boost signal? solutions?

O

Ouikikazz

Gawd
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Feb 3, 2001
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My scenario, I have my router next to my cable modem in the first floor den, and i need it to reach all the way up stairs to the third floor, right now I get VERY low connectivity and the internet just wont work up there, now how can i boost the signal? I don't want to add wires nor do i want to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on equipment. I was thinking can I like put something on the second floor like a repeater or something like that to boost the signal up to the third floor? if so anyone got some links? I have a linksys WRT54G router. I was thinknig about getting the antennas that linksys made but I do not know if it'll increase it good enough. Looking to get something that is premade, i dont want to spend time building some cantenna or anything. And there is no computer on the 2nd floor nor do i have another to put there.
 
Download this: http://www.hyperspacehome.com/hyperwrt/
Upgrade the firmware to the HyperWRT, and than restore the factory defaults. After you do that you can change the settings back to whatever you want.

This firmware allows you access to a whole slew more options...most important of which is ability to increase the transmit power of the unit. (From factory default of 40 or 50% to up to 100%

We use WRT54G's with the upgraded firmware (and occassionally the high gain antennas that Linksys makes) and get amazing range out of them.

Also, Linksys makes a wireless access point (WAP54G, I believe) that you can set up on your second floor and use as a repeater.
 
cancersticks said:
Download this: http://www.hyperspacehome.com/hyperwrt/
Upgrade the firmware to the HyperWRT, and than restore the factory defaults. After you do that you can change the settings back to whatever you want.

This firmware allows you access to a whole slew more options...most important of which is ability to increase the transmit power of the unit. (From factory default of 40 or 50% to up to 100%

We use WRT54G's with the upgraded firmware (and occassionally the high gain antennas that Linksys makes) and get amazing range out of them.

Also, Linksys makes a wireless access point (WAP54G, I believe) that you can set up on your second floor and use as a repeater.
Click to expand...

how would i make the access point a repeater any idea? Im about to do the firmware, thanks for the link :)
 
There's an option within the settings of the WAP54G to set ut up as a AP, bridge or repeater. Select repeater and enter the WIRELESS MAC address of the WRT54G. Saving the settings and you'll be good to go.
 
I've used some 500ma boosters from hawking that(regardless of what ktwebb says) work great.... the repeaters work fine as well, as well as high-gain antennas....

P.S. I love you ktwebb... *kiss* *kiss* :eek:

QJ
 
cancersticks said:
Download this: http://www.hyperspacehome.com/hyperwrt/
Upgrade the firmware to the HyperWRT, and than restore the factory defaults. After you do that you can change the settings back to whatever you want.

This firmware allows you access to a whole slew more options...most important of which is ability to increase the transmit power of the unit. (From factory default of 40 or 50% to up to 100%

We use WRT54G's with the upgraded firmware (and occassionally the high gain antennas that Linksys makes) and get amazing range out of them.

Also, Linksys makes a wireless access point (WAP54G, I believe) that you can set up on your second floor and use as a repeater.
Click to expand...
I was also going to suggest the power output thing, but just realize that when you raise the power output, while the signal will cover a larger area, it will be a lower quality signal. It's a trade off. So don't think that raising the power output will bring world peace.
 
Shameless Liar said:
I was also going to suggest the power output thing, but just realize that when you raise the power output, while the signal will cover a larger area, it will be a lower quality signal. It's a trade off. So don't think that raising the power output will bring world peace.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I should have added something like this in my original posts. I've found that on the very outer edges of the range (with the power increased) that the signal tends to just drop sporadically, rather than give a me a consistantly low signal strength.
 
Get the extra gain with an antenna upgrade. You can go from the default 2 db mono or dipoles to 5 db antennas and it should help your situation. Going to another firmware and upping the power to the existing antenna is another good suggestion. Putting an amp on a consumer grade AP, any AP actually, is a terrible choice. You amp WAN bridges when you have signal attenuation due to cable loss or perhaps if your trying to get a long WAN shot. You do not amp LAN based wireless gear. Besides distrorting the harmonics, pushing your cell coverage to way outside what's acceptable, meaning outside the house into others area (unless you have alot of land) it also many times damages the radio. Typically these are bi-directional amps. Don't waste your money on an amp. Well let me qualify. While I don't endorse something like the Linksys "booster", it is only a 100mW amp. Nothing really too terribly wrong with that. A 500mW amp on a WLAN AP is absurd. You have to consider the source with that one though.
 
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