Extending my coverage

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Prosiac

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Topic # 112738 18-Dec-2012 19:50

Hi all,
i am using belkin router as a input to internet. Since the wifi coverage of this router is not enough, i want to extend my coverage without the use of cable. Could somebody guide me through this.

I am thinking of using this device http://www.ubnt.com/unifi#UnifiHardware
but i am not sure if this works or not.

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Reply # 734538 18-Dec-2012 20:15

Extending wireless coverage without a cable isn't a great solution - a cabled access point is always the best option.

A UniFi isn't going to be of any use for you, unless you're planning on getting one for an AP to plug into your existing router and a second to be a non wired AP using wireless uplink.

Prosiac

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Reply # 734553 18-Dec-2012 20:39

so do you mean if i have to use Unifi, then i have to run cable from my router to unify hardware ensuring the place for that hardware where i have very less signal strength so that it will then boost the signal to its radius??

robjg63

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Reply # 734560 18-Dec-2012 20:47

http://pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=NETEDM1039&name=EDIMAX-EW-7438RPn-N300-Universal-W-Fi-Extender-WPS

or
http://pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=NETNGR1679995&name=NETGEAR-WN3000RP-UNIVERSAL-wireless-WIFI-coverage-

are probably the sort of thing you are thinking of - I found some good reviews for the Edimax device - couldnt say from any personal experience what its like though.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

sbiddle

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Reply # 734561 18-Dec-2012 20:47

I don't quite understand your post but I'd probably answer with a yes.

UniFi is a fully managed WiFi system designed for medium to large scale deployments. You can't just buy a single UniFi AP and use it as a WiFi extender for a current AP or router.

There are WiFi repeaters that will help you, but for these to work they need to be placed where the signal is strong, you can't place this in the dead spot because it's not going to be able to pick anything up. WDS / repeater mode also halves your WiFi througput.

robjg63

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Reply # 734568 18-Dec-2012 21:03

You probably need to clarify if this is somewhere like your home or a workplace and what distance you are wanting to cover. UniFi seems like an industrial strength (and I would guess industrial price) solution.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Prosiac

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Reply # 734574 18-Dec-2012 21:08

My question was like that of Case I in the picture.
Could you please suggest which one of the case in the picture will be perfect solution for me.

Prosiac

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Reply # 734576 18-Dec-2012 21:09

i want to extend my range at home

sbiddle

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Reply # 734607 18-Dec-2012 21:50

Prosiac: My question was like that of Case I in the picture.
Could you please suggest which one of the case in the picture will be perfect solution for me.

Since you wanting a wireless solution option 3 if your only possible solution. Solution 2 is impossible and can't be done.

As pointed out above you do need to be aware that for a repeater to work in repeater or WDS mode your throughput will halve and you'll also need to place this device in an area where the signal is strong, so you're not going to be able to place it where your signal is weak if you want semi decent performance.

And to repeat what I put in my first post, cabled AP's are always the best option. Wireless repeaters/uplinks are always a compromise.

richms

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Reply # 735147 19-Dec-2012 20:17

Many wireless repeaters will do things like be a client and then an accesspoint with mac address translation inbetween.

This will totally break things. They look like they are working, and then you move, the PC or phone connects to the other accesspoint and nothing works till you screw around doing a repair on the connection or something like that.

Richard rich.ms

theEd

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Reply # 737531 26-Dec-2012 23:35

As others have said, Unifi is not suitable for home situations. It's for enterprise deployments. It doesn't talk to any non-Unifi devices, and requires the installation of controller software for managing the system.

theEd

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Reply # 737532 26-Dec-2012 23:39

richms: Many wireless repeaters will do things like be a client and then an accesspoint with mac address translation inbetween.

This will totally break things. They look like they are working, and then you move, the PC or phone connects to the other accesspoint and nothing works till you screw around doing a repair on the connection or something like that.

That's called Universal Repeater. Windows and Mac/iOS generally handle the roaming fine, but Android isn't keen on it at all. And it'll generally screw up things like Online Gaming and anything that uses Bonjour-type services.

WDS is the best option for repeating, but it requires (a) the main router to support it, and (b) a decent amount of setup that may be best done by an I.T. guy if you're not particularly networking savvy.

richms

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Reply # 737546 27-Dec-2012 00:55

Didnt work with windows at all when we tried one. Ended up putting a different ssid on the repeated side to that things wouldnt try changing between them.

Richard rich.ms

Zeon

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Reply # 737560 27-Dec-2012 08:45

Why not use powerline adpaters instead of cat5e cable to use to provide uplink to your second access point? This way its "cabled" directly into your router and acts as a standalone wireless access point. I've done this for a customer in a very large old house and it works great.

chevrolux

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Reply # 737622 27-Dec-2012 11:19

Unifi is great in the home enviroment! The controller software doesn't have to be running all the time. But yes they need cables to run them. WDS is never a great solution. I tend to think if you want to to extned wireless coverage there is always a way to get the access point 'cabled'. Whether that is by a proper ethernet cable or via a ethernet over power thingy. If you really wanted to use Unifi's in this situation you would need two. One at the router to be the cabled AP and then the remote one can use wireless uplink.
Without the controller running though it does make i difficult to make changes. I found if you had the controller on a different address as when you first set up the AP's funny things would start happening. I run mine on a Ubuntu instance with all the other little linux things that i like playing with.

theEd

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Reply # 737625 27-Dec-2012 11:26

chevrolux: Unifi is great in the home enviroment!

chevrolux: I found if you had the controller on a different address as when you first set up the AP's funny things would start happening. I run mine on a Ubuntu instance with all the other little linux things that i like playing with.

I think you're a bit of an exception to the rule. The average home user wouldn't know what means let alone how to do it. And yes, the controller must always be on the same IP address as when you adopt an AP it sets the AP up to talk back to that IP.

As one of the guys who has to take the tech support phone calls for Unifi - it's not a home product :)

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