Getting better range from Wireless AP/Router
Aug 5, 2005, 9:15 am
#32
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: DSM
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eCost has the D-Link DI-524 wireless 4 port b,g router for $19 after rebate. I just installed mine (I finally took the wireless plunge for my security camera) and have it setup as an AP not a router.
I'm usually a Linksys guy, but I was ordering something else at eCost and the WRT54G was $49 after rebate so I went for the D-Link.
I'm usually a Linksys guy, but I was ordering something else at eCost and the WRT54G was $49 after rebate so I went for the D-Link.
Jan 9, 2006, 12:02 am
#33
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nmenaker or Scott - Any opinions on MIMO? My Linkys WRT54G just died so need to get something quickly.
-fduvall
-fduvall
Originally Posted by nmenaker
IMHO, the easiest and fastest and possibly best route, is to wait for the belkin 50% off sales, get yourself TWO Homeplug adaptors, get a cheap 9.99$ 802.11b, or g router and setup a home ethernet AP to anywhere you want in the house with far better coverage and range than any of these solutions will provide. heck, just run the cat five from the AC socket to the laptop.
regardless, for 60$ net, you've got a better solution than bridging or WDS or anything like that.
regardless, for 60$ net, you've got a better solution than bridging or WDS or anything like that.
Jan 9, 2006, 6:50 am
#34
Join Date: Feb 2000
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the future
Well, MIMO is probably the future in one way, shape or form. But, unless you are having issues with networking where you are, I wouldn't spend too much more to get a MIMO device today. If you are doing lots of large size file transfers, or have a difficult area, house or great distance to go I would then look into MIMO devices, or better yet a pre-N from like Belkin.
But, I do not think there are laptops with MIMO built-in, so you are going to have to use a secondary card, (read, sticks out of the side) and would have to get new PCI cards for a desktop.
Later in 2006, the landscape will be much more clear
But, I do not think there are laptops with MIMO built-in, so you are going to have to use a secondary card, (read, sticks out of the side) and would have to get new PCI cards for a desktop.
Later in 2006, the landscape will be much more clear
Jan 9, 2006, 7:10 am
#35
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I'm with nmenaker... The next new technology is always just down the line. Personally Id just get another Linksys and install a better firmware on it. If it is range you need, then consider these:
http://www.smarthome.com/6404HK.html
http://www.smarthome.com/6404HK.html
Jan 9, 2006, 12:18 pm
#36
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Some of my employees are raving about the Netgear Rangemax, which I can get from Ubid, shipped from about $87.00. I think that would be about equal to buying another Linksys WRT54g and upgrading with Sveasoft, right???
Have had coverage issues with Linksys, and it just died the other day, so am inclined to try something else. Thought I would check with the FT "resident experts."
-fduvall
BTW - Heard that WRT54g running v5 should be avoided. nmenaker - do you know of any place in Bay Area selling the older version?
Have had coverage issues with Linksys, and it just died the other day, so am inclined to try something else. Thought I would check with the FT "resident experts."
-fduvall
BTW - Heard that WRT54g running v5 should be avoided. nmenaker - do you know of any place in Bay Area selling the older version?
Last edited by fduvall; Jan 9, 2006 at 12:58 pm
Jan 9, 2006, 2:32 pm
#37
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I just had a friend ask me to put Wi-Fi in their office which is this real long narrow arrangement. So range was a concern.
I went to Comp USA and got referred to a kid that seemed to know about range extending. He mentioned something I haven't heard in this thread yet:
He said that some companies push a certain type of "repeater" set up, but this can greatly reduce your speed...usually cut in half. He even showed me on the Linksys product where it mentioned this.
He said the way to go was with a "extender" set up rather than repeater. He said the cheapest he had was Belkin. Don't know if he was blowing smoke or misinformed, but I went with his recommondation.
The main base station ($79):
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=179477
And the unit for the Range Extension ($39 via their web store pick-up...it was marked $69 in the store. Go figure. I quickly went online out in my car and went back in and purchased it for $39):
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=136486
(the photo in that link on Belkin's web site is wrong and the extension unit is actually smaller)
Anyway I set up only the main base station first. Sure enough, the signal strength dropped all the way to zero at the back end of the property. I then did the quick set up linking the main and extension units and placed the extension unit further back but still within range of the main...and presto-chango! It's great strength all the way now. And full speeds being clocked throughout. Sucker works like a champ.
Anyway, I mention this as this guy pointed out (and Linksys apparently confirms right on their web site and manuals) that some methods of extending your range might result in a 50% loss of speed. Again...I'm going by what some guy in a CompUSA told me.
Also adding that the above set-up I installed is stritcly for internet Wi-Fi only. They are not being used to network different compters to each other.
I went to Comp USA and got referred to a kid that seemed to know about range extending. He mentioned something I haven't heard in this thread yet:
He said that some companies push a certain type of "repeater" set up, but this can greatly reduce your speed...usually cut in half. He even showed me on the Linksys product where it mentioned this.
He said the way to go was with a "extender" set up rather than repeater. He said the cheapest he had was Belkin. Don't know if he was blowing smoke or misinformed, but I went with his recommondation.
The main base station ($79):
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=179477
And the unit for the Range Extension ($39 via their web store pick-up...it was marked $69 in the store. Go figure. I quickly went online out in my car and went back in and purchased it for $39):
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=136486
(the photo in that link on Belkin's web site is wrong and the extension unit is actually smaller)
Anyway I set up only the main base station first. Sure enough, the signal strength dropped all the way to zero at the back end of the property. I then did the quick set up linking the main and extension units and placed the extension unit further back but still within range of the main...and presto-chango! It's great strength all the way now. And full speeds being clocked throughout. Sucker works like a champ.
Anyway, I mention this as this guy pointed out (and Linksys apparently confirms right on their web site and manuals) that some methods of extending your range might result in a 50% loss of speed. Again...I'm going by what some guy in a CompUSA told me.
Also adding that the above set-up I installed is stritcly for internet Wi-Fi only. They are not being used to network different compters to each other.
Last edited by PremEx; Jan 9, 2006 at 2:50 pm
Jan 9, 2006, 3:34 pm
#38
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Scott/nmenaker - one more question about Linksys. The compact wireless G router WRT54GC is on sale for 39.99 at BB. Any experience with this one? Can it be flashed with Sveasoft firmware?
Also considering the WRTP54G, which is used for Vonage service. It appears to be a WRT54G, but if I flashed it with Sveasoft, would it lose Vonage?
Thanks...
-fduvall
Also considering the WRTP54G, which is used for Vonage service. It appears to be a WRT54G, but if I flashed it with Sveasoft, would it lose Vonage?
Thanks...
-fduvall
Originally Posted by ScottC
I'm with nmenaker... The next new technology is always just down the line. Personally Id just get another Linksys and install a better firmware on it. If it is range you need, then consider these:
http://www.smarthome.com/6404HK.html
http://www.smarthome.com/6404HK.html
Last edited by fduvall; Jan 9, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Jan 9, 2006, 6:27 pm
#39
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Alabama
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Posts: 80
If you haven't already fixed the problem of extending your wireless connectivity, you can go the poor man's route and fix your problem with tin foil. Create a bowl shape out of tin foil then push it down over the antenna so that it looks like a satellite dish. The "dish" should point upwards toward the area that you are trying to cover. Adjust the circumference of the "bowl" to get the signal you need.
**This works GREAT for the times when you're in a hotel with poor wireless coverage.
Mimo: It probably is the wave of the future but there are a few things to consider.
1: You must have a Mimo Network adapter in any computer/laptop that you want to have Mimo speeds (can't use Centrino and get those speeds)
2: The way they are getting these speeds is by combining the channels 1-11 to make one big fat channel. In turn, this makes interference by neighbors (and other appliances in your house) in apartment buildings more likely. If you live in the suburbs, you most likely won't have problems from your neighbors but the risk of interference from household appliances (phones, microwaves, etc) are greater.
**This works GREAT for the times when you're in a hotel with poor wireless coverage.
Mimo: It probably is the wave of the future but there are a few things to consider.
1: You must have a Mimo Network adapter in any computer/laptop that you want to have Mimo speeds (can't use Centrino and get those speeds)
2: The way they are getting these speeds is by combining the channels 1-11 to make one big fat channel. In turn, this makes interference by neighbors (and other appliances in your house) in apartment buildings more likely. If you live in the suburbs, you most likely won't have problems from your neighbors but the risk of interference from household appliances (phones, microwaves, etc) are greater.
Jan 11, 2006, 12:20 pm
#40
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Looks like my WRT54G was still under warranty, so they are shipping me a new one. I will wait on the MIMO upgrade, and install some thrid party firmware on the WRT54G.
I hear that some key people have left Sveasoft and many people are not happy with the product? Any opinions about this? Should I go to DD-WRT or HyperWRT?
-fduvall
I hear that some key people have left Sveasoft and many people are not happy with the product? Any opinions about this? Should I go to DD-WRT or HyperWRT?
-fduvall
Jan 11, 2006, 12:57 pm
#41
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Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 37,486
Originally Posted by fduvall
Looks like my WRT54G was still under warranty, so they are shipping me a new one. I will wait on the MIMO upgrade, and install some thrid party firmware on the WRT54G.
I hear that some key people have left Sveasoft and many people are not happy with the product? Any opinions about this? Should I go to DD-WRT or HyperWRT?
-fduvall
I hear that some key people have left Sveasoft and many people are not happy with the product? Any opinions about this? Should I go to DD-WRT or HyperWRT?
-fduvall
I'd either go with an old(er) version of Sveasoft or with HyperWRT.
Jan 12, 2006, 5:25 pm
#42
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Just received my replacement WRT54G from Linksys. Whole process took only three days from phonecall to receiving new product. Great service and thumbs up to Linksys ^
And to make it even better, I sent them my almost 3 year old product, running V1.0 firmware, and they sent me back V4.0. So I have the newest version still flashable. Very happy with this!!
-fduvall
PS - and bought a Zyxel P-330W at CompUSA for 19.99 (no rebates). It is supposed to be pretty good, too.
PSS - there is a 3Com router (office grade) selling for about $11.00 AR that I might try, too. Love fatwallet.com
And to make it even better, I sent them my almost 3 year old product, running V1.0 firmware, and they sent me back V4.0. So I have the newest version still flashable. Very happy with this!!
-fduvall
PS - and bought a Zyxel P-330W at CompUSA for 19.99 (no rebates). It is supposed to be pretty good, too.
PSS - there is a 3Com router (office grade) selling for about $11.00 AR that I might try, too. Love fatwallet.com
Jul 22, 2006, 9:35 am
#43
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Originally Posted by fduvall
And to make it even better, I sent them my almost 3 year old product, running V1.0 firmware, and they sent me back V4.0. So I have the newest version still flashable. Very happy with this!!
This was meant to replace my Airport Snow which is now 4 years old and 802.11B but the Airport's range was way better than this product. I only bought it becuase of the Vonage and WalMart didn't have a rebate.
Jul 22, 2006, 11:39 am
#44
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Originally Posted by ScottC
Well, the BEST route is to do what I ended up doing, putting on overalls and pulling cables through the crawlspace. Nothing works better than good old copper.
Sep 20, 2006, 9:02 am
#45
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Originally Posted by yosithezet
This was meant to replace my Airport Snow which is now 4 years old and 802.11B but the Airport's range was way better than this product. I only bought it becuase of the Vonage and WalMart didn't have a rebate.