need to boost a Wifi signal around a house, any tips?

DRice

Hey i am on magnet DSL and i need to boost the signal on the floors where the modem is not situated...any simple solutions? simplicity rather than price is important!

..and before you ask moving the router is not an option


thanks!

seithon

If your up to some DIY try out this handy dandy guide

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/Ez-10/

Willbbz

I'd say you'll need a stronger antenna

You can buy from Hawking who are based in California
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/index.php?CatID=32&FamID=58

If cost is a factor you can always boost it with a tweaked tin of pringles
http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448


Source:
here

DRice

WilliamOC wrote: »

I'd say you'll need a stronger antenna

You can buy from Hawking who are based in California
http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/index.php?CatID=32&FamID=58

If cost is a factor you can always boost it with a tweaked tin of pringles
http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448


Source:
here

thanks, the hawkings site says this " Hawking Hi-Gain Antennas are designed to work with all wireless devices with removable antennas. SMA and TNC connectors are included, others may be ordered directly from Hawking. "

how do i know if my router has removable antennas ? it doesnt seem to have any visible ones!

seithon

It may have internal Antenna, in which case their is not much you can do. Can you find the device and post up the model and manufacturer details from the underside of it?

DRice

seithon wrote: »

It may have internal Antenna, in which case their is not much you can do. Can you find the device and post up the model and manufacturer details from the underside of it?

will do! i find it incomprehensible that there is nothing i can do!!..wtf !:eek:

brianwalshcork

You could just buy a wifi range extender... put it close to the edge of the current range, and it will act as a repeater.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=wireless+range+extender&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=15296490757074207941&ei=aAZGTbXCNtCHhQe0run7AQ&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDUQ8wIwAA

DRice

brianwalshcork wrote: »

You could just buy a wifi range extender... put it close to the edge of the current range, and it will act as a repeater.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=wireless+range+extender&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=15296490757074207941&ei=aAZGTbXCNtCHhQe0run7AQ&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDUQ8wIwAA

thanks , trouble is that one is getting reviews for not being easy to install and i think it only works with linksys routers ...plus had a bad experience with linksys before..

can anyone recommend another model (the basic concept looks good though)

""Pros: Nothing (but maybe u will have better luck)
Cons: price and performance
Looked sharp...and looked so simple.....and I was pairing it with my Linksys WRT54g wireless router, so it SHOULD have been a simple & perfect and easy install...but it took me an hour to finally sync the signal and the boost it gave me was negligible at best....quite possibly no boost at all."

DRice

wot about this lad?

http://www.wifiextender.net/hawking-hwreg1-wifi-extender/

or this..always loved netgear..

http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-Universal-Range-Extender-WN2000RPT/dp/B003VWZE7S/ref=pd_cp_e_2

Link to where i can get it , pricey..
http://www.crescentelectronics.co.uk/netgear-wn2000rpt-universal-wifi-range-extender-wireless-network-extender.html

watty

"Stronger" antenna doesn't help as that makes the signal more directional. There is no free lunch.

You need ethernet wifi point on a different channel, connected by Cat5e cable to existing router. Called an airpoint. Some cheap routers can be used as long as the DHCP can be turned of.

Additional "AirPoints" on different channels is the only way to extend indoor WiFi coverage.

Avoid wireless Repeaters /Extenders as they dramatically slow your WiFi speed and double or triple the latency. You have to run an ethernet cable.

Maj Malfunction

I use Ethernet over power.

Get some of these (or similar):

http://www.netgear.co.uk/powerline_wallplugged_extenders.php

They are sold as a kit, you can get them online or PC World.

I use them at home to stream HD TV/movies from a PC to my XBOX360 in another part of the house.

They work a treat without any of the hassle of wifi breaking down, connection drops etc.

watty

The Powerline adaptors are really transmitters. Much poorer speed than Cat5e (1Gbps @ 100m) and create an illegal amount of radio interference. Manufacturers are using a technical loop hole to get CE mark and sell them.

Cat5e cable is also MUCH cheaper!

DRice

Maj Malfunction wrote: »

I use Ethernet over power.

Get some of these (or similar):

http://www.netgear.co.uk/powerline_wallplugged_extenders.php

They are sold as a kit, you can get them online or PC World.

I use them at home to stream HD TV/movies from a PC to my XBOX360 in another part of the house.

They work a treat without any of the hassle of wifi breaking down, connection drops etc.

this is the job! :pac: - gonna go with this

..btw cat cables are not an option as i live in rented accomdation and cant be drilling into walls!

watty

You can run a Cat5e cable under a door, along edge of carpets or skirting boards. It's laziness and selfish to use Power line adaptors. If we had decent pro-active regulation they would be illegal as they are unlicensable transmitters. They really just use mains for power. They can also interfere with DSL.

Also the Power line adaptors are easily knocked out by interference from CFL lamps or Power supplies.

Maj Malfunction

watty wrote: »

You can run a Cat5e cable under a door, along edge of carpets or skirting boards. It's laziness and selfish to use Power line adaptors. If we had decent pro-active regulation they would be illegal as they are unlicensable transmitters. They really just use mains for power. They can also interfere with DSL.

Also the Power line adaptors are easily knocked out by interference from CFL lamps or Power supplies.

I've never had any of the above problems that you mention using the powerline adaptors. BTW what frequency and wattage are they operating on. Could you direct me to a website describing they way they work in more detail.

watty

It's of the nature that only a minority will suffer. That doesn't make the deployment acceptible. It will be worse as more are used.

Google
homeplug interference
and separately
comtrend interference
also
btvision interference

The manufacturers have spent a lot of money trying to play down the problem.
They self-certify "interference compliance" for CE mark by either testing with no PC data running or testing with a single plug. The "real life" Interference is x10, x20 or even x100 the actual CE limits.

If you have one on an isolated disconnected UPS or Generator or car inverter it will connect to the other one on the mains, proving they are in reality illegal transmitters, wide band up to 30MHz. The newer "gigabit" ones use all the bands up to 150MHz approximately.
The Fusebox or ELCB or meter provides no isolation. The Lighting wiring, especially to light switches as that has no neutral forms good aerials.

Just because you see not problem doesn't mean there isn't one.

A related scam is PC PSU makers. They submit even for external testing and get CE approval. Then they save money by leaving out the 3 to 5 capacitors and replacing "choke" with two wire links. Huge interference that wipes out LW, MW, SW radio and stops "powerline"/homeplug/comtrend adaptors working.

If the interference (transmission of data) of ethernet mains adaptors was within legal limits only two or three phone chargers or CFL lamps at just below the legal limit would knock back speed to a few Mbps or even block it. The Adaptors only work because they are in reality sending wideband 1MHz to 30MHz, or 1Mhz to 150MHz approximately above the legal interference limit, i.e. they are technically wide band illegal transmitters.

Ofcom and Comreg never are pro-active and are more concerned with protecting big business than enforcing law or helping consumer. A recent report commissioned by Ofcom found that indeed the "CE certification" is bogus.

If you put an ordinary PC PSU interference filter between unit and mains socket ( the 3 to 5 capacitors and "choke") and wrap the filter and Unit in earthed foil to stop RF (choke needed on ethernet cable too) then the units will not connect! In fact the internal SMPSU of the "plug top" units is well filtered, otherwise it's own PSU would stop it working.

DRice

still tempted by the powerline adapters..

DRice

will this work if plugged into an extension lead (with the router) or does it have to be plugged into a socket on its own?...socket space is limited..:eek:

watty

It's an illegal interference generating Transmitter system. It just needs power. Using a filtered extension lead might affect it versus a cheap extension lead by reducing the amount of aerial it has. Make sure it's well away from any phone line to modem as it interferes with DSL and reduces the DSL speed. So make sure none of your phone wiring is close to mains wiring.

Run a Cat5e cable all the way about 1/4 the cost and typically 20x speed. ( or part way with a cheap WiFi point)

coupland

I use these without any issue...

http://www.devolo.co.uk/consumer/dlan-mains-supply-network-faster-85-mbit.html?l=en

watty

you mean YOU have no issue.

Other people may. They have used loop holes, cheated the intent on CE interference limit testing.

digitaldr

Hi Watty - where's a good place to get Cat5e cable, RJ45 plugs, sockets push down tools etc? As far as I can see if I was to buy from say Maplin it would be cheaper (especially factoring in the time/hassle of running cable) to get these from Amazon (free shipping). Bearing in mind I don't need massively high speeds as only planning to use it for streaming hidef movies accross my network.

Maj Malfunction

Tbh if it ain't cat5e or similar Watty will be up in arms about us all using devils technology to get the job done. Ce marks illegal or otherwise you can't argue Ethernet over power technology gets the job done where cabling IS NOT AN OPTION!