How much good can a wi-fi extender really do?

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › How much good can a wi-fi extender really do?

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544 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#1130708 17-Sep-2014 14:25

with powerline adaptor, they have about 200 - 300m cable length max before it stop working - and this sounds like a big house, so if the power point has 2 long run to get from point A to point B var the fuse box, it could be getting up to max length - we got this at our house, some plugs it work well, but to get from computer room to the master bedroom, it was just to far, and keep dropping out. When we found a program that show what was usable mhz between the 2 power point, you could see way it was not working well, and end up putting cat5e in

jonb

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#1130711 17-Sep-2014 14:33

bagheera: with powerline adaptor, they have about 200 - 300m cable length max before it stop working - and this sounds like a big house, so if the power point has 2 long run to get from point A to point B var the fuse box, it could be getting up to max length - we got this at our house, some plugs it work well, but to get from computer room to the master bedroom, it was just to far, and keep dropping out. When we found a program that show what was usable mhz between the 2 power point, you could see way it was not working well, and end up putting cat5e in

With the new switch in the room with the desktops, you could also try the powerline adapter starting from an electrical socket in that room. It may be that the distance between those two rooms is a lot shorter than from upstairs to where the laptops are.

bagheera

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#1130723 17-Sep-2014 14:42

jonb:
bagheera: with powerline adaptor, they have about 200 - 300m cable length max before it stop working - and this sounds like a big house, so if the power point has 2 long run to get from point A to point B var the fuse box, it could be getting up to max length - we got this at our house, some plugs it work well, but to get from computer room to the master bedroom, it was just to far, and keep dropping out. When we found a program that show what was usable mhz between the 2 power point, you could see way it was not working well, and end up putting cat5e in

With the new switch in the room with the desktops, you could also try the powerline adapter starting from an electrical socket in that room. It may be that the distance between those two rooms is a lot shorter than from upstairs to where the laptops are.

yeah, power cable runs can be fun at time, I know when we first trip the fuse in the laundry, I was going why is the media room on the same feed??!! (media room is nowhere near the laundry), as well as bugger - can not have the washing machine & drier going at the same time

Rikkitic

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#1131377 18-Sep-2014 13:16

Hi All,

I feel like I am finally getting somewhere with this project but I could use another piece of advice if someone could be so kind.

I have ordered an Ethernet switch which I think will answer all my needs for the room with the desktops. If it works as advertised, this should be a simple and elegant solution.

I would still like to improve the wi-fi for the mobile devices. I would prefer this to the powerline adapters if it could be made to work well. Having no prior experience with Ethernet or wi-fi, I am a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities and that is where I would greatly appreciate some help. What I want to do is not repeat the existing wi-fi signal, but set up a new AP using a router or similar device at a better location, and connect that by cat5 cable to my RBI AP. However, I am finding it difficult to determine what would be most suitable for this purpose and I’m not sure exactly what to look for. Any tips would be most welcome.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

1101

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#1131399 18-Sep-2014 13:28

What I want to do is not repeat the existing wi-fi signal, but set up a new AP using a router or similar device at a better location, and connect that by cat5 cable to my RBI AP. However, I am finding it difficult to determine what would be most suitable for this purpose and I’m not sure exactly what to look for. Any tips would be most welcome.

run a network cable from existing 'modem' to where you want the other wifi access point to be , & setup another seperate wifi Access point there
or use a homeplug system that has built in wifi at the remote end & set that up as a seperate wifi access point.

Your need to sort out your initial wifi issues 1st , before adding more access points that may not work either .
Some sites just never have reliable wifi .

hashbrown

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#1131412 18-Sep-2014 13:45

The room with the desktops was a poor coverage area right? If that's the case, it'd be a candidate for installing an AP, plugging the AP's ethernet port into your new switch.

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Rikkitic

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#1131555 18-Sep-2014 16:06

1101:

run a network cable from existing 'modem' to where you want the other wifi access point to be , & setup another seperate wifi Access point there

That describes perfectly what I want to do but I'm not sure exactly what to ask for. I see a lot of stuff like extenders that seems designed to relay existing wi-fi signals. What I want is to create a new AP fed by an Ethernet cable. Am I just looking for a wireless router or something else? I'm new to networking and I would rather not buy the wrong thing again.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Rikkitic

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#1131557 18-Sep-2014 16:15

hashbrown: The room with the desktops was a poor coverage area right? If that's the case, it'd be a candidate for installing an AP, plugging the AP's ethernet port into your new switch.

You've got it. The room with the desktops is at one end of the ground floor, mobile access is needed at the opposite end. The gateway is between the two a floor higher and the current signal is weak at both ends so improving one just makes the other even worse. I have already run a cable between the gateway and one of the desktops. I will plug that into the LAN switch and feed my desktops from there. Hopefully that will solve the problem at that end. For phase 2 I want to run a second cable (my gateway has 4 Ethernet ports) along the upstairs hall, which is feasible, and install a new AP at a location closer to the other end of the house, which will hopefully solve that problem. Then I will go on holiday and put all this behind me.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

NzBeagle

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#1131558 18-Sep-2014 16:16

Rikkitic:
1101:

run a network cable from existing 'modem' to where you want the other wifi access point to be , & setup another seperate wifi Access point there

That describes perfectly what I want to do but I'm not sure exactly what to ask for. I see a lot of stuff like extenders that seems designed to relay existing wi-fi signals. What I want is to create a new AP fed by an Ethernet cable. Am I just looking for a wireless router or something else? I'm new to networking and I would rather not buy the wrong thing again.

A wireless access point such as the tp link wa801nd gives you 300 mbps connection, fed via ethernet cable. Simple to set up and add to your existing network.

hobsonlea

314 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 51

#1131662 18-Sep-2014 18:18

Hi am interested in the discussion.
I have a newish (10yrs old) house - and the Inside Fibre Termination point / Telecom PACE V5542 Router / Modem / WAP is about 20m from far end of the house (bedroom) and a floor above..
I have the Netcomm Ethernet over Power adaptors. I wasnt able to put the furthest adaptor in the bedroom power points - it appeared to be different circuits - and wasnt able to get the two netcomm devices to talk to each other. However I was able to use power outlets upstairs on the same floor as the Pace Modem - and this was able to give me a signal downstairs that means the house has coverage. Its not as good as it would be if the Power Outlets in the bedroom worked..
A few times (4 or 5) we have had to reboot the netcomm devices - which we think were the issue. Worked after this..
Investigated stronger Wifi WAP's - and considered http://www.gowifi.co.nz/coming-soon-new-products/engenius-ecb350-800mw-802.11n-wireless-access-point.html?keyword=ecb350 - liked the strength - am sure they have been replaced by perhaps more powerful devices .

Would welcome any feedback from people who have used these or similar / better WAP's to get Wifi to hard to reach places..
Will consider this when my netcomm no longer does the job..
Peter

NzBeagle

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#1131670 18-Sep-2014 18:28

hobsonlea: Hi am interested in the discussion.
I have a newish (10yrs old) house - and the Inside Fibre Termination point / Telecom PACE V5542 Router / Modem / WAP is about 20m from far end of the house (bedroom) and a floor above..
I have the Netcomm Ethernet over Power adaptors. I wasnt able to put the furthest adaptor in the bedroom power points - it appeared to be different circuits - and wasnt able to get the two netcomm devices to talk to each other. However I was able to use power outlets upstairs on the same floor as the Pace Modem - and this was able to give me a signal downstairs that means the house has coverage. Its not as good as it would be if the Power Outlets in the bedroom worked..
A few times (4 or 5) we have had to reboot the netcomm devices - which we think were the issue. Worked after this..
Investigated stronger Wifi WAP's - and considered http://www.gowifi.co.nz/coming-soon-new-products/engenius-ecb350-800mw-802.11n-wireless-access-point.html?keyword=ecb350 - liked the strength - am sure they have been replaced by perhaps more powerful devices .

Would welcome any feedback from people who have used these or similar / better WAP's to get Wifi to hard to reach places..
Will consider this when my netcomm no longer does the job..
Peter

I use one of the Uni Fi AP's and have never had any issues. Good range, but also easy to add extra units as required. Works with power over ethernet if your router/switch supports although mine came with an injector as well.

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markg1275

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#1131700 18-Sep-2014 18:54

Rikkitic: Hi All,

I feel like I am finally getting somewhere with this project but I could use another piece of advice if someone could be so kind.

I have ordered an Ethernet switch which I think will answer all my needs for the room with the desktops. If it works as advertised, this should be a simple and elegant solution.

I would still like to improve the wi-fi for the mobile devices. I would prefer this to the powerline adapters if it could be made to work well. Having no prior experience with Ethernet or wi-fi, I am a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities and that is where I would greatly appreciate some help. What I want to do is not repeat the existing wi-fi signal, but set up a new AP using a router or similar device at a better location, and connect that by cat5 cable to my RBI AP. However, I am finding it difficult to determine what would be most suitable for this purpose and I’m not sure exactly what to look for. Any tips would be most welcome.

There are plenty of ADSL routers on trademe as everyone is upgrading to VDSL which uses a different type of modem. I would just pickup one on the cheap and disable DHCP on it. It then becomes a switch and an access point. If you setup all your routers / access points with the same SSID, encryption and password then your devices will roam from one to the other depending what's got the best reception. Just set them on different frequency's. Eg 1, 6 and 11.

Something like this will do the job fine http://www.trademe.co.nz/781897725

You don't need to but you can change the firmware to ddwrt for more options and a nicer interface but that's only if you want to play etc

NzBeagle

971 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#1131701 18-Sep-2014 18:57

markg1275:
Rikkitic: Hi All,

I feel like I am finally getting somewhere with this project but I could use another piece of advice if someone could be so kind.

I have ordered an Ethernet switch which I think will answer all my needs for the room with the desktops. If it works as advertised, this should be a simple and elegant solution.

I would still like to improve the wi-fi for the mobile devices. I would prefer this to the powerline adapters if it could be made to work well. Having no prior experience with Ethernet or wi-fi, I am a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities and that is where I would greatly appreciate some help. What I want to do is not repeat the existing wi-fi signal, but set up a new AP using a router or similar device at a better location, and connect that by cat5 cable to my RBI AP. However, I am finding it difficult to determine what would be most suitable for this purpose and I’m not sure exactly what to look for. Any tips would be most welcome.

There are plenty of ADSL routers on trademe as everyone is upgrading to VDSL which uses a different type of modem. I would just pickup one on the cheap and disable DHCP on it. It then becomes a switch and an access point. If you setup all your routers / access points with the same SSID, encryption and password then your devices will roam from one to the other depending what's got the best reception. Just set them on different frequency's. Eg 1, 6 and 11.

Something like this will do the job fine http://www.trademe.co.nz/781897725

You don't need to but you can change the firmware to ddwrt for more options and a nicer interface but that's only if you want to play etc

+1 for aftermarket firmware

1101

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#1131977 19-Sep-2014 10:05

hobsonlea:
Investigated stronger Wifi WAP's - and considered http://www.gowifi.co.nz/coming-soon-new-products/engenius-ecb350-800mw-802.11n-wireless-access-point.html?keyword=ecb350 - liked the strength - am sure they have been replaced by perhaps more powerful devices .

Peter

Doubling the power will only give 3db : not alot really, when replacing can Arial can give more (but will make the signal more directional)
More power is the option of last resort, I have tried an external signal booster(amplifier) & it really made little difference (for me).
There is also a very real limit to the power output you can legally have in NZ , I think its approx 1W (legal max is not that simple I know)

From The RSM site
13. Transmitters using e.i.r.p.s greater than 0 dBW (1 W) must employ frequency hopping or digital modulation techniques.
ie , bog standard wifi cant be more than 1W .

I may be wrong here, not an expert in these things .

hashbrown

463 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 131

#1131988 19-Sep-2014 10:24

1101: From The RSM site
13. Transmitters using e.i.r.p.s greater than 0 dBW (1 W) must employ frequency hopping or digital modulation techniques.
ie , bog standard wifi cant be more than 1W .

I may be wrong here, not an expert in these things .

Wifi is a "digital modulation" technique, so I beleive max EIRP is 4W. EIRP is affected by antenna gain though.

Someone can correct my calculations, but I beleive that works out to.

Max antenna gain for a 0.5W radio of 9dB
Max antenna gain for a 1W radio of 6dB

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