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Wi-fi Booster: Brillant or complete B*ll*cks !!

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  • 08-05-2012 10:40pm
    #1
    good one
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭


    Hi all,
    Any advise much appreciated.
    Having problems with wi-fi signal in the house, walls all insulated with foil backed board, so in an attempt to solve the problem with out using a range extender or additional router I bought a 802.11b/g/n Wifi Signal booster.
    http://www.wifi-shop24.com/products/en/WiFi-Booster/24-GHz-WiFi-Booster--Amplifier--1000mW-30dBm.html

    I connected it to the eircom Netopia (bog standard) router and switched it on hoping to be blown away by wi-fi power but alas I would say the signal decreased if any thing.

    Beginning to think that I bought another useless device.

    By any chance does any body think I'm doing some thing wrong ( apart from the obvious in buying it in the first place). Is the router compatible ?

    Again any advise appreciated.
    Thanks


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    #2
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Login to the wireless router and change channel, it's most likely interference on the channel it's on


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    #3
    good one
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭good one


    Thanks PogMo Thoin, will try that & see what happens


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    #4
    clint_eastman
    Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭clint_eastman


    good one wrote: »
    Thanks PogMo Thoin, will try that & see what happens

    Hey, would you let me know how you get on? My wireless signal gets very poor once you move more than 1 room away from the wireless router, so need to get something to sort it out... cheers.


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    #5
    JamesGillic
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭JamesGillic


    Not sure if this is the same issue. I have the standard Eircom wireless router with poor wifi signal at one end of the house, All data cables are wired back to this point and I have a patch panel installed. I was wondering can I simply connect an access point into one of my phone points (where there is poor signal) that can be connected to the eircom router on the other end or is life a bit more complicated.

    What is the best solution and AP for this problem?


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    #6
    FoxT
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,204 ✭✭✭FoxT


    OP, here is the broken bit:

    This booster works bi-directional (TX/RX). It amplifies both, the output power (TX) and receiving sensitivity (RX) of your WiFi device.

    - Amplifying the transmitting power will help. A lot.But only in 1 direction.

    - Amplifying the receiving sensitivity will not.The result will be- Minor, but not a huge improvement.

    Here's why:

    Even when you are downloading, the receiving device (laptop or PC) must send signals back regularly to the wireless AP. If those signals don't get through, then the originating server will attempt to resend what it has already sent, thinking that the PC hasnt received them.

    Boosting the transmit signal will help the PC get a better signal on the way down, but not on the way back up.

    Boosting the receiver sensitivity will, in general, not help significantly, because it will amplify electrical noise just as much as it amplifies the received signal from the PC.

    as PogmoThoin suggests, it is worth trying out a few different channels.

    In the long term, the best option is to run ethernet cables to 2-3 different points in the home & set up APs at the end of each cable.

    If you cannot do this, then at least avoid dual-band 802.11n (because if 2.4GHz isnt working for you, 5GHz definitely will not) - but MIMO 2.4GHz 802.11n could work, provided you have at least 2 antennas at each receiver.

    -FoxT


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    #7
    JamesGillic
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭JamesGillic


    Thanks Fox T. I have Cat 5 cable all around the house cabled back to one point (where my eircom router is). Is it possible to then connect an AP to where the signal is weak? Or does the AP need to be in some way compatible with the Eircom router? Can you recommend or point me in the direction of a good and compatible AP?


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    #8
    clint_eastman
    Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭clint_eastman


    This is my exact same set-up but I have a three router, patch panel and cat5 throughout the house to wall plates.... any advice would be appreciated as regards AP, another router etc etc..


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    #9
    bhickey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭bhickey


    JamesGillic wrote: »
    Is it possible to then connect an AP to where the signal is weak? Or does the AP need to be in some way compatible with the Eircom router? Can you recommend or point me in the direction of a good and compatible AP?

    Yes this is exactly the way it should be done. For the most hassle-free wireless experience

    1. Use the same wireless SSID on all AP's/routers but make sure you use a different channel on each AP. So use channel 1 on say the Eircom wireless router, channel 6 on new AP #1 and channel 11 on new AP #2. When this works right, you can wander around in the house and your device will switch between the different AP's without you having to intervene.

    2. Only have one device in the house (in this case the Eircom router) with NAT or DHCP Server enabled. Disable NAT and DHCP Server on everything else. AP's often won't have any of these options anyway but wireless routers certainy would. This bit is really important and your heart will be broken if you don't do it.

    3. If using wireless routers (instead of AP's), plug the ethernet cable from the main router into one of the LAN ports (usually marked 1-4) instead of into the WAN port.

    As for what AP's or wireless routers to buy, pick anything from TP-Link and shop around online.


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    #10
    FoxT
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,204 ✭✭✭FoxT


    JamesGillic wrote: »
    Thanks Fox T. I have Cat 5 cable all around the house cabled back to one point (where my eircom router is). Is it possible to then connect an AP to where the signal is weak? Or does the AP need to be in some way compatible with the Eircom router? Can you recommend or point me in the direction of a good and compatible AP?

    Is it possible to then connect an AP to where the signal is weak?
    - Yes, it is.

    does the AP need to be in some way compatible with the Eircom router?
    - No, it should not need anything special. However, different APs/routers can sometimes have compatibility issues. You should be safe enough though.

    Can you recommend or point me in the direction of a good and compatible AP?
    - I can't recommend any , because I havent set this up myself, but I would look at something like

    http://www.dabs.com/products/edimax-wifi-802-11n-access-point-poe-763T.html?q=802.11n%20AP&src=16

    or

    http://www.dabs.com/products/tp-link-wireless-n-access-point-77RK.html?q=802.11n%20AP&src=16

    or

    http://www.dabs.com/products/asus-n300-black-diamond-router-84KW.html?q=802.11n%20AP&src=16

    When buying an AP - I'd strongly recommend one that supports 802.11n , and also has more than one antenna.

    try to ensure that the AP RF channels do not overlap with your existing wireless network, or performance may suffer.

    regards,

    Foxt


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