Getting better range from Wireless AP/Router
 

In order to not threadjack the wireless travel router topic anymore, I thought I would start another thread to pose this question.

I have a Linksys WRT54G in my upstairs home office. I generally use my laptop downstairs in a room separated from office by about 50 feet and one wall. My signal strength downstairs is low, and even in my upstairs bedroom, 25 feet away, it is low.

Has anyone had experience improving signal strength with a Linksys product? I have tried moving the antenna position, but it does not make much difference.

Would appreciate any assistance, tips, advice on other products, etc...

FDuvall

You can use a modified firmware that allows you to adjust the signal strength. I use the wifibox firmware found here. It is very stable, and allows you to boost the transmit power.

I would stick with HyperWRT instead. It is entirely based upon the LinkSys code and simply opens up some stuff that was hidden, include upping the transmit and/or receive power, antenna select, more security options, etc. It's really easy to flash and works great. It's a lot newer too as it's updated each time the codebase is upgraded from LinkSys.

You can also buy 2 new antenna with higher gain if this does not work well enough, but that's another 20-30 bucks for a box that only costs 45 after rebate now.

Download here: http://www.linksysinfo.org/modules.p...ownload&cid=31

Went to local BestBuy and Circuit City...antennae were $65.00 for the package. Where do you see the lower price? And I have heard on DSLReports that it doesn't do much.

The HyperWRT firmware solution sounds promising. Will give it a try. Not sure what version I am currently running. Maybe Linksys also has an update. thanks.

FDuvall

I used the combination of Sveasoft and the antenna upgrade, boosted the unit to 100mW and things are now great.

Yea, but w/ Sveasoft you have to pay, it's really extended software, and it's not for newbies. C'mon, Scott... you probably debug C# via your Sling Blade while in Uzbekistan on a Treo... ;)

fduvall... can't remember where... they were 3rd party and I have no 1st hand experience. Try HyperWRT -- at 70% transmit strength it solved all our issues.

Actually, I upgraded it when it was still free :)

HyperWRT is vanilla linksys with a few things enabled. Notably the power. IIRC (and I'm not near the router), the default is 40mw. I think you can take the radio to 250, but anything about about 80mw (again, IIRC) will require external cooling of some sort.

I recommend that if you want the Sveasoft features without the attitude of the author, take a look at dd-wrt (http://www.dd-wrt.com/).

ScottC - Any cooling issues at 100mW? Looks like I have a weekend project...

FDuvall

No issues at all, the recommended power is 80mW, so I figured that 100mW would be fine too :D

and my Router isn't exactly in a good location either, it is under a table surrounded by other heat sources :D

I use a Linksys WAP54G Accesspoint as a repeater and is 2 floors away from my Linksys WRT54GS. The signal is consistent and appropriate in strength and quality.

The techie at Linksys stepped me through the set up in about 30 min.

So your WAP54G is just plugged into power supply 2 floors away? If so, this might be the cheapest solution for me. Do any other Linksys devices work as a repeater?

FDuvall

Does anyone know if there are similar firmware upgrades available for D-link wi-fi routers?

re: plugged in 2 floors away? -- exactly. Not a difficult configuration. Set up the WRT, then configured the WAP as a repeater 2 floors away. I have not had a problem in over 8 mos.

re: other linksys devices as repeaters? -- don't know. Might be some info on the Linksys site.

There are plans for an antenna signal director here:

Tin can
http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html

Tin Foil
http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template/

Never tried it, don't know it if it works or not.

location, location, location
 

If horizontal reception is the problem, put the AP unit as high off the floor as you can (a German T-Mobile installer put the AP on the floor. I later raised it to table height and increased the strength in the next room from 62% to 92%.

If better vertical reception is needed move the AP to at least 1 meter from a wall.

MisterNice

yes
 

Yes, the SIGNAL is a bell, falling from its height, down. So the higher one can put it, the better.

Netgear?
 

Or for Netgear routers? Thanks. :)

Or use higher gain antennas, since the stock ones might not be that great.

i bought one of those cantenna things. Only good if you are clear line of sight or something. I didn't really work at all for me not the advertised dB increase :(

i would try the firmware hack for the linksys. My friend's omnidirectional antenna did a lot for inside his home

Another Sveasoft proponent here. Cost is $20/year for really good firmware. FWIW, I've got nothing but good things to say about the coders at Sveasoft. Good guys, never had any "attitude" issues that I'm aware of.

Their new firmware (Alchemy) runs in Linksys WRT54G and GS routers. It's a thing of beauty as far as I'm concerned. Ability to adjust power and the ability to use WDS between multiple routers. That's what I do...one upstairs, one downstairs. My laptop just roams automatically to whichever is putting out a stronger signal. Easy to set up, fully encrypted and locked off via MAC filters.

They are currently developing/recoding the firmware for use in other manufacturers products (I don't remember which off the top of my head), then they will be adding some features such as VPN endpoint (passthrough is alread supported).

If I were the OP...I'd get a 1-year subscription to Sveasoft and buy another WRT54G (after rebates they're going for about $40 right now). Flash the firmware in both, create the WDS link (very simple) and put one at each end/each floor of the house with the power slightly jacked up. Likely that would permanently solve your signal strength issues.

Just so I understand, I can use TWO WRT54G's and link them with Sveasoft? Sveasoft allows me to put use them in "Repeater Mode?"

That would be great...and cheaper than buying a Linksys AP. I was looking at Sveasoft over the weekend.

FDuvall

Apple, anyone?
 

If you're looking for easy bridging, just build a network with a couple of Airport Express units. Connect the first to your router and simply plug the second into a socket within range of the first and you have a self bridging solution that also allows wireless streaming from iTunes.

Neat. Easy to Install. Works.

Yes, that's correct fduvall. Using WDS you link the two WRTs, greatly expanding their range (you can also jack up the power output w/Sveasoft firmware). One of the WRTs needs to be connected to the 'Net (typical setup), the other one can be placed anywhere it gets at least a bit of signal from the one hosting the 'Net connection. There's a how-to in the Sveasoft forums.

For the price of one AE you can get 2 Linksys routers.

Point the antenna down ;)

Imho
 

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.

Better in what way?

Website for HyperWRT: http://www.hyperwrt.org/Home-Page.shtml

The links given above did not work for me.

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.

yeah
 

Yeah, but not as easy as sticking in the homeplugs into the existing electrical wiring

:-)

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.

nmenaker or Scott - Any opinions on MIMO? My Linkys WRT54G just died so need to get something quickly.

-fduvall

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

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

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." :D

-fduvall

BTW - Heard that WRT54g running v5 should be avoided. nmenaker - do you know of any place in Bay Area selling the older version?

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.

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

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.

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