Need to get a connection through two floors without access in-between

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Need to get a connection through two floors without access in-between

Taubin

592 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 243

ID Verified

Subscriber

#265647 3-Feb-2020 14:38

I live in the top floor of a 3 floor apartment. The bottom is the garages, then my neighbour, then us on top. I need to get a connection to the garage, but have zero access to the middle floor as it's not ours. We are also renting so running cables somehow is out of the question.

I have power in the garage, but I'm not 100% sure how it's connected to our power so I don't know if a powerline connector would work (if at all). WiFi is fine and it does not need to be a fast connection, just fast enough for a webcam. I'll be putting a 3D printer in the garage, with octoprint and a webcam on a raspberry pi. I'm not sure if an extender would work (again it doesn't need to be a super fast connection), or if I should try powerline or if something else exists that I'm not aware of.

I am using a Frtizbox 7490. I took my phone down, and I get about a half bar connection on the wifi, which wont' let me browse sites or the network, it's just too low of a connection.

I'm not able to move the router as that's where the fibre connection is, and the apartment isn't wired for ethernet.

An awesome mspaint drawing to explain better:

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

Taubin

592 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 243

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2411914 3-Feb-2020 14:45

I forgot to add, the exterior walls are concrete, and there are steel beams at the top of the wall of the garage separating the two garages.

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

trig42

5889 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2094

ID Verified

#2411929 3-Feb-2020 15:17

Do you have one fuse box for points in the Garage and the Apartment? Doesn't necessarily mean that they are on the same phase, but it would give some hope.

Try a power line setup.

If it doesn't work, take it back.

wellygary

8810 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5287

#2411930 3-Feb-2020 15:20

trig42:

Do you have one fuse box for points in the Garage and the Apartment? Doesn't necessarily mean that they are on the same phase, but it would give some hope.

Try a power line setup.

If it doesn't work, take it back.

As above, easiest option is probably power line adapters....

edit: noticed you said you are renting, so running interior cables is probably out.

Another "cheap and nasty" option is to find a exterior side of the building out of sight from the rest of the world and drop some external rated cat 6 cable out a window ( or you can get some internal cable and stuff down a garden hose) stick an AP on the end and power it via PoE, and hopefully it will penetrate the walls enough to connect to...

coffeebaron

6304 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3567

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2411936 3-Feb-2020 15:23

Do you have an old school copper phone line that runs physically down and out through the garage area? If so, you could possible use Ethernet over VDSL extender.

Rural IT and Broadband support.

Broadband troubleshooting and master filter installs.
Starlink installer - one month free: https://www.starlink.com/?referral=RC-32845-88860-71
Wi-Fi and networking
Cel-Fi supply and installer - boost your mobile phone coverage legally

Need help in Auckland, Waikato or BoP? Click my email button, or email me direct: [my user name] at geekzonemail dot com

Taubin

592 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 243

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2411949 3-Feb-2020 15:48

coffeebaron:

Do you have an old school copper phone line that runs physically down and out through the garage area? If so, you could possible use Ethernet over VDSL extender.

Unfortunately there's no phone line at all in the basement.

wellygary:

trig42:

Do you have one fuse box for points in the Garage and the Apartment? Doesn't necessarily mean that they are on the same phase, but it would give some hope.

Try a power line setup.

If it doesn't work, take it back.

As above, easiest option is probably power line adapters....

edit: noticed you said you are renting, so running interior cables is probably out.

Another "cheap and nasty" option is to find a exterior side of the building out of sight from the rest of the world and drop some external rated cat 6 cable out a window ( or you can get some internal cable and stuff down a garden hose) stick an AP on the end and power it via PoE, and hopefully it will penetrate the walls enough to connect to...

I had a look and there's nothing on the box to say it's the garage, I'll have to see if I can have my wife go down there while I flick the switches sometime.

Unfortunately there's no way to run an AP outside, as there are only windows in the front, side where my other neighbour parks, and back where the toilet is. The back of the garage is underground as well.

I'll try to find a cheap powerline and hope it works, thanks for the suggestions.

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

RunningMan

9185 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4838

#2411953 3-Feb-2020 15:58

If you nearly get a WiFi signal on your phone, you may find something with better WiFi hardware and antenna may get a (slow) signal OK in the same spot. A Mikrotik router with external antenna (say a 2nd hand RB2011 with wifi if you wanting to give a cheaper solution a go) might be able to join the network and give you some ethernet for the camera and printer.

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

Taubin

592 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 243

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2411956 3-Feb-2020 16:00

RunningMan:

If you nearly get a WiFi signal on your phone, you may find something with better WiFi hardware and antenna may get a (slow) signal OK in the same spot. A Mikrotik router with external antenna (say a 2nd hand RB2011 with wifi if you wanting to give a cheaper solution a go) might be able to join the network and give you some ethernet for the camera and printer.

I might have to give it a shot. I have a second fritzbox so I'm going to try to use a second one as a repeater first (I know that's far from ideal and won't be fast) just to see if it will work. I could place it in my living room (straight above) to see if that helps. I'll start experimenting once the Superb Owl is over with.

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

wellygary

8810 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5287

#2411960 3-Feb-2020 16:05

Taubin:

Once the Superb Owl is over

Was that a wonderful Freudian Slip, or just a boring typo :)

RunningMan

9185 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4838

#2411963 3-Feb-2020 16:08

Just bung the second Fritz in the garage and see if it connects - it may be able to get a better signal than your phone. Likely doesn't need to be a fast connection, just reliable. Try moving the Fritz's around a little bit as well to find the best antenna orientation.

Taubin

592 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 243

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2411966 3-Feb-2020 16:15

wellygary:

Taubin:

Once the Superb Owl is over

Was that a wonderful Freudian Slip, or just a boring typo :)

I always call it that, it's probably from reddit where reddit.com/r/superbowl is for posting Superb Owls not things about the game

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP

Taubin

592 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 243

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2412027 3-Feb-2020 20:02

Just wanted to update, using the second fritzbox worked great. It's not a great internet connection but again it doesn't need to be. I was over-complicating things as I have a tendency to do. Thank you all for the help and suggestions. Cheers

ZL2TOY/ZL1DMP