Multiple Wireless AP's for coverage

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FlyingPete

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#73675 19-Dec-2010 13:08

Hi all,
I am finding we are not getting sufficient wireless (802.11g) coverage in our house, and was looking at boosters such as the Netgear WN2000RPT as a repeater, but it only runs at half speed due to the fact it receives and retransmits on the same radio, not really what I am looking for.

Unfortunately not all our devices are 802.11n yet (iPod, Wii, and an older laptop).

What are good options to have two hardwired APs that act as a team allowing roaming between them like many corporate wireless networks?

The broadband router is probably going to be an independant device.

richms

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#419054 19-Dec-2010 13:29

Same SSID, same key, plugged into the same ethernet and most of the time it will roam without interuption between the 2 of them.

Watch the channel allocation tho, there are really only 3 non overlapping 2.4GHz channels, but if you set your AP to japan you get ch 14 which seems to work with most gear I have tried.

Richard rich.ms

raytaylor

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#419088 19-Dec-2010 15:37

Channel 14 is at 2.484ghz - The General User License in New Zealand for 2.4ghz devices only allows us to go up to 2.4835

With a 20mhz wide channel, it would mean your 2.484ghz transmission would cover from 2.474 to 2.494 - well over the 2.4835 limit.

So to transmit on channel 14 would be illegal.

All you need is an AP ( or modem router AP all in one) at one end of the house on channel 1, then another plain AP at the other end of the house on channel 11. Run a cable from one of the lan ports on the router to the far AP and it will work well.
Use the same SSID so the laptop can roam.

Ray Taylor

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timmmay

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#419091 19-Dec-2010 15:49

I just installed another WAP in my house. I have a Linksys WRT-54GL as my core router (with a wap), and a D-Link DIR-615 as my primary wap and AV switch. I didn't really need a second wap, but I needed an AV switch and I figured I might as well put a wireless N WAP in to improve performance. I've used both in both positions, and they work pretty much the same. If I put one in the ceiling it'd easy cover the whole house.

I used a bridged wireless connection between the two for a while, but it really wasn't that reliable or fast, so I switched to a wired connection.

I've installed dd-wrt on both, as it's a nice flexible firmware.

I didn't use the same SSID, I have different SSIDs and they're on the channels 1 and 11. The iPod/laptop connect to whichever one is strongest at the time. Because of the size of the house each wap covers almost the whole house so I don't know how they hand over.

richms

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#419093 19-Dec-2010 15:53

raytaylor: Channel 14 is at 2.484ghz - The General User License in New Zealand for 2.4ghz devices only allows us to go up to 2.4835

With a 20mhz wide channel, it would mean your 2.484ghz transmission would cover from 2.474 to 2.494 - well over the 2.4835 limit.

So to transmit on channel 14 would be illegal.

Is there a licensed service using that part of the band? Not last time I checked.

Richard rich.ms

raytaylor

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#419110 19-Dec-2010 16:23

from http://www.rsm.govt.nz/cms/tools-and-services/publications/public-information-brochures-pibs/pib-21-table-of-radio-spectrum-usage-in-new-zealand/2-3-new-zealand-table-of-allocation-1/2-3-5-uhf-band-300-3000mhz

2483.5- 2500MHz
FIXED
MOBILE
MOBILE- SATELLITE (Space- to- Earth)
RADIOLOCATION
Radiodetermination- satellite (space- to- Earth) 5.398
5.150 5.402
FIXED
MOBILE
MOBILE- SATELLITE
(space- to- Earth)
ISM band
Mobile- Satellite (space- to- Earth)
Paired with 1610MHz

Wouldnt copy and paste the table correctly. Basically its used for Sat to Mobile services.
Just because there isnt a specific licensed user in the area does not mean its for you to use.

Ray Taylor

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FlyingPete

112 posts

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#419728 20-Dec-2010 22:32

Thanks guys, good news it is so simple.

On an other note, I have found using any channel above 11 too much trouble, you usually end up with some US locked device that doesn't work!

FlyingPete

112 posts

Master Geek

#420173 21-Dec-2010 21:53

Now that I have some of you fine peoples attention, any brands to avoid when getting AP's? My current Telecom free-bee Thomson is tolerable but incredibly locked down.

The TP Link gear at PB Tech is well prices and some include POE injectors too, any issues with this gear?

I will probably seperate my wirelss AP's from the broadband router though (probaly keep the Thomson for that).

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timmmay

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#420180 21-Dec-2010 22:12

Netgear and Linksys are good names. D-Link is ok.

richms

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#420185 21-Dec-2010 22:21

I have found linksys to be hit and miss. I got some dual band A+G ones a while back from the states, and they have been nothing but problems, and they were the newer revision that ran some horrid OS not the linux based one so no openwrt for them.

Yet some other linksys have been great, and even better with openwrt on them so I can have a second SSID which is on another vlan for dodgey computers to connect to.

Richard rich.ms

DonGould

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#420186 21-Dec-2010 22:26

FlyingPete: Now that I have some of you fine peoples attention, any brands to avoid when getting AP's? My current Telecom free-bee Thomson is tolerable but incredibly locked down.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/9?g=3 ;) that problem is being worked on...

http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider - grab a copy of that and scan for noise, figure out which chans to use.

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Check out mine - i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz - don@i.am.a.can.do.kiwi.nz

raytaylor

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#420213 21-Dec-2010 23:50

I love the TP Link stuff. Its cheap but they come with a 5dbi antenna right out of the box and they are detachable. Also rather reliable.
I have a tp link dsl router that is just acting as an AP in my attic for me and the neighbours. The HRV system on some days says the attic gets up to 45 degrees and the tplink never misses a beat.

I have noticed that some DSE branded routers have the exact same insides as the TP link too - or they may be rebranded tplinks.

Ray Taylor

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