Hey All -

 

I am still trying to learn about unRAID and whether it can work in my housing situation. I currently live 3 floors above my modem/router - (the modem/router being in the basement) and my office/bedroom on the 3rd floor. If it is not possible to drill a hole through the floors, etc - what is the most optimal way to setup my unRAID server (if any)?

 

Preferably, I would like to watch HD video from my unRAID storage server through my HTPC in my bedroom on the 3rd floor. I know streaming doesn't work that well with HD. I would be willing to leave the server in the basement connected via CAT5 to the router for whatever its worth. What options do I have?

 

1) Is it possible to install a wireless network card on my unRAID server and have it on the 3rd floor and have the HTPC and my PC connect to it via CAT5?

 

Sorry for any confusion - in conclusion I guess my question is, I want the benefits of the unRAID server but am limited in terms of wiring from it to the HTPC.

 

Thanks for any comments in advance!

What you need is a wireless bridge.  I suggest getting a compatible router, installed DD-WRT on it and use it in Bridge mode.  You can do this solution for less than $25.

Thanks for the reply. I assume you mean that the unRAID and HTPC would remain upstairs and I would connect the unRAID to a wireless bridge and the HTPC directly to the unRAID as to not receive any lag when playing back HD media?

 

I'm not that familiar with networking - but is the purpose of the wireless bridge because the unRAID software on the server doesn't support a wireless network card? What is the difference between connecting a PC via wireless network card and through ethernet cable to a wireless bridge?

It is probably best to set your expectations a bit lower. Wireless and HD will never be seemless.

 

The xbmc support channel is full of people saying it sucks for them and other saying its fine almost all the time. No one ever says its perfect all the time.

 

If you cant uner any circumstances runa  cable you have no other option obviosuly

 

 

Isn't it possible to correct directly to the unRAID server therefore to avoid any lag on playback, while at the same time the unRAID  be connected wirelessly to the internet?

I assume you mean that the unRAID and HTPC would remain upstairs and I would connect the unRAID to a wireless bridge and the HTPC directly to the unRAID as to not receive any lag when playing back HD media?

Set up a wireless router with DDWRT on it in Bridge mode so that you have an internet connection upstairs.  Then wire the unRaid server and the HTPC to this router.  That way you have full GB speed for watching movies off the server and you will hopefully not experience any lag.

 

I'm not that familiar with networking - but is the purpose of the wireless bridge because the unRAID software on the server doesn't support a wireless network card? What is the difference between connecting a PC via wireless network card and through ethernet cable to a wireless bridge?

Yes, you will not be able to add a wireless card to the unRaid server and have it work out of the box.  There would be more work involved to get the wireless card working then setting up a router in bridge mode.  If you connect via wire the HTPC and the unRaid server you will hopefully not experience any lag when watching HD content. With wireless streaming you would more than likely have experienced problems with streaming.

With multiple computers (you posted HTPC and PC) just do the wireless bridge. Some routers will even do it with the supplied firmware. I think my Linksys router will do it with the supplied firmware. Basically, this new router will become an extension of the one in the basement. You then have a place to connect 4 cables on it so that the HTPC, PC and unRAID boxes are all wired to each other. The internet connection will go through the wireless to the basement router but that won't have any effect on the unRAID to HTPC and PC performance.

 

You can eliminate the seperate wireless cards in the PC and the HTPC since they would now be hard wired.

 

Peter