ChuckS Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I did a little snooping around the web and it seems that there is not yet an 802.11N repeater available out yet. An alternative would be to look into the Ethernet over powerline stuff that has come out recently. That uses your house AC wiring as the media. Kind of like transplanting DSL from you phone wires to your electric wires. I have no personal experience with it. But, if money is THE issue, there ain't nothing cheaper than a spool of wire! Later, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperman Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Bad News.I've been on the phone with Belkin all morning. (I believe it was India) They helped me test the hardware.... software..... change the channel settings.... etc. etc...etc. And it did no good I can get an excellent signal in some places.. a good to fair signal in every other room in the house.... But wouldn't you know it... the only room in which my wife wants to use the lap top rates only a poor to very poor connection. There are just too many layers of materials between the two PCs (the worst problem seems to be a large mirror on the wall... apparently those stop a signal cold). So it looks like I will be crawling through the bat dung in my attic to relocated the router to a more central place in the house. Thanks to you all for the ideas and insights. You don't have to relocate the entire router. Most of them allow you to connect a remote antenna. These antennae not only boost the signal, but also allow you to put it in a more central location. Something like this. http://www.wirelessnetworkproducts.com/ind...&ProdID=736 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganShootist Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the input... but an $85 antenna or a second router (both of which would require considerable wiring) are beyond my budget at this point. I investigated the technology that uses the electrical wiring in the house (since I've used products from Radio Shack like that before to control lights and such)... what I found was that it's not very reliable for data transmission unless the sender and receiver are both on the same electrical circuit. Like Chuck said there is nothing cheaper than a spool of wire. I shoot with a guy who works for a company that installs large scale wireless, local area networks, and fiber optics... I'm betting I can get the cable and connectors from him... then I just need to bite the bullet and move the damn router to a more central location. I guess I wasted half my cash on this project getting the N router instead of the much less expensive G class. BTW-- a warning for you guys... Staples has a 2 week return policy on technolgy products. I even visited the store manager face to face and they wouldn't budge on that.... So if you buy gear from them make sure to test it or install it ASAP. Thanks again for all the ideas. Mark Edited March 5, 2009 by MichiganShootist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillW Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 After years of waiting for high speed cable we finally got it installed and operational a couple weeks ago. We also have have HDTV and more cable channels that we know how to tune in. The install was a mess (re-wiring sound systems etc.) but now it's starting to settle down.I use a desk top (at one end of our house) and my wife has a lap top that she uses for e-mails and general surfing. So I bought a Belkin N class router. It sits on my desk and is hardwired to my PC. For my wife's lap top I bought a compatable Belkin wireless PC card. The problem is that even though my wife is only about 40 or 45 feet or so from the router... she gets very poor quality connections in the room she likes to use her PC. It connects every time but the signal strength ranges from poor to very poor (one bar max. out of 5 or 6).... and it's MUCH slower than my desktop. I was led to believe that an N Router would easily reach hundreds of feet so I spent about tripple the cash to get the N vs. a G router because because our 100 year old home has log walls in some areas and very thick walls in general. I have elevated router, turned it around, put it on the floor, and changed the directions of the two antenna on top and it makes no difference.. but if she brings her PC just one room closer to the router it moves up to 5 bars at once. So do the "waves" bounce off stuff or do they pass through stuff? Do I have any other choice other than running wires through the attic and relocating the router into a more central room? Running wires through the walls and adding an electrical source for the router will be a major effort since the old place has the type construction it does. Any other ideas?????????? Thanks In Advance. Mark PFM... For the technically declined. PURE Fricken MAJIC! Sorry couldn't resist. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee Dog Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 ............................................BTW-- a warning for you guys... Staples has a 2 week return policy on technolgy products. I even visited the store manager face to face and they wouldn't budge on that.... ........................... have you tried calling their corporate offices on the 800 number. My experience is that they cave pretty quick under such pressure. yankee dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff686 Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I'm not sure about the Belkin, but you can download bootleg firmware for Linksys wireless routers that significantly boost the signal strength. They are all capable of more power, but are limited by FCC regulations. Since other countries have different max power regulations, the gain is set in the firmware. The bootleg firmware just turns up the gain on the transmitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) I'm not sure about the Belkin, but you can download bootleg firmware for Linksys wireless routers that significantly boost the signal strength. They are all capable of more power, but are limited by FCC regulations. Since other countries have different max power regulations, the gain is set in the firmware. The bootleg firmware just turns up the gain on the transmitter. <GeekSpeak> I tried the DD-WRT stuff to see how it would work as a repeater. It worked, sort of, but I could never get a DNS query from a client through the repeater out to my ISP. I may not of had a DHCP call work either, Don't remember. I was going to fire up WireShark and see where the protocol fell apart but never got around to it. I was soooo close... </GeekSpeak> Later, Chuck ETA: I had used an early version of that software to simply boost power on a Linksys router and the output stage fried after a few weeks. Edited March 5, 2009 by ChuckS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganShootist Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 (edited) I tried the DD-WRT stuff to see how it would work as a repeater. It worked, sort of, but I could never get a DNS query from a client through the repeater out to my ISP. I may not of had a DHCP call work either, Don't remember. I was going to fire up WireShark and see where the protocol fell apart but never got around to it. I was soooo close... Yikes... Call Radio Shack.... One of their product managers escaped !!!! Edited March 5, 2009 by MichiganShootist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff686 Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 ETA: I had used an early version of that software to simply boost power on a Linksys router and the output stage fried after a few weeks. Did it have multiple levels? I hear you can set the level now, to fine tune the gain, rather than all-or-nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganShootist Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Make That Two Product Managers. We no-habla techorama senor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 ETA: I had used an early version of that software to simply boost power on a Linksys router and the output stage fried after a few weeks. Did it have multiple levels? I hear you can set the level now, to fine tune the gain, rather than all-or-nothing. Yes it allowed adjustment by the dBm and I tuned it to the problem we were solving. I don't remember the numbers but it was only around 30% higher than default. It died. And i have to add in about maybe 10 pieces of Linksys hardware that I know about, that is the only one that died. If you do some surfing you will find some posts on adding heat sink to the WRT-54. Later, Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 This sounds like nearly the exact issue I had. Wireless was in one corner of the house and where I wanted it was in the opposite corner...with plenty of crap in between. Here is what I did...added a reflector and went with the firmware (which allowed me to turn the signal up a bit). So far..so good. (knock on wood) Increase your home wireless signal range/strength, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gundry Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 MS, I would probably just relocate the router. The only wiring job necessary would be to make a long ethernet cable for your hardwired desktop. I have the tools and cable ends to make new cables - if you can find some place that sells bulk CAT5 wire, I'd be happy to loan the tool & fittings to you - just pay shipping. Run the new wire where you want it and plug the router in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganShootist Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 Thanks for the kind offer. That's exactly what I'm going to do. I found a local shooter who works for a company that does technology cabling for PC networks he can supply the cable and connectors... now I just have to figure out where to put it... and how to get the ethernet cables and find or ad a new electrical outlet. Thanks to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 FWIW, think of this as an opportunity. Cat5 cable and tools are not very expensive. If you set yourself a long term project to wire your house, you will have faster and more secure access and the cost will be paid for many times over if you sell the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganShootist Posted March 7, 2009 Author Share Posted March 7, 2009 (edited) I agree.... That figured into my final thinking too. Having the router in the near middle of the house should give us service on our porch, deck etc. and also reduce the potential from outside interferece. I initially was hoping for a quick fix that wouldn't include doing the low crawl through fiberglass insulation:( If I had to do it over... I could have spent half the amount on the router by picking up a G router (instead of the N) and with the savings paid somebody else to do the wiring. Edited March 7, 2009 by MichiganShootist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gundry Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 You had no way of knowing, don't beat yourself up about it. Maybe see how much the N's are selling for on Ebay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markcic Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Are you running in 2.4 or 5.8? Try switching to the other freq. It sounds like your wall in attenuating the signal. Ethernet cables are cheap if you need to relocate the access point. The antennas should be vertical on the access point. Is there anything else running on that frequency you are running, like phone or other wireless devices? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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