Any easy way to expand my network coverage?

I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I originally
needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage, only its a
good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough signal (just
the normal router I have had for years) to work well enough on the
internet.

I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and
is it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?

TIA

-Ben

On Wed, 27 May 2009 17:39:47 -0700 (PDT)
Wagg <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I originally
> needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage, only its a
> good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough signal (just
> the normal router I have had for years) to work well enough on the
> internet.
>
> I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
> anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and
> is it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>
I don't know what kit you have to hand, or how creative you feel, but
you could try the old Pringles can directional antennae trick (or
variations thereon).

On Wed, 27 May 2009 17:39:47 -0700, Wagg wrote:

> I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I originally
> needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage, only its a
> good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough signal (just the
> normal router I have had for years) to work well enough on the internet.
>
> I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
> anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and is
> it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>
> TIA
>
> -Ben

Do you have a mains power supply to the garage?

http://www.powerlinenetwork.co.uk/

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

On May 28, 7:47*am, Chris Whelan <cawhe...@prejudicentlworld.com>
wrote:
> On Wed, 27 May 2009 17:39:47 -0700, Wagg wrote:
> > I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I originally
> > needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage, only its a
> > good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough signal (just the
> > normal router I have had for years) to work well enough on the internet..
>
> > I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
> > anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and is
> > it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>
> > TIA
>
> > -Ben
>
> Do you have a mains power supply to the garage?
>
> http://www.powerlinenetwork.co.uk/
>
> Chris
>
> --
> Remove prejudice to reply.

Hi Chris,

I have power, but its on a completely different circuit or something.
Tried those as a friend uses them, but its like there is nothing
there.

-Ben

On May 28, 7:55*am, Alan P <nob...@invalid.net> wrote:
> Rob Morley was thinking very hard :
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Wed, 27 May 2009 17:39:47 -0700 (PDT)
> > Wagg <n...@vigilante.org.uk> wrote:
>
> >> I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I originally
> >> needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage, only its a
> >> good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough signal (just
> >> the normal router I have had for years) to work well enough on the
> >> internet.
>
> >> I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
> >> anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and
> >> is it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>
> > I don't know what kit you have to hand, or how creative you feel, but
> > you could try the old Pringles can directional antennae trick (or
> > variations thereon).
>
> Links for "cantenna" :-
>
> *http://www.educypedia.be/electronics...nacantenna.htm
>
> *http://flakey.info/antenna/waveguide/
>
> *http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/weblog/view/wlg/448
>
> *http://www.saunalahti.fi/elepal/antenna2calc.php- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Ehrm, rather than making something, is there anything I can buy? I've
already tried one of those N routers (just now in fact) and it extends
downstairs by about 20 feet, so still 30 feet to go! I dont think I
have the patience to make something like that!

-Ben

On Thu, 28 May 2009 03:11:11 -0700, Wagg wrote:

> On May 28, 7:47Â*am, Chris Whelan <cawhe...@prejudicentlworld.com> wrote:
>> On Wed, 27 May 2009 17:39:47 -0700, Wagg wrote:
>> > I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I
>> > originally needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage,
>> > only its a good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough
>> > signal (just the normal router I have had for years) to work well
>> > enough on the internet.
>>
>> > I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
>> > anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and
>> > is it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>>
>> > TIA
>>
>> > -Ben
>>
>> Do you have a mains power supply to the garage?
>>
>> http://www.powerlinenetwork.co.uk/
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> --
>> Remove prejudice to reply.
>
> Hi Chris,
>
> I have power, but its on a completely different circuit or something.
> Tried those as a friend uses them, but its like there is nothing there.
>
> -Ben

Power line networking would still be your best option.

If you don't understand why you are unable to use that method in your
current situation, do you know an electrician who could advise you? It
might be that a small change to your wiring could make them usable.

Chris


--
Remove prejudice to reply.

"Wagg" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:d0e87eab-a031-410b-ab41-(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I originally
> needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage, only its a
> good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough signal (just
> the normal router I have had for years) to work well enough on the
> internet.
>
> I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
> anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and
> is it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>

How far from the side of the house nearest the garage is your router?
You could have an extra access point at that side of the house to give you extra coverage , or if you have mains in the garage then some homeplugs might be an option.
Failing that it's not too far to run a long network cable to the garage....

--
Alex

"I laugh in the face of danger , then I hide until it goes away"

Chris Whelan wrote:
> On Thu, 28 May 2009 03:11:11 -0700, Wagg wrote:
>
>> On May 28, 7:47 am, Chris Whelan <cawhe...@prejudicentlworld.com> wrote:
>>> On Wed, 27 May 2009 17:39:47 -0700, Wagg wrote:
>>>> I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I
>>>> originally needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage,
>>>> only its a good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough
>>>> signal (just the normal router I have had for years) to work well
>>>> enough on the internet.
>>>> I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
>>>> anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and
>>>> is it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>>>> TIA
>>>> -Ben
>>> Do you have a mains power supply to the garage?
>>>
>>> http://www.powerlinenetwork.co.uk/
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>> --
>>> Remove prejudice to reply.
>> Hi Chris,
>>
>> I have power, but its on a completely different circuit or something.
>> Tried those as a friend uses them, but its like there is nothing there.
>>
>> -Ben
>
> Power line networking would still be your best option.
>
> If you don't understand why you are unable to use that method in your
> current situation, do you know an electrician who could advise you? It
> might be that a small change to your wiring could make them usable.
>
> Chris
>
>
If Homeplugs dont work I would look at relocating your wireless router
location to overlook the garage .
(Mine goes through two 3 foot stone walls, slate roof and 30m of air !)
You can use a homeplug with an wireless access point to extend the
network range if you cant move the actual router to a better location.

On May 28, 6:02*pm, "Dr Zoidberg" <AlexNOOOO!!!!!...@drzoidberg.co.uk>
wrote:
> "Wagg" <n...@vigilante.org.uk> wrote in messagenews:d0e87eab-a031-410b-ab41-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >I have a mini home network, stretches far enough for what I originally
> > needed, now want to get some connection down in my garage, only its a
> > good 50 feet away from where the laptop picks up enough signal (just
> > the normal router I have had for years) to work well enough on the
> > internet.
>
> > I cant run a wire, it isnt possible, but I wondered if there was
> > anything I could do to extend my couverage. Is there such a thing and
> > is it simple (and not hugely expensive!)?
>
> How far from the side of the house nearest the garage is your router?
> You could have an extra access point at that side of the house to give you extra coverage , or if you have mains in the garage then some homeplugs might be an option.
> Failing that it's not too far to run a long network cable to the garage.....
>
> --
> Alex
>
> "I laugh in the face of danger , then I hide until it goes away"

Hi all,

right, had someone look at it. The power is three phase, so there is
its own set of switches and bits, the power comes from the other side
of the building. There is a main road between me and the building and
the last wire that was put up got cut through by a lorry or something
(that was a phone extension). There are no poles nearby without some
serious re-routing of the wire, so I cant run it that way. Between the
router (its as far away from the main socket as I can make it to work)
are two 3 foot cob/stone wals, a small lean to add-on and then there
is a single road (two lanes either way).

Would the power being on the other (completely different mains) be the
reason it wont work? I am going to have to assume so as I know
nothing, and the electrician doesn't think that the power would trip
over for the connection, but he's old and has never seen the boxes I
was referring to!

Between the router and the edge of the garage is around 50 or so feet,
maybe a little bit more. I've tried one of these N routers and it
doesnt seem to extend beyond what the other one did, so its waiting to
go back.

-Ben

On Fri, 29 May 2009 10:40:48 -0700, Wagg wrote:

[...]
>
> Would the power being on the other (completely different mains) be the
> reason it wont work? I am going to have to assume so as I know nothing,
> and the electrician doesn't think that the power would trip over for the
> connection, but he's old and has never seen the boxes I was referring
> to!
>
> Between the router and the edge of the garage is around 50 or so feet,
> maybe a little bit more. I've tried one of these N routers and it doesnt
> seem to extend beyond what the other one did, so its waiting to go back.
>
> -Ben

AFAIK, power line networking only works if the sockets are on the same
phase; also the signal won't pass through an electricity meter, at least
not without a massive signal loss.

TBH, it looks like you are stuffed!

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.