Wifi Repeater Question

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tdgeek

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#164472 11-Feb-2015 08:11

I have a Huawei WS323 in repeater mode, in my bathroom, which is halfway between TPLink W8960N Modem/Router and the sleepout. Get 10mbit at the sleepout with this setup. Lightbox buffers. If other wifi devices are in sleepout, but not in use, but are on, will that hinder repeated wifi ?

hamish225

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#1234554 11-Feb-2015 10:59

D;

sounds like you need to invest in some ethernet cables! :P

*Insert big spe*dtest result here*

wasabi2k

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#1234569 11-Feb-2015 11:03

You have to remember most repeaters are single duplex - i.e. the radio is sending or receiving at any one time, not both.

The more devices you have on there the more contention you will have - even if they are just on there will usually be background data.

Powerline/Ethernet are much better options if they are possible.

tdgeek

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#1235917 11-Feb-2015 19:01

Well, at 10mbit, it seems fine, but I am planning to run ethernet. My post/interest was checking if an "on" device that is not in use, or is in sleep can affect wifi.

Yesterday I was outside, just the sleepout, 2 metres. Wifi on iPad Air was 10mbut down, 0.49 up, latency 33ms. On the repeater, 10mbit down, 0.89 up, 22ms. So it works well, but it can vary. Closed doors, local contention from other devices being on or in use, has much effect?

richms

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#1235932 11-Feb-2015 19:26

An on but not in use device will cause the broadcast stuff to be transmitted at a lower speed often. It will also be responding to periodic arps etc at a low speed due to power saving in wifi.

That shouldnt make much difference on a network unless you have lots of broadcast traffic, which would indicate another problem.

The only thing which will screw it up is if one of the things uses 802.11G. that will slow lots of it down because things have to have protection added to make the G devices see the channel as in use since N looks like noise to them.

Unless you have some relic devices, see if you have a greenfield mode on the gear. That will disable all the G protection stuff which can help if there is a G network in the area.

Richard rich.ms

tdgeek

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#1236897 12-Feb-2015 23:29

Following on, and tks for the replies.

Before I test run ethernet I googled repeater setup. Mine is on a separate SSID but same channel. I read posts where repeaters can be on same SSID to allow roaming, or not, thats fine. But some say same channel, others say use different channels. Advice?

I am on channel 6 for both, two distant routers in the street that I can see are on 1 and 11. So no competing 6's. Can I safely use 40Mz on 2.4 signal?

Router, TPLink W8960N is set to N, repeater is set to bgn, I think everything here is N, changing the repeater to N only, will that provide any benefit?

sbiddle

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#1236913 13-Feb-2015 07:21

I won't comment on the setup other than to say any form of WiFi extender or repeater is always a worst case scenario that should never be deployed in the real world if performance is important to you.

I'd also try and avoid 40Mhz, it's a total lost cause in most urban environments due to noise.

tdgeek

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#1236916 13-Feb-2015 07:38

sbiddle: I won't comment on the setup other than to say any form of WiFi extender or repeater is always a worst case scenario that should never be deployed in the real world if performance is important to you.

I'd also try and avoid 40Mhz, it's a total lost cause in most urban environments due to noise.

Fair enough, and tks. I will be running cable, which is here with me, I was mainly curious over what I could be optimise, given the various conflicting suggestions online. But if you could broadly comment that would be appreciated as I'd be keen to adjust anything out of tech interest and knowledge, see how it improves, before I replace with cable.

Many in my situation stay with wifi as its there, it works, and too much hassle and/or cost, but at the end of the day its like the ol' master splitter situation. Spend the money, do it right and enjoy it. Its a one off cost with a permanent benefit.

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michaelmurfy

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#1236943 13-Feb-2015 08:35

Those Powerline to Ethernet adapters are not all that bad and are often better than just repeating the WiFi. Shove an AP with same SSID, different channel on the end and you'll roam a little better.

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tdgeek

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#1236973 13-Feb-2015 08:50

michaelmurfy: Those Powerline to Ethernet adapters are not all that bad and are often better than just repeating the WiFi. Shove an AP with same SSID, different channel on the end and you'll roam a little better.

Powerline was my first choice for an improvement and ease of install, but the garage/sleepout has its own tripswitch in the fuse board and it goes direct, so there is no power plug off that line in my home. I did consider getting a sparky to install a plug after the fuse board so that the power cable is clean to the garage/sleepout, but not knowing how it would be, if there would be any interference from the board and the flouro lights in the garage, and that if I get a sparky in I may was well pay a bit more and get him to run ethernet. Good suggestion though

lissie

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#1242038 18-Feb-2015 22:37

sbiddle: I won't comment on the setup other than to say any form of WiFi extender or repeater is always a worst case scenario that should never be deployed in the real world if performance is important to you.

I'd also try and avoid 40Mhz, it's a total lost cause in most urban environments due to noise.

So what do you suggest for ipads and similar? Both laptops work fine in the lounge on the wifi - but the iPad Air struggles - it's just not as good a wifi receiver than even the 7 year old laptop.

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kiwigeek1

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#1242047 19-Feb-2015 02:08

I have a 1 watt wifi signal booster.. now It goes 10 houses away :O and through 2 brick walls with 150mb/s I use the 2.4 gb even though the linksysy is dual band I turn of the 5gb side since the booster dont accept those freqs. although its on one antenna.. suspect perhaps need 2 boosters to match for send and reciece though but never had a issue,

no need for extender.. I bought it from dx.com although they sale $30 extenders that run of batteries too

however I know a friend of a friend who boost his router up to 1 mile using a tin can antenna and can stream
his IP cams no worries.

however I think its directional and have to align it up.. point at the device

I assume it was something like this?
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Wifi-Extender-Cantenna-build-with-a-stand/

remember most routers output is 50 mwatts.

also changing a channel so neighbors dont conflict can help

tdgeek

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#1242051 19-Feb-2015 06:59

lissie:
sbiddle: I won't comment on the setup other than to say any form of WiFi extender or repeater is always a worst case scenario that should never be deployed in the real world if performance is important to you.

I'd also try and avoid 40Mhz, it's a total lost cause in most urban environments due to noise.

So what do you suggest for ipads and similar? Both laptops work fine in the lounge on the wifi - but the iPad Air struggles - it's just not as good a wifi receiver than even the 7 year old laptop.

My Air is great. I have an extender, yet out the back, outside of my property ,(the router is right at the front of my home its on 3 bars of 5 on the inside router, TPLink W8960N which is 2.4 only