Extending range of wireless network

[Turkey Machine]

Hi guys n gals.

I think I need to extend my wireless network, as the signal from the router on the ground floor isn't so hot at the top of the house on my laptop, on the 2nd floor (3 floor house, woo me!). I can't tell what I'd need though, an Access Point, or a range extender. Somebody in the know who can tell me what I'd use would be nicely appreciated.

[Ramrod]

Something like these?

[chrispuk2004]

**** the bed theyre expensive why not try something like this to start with

http://www.solwise.co.uk/wireless-in...-omni-9osc.htm

[Turkey Machine]

Yes, those Dabs ones are particularly expensive. An aerial like that wouldn't work with the *cough*crap* Belkin *crap*cough* router.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by chrispuk2004

**** the bed theyre expensive why not try something like this to start with

http://www.solwise.co.uk/wireless-in...-omni-9osc.htm

How does that work?

[popper]

Originally Posted by Ramrod

How does that work?

its pritty simple , you replace the generic 3 DB gain arial with a higher rated one, IF your router uses a detachable arial.

the rule is, the higher the DB No, the higher the gain...

as in, your transmit and receive power will increase with a higher gain replacement, and so your distance also increases for a given connection speed and quality signal.

for every 3db increase, you get around twice the range and/or signal strength, but keep in mind thats a generic rule for line of sight with nothing in the way for outside use, so it will be slightly lower inside, but still valid increases.

also, manually settiing your connected speed slightly lower also increases power output and receiveing quality OC.

[Ben B]

i believe on the belkin routers there is an extended range mode http://192.168.2.1 me thinks the settings url is...

[bopdude]

Why not use the wired electric ring main circuit to carry you signal. IIRC it's called home plug or similar ?

[popper]

something very weard here, my post just got corrupted for a second time with no reason, as i wasnt in edit mode so this basic overview is all i can be bothered to retype, simple enough though , theres other related older posts iv made if you really want more info, so search on poppper and wireless perhaps!.

1:move your ground floor router (the worst place you could to run it from given 3 floors), to the first floor, as the rule is, the higher you put your router, the better, stronger and ferther its signal will travel.


2:make this cheap DIY 'Windsurfer' parabolic reflector and place on your existing routers arial , works well
[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/news/EEAFApAuVERaihBGAY.html
http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/

or 3:buy this if your router can take 3rd party arials
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=38205
[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

buy a second router, place it on the top floor, wire it to the first one with ethernet, set it on another channel, and you have made a cheap longer reach wireless extender/wireless roamable setup....

[Turkey Machine]

Originally Posted by bopdude

Why not use the wired electric ring main circuit to carry you signal. IIRC it's called home plug or similar ?

Bedroom's on a spur (only one in the house), rest of the house is on the ring.

[altis]

I've never tried it but I'm pretty sure that Homeplug will work anywhere around the house, you don't need to be on the same ring.

There's loads of information and instructional videos over on Solwise. Take a browse:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/

---------- Post added at 20:53 ---------- Previous post was at 20:48 ----------

From:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/downloads/f...o-homeplug.pdf

The range for mains networking is usually stated at 100m but this limitation is
important only if you need to reach the garden shed or similar. Generally you will get
a connection to any socket in your home as long as you have a single-phase
supply. A single-phase supply usually has only one electricity meter, which covers
the vast majority of homes.

[bopdude]

Originally Posted by altis

I've never tried it but I'm pretty sure that Homeplug will work anywhere around the house, you don't need to be on the same ring.

There's loads of information and instructional videos over on Solwise. Take a browse:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/

---------- Post added at 20:53 ---------- Previous post was at 20:48 ----------

From:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/downloads/f...o-homeplug.pdf

That's the one being on a spur will have no effect on performance, its all the same conductors.

[popper]

be aware OC that the average coverage distance for these mains fed homeplug, are as per wireless and ethernet cable range, I.E "The range for mains networking is usually stated at 100m " but all homeplug mains networking comes without even the basic WEP equivalent for mains LAN security.

what does that mean in real terms, simply that anyone local to you within the *100m of electrical wire length with these same homeplug devices can see all your Mains wireline LAN dataflows if they so wish, due to the fact theres no way for you to lock access to your dataflow to only your authorised mains wireline plugs.

* in effect within reach of any 4 average sized council houses local to you, or more if you live in a drive/Cul-de-sac or other star type electricly wired set of homes.

on the other hand, its a good if somewhat more expensive way to share and make your own small community shared LAN network, as each new homeplug in there can simply bridge to the next set of houses along the row/street.

but i find all the forms of wep secured wireless router and long ethernet between houses were practical, the far better and cheaper primary option and OC upto 1 gig+ speeds for generic ethernet, if that build out of a shared community LAN is your primary objective.

thanks bopdude, apparently there is some form of security you can set, so it seems its a little harder for people in other homes to see your dataflows or use your network without some security key cracking work on their part.

[bopdude]

Since the signals may travel a short distance outside the user's residence or business, like many other home networking technologies, HomePlug includes the ability to set an encryption password. As with many other networking products, most HomePlug devices are "secure by default". The HomePlug specification requires that all devices are set to a default out-of-box password—although a common one. Users should change this password.
To simplify the process of configuring passwords on a HomePlug network, each device has a built-in master password, chosen at random by the manufacturer and hard-wired into the device, which is used only for setting the encryption passwords. A printed label on the device lists its master password.


Taken from wiki


So you can secure it

[Turkey Machine]

Originally Posted by popper

something very weard here, my post just got corrupted for a second time with no reason, as i wasnt in edit mode so this basic overview is all i can be bothered to retype, simple enough though , theres other related older posts iv made if you really want more info, so search on poppper and wireless perhaps!.

No problem, but for the record, if I'm posting a long informative forum post, I draft it in Notepad so I have it set right.

Originally Posted by popper

1:move your ground floor router (the worst place you could to run it from given 3 floors), to the first floor, as the rule is, the higher you put your router, the better, stronger and ferther its signal will travel.

Not possible as I don't have an ethernet cable long enough to go from 1st floor (parents bedroom) to ground floor.

Originally Posted by popper

2:make this cheap DIY 'Windsurfer' parabolic reflector and place on your existing routers arial , works well
[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/news/EEAFApAuVERaihBGAY.html
http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/

Interesting idea.

Originally Posted by popper

or 3:buy this if your router can take 3rd party arials
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=38205

It can't, it's a Belkin. It'd be one thing I'd have and try, if the damn router supported it. The Belkin router itself is on the strongest wireless setting it'll have, and I'm on the lookout for the Netgear DG834G as an ADSL2+ enabled replacement, but I've no idea if that has a detachable aerial on it to replace with a high-gain unit.

Originally Posted by popper

buy a second router, place it on the top floor, wire it to the first one with ethernet, set it on another channel, and you have made a cheap longer reach wireless extender/wireless roamable setup....

Again, no ethernet cable long enough.

I think what I'm after is something like this: http://www.dabs.com/products/linksys...efs=4294958749

The only thing putting me off is the price of it, and I also have no idea if a cheap router could be hacked or configured to do much the same job (preferable, as I always love to waste an afternoon or 2 screwing around with networks/computers ).