Extending my wifi signal

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Yorkshirekid

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#298833 20-Jul-2022 11:54

I have a ruckus r310 plugged into the router. Wireless on the router is turned off. The signal is much improved and it will even reach outside to the garage, 20m away, but just 1 bar. Step inside the garage and the signal is lost. I see a bunch of second hand AP's on Tme and I'm wondering if I can 'connect' one of them to the ruckus. I have no clue if this is possible or how to do that. But the first job is to ask if it is possible to use a second AP at all - will the r310 allow that. I'd appreciate some advice please. Thank you.

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wellygary

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#2944173 20-Jul-2022 12:08

wireless Wifi "extenders" are pretty much all crap...

If you want decent service in your garage look to a Point to point link with an new interior AP. ( or even better a cabled link)

Trying to "extend" a poor wifi signal by dumping another wifi device on the network is looking for trouble.

scuwp

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#2944220 20-Jul-2022 14:31

We upgraded to a mesh setup. Would never go back to a single AP or using extenders. That's like caveman stuff by comparison.

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CYaBro

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#2944223 20-Jul-2022 14:37

If running a cable (Best option) isn't possible then the easiest thing would be a pair of powerline adapters.
You can get them with wifi built in.
If the garage has power that runs off the same power supply as the house then they should work.

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Yorkshirekid

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#2944682 21-Jul-2022 11:28

Thank you. thank you.

I'm still a bit old school in my know-how; and not up with some tech - so - going Mesh.

Cheers all

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Spyware

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#2944716 21-Jul-2022 13:03

How would mesh work when you said yourself there is no signal in the garage. Mesh between two points and AP + extender are functionally equivalent. If no signal then no worky.

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allan

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#2944751 21-Jul-2022 14:22

Spyware:

How would mesh work when you said yourself there is no signal in the garage. Mesh between two points and AP + extender are functionally equivalent. If no signal then no worky.

I realise all situations are different, but that wasn't my experience when I went down the mesh path some years ago now. An Orbi RBR50 plus satellite worked just great to get between the upstairs living/bedroom area and a downstairs rumpus room, where a range extender had pretty much failed to deliver a usable signal at all.

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Delorean

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#2944786 21-Jul-2022 14:31

Range Extenders without an ethernet backbone are just a waist of time

In your senario, get a Netgear PowerLine with WiFi - however the garage must be on the same electrical circuit as the house

Referral Link: | Quic Broadband (use R142206E0L2CR for free setup)

allan

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#2944790 21-Jul-2022 14:35

Delorean:

Range Extenders without an ethernet backbone are just a waist of time

Why do you say that? I've never had any issue. The Orbi dedicated 5Ghz backhaul has never missed a beat for me.

Spyware

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#2944795 21-Jul-2022 14:42

allan:

I realise all situations are different, but that wasn't my experience when I went down the mesh path some years ago now. An Orbi RBR50 plus satellite worked just great to get between the upstairs living/bedroom area and a downstairs rumpus room, where a range extender had pretty much failed to deliver a usable signal at all.

Wifi signal doesn't magically become more penetrating because of the device brand or form factor. OP had already stated that garage had zero signal from existing Ruckus AP.

Yorkshirekid

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#2944822 21-Jul-2022 15:26

SPYWARE - I should have been clearer. At the garage there was a signal. Just. Step inside and that signal is lost; it's the metal cage of the garage.

So, I'm betting a two device mesh will fix that as I'll put the two AP's at each end of the house. The garage is just 10m away and I think signal will be ok inside the garage. If not, I can buy another AP to extend the mesh. I can't use ethernet across the gap, unfortunately.

DELOREAN - I considered the power board, but there are two different electrical circuits.

There are cheap mesh devices on Tme, so it's not going to cost me much in investing some $ and time.

Again - thanks all.

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CYaBro

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#2944846 21-Jul-2022 16:35

I would look at powerline adapters before a mesh system but that's just me. :)

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Delorean

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#2944912 21-Jul-2022 17:39

allan:

Delorean:

Range Extenders without an ethernet backbone are just a waist of time

Why do you say that? I've never had any issue. The Orbi dedicated 5Ghz backhaul has never missed a beat for me.

Mesh systems are designed to blanket your house with WiFi, however it can only repeat the signal it receives, in most cases it's a crap signal.

With an ethernet backbone, each repeater has it own decent signal.

Having 5Ghz backbone significantly reduces speeds and if you have a 1G connection, you would be lucky to get 300Mbps

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outdoorsnz

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#2946149 25-Jul-2022 10:46

A security company setup a IP camera in a persons shed that I had to update range extenders master wifi as main router had changed.

It was a rather interesting setup, but it did achieve the goal.

They extended the master WiFi inside the house to the closest point to garage and also strongest wifi siginal to boost. They then had another range extender up high in the garage that picked up the first extended signal.

So the key is you want to try and extend the strongest signal and it might just work. Weak signal and you are up against it. Mesh same concept. Even better with ethernet cabled to extender / mesh.

Gordy7

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#2946160 25-Jul-2022 11:38

Yorkshirekid:

So, I'm betting a two device mesh will fix that as I'll put the two AP's at each end of the house. The garage is just 10m away and I think signal will be ok inside the garage. If not, I can buy another AP to extend the mesh. I can't use ethernet across the gap, unfortunately.

Do a test.... move your present AP to the end of your house near your garage using a long network cable.

See if you can get WiFi into your garage.... However, I would be surprised if it would work.... Your garage is still a metal cage.

Gordy

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Spyware

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#2946260 25-Jul-2022 16:10

Yorkshirekid:

SPYWARE - I should have been clearer. At the garage there was a signal. Just. Step inside and that signal is lost; it's the metal cage of the garage.

So, I'm betting a two device mesh will fix that as I'll put the two AP's at each end of the house. The garage is just 10m away and I think signal will be ok inside the garage. If not, I can buy another AP to extend the mesh. I can't use ethernet across the gap, unfortunately.

If dealing with a metal cage then you use a point to point directional wifi link to garage (device on each building), then punch hole through garage exterior for cable to AP on inside.