[Eli]

Vinnie,

Why do you "highly recommend" the wireless option with the SB2?  Doesn't the wireless radio have the potential for introducing much higher RFI than running with a wired Ethernet connection?  I'd think that if someone has their home wired for cat5, then the wired option would be much preferred.

Also, a WIFI radio requires a fair amount of power.  I'd venture that it's more than the rest of the Squeezebox2 uses, so wouldn't you get much longer playing time from a battery charge using a wired connection?

BTW, in the Required Hardware section on your SB2 General Info page, the computer running SlimServer doesn't require a wireless card.  Ethernet, for sure, but many (most?) people run servers and desktops at home wired into a switch/router on the network.  No doubt a wireless server connection might be more convenient for some home networks, but it's not required.

[Vinnie R.]

Vinnie,

Why do you "highly recommend" the wireless option with the SB2?  Doesn't the wireless radio have the potential for introducing much higher RFI than running with a wired Ethernet connection?  I'd think that if someone has their home wired for cat5, then the wired option would be much preferred.

Also, a WIFI radio requires a fair amount of power.  I'd venture that it's more than the rest of the Squeezebox2 uses, so wouldn't you get much longer playing time from a battery charge using a wired con ...

Hi Eli,

Welcome to the Red Wine Circle and thanks for posting.

I prefer the wireless option for a couple of reasons:

1) It isolates your SB2 from your computer and its power supply.  If you are using the battery modded SB2 and Clari-T amp, this combo is completely off the power grid.  I don't believe there are any RFI issues to be concerned with....it works and sounds very good.

2) It makes life simpler because there is no need to hard wire your computer to your SB2.  If your home is wired for cat5, by all means, used the wired connection if you want to.  

Regarding power consumption, I have not tested a SB2 w/o the wireless option, so I'm not sure how much less power it consumes.  I'm sure it does consume less power and would last longer on battery power, but around 7 hours of play time should be plenty of time for serious listening (I would hope).  If one is just using their SB2 for background listening or internet radio, it is probably not worth having it modded...

Regarding the requirement of a wireless card for your computer, it certainly is a requirement if you plan to use your wireless SB2 wirelessly.  Otherwise, it is not needed.  

Regards,

[EProvenzano]

Vinnie,

The SB2 that I sent you for mods is a wired version. Feel free to do a side by side if you have an opportunity.

I myself have a fully wired home and will be connecting everyting into a wired router/switch in my basement. I don't think any PSU interference can make its way through the cat5 into the router and out to the SB2...but who knows???

I like the potential purity of signal available with a hard wired setup. I've been told, though, that I'm being paranoid and the wireless version is just as good .  To each his own.

Thanks

[Eli]

Vinnie, thanks for the quick and thorough response.

I prefer the wireless option for a couple of reasons:

1) It isolates your SB2 from your computer and its power supply.  If you are using the battery modded SB2 and Clari-T amp, this combo is completely off the power grid.  I don't believe there are any RFI issues to be concerned with....it works and sounds very good.

Although it could be done, in a typical home network the SB2 wouldn't be _directly_ connected to the computer running SlimServer.  You would have both connected to a switch, most likely within an Internet router.  If you're suggesting that wired Ethernet is a potentially audible source for power problems I'd like to hear about it.

2) It makes life simpler because there is no need to hard wire your computer to your SB2. If your home is wired for cat5, by all means, used the wired connection if you want to.

In some ways simpler.  It eliminates a wire or two.  But anyone who's tried to troubleshoot wireless problems with access points, encryption algorithms, pass phrases, limited radio range and the rest would probably argue this point.  If you don't have in-wall wiring, then wireless is the way to go, but I'd certainly not recommend it.  Wired Ethernet is much simpler to configure and troubleshoot.

Regarding the requirement of a wireless card for your computer, it certainly is a requirement if you plan to use your wireless SB2 wirelessly. Otherwise, it is not needed.

Perhaps if you want everything on the network to be running wirelessly just for the sake of being all wireless.  But your requirements page also lists a wireless router as being "required".  This is the wireless access point for the Squeezebox itself.  The PC running SlimServer needn't be connected to your network wirelessly.  That's the only point I think you need to clarify.  Wireless connections are less secure, less reliable, and not as fast as wired Ethernet connections.  If you have multiple computers on your network and transfer files between them (pretty common, actually, when running a SlimServer machine storing many music files) then a wireless connection for the server is a distinct disadvantage.

[Vinnie R.]

Vinnie, thanks for the quick and thorough response.

..

Hi Eli,

I can only speak about my wireless experience using a LinkSys 802.11g wireless router that I purchased from Best Buy.  The CD-Rom contained a setup wizard, and the installation was a piece of cake....couldn't be any easier IMO.  I'm sure there are others that are much more difficult to setup, troubleshoot, etc., so I see your point.  

But your requirements page also lists a wireless router as being "required". This is the wireless access point for the Squeezebox itself. The PC running SlimServer needn't be connected to your network wirelessly. That's the only point I think you need to clarify.

I guess I just assumed that one knows that they only need a wireless router only if they are buying the wireless version of the SB2.  The next time I update the page, I'd be happy to edit this if you or others find it to be confusing.  Sorry about the mix up.

FWIW, my wireless connection to my SB2 has been running flawlessly since day 1.  There have been no speed or reliability issues to speak of (keep in mind that I only have two computers networked).  For those who do not have their house wired with Cat5, I still highly recommend the wireless version, but this is just my opinion.  

Feel free to use whatever method you like.

Regards,

[Vinnie R.]

Vinnie,

The SB2 that I sent you for mods is a wired version. Feel free to do a side by side if you have an opportunity.

Thanks

Hi EProvenzano,

I certainly will do a side by side....thanks!

[JoshK]

I was under the impression that CAT5 networks were galvanically isolated from one another.  This isn't obvious, and I could be very well wrong, as CAT5 is an electrical connection, not an optical one. Does anyone know for sure?

[Underdog]

Vinnie,

The SB2 that I sent you for mods is a wired version. Feel free to do a side by side if you have an opportunity.

Thanks

Hi EProvenzano,

I certainly will do a side by side....thanks!

Don't both models come with the wired connection?  I think the wired version just includes a cable...

-Rick

[Davey]

Yes, both models have a wired connection.  I haven't seen the inside of a non-wireless SB2 but I would surmise the PC board is identical except it's just not populated with the necessary components.

Josh,  10/100baseT networks are not galvanically isolated from each other.  However the interface....twisted-pair wiring and differential signals...is highly immune to radiation, antenna effects, etc.  I think any suggestion that a wireless SB2 connection is superior or inferior to a wired SB2 connection is purely speculation at this point.

I don't quite see the point of operating this unit on batteries...but hey, I'm an oddball in the audiophile world, as I've been told many times.  

Cheers,

Davey.

[Vinnie R.]

Vinnie,

The SB2 that I sent you for mods is a wired version. Feel free to do a side by side if you have an opportunity.

Thanks

Hi EProvenzano,

I certainly will do a side by side....thanks!

Don't both models come with the wired connection?  I think the wired version just includes a cable...

-Rick

Hi Underdog,

Yes, both models have a wired connection, but having a wired-only SB2 will allow me to measure how much less current it draws compared to the wireless SB2.

Thanks,

[dogberry]

I suppose if your house was not ammenable to wireless then you might have connection problems, but I have a very good signal strength and I even have WEP encryption enabled and the SB2 was a breeze to enter the hex code into.

No problems what so ever.  Unless your pad has in-wall wiring, wireless is the ONLY way to go, IMO.

[Paul_Bui]

Beside Vinnie, Ron and Louis, whose ears I trust, have experienced and have been very impressed with the mod wireless SB2.  That's alone good enough to make me believe in the superiority of the new technology done right.

If I were to choose between higher sound quality and more convenience (remote control, all in one box, etc.), I'd pick the sound quality anyday.  But that was the recent past.

Now that we have got available sound quality that is even better than the pure DC transport/DAC combo, in a wireless package than has been operating flawlessly for months (and sounding awesome), I don't see why I will keep sitting on the fence.  Superb sound, portability, convenience (remote control, access to entire CD library with a few clicks away), I think it's a no-brainer win-win situation.

I've seen high capacity hard drives with prices getting lower every week.  Internal hard drives are certainly less money, but I opt for external drives instead.  I can see someday I will take with me my music library stored in one or two such drives to a cousin or friend who also has an SB2.    

When I listen to music through an AC system, with all of my expensive power cords, conditioners, and other AC-tweaks, I can still clearly hear the difference at late night when AC is less contaminated.  That's why I totally agree with Vinnie's battery approach, "The best AC is no AC at all".  By the same token, "best wire is no wire", hence the choice of wireless.  Of course, with the condition:  only when it sounds better.

[Eli]

Yes, both models have a wired connection.  I haven't seen the inside of a non-wireless SB2 but I would surmise the PC board is identical except it's just not populated with the necessary components

It's not even that complicated.  There's just a wireless board that plugs into the CPU board, which plugs into the Squeezebox2 mainboard.  The wired version is identical to the wireless version, minus the wireless card and antennas.

http://www.slimdevices.com/photos/inside_squeezebox2/

[Bwanagreg]

I'm all for wireless, but I do have one problem with it. Any time I turn on the microwave in the kitchen, I get massive interference on my wireless network that causes streaming audio to sputter badly. I wonder if anyone else has interference problems? It's pretty annoying especially since I like listenening to internet radio while cooking. For that reason alone I'm leaning towards a wired box.

[Vinnie R.]

I'm all for wireless, but I do have one problem with it. Any time I turn on the microwave in the kitchen, I get massive interference on my wireless network that causes streaming audio to sputter badly. I wonder if anyone else has interference problems? It's pretty annoying especially since I like listenening to internet radio while cooking. For that reason alone I'm leaning towards a wired box.

Hi Bwanagreg,

Wow!    

My wife and I both use the microwave from time to time when my wireless SB2 is playing flac files, and I never once had any problems.

Sounds like your microwave is not sheilding the microwaves properly, which can't be good for you, unless you want a tan inside your body to match the outside  

Has this happened to anyone else using a wireless SB2?

The great thing about the wireless SB2 is that it still has a wired port, so if wireless doesn't work out, you still have functionality.

Regards,

[Eli]

I'm all for wireless, but I do have one problem with it. Any time I turn on the microwave in the kitchen, I get massive interference on my wireless network that causes streaming audio to sputter badly. I wonder if anyone else has interference problems? It's pretty annoying especially since I like listenening to internet radio while cooking. For that reason alone I'm leaning towards a wired box.

This is a fairly common problem, but with the Squeezebox2, especially if you're running an 802.11g wireless access point (up to 54 Mbps, vs. 11 Mbps for 802.11b), then it can deal with some pretty major disruptions without a hiccup.   The original Squeezebox had a pretty small buffer - 256 kBytes, I believe, while the SB2's buffer is 8 MBytes.  A substantial increase in size.  And with 802.11g you can refill the buffer much faster after an interruption in the communication.

With my wireless Squeezebox I can shut down SlimServer in the middle of a playing a FLAC track and the SB2 will continue to play for 30-45 seconds just from its buffer.  While I had occasional dropouts with the SB1, I don't think I've had any with the SB2.  The combination of the very large buffer and 802.11g wireless tends to be amazingly robust, with the main benefit no doubt coming from large buffer.

[Paul_Bui]

Thanks Vinnie and Eli for the good news - SB2 not interfered by microwave.

[Bwanagreg]

The large buffer is good news ,as is the wired port.

I'm using mostly J River Media Center on a laptop, and I do have the buffer cranked up to the maximum.  I am having this problem with an 802.11g network, BTW.  I wonder if some routers are better than others with noise (I have a first generation 802.11g D-Link)? The other option I suppose is to try to shield the microwave - anyone have any good ideas on that one?

Of course, the year-round tan is nice  

[mcgsxr]

For all y'all using wireless, can you help me understand the physical distance between your Computer, and your Squeezebox?

In my new house, as with my present townhouse, I have a PC upstairs, and the system in the basement.

Anyone running 2 full floors wireless without a bridge?