Extending the range of a wifi network?

whizzbang

Hi there

I have set up a wifi network in my sisters place of work and I'm looking to expand the range of it. Currently it uses one of the Belkin pre-N routers http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=202624&pcount=&Product_Id=186900&Section.Section_Path=%2FRoot%2FNetworking%2FWirelessNetworking%2FPreNWire%2E%2E%2Etworking%2Fct_Id%3E
and belkin 802.11g PCI cards in each of the machines.

Unfortunatly the building is huge with the coverage is weak at the far reaches of it. What is the bets way of extending out the range? Should I buy a dedicated repeater or am I better of just getting a Linksys WRT54G and configuring it as a repeater? Is there any other hubs that work better a repeaters?

cheers!

J

gordonnet

using 1 or more access points in a bridge configuration would probably be the best solution

johnplayerblue

I'd go with gordonnet on that!

BigEejit

Dont those preN boxes use MIMO .. i.e. using multiple channels at the same time? ... dunno what the management of them is like but you stand a good chance of interference from either box slowing it right down

netman

Yeah, I thought you couldn't use extenders with MIMO.

But then again I'm a noob and don't know much about the technology, this is just what I've read on the web as I'm considering replacing the netopia with one of the pre-N MIMO routers. (linksys or netgear)

Urban Weigl

For sure if you want to repeat the signal, it would have to be a pre-n device as well, probably from the same manufacturer. Otherwise it simply will not work.