Broadband set-up - Wireless? Wired? How?

[Gremlin]

I never set up a wireless network without a wi-spy adapter (which can pretty much locate all sources of interference) and often need backtrack to identify problems.

Nothing beats setting up a nice wireless, on a channel separate from the other networks around, only to have someone come along later and set their own up, same channel, with at least the other half available...

Or can't you have a 2nd router in the setup... so I'd have to just run cable from inside directly to my laptop in room?

You're after a switch. Routers and modems are use interchangeably, but are actually different. A switch is like an advanced hub, simply connecting stuff together.

I nominate Gremlin.

Ooh, Whistler... noice... I'll be there late July.

Wait... Auckland? Pah... far too close

[Ronin]

If you're not all that clued up on the intricacies of wireless routers why not consider a couple of home plug type powerline adaptors.
Pretty much just plug and play - so long as you are all on the same meter.

Ahhh fuggit. I hate agreeing with you.

Sons room is 20 meters up the house and i put a WD media player in there for him. As I'm to lazy (fat) to crawl under the house and couldn't catch a kid to do it I threw a netcom turbo plug unit at each end and away it went. No config. Just worked.

[The Stranger:Me]

Ahhh fuggit. I hate agreeing with you.

You'll get used to it. Most do in the end.

[scracha]

NetCom powerline stuff is good but I'd be surprised if 2 buildings so far apart were on the same power.

Wireless "N" is supposed to go further than "g" but to be honest, we've had lot of issues with it. Most of them I suspect to do with Window Vista/7.

Cheap $hit that actually works (unlike the Linksys (ok...some) and more expensive Engenius stuff) is
TD-W8960N - ADSL router with wifi "n". Set it to fixed channel not "auto" though. Have found range is beter with "g" mode on this model. Very stable.
TL-WA901ND - Comes with a PoE injector. Has "universal repeater" mode if you need to add more "hops". Works well as a bridge whilst also in universal repeater mode. Very stable.


Line of sight and it's less than 50m then likely you can do it for around $300 peso's (or even cheaper with the "g" stuff).
TD-W8960N - will be set to 192.168.1.1 - Change it from auto to channel 6 (for starters) and WPA2 AES encryption (repeaters need to match)
TL-WA901ND (end of building facing other building unless you can put the above unit in this location) - set it to 192.168.1.252
TL-WA901ND (end of other building facing first building) - set it to 192.168.1.253
Add addtional WA901ND's where required to repeat the signal.

If it's more than 50m or trees etc are in the way then I reckon you'll need directional outdoor antennae's.
TL-ANT2409A - 9DB Yagi antennae....good bang per buck.
TL-ANT2424B - Much, much harder to line up parabolic antennae.



Easiest app you'll find for Wifi analysis is "insider" from metageek.net. Gives nice pretty graphs of wifi channels and an be hooked up to GPS. Line of sight is very important with Wifi.

[Ragingrob]

Nothing beats setting up a nice wireless, on a channel separate from the other networks around, only to have someone come along later and set their own up, same channel, with at least the other half available...


You're after a switch. Routers and modems are use interchangeably, but are actually different. A switch is like an advanced hub, simply connecting stuff together.


Ooh, Whistler... noice... I'll be there late July.

Wait... Auckland? Pah... far too close

So with a switch I just plug in the ethernet cable directly from the router, and then can plug anything into the switch to grab the net? There seem to be a bunch of switches on trademe, are we talking about something like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/N...-376064680.htm ?

Also, are routers able to be use as switches, where I could then utilise the wireless capability also?

NetCom powerline stuff is good but I'd be surprised if 2 buildings so far apart were on the same power.

Wireless "N" is supposed to go further than "g" but to be honest, we've had lot of issues with it. Most of them I suspect to do with Window Vista/7.

Cheap $hit that actually works (unlike the Linksys (ok...some) and more expensive Engenius stuff) is
TD-W8960N - ADSL router with wifi "n". Set it to fixed channel not "auto" though. Have found range is beter with "g" mode on this model. Very stable.
TL-WA901ND - Comes with a PoE injector. Has "universal repeater" mode if you need to add more "hops". Works well as a bridge whilst also in universal repeater mode. Very stable.


Line of sight and it's less than 50m then likely you can do it for around $300 peso's (or even cheaper with the "g" stuff).
TD-W8960N - will be set to 192.168.1.1 - Change it from auto to channel 6 (for starters) and WPA2 AES encryption (repeaters need to match)
TL-WA901ND (end of building facing other building unless you can put the above unit in this location) - set it to 192.168.1.252
TL-WA901ND (end of other building facing first building) - set it to 192.168.1.253
Add addtional WA901ND's where required to repeat the signal.

If it's more than 50m or trees etc are in the way then I reckon you'll need directional outdoor antennae's.
TL-ANT2409A - 9DB Yagi antennae....good bang per buck.
TL-ANT2424B - Much, much harder to line up parabolic antennae.



Easiest app you'll find for Wifi analysis is "insider" from metageek.net. Gives nice pretty graphs of wifi channels and an be hooked up to GPS. Line of sight is very important with Wifi.

Cheers for the specific models, will definitely look into them if I decide on wireless.




Moving in on Saturday, will want net ASAP, I'll check out their setup on the weekend and update this post... Then go from there, might have to get The Stranger to pop over to be honest!

But yes, I'm keen for anything on solid wires for the stability, if possible, i.e. if I can somehow run a wire into both houses!!

[Gremlin]

So with a switch I just plug in the ethernet cable directly from the router, and then can plug anything into the switch to grab the net? There seem to be a bunch of switches on trademe, are we talking about something like this http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/N...-376064680.htm ?

Also, are routers able to be use as switches, where I could then utilise the wireless capability also?

Something like that, but personally, I stay away from Netgear. However, speak to a few techs, and we're all going to have our own preferences. Linksys switches are quite good, netcomm isn't too bad either (used to be dynalink until bought out, and I liked Dynalink, not to be confused with D-link).

Routers are technically not switches, but for your terminology etc, yes, the router has built-in switch functionality.

[The Stranger:Me]

However, speak to a few techs, and we're all going to have our own preferences.

netcomm isn't too bad either (used to be dynalink until bought out, and I liked Dynalink, not to be confused with D-link).

Quite right, everyone does tend to have their likes and dislikes and not to take anything away from other brands but one thing I very much like about netcomm is that the local support is good - It's a local call to kiwis if you have a problem.
Not being racist, but it's bloody handy if you can understand the person on the other end of the phone and vice versa. Actually it's bloody handy if you can actually call them at all is another consideration often.

[Ragingrob]

Something like that, but personally, I stay away from Netgear. However, speak to a few techs, and we're all going to have our own preferences. Linksys switches are quite good, netcomm isn't too bad either (used to be dynalink until bought out, and I liked Dynalink, not to be confused with D-link).

Routers are technically not switches, but for your terminology etc, yes, the router has built-in switch functionality.

Quite right, everyone does tend to have their likes and dislikes and not to take anything away from other brands but one thing I very much like about netcomm is that the local support is good - It's a local call to kiwis if you have a problem.
Not being racist, but it's bloody handy if you can understand the person on the other end of the phone and vice versa. Actually it's bloody handy if you can actually call them at all is another consideration often.

Ok, here's the deal:

There is a wireless netgear router in the main house. It has one wall to get through to get outside, then about 15-20m to get to our wall, then we want to be able to get the net from everywhere within our little lounge and adjacent room.

We can actually pick up the current wireless to a strength that youtube videos load much faster than they play. But... Only if we are right next to the closest wall...

Sooo... Am I able to just pick up a repeater to pick up the signal from the closest wall and then boost it throughout our area??

[The Stranger:Me]

Ok, here's the deal:

There is a wireless netgear router in the main house. It has one wall to get through to get outside, then about 15-20m to get to our wall, then we want to be able to get the net from everywhere within our little lounge and adjacent room.

We can actually pick up the current wireless to a strength that youtube videos load much faster than they play. But... Only if we are right next to the closest wall...

Sooo... Am I able to just pick up a repeater to pick up the signal from the closest wall and then boost it throughout our area??

As discussed, and for the benefit of others, a repeater is not necessarily as easy as one would like to think. For a start it cuts your speed roughly in half as the repeater has to deal with radio in and out now i.e. a connection to your laptop and a connection to the original base station. SO signal will be good, but speed down.
As well as that there are several different standards and ways of skinning this cat (repeaters) and you need to ensure you will need to be sure you have compatible standards and equipment. The best advise I can give in trying to achieve that is to use equipment from the same manufacturer - but that in itself doesn't guarantee it will work.

If you can move the wireless access point closer this should help. Elevation can often help too, head height should be good. If the aerial is detachable get a better antenna.

I would suggest that given you have signal anyway, the best results would be obtained from the wireless by moving the unit closer, lifting it a bit if not already at about 2m and if the antenna is removable getting a better antenna - perhaps uni directional even?

[gonzo_akl]

Ok, here's the deal:

We can actually pick up the current wireless to a strength that youtube videos load much faster than they play. But... Only if we are right next to the closest wall...

As scraha says above go to metageek.net and download inSSIDer you'll get a really good idea of the signal strength you are getting and what the impact of moving the base station around. I have trouble with explorer8 when i go there but that could be due to the corporate build on my notebook.
http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

[Ragingrob]

As discussed, and for the benefit of others, a repeater is not necessarily as easy as one would like to think. For a start it cuts your speed roughly in half as the repeater has to deal with radio in and out now i.e. a connection to your laptop and a connection to the original base station. SO signal will be good, but speed down.
As well as that there are several different standards and ways of skinning this cat (repeaters) and you need to ensure you will need to be sure you have compatible standards and equipment. The best advise I can give in trying to achieve that is to use equipment from the same manufacturer - but that in itself doesn't guarantee it will work.

If you can move the wireless access point closer this should help. Elevation can often help too, head height should be good. If the aerial is detachable get a better antenna.

I would suggest that given you have signal anyway, the best results would be obtained from the wireless by moving the unit closer, lifting it a bit if not already at about 2m and if the antenna is removable getting a better antenna - perhaps uni directional even?

Well, that was all very easy!

The previous tenants could not pick up a signal from in here and ended up using like 3 or 4 different pieces of equipment to get one. But for some reason we can pick one up straight away, maybe thanks to Mac??

Anyway, managed to move the modem so that it's pretty much line of sight through one window and into another about 15m away, and holy shit what a difference!! Can now get signal everywhere within our lounge + bedroom, in the lounge it can managed torrents at over 250kb/s... and if we download something with the laptop near the front window it managed a 1mb/s download! So, very happy and didn't even really have to do anything.

Cheers for all the help guys. Now I've just got to sort this sky extension cord!

I've bought 10m of the sky cable, a cable connector kit thingy and the aerial plug. I thought that I had connected it all as it should be, but sky just won't pick up anything at all. Dammit! I think I'll just get in touch with the guy before us and he can tell me how he did it, being an electrical engineer and all...