Extending Wireless Range

Haly · 11-12-2009, 14:20

Due to some misguided planning, the household cable modem and router are located in my bedroom which is on one side of quite a long house. Throw in some thick walls (quarry stone at that!) and it means the living room at the front of the house can't pick up a wireless signal from the router.
It can very nearly pick up a signal at one end of the room but it's very faint and pretty unreliable all round.

My Mum's being given my laptop once my new one arrives next week and would like to be able to use the internet while sitting on the sofa which is at the furthest point of the room.

That's all filler anyway really

But what are my options for getting it to work?

I'm really out of the loop with these things

The router is a Linksys WRT54GL. There isn't really anywhere I can physically move the router and/or modem to simply due to the logistics of where everything is. So that's out of the question.

Would something like this help at all? http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=221399 Rather expensive for what it is but I assume I could track down an alternative easily enough

leowyatt · 11-12-2009, 14:29

well you could just extend the cable for the modem and put it in the middle of the house

I bought one off ebay and moved our V+ box from the back bedroom to the front one

Haly · 11-12-2009, 14:34

Bit awkward again though due to the logistics of finding somewhere safe to put it with somewhere to plug it in etc though.

Also I wouldn't trust myself to have a clue with extending the cable!

leowyatt · 11-12-2009, 14:39

extending is fine Jen all you'll do is buy a cable off ebay with a male connector on one end (this goes into the modem) and a female on the other (it goes on the end of the original cable)

If there is a plug on your landing I suppose that would work. Would be cheaper than the extender, less than a tenner I'd say.

Haly · 11-12-2009, 14:42

There aren't any plugs on the landing unfortunately! So that's out of the question.

Any other ideas or is it time to find a cheap extender?

Feek · 11-12-2009, 14:58

A large power drill, a drum of network cable and some cable clips. That's how I did it. Twice.

I have two lengths of CAT5 tacked around the house from my shack, one goes all the way to the back and the other goes down to the front room, behind the telly.

Plugged into one of the extensions is a router that extends my existing wireless network. Result: Strong wi-fi signals throughout the entire house.

Haly · 11-12-2009, 15:04

Doesn't that still require either an extender or another router though?

We've got CAT5 strewn through some of the walls and loft anyway as my Dad set it up a few years ago.

Psymonkee · 11-12-2009, 15:11

Extend the cables

Rent a drill and start making holes

Aboobie · 11-12-2009, 17:53

What about one of those electric socket network thingies like the devolo homeplugs?

Daz · 11-12-2009, 18:07

Never got on with homeplugs, always run too warm for my likeness :/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feek

A large power drill, a drum of network cable and some cable clips.

Win!

I have a cat 5 going from the PC in the spare room, under the carpet to the stairs, drilled through the stairs into the cupboard under the stairs, drilled through that wall into the garage, where the server and a switch is. There's a cable from the bookshelf behind the living room door drilled through the wall under the stairs which follows the same route. Then there's a cable from the switch in the garage, through the wall out into the garden, then through the living room wall to behind the TV, into a switch for the 360/whatever else. Wireless is fine everywhere though, cheap new house materials and all

Router is in the front room, get signal everywhere.

If moving the router is out of the question then yeah, a second one with the same ssid/key (on a different channel) would be where I'd be looking. If you have cat5 terminated anywhere near where you're trying to get signal then that's a goer if you can plumb the routers together

You can get a wireless cable router on ebuyer for £12 at the mo: http://www.ebuyer.com/product/169923

11-12-2009, 14:20	#1
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	Extending Wireless Range Due to some misguided planning, the household cable modem and router are located in my bedroom which is on one side of quite a long house. Throw in some thick walls (quarry stone at that!) and it means the living room at the front of the house can't pick up a wireless signal from the router. It can very nearly pick up a signal at one end of the room but it's very faint and pretty unreliable all round. My Mum's being given my laptop once my new one arrives next week and would like to be able to use the internet while sitting on the sofa which is at the furthest point of the room. That's all filler anyway really But what are my options for getting it to work? I'm really out of the loop with these things The router is a Linksys WRT54GL. There isn't really anywhere I can physically move the router and/or modem to simply due to the logistics of where everything is. So that's out of the question. Would something like this help at all? http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=221399 Rather expensive for what it is but I assume I could track down an alternative easily enough __________________ Halycopter

11-12-2009, 14:29	#2
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	well you could just extend the cable for the modem and put it in the middle of the house I bought one off ebay and moved our V+ box from the back bedroom to the front one __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

11-12-2009, 14:34	#3
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	Bit awkward again though due to the logistics of finding somewhere safe to put it with somewhere to plug it in etc though. Also I wouldn't trust myself to have a clue with extending the cable! __________________ Halycopter

11-12-2009, 14:39	#4
leowyatt Chef extraordinaire Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Infinite Loop Posts: 11,143	extending is fine Jen all you'll do is buy a cable off ebay with a male connector on one end (this goes into the modem) and a female on the other (it goes on the end of the original cable) If there is a plug on your landing I suppose that would work. Would be cheaper than the extender, less than a tenner I'd say. __________________ "Dr Sheldon Cooper FTW!"

11-12-2009, 14:42	#5
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	There aren't any plugs on the landing unfortunately! So that's out of the question. Any other ideas or is it time to find a cheap extender? __________________ Halycopter

11-12-2009, 14:58	#6
Feek ex SAS Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: JO01ou Posts: 10,062	A large power drill, a drum of network cable and some cable clips. That's how I did it. Twice. I have two lengths of CAT5 tacked around the house from my shack, one goes all the way to the back and the other goes down to the front room, behind the telly. Plugged into one of the extensions is a router that extends my existing wireless network. Result: Strong wi-fi signals throughout the entire house. __________________

11-12-2009, 15:04	#7
Haly Do you want to hide in my box? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 14,941	Doesn't that still require either an extender or another router though? We've got CAT5 strewn through some of the walls and loft anyway as my Dad set it up a few years ago. __________________ Halycopter

11-12-2009, 15:11	#8
Psymonkee A cat wearing a wet suit Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: St.Andrews Posts: 2,023	Extend the cables Rent a drill and start making holes __________________ Sonisphere FMC Code: 1k949178

11-12-2009, 17:53	#9
Aboobie Vodka Martini Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Beverley Posts: 749	What about one of those electric socket network thingies like the devolo homeplugs? __________________