Wireless Network Design

dan_an_fear

Hi,
I am about to install a wireless network for a friend. I am looking for any guidance on chosing hardware. I have a simple network at home so I'm ok with setting up a simple network. My issue is the house I'm installing in is basically a converted barn, so has thick walls etc. It is also on a quite steep slope. I need to ensure the network reaches two points, one upstairs in an attic, the other about about 25 metres away, down two storeys.. I think I'll be lucky to do this reliably with one base station? Could anyone recommend a base station with good range? Or is there any way to extend the range of the network?
cheers
Dan

Random

Thick walls? How thick? You may have some issues with Wireless through the walls and it may prove easier to just run a 25m cable..

robinph

If you can put the main base station in the mid point between the PC's then you may get lucky and get a signal at both machines.
Otherwise you could use something like this to extend the range of the network:
http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=38&prid=629

It would not need to be physically conneted to the rest of the network, just positioned ned the limit of the range of the base station and it will then retransmit from that point.

dan_an_fear

Hi,
thanks for the replys. The walls aren't excessively thick, just fairly substantial stone walls.
Does anyone have any idea of what kind of range I could expect from a standard wifi accesspoint? I know it's enviroment dependant but just a general idea would help...
Maybe someone has some direct experience of using a wifi network in a old house?
cheers
Dan

seamus

It can also depend on what kind of bandwidth you're looking for. If he's trying to get say Internet access to his machines, then a strong connection isn't necessarily necessary. The protocol is negotiating, so it will connect when signal strength is low, but bandwidth is limited to ~4Mbps.

Theoretically, afaik the range of 802.11 hardware is 200m, but your looking at < 100m once buildings and stuff get in the way, and even less when you start doing the upstairs/downstairs thing. Solid walls, as you've guessed, limit it even further.

IMO, once other concerns aren't the in the way, is to put the mutual Access Point on the floor between, as close to halfway between both machines as you can get. A standard AP shouldn't have any problem with this.

Ideally though, one would like to get their hands on the hardware and test it before buying

Krusty_Clown

Best thing you can do is to borrow a wireless router, and give it a go, with a laptop.. You're problem may not be with getting a connection, but holding onto that connection..

The NetGear Model WGU624 has a claimed range of 400 feet indoors.

This page discusses the range Vs throughput of various wireless router...

If you can make out this graph, I compliment your eyesight.



An extender should sort you out though, if the above ranges aren't enough.. Should probably think about wearing tin-foil hats when walking around the house though.