Extend Wifi Range?

[Pantomimehorse]

Does anyone know of a way I can extend my wifi range?

In my cigar shack I can just pick up my wifi signal but its quite weak and kicks in and out quite alot. The box is a wireless N but my laptop wifi isnt, is it worth getting a N usb dongle thing? or is there something else I can buy to extend the wifi signal ?

ta

[DeadBase]

You can either buy a WiFi extender or configure a second wireless router as a bridge (this could either be nearer the shack but inside the house or in the shack if you have power as the aerials tend to be better on the routers due to lack of size constraints).

Get in touch if you need any pointers.

[Deano]

My first attempt would be a N dongle, but can't guarantee it'll work.

Next step is to add high-gain antennas on your router, but I don't think that works for the MIMO-type N routers, nor do I k now where to get them from.

Are your router antennas detachable?

[Deano]

What DeadBase is suggesting is a 'repeater', quite an expensive option and I don't know where you'd actually put the router considering you're outside your house and your original router is in the house.

[Pantomimehorse]

thanks for the replies, think I can borrow a usb N thing to try and see if that helps, if not will have to look into one of these repeaters, how expensive are we talking?

[Deano]

Well if you use a standard wireless router, anywhere from £30 to £200+

[Jimmeh]

thanks for the replies, think I can borrow a usb N thing to try and see if that helps, if not will have to look into one of these repeaters, how expensive are we talking?
If not - you could buy one from PC world or other and return within 14 days (i believe) if you are not happy with the product i.e. it doesnt suit your needs.

[Lee Nub]

My original Netgear router i bought for £15 from an office clearance on ebay. It had 100m range and worked really well. Just upgraded to the latest Netgear, which hasnt got anything like the range and cost nearly 15 times the price :eek:

[Pantomimehorse]

yeah I know what you mean Lee, the anoying thing is I can pick up half the bloody streets wifi from the shed but my own signal is really dodgy!

[PoohBore]

Any chance of moving your hub closer to the shed? Or nearer a window ? Probably a stupid question but you never know - wood for the trees and all that. good luck

[Pantomimehorse]

nah its plugged into the only phone socket in the house and thats right at the front of the house!

ideally Id like to run a RJ45 cable straight to the shed but it could get a bit messy!

[gt3911]

You can pick up a good old WRT54G mega cheap, and put some opensource firmware on her to seriously unleash it, its a highly modified router, you can get crazy range out of these things if you fancy a little project :)

[Pipe Dude]

If you've got an omni-directional antenna on your router, try focusing the direction of the broadcast using a piece of silver foil as a reflector. I tried it in my house and gained about 10% improvement.

[tupacboy]

another vote here for a wifi extender...

[gt3911]

Pipe dudes on it also. Google Wind surfer or project wind surfer antenna, you should be able to find a template you can print, cut, and cover. Pretty effective also.

I've found that some antenna mods, and even extenders increase signal distance but offer poor signal quality with high packet loss transmissions, the latency of your connection can become quite poor.

[ACMCC]

Another option which I use is a netgear thing that plugs in the mains next to your router (and in the LAN plug on your router), and anywhere in the house or grounds you plug the other part you get and you have another wireless output point.... don't remember the technical name for it! but your effectively making your mains supply on the house a large extention.... works well too, and you can add as many output points as you like, provided you have a mains socket nearby....:smile: think it was about £60, I have a few about as the signal will not go through me walls.

[monkey66]

Lots of directional antennas on fleabay, if you can point them at each other they will give you as much gain as a repeater.

[Stevieboy]

No they're not mate!! At least mine wasn't......My Belkin extender was £30 new off Amazon....fairly easy to set up too. Works brilliantly


What DeadBase is suggesting is a 'repeater', quite an expensive option and I don't know where you'd actually put the router considering you're outside your house and your original router is in the house.

[Stevieboy]

This is a good option too. I've got one of these in the upstairs living room where I connect a hub to run my Xbox and Xtreamer.


I bought the Netgear HDX101 200Mbps version off amazon and they work straight out the box. They're now discontinued but these (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Max-Value-200Mbps-Home-Double/dp/B001AIKBB4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275593880&sr=8-2) are an alternative


Another option which I use is a netgear thing that plugs in the mains next to your router (and in the LAN plug on your router), and anywhere in the house or grounds you plug the other part you get and you have another wireless output point.... don't remember the technical name for it! but your effectively making your mains supply on the house a large extention.... works well too, and you can add as many output points as you like, provided you have a mains socket nearby....:smile: think it was about £60, I have a few about as the signal will not go through me walls.

[Robusto]

Peanut helped me with advice to get a signal down in my shack. I have exactly the same situation as you, Pantoufle, so I'll watch for the result on this for you and follow it religiously lol.

I'd love to parp one off down there and tap into this. At least I can now on my iPhone. I never put that down now.

[Pantomimehorse]

My signal is on low Bry which is better than none and good enough most of the time bur I'd like something better .....

Tried a wireless N adapter didn't make any difference, think I'm going to look at those wifi ariels on eBay Monkey mentioned see if tfat helps

[webincrediblez.com]

Have you heard of Cantenna ? its a simple hack of cans to get a longer range of wifi... pretty cool eh..

[Bad-Yeti]

LOL came to post this, but would seem i've been beaten :rolleyes:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1242048/build_your_own_wireless_signal_booster_with_pringl es/

[Tzusskin]

If it's reflectors and antennas you are after then this place:- http://www.freeantennas.com/ has a load of verified plans for them.

Personally I would look at either the homeplug type of units and use your power system for it (we stream movies over our network with no problems this way) or a length of decent Cat5e though a conduit.

[daverave999]

Whoah! Thread resurrection!
In my previous flat we had homeplug set up, and you can also get a homeplug/wireless combo. To extend the range of the network at the front of the house, I put the 'wireless homeplug (http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-pl-85pew-mk2.htm)' at the back of the house and set it up with the same SSID and password, but on a different wireless channel. Worked flawlessly!

[Bad-Yeti]

Whoah! Thread resurrection!
In my previous flat we had homeplug set up, and you can also get a homeplug/wireless combo. To extend the range of the network at the front of the house, I put the 'wireless homeplug (http://www.solwise.co.uk/net-powerline-pl-85pew-mk2.htm)' at the back of the house and set it up with the same SSID and password, but on a different wireless channel. Worked flawlessly!

Are they the ones that use your household wiring as a network? Do they really work? I find it just staggering, does that mean that your network is open to anyone else on the same grid?

[daverave999]

Are they the ones that use your household wiring as a network? Do they really work? I find it just staggering, does that mean that your network is open to anyone else on the same grid?
Yes. Yes, but not for massive distances or with bad wiring. I think they are passworded in some way, but it's been so long since I set them up I can't remember in truth. I'm under the impression that you can if it's not set up properly, but it's easy to set them up. I got mine from Solwise.

[Stevieboy]

I use homeplugs and they work really well. I think because the wiring in your house is a closed loop ie it's a ring main, other folks can't hack in IIRC. You can pick up a pair of 200Mps plugs for around £50 on Amazon or ebay. To work best, they need to be in a socket all of their own so as to avoid interference from other devices


Tapatalked

[crslaytor]

You could try one of those Alpha usb wifi cards, they have got quiet good signal and you can choose the antena type, thought the card itself costs about the same like a cheap router lol 7116