Wireless Internet -help-

[arj127]

I'm having some trouble connecting a wireless repeater into my network system. I have a normal cable router connected to a wireless router which works sweet as, but I want to extend the range around the house with a g710 repeater that I have purchased. Not having much luck so far, has any had experience with this? Help

[CookMySock]

you will be far better served to put your money into a bigger and better antenna for your access point. http://gowifi.co.nz

DB

[arj127]

I have added a 5dbi aerial to the wireless router, but it didn't really help a lot. Trying to get from one end of the house to the other.

[scracha]

I have added a 5dbi aerial to the wireless router, but it didn't really help a lot. Trying to get from one end of the house to the other.

Yep, done a couple. Start off by putting the repeater next to the original wifi router. Follow the config wizard and see if it picks up the signal. If it can't manage that then it's fucked.

I can't believe you need a repeater in a single house though. You must have a mansion. Have you tried cheap directional antennae's like the TP-Link Yagi ones? Also try channel 1 or channel 11 (or maybe even 13 :-) on your wifi config as you may be getting interference.

[CookMySock]

I have added a 5dbi aerial to the wireless router, but it didn't really help a lot. Trying to get from one end of the house to the other.No, you are right, it won't. You need something with some nuts, like this http://www.gowifi.co.nz/products/antennas/2.4-ghz/omni/2.4-ghz-professional-15-dbi-omnidirectional.html

While you are at it, sell that access point on TM and get a proper one ;
http://www.gowifi.co.nz/products/access-points-802.11/engenius-ecb-3610s-600mw-wireless-802.11b/g-multi-client-bridge.html

And mount it along with your router up in the roof space. That should effortlessly cover your whole neighbourhood, no sweat.

Don't muck around with cheap consumer junk if you need real results.

DB

[-df-]

WAG200G
http://www.pricespy.co.nz/pno_10574.html

Not 100% sure on the specs of this, but I purchased one a month ago and have great reception all around my house and garage (haven't tried the lawn but sure it will work).

has 4 wired ports on the back and wireless built in...and only costs $130 for the ADSL2 modem.

and on a side note...my internet speed increased when I switched to this (but then my old one was crap).

[avgas]

Hmmm why do you need a repeater?
The linksys stuff is good quality. My one seems to get ok signal 100m from the house, through brick walls.
Pity vodafone cant get that lol

[CookMySock]

The linksys stuff is good quality.No It isn't, its cheap consumer junk. Output power is about 60mW on the linksys, compared to 600mW on the ECB-3610S, and the reciever sensitivity is very poor. If you put the Engenius and that big antenna on a hilltop, you will get 20km range to it, or more.

I install this stuff professionally, so check with me first before buying. The bottom line is, use 600mW Senao, and a quality antenna. It will be a $400 install instead of an $89 one, but it will work, and it will work really well, and you will keep it for ages.

DB

[mowgli]

No It isn't, its cheap consumer junk. Output power is about 60mW on the linksys, compared to 600mW on the ECB-3610S, and the reciever sensitivity is very poor. If you put the Engenius and that big antenna on a hilltop, you will get 20km range to it, or more.

I install this stuff professionally, so check with me first before buying. The bottom line is, use 600mW Senao, and a quality antenna. It will be a $400 install instead of an $89 one, but it will work, and it will work really well, and you will keep it for ages.

DB
A few years back a mate and I set up a wireless mesh across our neighbourhood using Linksys WRT54G access points and SVEASOFT custom firmware with Wireless Distribution System. WDS halves the wireless bandwidth but that didn't matter because we were only sharing a crappy JetStream connection. Our biggest hop was about 350m chimney to chimney using standard antennae. At its peak we had five WDS nodes and, I think, a dozen end users. All the WRTs were set to no more than 55mW and we got excellent connections in all but the heaviest rain.

More power is not always the answer. Sometimes increasing power actually reduces signal quality. Imagine someone standing nearby - its harder to make out shouting than it is to understand regular speaking. Interference is a biggie though. Definitely try a few channels and see if that helps.

So while I can't agree that Linksys gear is crap I definitely agree that speaking to a professional will help. Spending a bit more on quality gear and professional advice is worth the money spent.

[CookMySock]

More power is not always the answer. Sometimes increasing power actually reduces signal quality.Yup, because increasing the "power" lever in those custom firmwares didn't "increase" the power output at all. All it did was overdrive the output stage and made the transmitter occupy the entire eleven channels, instead of only the usual three. You can try this yourself with your old car radio, by increasing the volume slowly until it starts to starts to distort like fuck - this is the output of the WRTs. Now rotate the volume control fully clockwise and note there is no increase in volume or range whatsoever, rather, total mayhem ensues as the surrounding area is bashed into submission, soon to be followed by your radio or you being bashed into submission.

The old WRTs were so widely loved, because they were Linuxable. Thats all. Some of this affection somehow rubbed off onto its radio-link gear, but let me assure you, that is ill-founded.

The more modern stuff utterly pounds it in every respect. All access points will work across your lounge, into your kitchen, and through a wall or two. mostly, For more than that, you need some quality gear.

But I agree there was much fun had with the WRTs.

DB

[Ragingrob]

I've got a D-link wireless modem, one of the free ones from telecom, and the wireless doesn't reach my laptop in my room about 15-20m away :(...

Would something like this improve the wireless reach by much at all?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Networking-modems/Wireless-networking/Antennas/auction-154534340.htm

or

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Networking-modems/Wireless-networking/Antennas/auction-153521942.htm

Cheers.

[inlinefour]

I'm having some trouble connecting a wireless repeater into my network system. I have a normal cable router connected to a wireless router which works sweet as, but I want to extend the range around the house with a g710 repeater that I have purchased. Not having much luck so far, has any had experience with this? Help

Bin the lot and get a router with built in wireless. I did after running a bits and pieces set up and the change was amasing. No need to boost the signal and I think the neighbours could use it if they knew it was there...

[CookMySock]

one of the free ones from telecomahhh, heres your problem.

No, sell on trademe for $1res and buy a proper one.

DB

[Ragingrob]

ahhh, heres your problem.

No, sell on trademe for $1res and buy a proper one.

DB

So a better aerial wont do it? It make it to like 3m from my room but then I guess there are too many walls after that!

[CookMySock]

So a better aerial wont do it? It make it to like 3m from my room but then I guess there are too many walls after that!well, its a 250cc access point, and you really need an 1,100cc one.

Yes, you CAN hot it up with a wild cam, big carbs, rowdy exhaust, big 14dBi antenna, and it will help a LOT, but you are starting at the wrong end of things.

With a quality professional access point, you might not even need the big antenna. And they are BIG too.

DB

[Ragingrob]

well, its a 250cc access point, and you really need an 1,100cc one.

Yes, you CAN hot it up with a wild cam, big carbs, rowdy exhaust, big 14dBi antenna, and it will help a LOT, but you are starting at the wrong end of things.

With a quality professional access point, you might not even need the big antenna. And they are BIG too.

DB

Hmmm well I've only got my restricted licence which means I can't go above $50... So what you do with that? Haha

[CookMySock]

Hmmm well I've only got my restricted licence which means I can't go above $50... So what you do with that? Hahalol you do the same thing you do when you are riding your 250.. dream !! :2thumbsup

You COULD make your own antenna, if you have some metalworking skills and/or access to a milling machine. but you will still hit your $50 limit before you even have all the materials, let alone your coax and connectors.
http://www.seattlewireless.net/SlottedWaveguide

edit: those are freakin huge though. Not really an indoor antenna. Mind you, if you put it on the roof outside, you could talk to it from some km away, cough, as well as from your lounge.

DB

[scracha]

The more modern stuff utterly pounds it in every respect. All access points will work across your lounge, into your kitchen, and through a wall or two. mostly, For more than that, you need some quality gear.

But I agree there was much fun had with the WRTs.

DB

Not as much experience with the kit as DB but I'd second what he's saying. I've had a lot of Linksys stuff dying on me and similarly the Belkin stuff has caused embarrassment. The "freebie" telecon one is the Dlink DSL-604G (or summit like that). Unlike some other D-Link stuff (The freebie telecon 502 springs to mind) they're pretty bulletproof to be honest as long as you're using the latest firmware and no using SNMP (it just locks them up) then they should do the job around the house nicely. Umm...Netgear and especially he 3Com gear seems to be pretty good.

All the modern kit should work all over your house no problems whatsoever without the hassle of repeaters. The newer MiMo "N" kit goes for fuckin miles...ok..not miles...but it's got seriously crazy range. I'm thinking the problem might be your receiver. If it's a laptop then cards like the DWL630 have pretty poor reception. If it's a lappy with built in wifi then maybe it's aerial is borked. Have you tried other devices? You've not done something daft like put the aerial behind he fridge or summit have you?

[CookMySock]

Heya scracha,

Yeah I haven't played with MiMo but the idea of sounds good, and in practice as you say, the results are good also. The more modern Dstink stuff uses a low-end Atheros chipset, which is the better then the earlier dstink gear. It's difficult to put an external antenna on MiMo gear so thats what its not used outdoors. High-end Atheros will give you 60km links with the right antennas, IIRC. Never done that though. The high-end Senao/Engenious is all Atheros chipset.

It's great stuff to play with.

DB

[arj127]

the funny thing is, before i got the repeater, we had fairly good reception in our bedroom which is a few walls away, but in the morning you would get nothing! Is this because my missus would get up before me and crank up her laptop? See, weve bought these iphones which are really cool (another story) and we would like to surf the net from our bedroom with them, do the forum stuff before lights out etc. So i thought a repeater might help. I'm still in the process of getting the di-524 to talk to the g710 but hopefully i'll get there on the weekend when i get more time. Cheers for the advise

[arj127]

Bin the lot and get a router with built in wireless. I did after running a bits and pieces set up and the change was amasing. No need to boost the signal and I think the neighbours could use it if they knew it was there...

What brand and model did you use?

[scracha]

di-524 to talk to the g710 but hopefully i'll get there on the weekend when i get more time
Can't remember if the g710 also works as a "normal" wireless router. If it does then you could just "cheat", run a long ethernet cable to it and give it a duplicate SSID and WPA key.

Yeah..I know running cables defeats the purpose but at least you can use your handheld devices.

iTouchy thingie...bah...you'll wish you'd bought a proper PDA.

[arj127]

Can't remember if the g710 also works as a "normal" wireless router. If it does then you could just "cheat", run a long ethernet cable to it and give it a duplicate SSID and WPA key.

Yeah..I know running cables defeats the purpose but at least you can use your handheld devices.

iTouchy thingie...bah...you'll wish you'd bought a proper PDA.

dunno bout that, iphone is the bomb when your in the middle of town and want to use internet access. pull the phone out of your pocket and use someones unprotected wireless. very handy really.

[scracha]

dunno bout that, iphone is the bomb when your in the middle of town and want to use internet access. pull the phone out of your pocket and use someones unprotected wireless. very handy really.


Kinda like a PDA / smartphone, 'cept cos it's "cool" and has "Apple" it's 3 times their price. Can it run Google mobile maps and sync with Outlook?

[arj127]

Kinda like a PDA / smartphone, 'cept cos it's "cool" and has "Apple" it's 3 times their price. Can it run Google mobile maps and sync with Outlook?

yip, google maps and outlook express, weather stocks you tube and tons of other stuff. I paid half the NZ price as i bought it in the States

[scracha]

the funny thing is, before i got the repeater, we

Did you get this sorted? BE will berate me for this but I've used these
http://www.qmb.co.nz/p.aspx?106503
on a couple of farms to join outhouses and "workers" houses for up to about 200m. Cheap and cheerful but they do the job and they work outside (with liberally applied silicon goo over the leads though)

[arj127]

Did you get this sorted? BE will berate me for this but I've used these
http://www.qmb.co.nz/p.aspx?106503
on a couple of farms to join outhouses and "workers" houses for up to about 200m. Cheap and cheerful but they do the job and they work outside (with liberally applied silicon goo over the leads though)

No, ended up working on the weekend so didn't have time. I think its a matter of changing the IP addresses.
Thanks for the info, may look at that if i have no success.

[pete376403]

And mount it along with your router up in the roof space. That should effortlessly cover your whole neighbourhood, no sweat.
Don't muck around with cheap consumer junk if you need real results.
DB
I've done this with a Linksys access point and it has improved the coverage inside the house remarkably, even though its only about a meter higher than where it was previously, up on top of a wall unit. I get a reliable 54Mbps, medium/high signal according to the wireless monitor of the laptop, where previously I was lucky to get a connection from the same location. Does the steel roof act as a reflector for the signal? Also, would it act as some sort of sheild to the outside world?
Thanks

[CookMySock]

I've done this with a Linksys access point and it has improved the coverage inside the house remarkably, even though its only about a meter higher than where it was previously, up on top of a wall unit. I get a reliable 54Mbps, medium/high signal according to the wireless monitor of the laptop, where previously I was lucky to get a connection from the same location. Does the steel roof act as a reflector for the signal? Also, would it act as some sort of sheild to the outside world?Naw, its just the extra height. Microwave signals just lurrrrrve altitude.

It's even more noticeable outdoors. A small increase in antenna height results ina massive improvement in signal. Put it on a mountain top and it will do many many km's.

DB

[scracha]

. Does the steel roof act as a reflector for the signal? Also, would it act as some sort of sheild to the outside world?
Thanks

Wavy corrugated iron is fantastic for buggering up wifi. Also remember if the signal is to go through walls it's best done perpendicular to them as otherwise going through them diagonally increases the wall thickness (A LOT).

[scracha]

This "mesh" network thing sounds the very business though. Not keen on the linksys stuff. Is there anything else that's capable of it?