Improving the wireless reception around the house

[Technique]

At some point this year we'll be getting our own place as FTBs. One of the things i was thinking about was the home network.

I don't want the same problem we currently have living with my mum - in that some rooms we get great WiFi reception, other rooms we get 1 or no bars.

The wireless modem-router will be plugged direct into the phone line & i imagine some device (or devices) will be plugged into the modem-router & then wired to the room they need to be in.

1) Would these devices need their own power source, or do they run from the modem-router?

2) What devices would i be looking at to do this?

3) Does the modem-router still act as a wireless transmitter in this setup or does connecting devices to 'extend' the signal stop it from doing this?

4) Is there a better way of extending the wireless signal than what i've just asked about? (It'd have to be cheap & reliable)

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I picked up one of these last payday, and it works really well, and it's low cost to boot: http://www.engeniustech.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=71:routers&id=3384:300-mbps-wireless-n-range-expander&Itemid=114

[remixedcat]

Also are you allowed to get a new router so you don't have to worry about another device???

If not then here's the latest range extender that I've tried.... I've tried a few netgear ones and some other brand ones but I don't remember how good they were, nor did I get to play on the config menus...

however for range extenders...

I recommend this range extender: Amped SR20000G It was very good and I was able to even stream vids 200 some feet away from it thru 5 walls and down the road...

Also please note that you must place it in an area you get 70% or greater sig. str. as well. This goes for all range extenders/repeaters and not just amped.

It also has stuff like USB sharing and 5 GB LAN ports to hook up wired devices as well.

[Arachno 1D]

You can get a wireless extender that plugs in to your mains socket one near the router connected with cat5 cable and one in another room which provides the wireless connection or if you prefer a wired connection type.

They comes in many speeds,makes,types and prices from around ?20 upwards depending on your needs.

Pairs [1 base +1 node],sets of three [1 base and 2 nodes], single or double wired connections,plug in or plug through, various speed

[neoraptor]

or just put a wire so you have the two most distant parts of the house covered and put two of those http://www.tp-link.com/common/subject/wireless/TL-WDR4300/?siteid=3 - 5GHz, 3 antennas

[Technique]

It wouldn't really necessarily be the 2 most distance parts though.

Living room & bedroom would be a must for the WiFi. We'll probably be going 3 bedrooms, so good reception in the other 2 would be great. Bathroom not so important for example. Kitchen is likely to be next to living room. Then there's a bit outside, depending on what we buy. We may have a decent garden, we may not.

Just for the record i have a Netgear DGND3700 which i'll be taking with us to the new house.

Thanks for the replies too.

[Detection]

Just set another router up as an AP, wire it to the dead part of the house if you have one, cheap and effective

[remixedcat]

TRIP HAZARDS!

or what if the floor is icky underneath and you got SLENDERMAN underneath the floor?

[+BudMan MVC]

Just set another router up as an AP, wire it to the dead part of the house if you have one, cheap and effective

Exactly! if you can not run wire from to the different parts of the house - then use the powerline adapters as mentioned already.

Sure you can use WDS, Repeaters, etc. that would make a wireless connection to your wireless from your gateway device. But not very good for wireless bandwidth - any sort of repeat of wireless signal will cut the wireless bandwidth.

As detection states - if you have wireless coverage issues, you cover those areas with other Access points and wire them to your lan. This is best overall solution for speed, stability and coverage. Use of wireless routers as AP is simple and easy and cost effective - most times wireless routers can be had for cheaper than any sort of repeater or extender or true accesspoint. And you normally get the added benefit of their lan ports that can be used to connect other wired devices in the area of poor wifi coverage.

Any and ALL wireless routers can be used as just AP, simple as disable their dhcp server and connect them to your lan via one of their lan ports. Setup their lan IP to be on your lan network, then access them via their gui and configure the wireless network. You can use the same SSID if you want, you could use different if you so desire - just makes possible issues in roaming. And set them up on different channels to prevent overlap with other AP or wireless networks in the area.

So for example if you had your main wireless router on channel 6, and 2 other APs I would prob run one on channel 1 and the other on channel 11 this gives you the 3 channels that do not overlap. All using the same SSID and PSK, this way your clients will auto roam to the one that is giving them the strongest signal. You can setup the roam features of your clients on the client so they will be aggressive in switching to different AP or less aggressive in switching, etc.

[Technique]

Exactly! if you can not run wire from to the different parts of the house - then use the powerline adapters as mentioned already.

Sure you can use WDS, Repeaters, etc. that would make a wireless connection to your wireless from your gateway device. But not very good for wireless bandwidth - any sort of repeat of wireless signal will cut the wireless bandwidth.

As detection states - if you have wireless coverage issues, you cover those areas with other Access points and wire them to your lan. This is best overall solution for speed, stability and coverage. Use of wireless routers as AP is simple and easy and cost effective - most times wireless routers can be had for cheaper than any sort of repeater or extender or true accesspoint. And you normally get the added benefit of their lan ports that can be used to connect other wired devices in the area of poor wifi coverage.

Any and ALL wireless routers can be used as just AP, simple as disable their dhcp server and connect them to your lan via one of their lan ports. Setup their lan IP to be on your lan network, then access them via their gui and configure the wireless network. You can use the same SSID if you want, you could use different if you so desire - just makes possible issues in roaming. And set them up on different channels to prevent overlap with other AP or wireless networks in the area.

So for example if you had your main wireless router on channel 6, and 2 other APs I would prob run one on channel 1 and the other on channel 11 this gives you the 3 channels that do not overlap. All using the same SSID and PSK, this way your clients will auto roam to the one that is giving them the strongest signal. You can setup the roam features of your clients on the client so they will be aggressive in switching to different AP or less aggressive in switching, etc.

I think this is the very first time, EVER, that i've FULLY understood a BudMan post. Either you're slacking, or i've had a rush of blood to the head, but something isn't right.

Regards the trip hazard thing - this is total rubbish. I wouldn't be trailing wires across the floor. I hate clutter & everything would be done tidily.

Anyway, thanks for that. Will need to wait until we buy the house to see how things pan out but it's certainly helpful.