Wifi Range Extender - any recommendations?

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  • redw0001
    Automated Home Jr Member
    • Oct 2004
    • 20

    Wifi Range Extender - any recommendations?

    I'm trying to get wifi to part of my property that my router (Draytek Vigor 2820) cant reach.

    I've tried using a Sitecom WL-330 and whilst it gets to where I need it inSSIDer reports a signal strength of -60 to -70, still not good enough to maintain a signal without standing on one foot on a chair with laptop upside down (joke but you get the drift). That is with a unidirectional ariel pointing at where I want to be. I also made a couple of Windsurfers as documented on freeantennas.com and suffered jokes about blue peter, sadly no better.

    Has anyone been through this and got a good recommendation. I've looked around but as usual most reviews are USA based. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

    robin
  • Vangelis
    Automated Home Guru
    • Sep 2009
    • 131

    #2
    If the source and destination are mains fed, you could use a Mains Ethernet device and then connect that into a Wireless Access Point. This in effect uses the internal mains wiring to route the network to the location required and the AP to make the signal wireless again. Thinking about it you might be able to get the whole thing in one product now?

    Erm Yup you can.... http://www.maplin.co.uk/devolo-200mb...xtender-397391

    Vangelis

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    • Otto-Mate
      Founder
      • Jan 2004
      • 882

      #3
      Came upon this Wi-Fi repeater a while back - http://autoho.me/XcksZf

      Seems highly rated by these guys - http://majikhouse.com/blog/article/cm3-wifi-repeater

      M.
      Editor AutomatedHome.co.uk


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      • toscal
        Moderator
        • Oct 2005
        • 2061

        #4
        I used to use a Linksys wireless repeater, when it worked it was very good, but some things refused to connect via the repeater, but would connect via the main wifi.
        Something else to try would be a better antenna, that is if you can change it. There are also amplified antennas as well.
        What I have now done is to use a wireless access point, I located this in a better location than the router and turned the wifi off on the router. I have actually just replaced my AP with a TPLink one and the signal range is much better, places that where one bar on the pc are now a constant 2 bars.
        Last edited by toscal; 17 January 2013, 02:49 PM.
        IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
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        • b33k34
          Automated Home Jr Member
          • Dec 2012
          • 25

          #5
          Originally posted by toscal View Post
          .
          What I have now done is to use a wireless access point, I located this in a better location than the router and turned the wifi off on the router. .
          Likewise. Router close as possible to incoming line/WAP in best place for reception. moving the router increased my ADSL speed from 6meg to 8meg.

          Attempts to set up repeaters/extenders using apple airport for other people have never worked. Friends swear by Powerline adaptors to extend network.

          Comment

          • fredd500
            Automated Home Jr Member
            • Jun 2009
            • 29

            #6
            You may be someone who likes apple kit, you may not but FWIW, I have an Apple Timecapsule (an Airport Extreme would also work) and an Airport Express. The Airport express 'extends' the Wi-Fi network provided by the Time Capsule. Wireless clients seem to roam seamlessly between them.
            Chris

            Automating my home in a family friendly way - My blog: http://www.cpmills.com/

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            • philipp.schuster
              Automated Home Jr Member
              • Oct 2012
              • 17

              #7
              We have used Ubiquiti UniFi products in our offices and I am very impressed with their performance.

              On thing to note though, when getting drawn into the subject of wi-fi networks with multiple access points. 802.11 actually specifies that the roaming process between APs of a network with the same SSID is purely client based. There is a lot of false advertising out there, that makes out that special access points are required or enhance the hand-over between access points.
              Home Automation Enthusiast and Head of Loxone in the UK.

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              • toscal
                Moderator
                • Oct 2005
                • 2061

                #8
                Hope I am not too late with this one.
                Been having a few network issues. For the time being I am only using the AP in mixed bg mode rather than mixed bgn mode. This has made a significant difference to signal strength. 2 bars are now 3 to 4 bars (out of 5). Might be worth a shot if you don't need the n mode.
                IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
                Renovation Spain Blog

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                • redw0001
                  Automated Home Jr Member
                  • Oct 2004
                  • 20

                  #9
                  Not too late for any ideas, thank you. I've got to fix this before Easter, so no rush currently. I've just switched the Extender I have from mixed bgn to bg. A quick check with with inSSIDer V3 shows the strength has gone from -47 to -50 so, initially not so good for me, however will test it more the other side of the unidirectional antenna later today. This also resulted in inSSIDer reporting the channels dropping from 5+9 to 9. Guess that's n removal?

                  Will add extra results later. Thanks for the suggestion anyway.

                  Comment

                  • TomPlumb
                    Automated Home Lurker
                    • Feb 2013
                    • 5

                    #10
                    need to get something like this for my place too - its and old house and the walls are about 1 foot thick, my poor old sky router has no chance!

                    Comment

                    • TimH
                      Automated Home Legend
                      • Feb 2004
                      • 509

                      #11
                      Hi Robin,

                      I do this with my Vigor 2820n and have extended the range using a BT HomeHub 3 (configured as an access point only). Both devices have the same SSID (and WPA key) but different channels so are on the same network and clients can roam between the two according to signal strength.
                      If you use a "spare" router to extend, you'll need to turn off NAT and DHCP on the extender and just allow your primary router to handle it.

                      Ideally you would connect the main router and the extender with a cable - you'll get better performance than a purely over-the-air connection. My F-I-L uses a netgear range extender without a backbone cable and he seems pleased with his setup. The netgear one (and probably others) can be configured with a one-touch WPS button so no need to remember SSID & p/w.

                      p.s. meant to say that a spare routers are quite easily available (check out your local freecyle / freagle group) and if you stick with the Vigor as your primary, the extender can be either an ADSL or cable flavour as you won't be using the connection to the internet from it directly.

                      HTH,
                      Tim.
                      Last edited by TimH; 4 March 2013, 04:05 PM.
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