increase wifi router power safe?

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richgamer

224 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#31337 13-Mar-2009 13:21

i'm thinking of using the open source dd-wrt firmware on my wifi router and it would let me increase my wifi router's transmit output power to 85mW. i think my wifi router currently outputs 16mW. i want to do it to increase my wifi router's range.
if i did this, the ac adapter won't overheat or blow up would it? can a wifi router's ac adapter handle 85mW?

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iainw

75 posts

Master Geek

#201021 13-Mar-2009 14:18

You won't blow your AC adapter, the access point cannot draw any more than the adapter can provide. No firmware will affect this. It MAY however do nasty things to your AP. Is your AP designed to transmit at 85mW? To be honest I have never heard of trying to transmit at a higher power setting than it is designed for. Gut feeling tells me either it works or it stops your AP from working. It isn't like overclocking your PC or over revving your car where it lets you do it but it can damage your unit...

paradoxsm

3000 posts

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#201059 13-Mar-2009 16:11

The AC adapter will be fine though you need to beware the wifi transmit chips won't overheat. I would say 85mW may be safe but heading straight up to 300mW probably will cook it.

Nety

2584 posts

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Retired Mod

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Lifetime subscriber

#201080 13-Mar-2009 17:48

I think you will find issues with that much of a jump. I would suggest taking it up in steps (say try 32mW to start) until you get the coverage you need. You don’t want it covering the whole neighbourhood you are just increasing the risk of someone hacking into it and using your internet data.

What may be a better idea if you want better coverage is putting on better aerials if you ones are removable.

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CamboCambo

15 posts

Geek

#201087 13-Mar-2009 19:13

I inherited an old WRT54G and did flash it with DD-WRT and I increased the power to the maximum that it could handle. It ran hotter but I didnt cook the device. I cant remember what the max power was. This is going back about 6 months or so.... Since then I have bought a wrt610n (great device)

To be honest, I found flashing the router just to increase the power is a waste of time, for me it didnt make a difference to the range.