Connect external wifi antennae to PCI wireless card through extension cord?

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Sparktown

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Jan 28, 2015
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My desktop connects to my home wireless network through a PCI wireless card. It gets about 2 mbps download / 1.5 mbps upload.

However, I tested the signal on the other side of the room with my smartphone using Ookla's Speedtest app. I got 11 mbps dwn/ 10 mbps up on a dresser about 3-4 meters away.

I can't really move the desktop, so I was thinking about getting a free-standing wireless antennae to put on the dresser and a extension cable to connect it to my PC's pci wireless card.

If I run it behind other furniture so it doesn't get in the way, I would need about 11 meters of cable. If I just run it across the floor (not ideal, but not horrible), I'll need 6 meters.

1) Is this a feasible solution? Will the length of the cable slow the connection? Would I even get an improvement in speed?

2) Of course, I would like recommendations for extension cables and an antenna. Ideally, something affordable (maybe under $30 for everything?).

Thanks.
 
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Loss of signal due to the cable length is the biggest issue. Even if you use lmr400 microwave cable you lose about 2-3db at that distance. so even if you put a 9db antenna on you would only end up with 6. LMR400 ignoring the cost of the ends is well over your budget just for the cable. If you drop down to lmr200 you would have a loss of about 6db and it would still cost you just over the $30 without the ends.

I would get a client-bridge and hook a ethernet cable to it. Many of the "extenders" have this feature but you can get dedicated client-bridge devices that are used for game consoles or tv without wireless. A outdoor direction bridge costs about $50 so you should be able to find a indoor one for less.
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bill001g

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Loss of signal due to the cable length is the biggest issue. Even if you use lmr400 microwave cable you lose about 2-3db at that distance. so even if you put a 9db antenna on you would only end up with 6. LMR400 ignoring the cost of the ends is well over your budget just for the cable. If you drop down to lmr200 you would have a loss of about 6db and it would still cost you just over the $30 without the ends.

I would get a client-bridge and hook a ethernet cable to it. Many of the "extenders" have this feature but you can get dedicated client-bridge devices that are used for game consoles or tv without wireless. A outdoor direction bridge costs about $50 so you should be able to find a indoor one for less.
 
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Sparktown

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Yes - I've been using speedtest.net (with should be the same as the Ookla app).

I just took the approximate average of what I normally get doing speedtest on my pc. I just did a speedtest on my pc and got: Ping 30; 3.78 Mbps down / 4.19 Mbps up. This is a little faster than usual.

I did a speedtest with my smartphone placed next to my PC (not where I would place the external antennae) and only got Ping 19ms; 0.86 Mbps down / 1.20 Mbps per up.

Strangely, on both tests the upload speed seems slightly faster than the download speed.

This seems unrelated, but it might be worth noting that I'm connecting to my network's main wireless router through a wireless extender set up in another room. I'm too far away from the main router to connect directly.
 
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Sparktown

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Think I understand what you are saying. Basically, the wireless signal would be received by the client-bridge, which would then connect to my computer through an ethernet cable (bypassing my pc's pci wireless card completely).

One thing I'm worried about. As I mentioned in a previous reply, I'm actually already wirelessly connecting to a wifi extender (Netgear WN2000RPT) in another room through my pc's wireless card. So the client-bridge (maybe another Netgear WN2000RPT - it has ethernet ports on the back) would be connected to the wifi extender, which would in-turn wirelessly connect to the network's main router.

Is this okay? This kinda worries me. Can an extender connect to another extender?
 
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bill001g

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It should be able to. The key part is it must act as a client-bridge rather than a repeater. The difference is a client-bridge only has 1 mac address behind it. A repeater uses WDS to connect and that allows multiple devices, that is the part I do not think you can run a repeater behind a repeater.

Maybe another thought. Why don't you look into powerline devices. You should then be able to hook 1 direct to the router and the second to your pc. You then do not have the repeater in the path either.
 
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Sparktown

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So would using another repeater would be okay if I only connected one device? Am I safer just getting a dedicated client-bridge device? I am looking for one, but I can't find any.

I don't know a lot about networking, so maybe I'm using the wrong search terms.Do you know/can you link to any good, affordable dedicated client-bridge devices?

Powerline is a interesting suggestion. I didn't know anything about it until you mentioned it. I would have to move some stuff around, but I have an outlet by my computer and by the main router. Do you think this would give better speed than the client-bridge?

Thanks. This is helping a lot.
 
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bill001g

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powerline network tend to work better than repeaters and better than even wireless when you get poor signal. They work very well in "most" houses. Since they are a form a radio transmission...just over the electrical wires...there are some houses they do not work in. It is a very small number but it is best if you order from a place that has a return policy. You never really know but you would see lots of hateful reviews if they did not work for the great majority of people.

The wireless bridge units I tend to use are outdoor ones made by engenius or ubiquiti. Even though they are designed for outdoor use they work fine inside. There are likely other brand that work just as well I just use these outdoor units so much they are familiar.

I really wish the stupid marketing guys would go away and let the engineers write things. They love the term wireless "extender" and that can mean anything. Generally there is a clinet-bridge, a AP, or a combination of these which is what a repeater is but they call all these units "extender".
 
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