Extending Wireless range...

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Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Quick Question for you all.

I have cable Internet access, am using a Netgear 802.11b Router.
Everything is working great. My only question is how can I extend the
Range of the router?

I just had built a new large deck outside my house, which happens to be
at the Opposite end of the house that the router is located.

My wife and I each have wireless access on our laptops. while in the
house the signal is Good, Very good, or Excellent. But when going
outside, the signal is LOW or VERY LOW. We're probably pushing the range
of close to 100 feet away from the router.

My wife says she sometimes has problems getting online when out on our
deck, even when her computer says she has a LOW signal.

Any suggestions? something NOT hideously expensive.

Michael
--
~\\|//~
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/ Michael Arends \
| To Contact me, remove NODAMNSPAM |
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Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 15:06:12 -0700, Michael Arends wrote:

> Quick Question for you all.
>
> I have cable Internet access, am using a Netgear 802.11b Router.
> Everything is working great. My only question is how can I extend the
> Range of the router?
>
> I just had built a new large deck outside my house, which happens to be
> at the Opposite end of the house that the router is located.
>
> My wife and I each have wireless access on our laptops. while in the
> house the signal is Good, Very good, or Excellent. But when going
> outside, the signal is LOW or VERY LOW. We're probably pushing the range
> of close to 100 feet away from the router.
>
> My wife says she sometimes has problems getting online when out on our
> deck, even when her computer says she has a LOW signal.
>
> Any suggestions? something NOT hideously expensive.
>
> Michael

If it's not too difficult to run an ethernet cable to the other end of the
house (interior), or even part way, you could plug in an access point. Set
the access point to the same SSID as the wireless router, and the same
encryption, if any, but select a different channel. Good to go.

Access points can be had from eBay for about $30. I don't have a good
source at hand for 50 foot or 100 foot cat5 cables, maybe someone else has
a good link.

I'd probably try the parabolic antenna first, myself, but that's because I
always liked arts and crafts in elementary school.

--
Barry
 
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Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Michael Arends <mlarends@nodamnspamearthlink.net> wrote:
> I have cable Internet access, am using a Netgear 802.11b Router.
> Everything is working great. My only question is how can I extend the
> Range of the router?

www.freeantennas.com EZ10 in just a few minutes, the parabolas with some
patience.

---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

Hey Mike,

Couple of options:

1. Use a high-gain antenna on your base station. There are some
commercial ones available, depends upon the make and model of your AP

2. Use a wireless repeater. This is basically another Access Point on
your network that lives untethered to any network cables and repeats the
signal of your primary AP. That's what I have done around my house: Got
a Linksys WAP11 AP as the primary, and then installed another WAP11 as a
repeater, effectively extending the range over to my neighbor's house
through the walls.

cheers,
Tony

Michael Arends wrote:

> Quick Question for you all.
>
> I have cable Internet access, am using a Netgear 802.11b Router.
> Everything is working great. My only question is how can I extend the
> Range of the router?
>
> I just had built a new large deck outside my house, which happens to be
> at the Opposite end of the house that the router is located.
>
> My wife and I each have wireless access on our laptops. while in the
> house the signal is Good, Very good, or Excellent. But when going
> outside, the signal is LOW or VERY LOW. We're probably pushing the range
> of close to 100 feet away from the router.
>
> My wife says she sometimes has problems getting online when out on our
> deck, even when her computer says she has a LOW signal.
>
> Any suggestions? something NOT hideously expensive.
>
> Michael
 

frank

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Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

I'd go with a Wireless Access Point solution (extended via Ethernet cable
from router or switch to a place closer to the porch).

-Frank

"Michael Arends" <mlarends@NODAMNSPAMearthlink.net> wrote in message
news:z_adnVyE1tB4P2TdRVn-hw@giganews.com...
> Quick Question for you all.
>
> I have cable Internet access, am using a Netgear 802.11b Router.
> Everything is working great. My only question is how can I extend the
> Range of the router?
>
> I just had built a new large deck outside my house, which happens to be
> at the Opposite end of the house that the router is located.
>
> My wife and I each have wireless access on our laptops. while in the
> house the signal is Good, Very good, or Excellent. But when going
> outside, the signal is LOW or VERY LOW. We're probably pushing the range
> of close to 100 feet away from the router.
>
> My wife says she sometimes has problems getting online when out on our
> deck, even when her computer says she has a LOW signal.
>
> Any suggestions? something NOT hideously expensive.
>
> Michael
> --
> ~\\|//~
> -(o o)-
> __________oOOOo--(_)--oOOOo__________
> / Michael Arends \
> | To Contact me, remove NODAMNSPAM |
> \_____________________________________/
>
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 00:15:08 GMT, Tony Vinayak
<tvinayak.nospam@optonline.net> wrote:

>Hey Mike,
>
>Couple of options:
>
>1. Use a high-gain antenna on your base station. There are some
>commercial ones available, depends upon the make and model of your AP
>
>2. Use a wireless repeater. This is basically another Access Point on
>your network that lives untethered to any network cables and repeats the
>signal of your primary AP. That's what I have done around my house: Got
>a Linksys WAP11 AP as the primary, and then installed another WAP11 as a
>repeater, effectively extending the range over to my neighbor's house
>through the walls.
>
>cheers,
>Tony

===============================
I got a lot better signal strenght just by swapping the oem
antenna on my Linksys access point with a Trash Shack replacement...
cost about 20 bucks...

My only question is how can you even see the screen on the laptop
while outside....I can not seem to find anywhere outside in the shade
or not that allows me to easily see the screen... I place the laptop
inside a card borad box while sitting near the pool...

Bob Griffiths
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.internet.wireless (More info?)

On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 20:30:57 -0400, Bob G <Rg327@Adephia.net> wrote:


>My only question is how can you even see the screen on the laptop
>while outside....I can not seem to find anywhere outside in the shade
>or not that allows me to easily see the screen... I place the laptop
>inside a card borad box while sitting near the pool...
>
>Bob Griffiths


They make portable hoods that you can fasten to the laptop or...you
can make one yourself...that is what I did. Made a three sided hood
from stiff black posterboard and attach it with velcro...works great.