Fritzbox in cabinet, poor wifi signal.

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peejayw

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Topic # 151669 1-Sep-2014 16:56

Is it usual to install the Fritzbox inside the cabinet like this? Wifi signal strength is poor unless the cabinet door is left open which is not really an option. I assume the steel cabinet is blocking the wireless signal.
What else could be done, external aerial, relocate the box?

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Reply # 1119763 1-Sep-2014 17:03

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There is a brand new apartment building in Wellington with Mikrotik RB951's installed in the very same cabinets in every apartment tied into the building intercom system.

This 951 provides the wireless for each apartment and apartment owners are not allowed to use their own wireless and have to tell ISPs to send out a router with the WiFi disabled. They then plug a patch lead from their router to the RB951 to enable WiFi in their apartment.

The resulting outcome in both scenarios is terrible WiFi. People really haven't learnt their lessons from the early days of the BoF trials.

Oblivian

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Reply # 1119767 1-Sep-2014 17:05

Yep. Its the termination point in a Fibre Ready install/new home :)

The wireless on fritz isn't flash at the best of times (oodles of threads relating to it)

Best bet, a $60-70 AccessPoint/router slapped into a patched outlet somewhere else in the house.

chevrolux

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Reply # 1119774 1-Sep-2014 17:19

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facepalming so hard just by reading the title.

Why do people think this is a good idea?! Yes it's tidy but my god, why stick the wireless in there!!

If you want to use the Fritzbox's wireless then you really want to have a dual outlet in a location that will allow you to get a decent amount of signal strength. You can then use on outlet for the layer 2 link back to the ONT and then feed the LAN back to the cabinet using the second outlet.

Or turn off the wifi on the Fritz and spend $300 on a Unifi Pro and stick the Unifi in a decent location.

timmmay

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Reply # 1119790 1-Sep-2014 17:45

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Putting RF equipment inside a faraday cage isn't the best idea ever. Install a simple WAP somewhere central. Fritzbox WiFi works great for me, but I don't put it inside a metal RF proof box, I put it up high in a central location in my house.

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jnimmo

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Reply # 1119814 1-Sep-2014 18:29

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chevrolux: facepalming so hard just by reading the title.

Why do people think this is a good idea?! Yes it's tidy but my god, why stick the wireless in there!!

If you want to use the Fritzbox's wireless then you really want to have a dual outlet in a location that will allow you to get a decent amount of signal strength. You can then use on outlet for the layer 2 link back to the ONT and then feed the LAN back to the cabinet using the second outlet.

Or turn off the wifi on the Fritz and spend $300 on a Unifi Pro and stick the Unifi in a decent location.

Unifi's aren't the answer to every wireless situation, unnecessarily complex for home users. I use them at work and they are great there, but don't want to have to install the controller just to change a setting.

There would be many suitable APs out there, an Apple Refurb Airport Express is pretty good buy for $108 in my opinion -especially if you have any iOS devices (built in switch, music streaming and dual band)

Unless you can find a plastic door to replace the metal one on the cabinet :)

peejayw

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Reply # 1119825 1-Sep-2014 18:40

Unless you can find a plastic door to replace the metal one on the cabinet :)

Haha, that will be my first suggestion to him. Getting cable from the cabinet to the required location in the house is a challenge so next suggestion will be powerline adaptors.

sbiddle

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Reply # 1119879 1-Sep-2014 19:30

peejayw:

Unless you can find a plastic door to replace the metal one on the cabinet :)

Haha, that will be my first suggestion to him. Getting cable from the cabinet to the required location in the house is a challenge so next suggestion will be powerline adaptors.

Where do all the cat5e cables inside there go to? Are you suggesting that despite a central wiring cabinet there are so RJ45 sockets around the premises?

peejayw

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Reply # 1119880 1-Sep-2014 19:33

One in TV lounge, maybe another for phone but not sure, its not my place. None in the required upstairs area though.

chevrolux

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Reply # 1119888 1-Sep-2014 19:49

Unifi's aren't the answer to every wireless situation, unnecessarily complex for home users. I use them at work and they are great there, but don't want to have to install the controller just to change a setting.

How often do you change your wifi settings though? I haven't changed mine since I put them in.

Also, the Unifi controller is easy enough to start and stop when required. Airports are just as annoying as you need the airport utility thing to configure them - i find that thing more annoying than the Unifi controller.

shk292

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Reply # 1119942 1-Sep-2014 20:42

I just can't understand how anyone with the most basic knowledge of networking would think putting a WAP in a metal box is a good idea.

Let me guess, all the light fittings are behind black-out curtains?

sbiddle

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Reply # 1120164 2-Sep-2014 02:32

shk292: I just can't understand how anyone with the most basic knowledge of networking would think putting a WAP in a metal box is a good idea.

Tell this to the large number of people designing apartment buildings and properties with this identical setup!

freitasm

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Reply # 1120205 2-Sep-2014 07:59

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peejayw: One in TV lounge, maybe another for phone but not sure, its not my place. None in the required upstairs area though.

You mean that people install UFB with 100Mbps - 200 Mbps services and then go on using crappy WiFi for their content distribution?

Are they out of their minds?

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Aredwood

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Reply # 1120828 2-Sep-2014 21:06

freitasm:
peejayw: One in TV lounge, maybe another for phone but not sure, its not my place. None in the required upstairs area though.

You mean that people install UFB with 100Mbps - 200 Mbps services and then go on using crappy WiFi for their content distribution?

Are they out of their minds?

Yes, My Ex boss said that he does exactly this at his house.

But some of it would be people looking at their cheap Wifi router. Reading the banner printed on the case saying that it supports 150mbit. And thinking "thats faster than my UFB connection so its all good".

raytaylor

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Reply # 1120876 2-Sep-2014 22:38

I am amazed the overheads hasnt triggered a false advertising complaint yet after 10 years of popular wifi

Can you replace the antennas on the fritzboxes?
I wonder if a desktop antenna with a short cable going into the cabinet would be the best option, or to mount the wifi unit on the door itself

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/other/auction-774619315.htm

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Reply # 1120879 2-Sep-2014 22:46

raytaylor: I am amazed the overheads hasnt triggered a false advertising complaint yet after 10 years of popular wifi

Can you replace the antennas on the fritzboxes?
I wonder if a desktop antenna with a short cable going into the cabinet would be the best option, or to mount the wifi unit on the door itself

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/other/auction-774619315.htm

nope. its an internal antenna..

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