as you know its the best signal.
4 out 5 bars as you know its the better signal
3 out 5 bars you're starting to get fair lower than this would be considered poor

@tipstir
Thank you for answering and your very useful advices. I will try inSSIDer shortly, thanks for this link.
You are right- my third router is a good old and very reliable Linksys that I used before.
Yes, I am very satisfied with ESR9850 for now but I'd like to try TEW-673GRU as wired router and as AP.
I posted link to Cnet TEW-673GRU review on your REVIEWS forum for information.
All the best.

I've seen that review prior, but my results are different. Wireless can be tweaked. Yes you can post links here for other reviews, but not in the review thread post in this forum. I would prefer you don't post other reviews from other sites there. Thanks

I got TEW-673GRU in my hands yesterday. Before installation I'd like to know if are there some caveats with this procedure? I would like to try it as wired router, as router + AP and as wireless AP.
Any advices please.
Thanks.

gai38 wrote:I got TEW-673GRU in my hands yesterday. Before installation I'd like to know if are there some caveats with this procedure? I would like to try it as wired router, as router + AP and as wireless AP.
Any advices please.
Thanks.

As Wireless Router nothing too it!, As AP need to disable DHCP, all the firewall settings, give it a static IP address to match your home router or wireless IP address table. That's about it except to choose either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz or just use one band or both.

Thanks, tipstir.
One more question: what DNS server do you recommend in New York City area- Google, OpenDNS or something else? For now I use OpenDNS over my ISP servers (Optimum Online).
Sorry, that question is out of thread.

gai38 wrote:Thanks, tipstir.
One more question: what DNS server do you recommend in New York City area- Google, OpenDNS or something else? For now I use OpenDNS over my ISP servers (Optimum Online).
Sorry, that question is out of thread.

I can't use OpenDNS just way to slow for me. My ISP is quicker than those DNS servers. You need to test which one works for you? If you do P2P stuff I wouldn't recommend either.