Increasing range of wi-fi

I have a SOHO in the garden, which has a phone line to it so I can plug
the router in and get ADSL via a small wired LAN in the SOHO, but I want
to get wireless /back/ to the house which is only about 15 - 20 feet
away. I thought of putting up a small external antenna to boost the
signal, but haven't a clue where to start looking, particularly as i'm
not sure which connectors will fit my Netgear DG834.

Ideas welcome please.

Tx2 wrote:
> I have a SOHO in the garden, which has a phone line to it so I can plug
> the router in and get ADSL via a small wired LAN in the SOHO, but I want
> to get wireless /back/ to the house which is only about 15 - 20 feet
> away. I thought of putting up a small external antenna to boost the
> signal, but haven't a clue where to start looking, particularly as i'm
> not sure which connectors will fit my Netgear DG834.
>
> Ideas welcome please.

I thought that wireless can travel about 100m in open air. I know it can
definitely travel more that 20ft!!!
You should just try it without an external aerial and see how far you
get, although make sure you have security on it otherwise your
neighbours may be getting free internet!

--
http://www.needmyhelp.com

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, (E-Mail Removed) says...


> I thought that wireless can travel about 100m in open air. I know it can
> definitely travel more that 20ft!!!

Problem is, where I will need to access the WLAN is at the front of the
house (the SOHO being at the rear) and having tried a laptop at this
location, the signal is low to nothing.

I could have the router et al in the house, and then just get wireless
to the SOHO, but for this, again, the router would have to be at the
front of the house (don't ask, it's just easier at the front) so I lose
signal at the SOHO end of things.

I thought about Homeplug, but it would have to pass through 2 circuit
breakers, and I have read /somewhere/ that this may cause problems.

So, I thought, if I maybe have the router at the front of the house,
with an external antenna mounted on the side (we are end of terrace), I
might improve the overall signal to the outside premises (which is a
wooden cabin, incidentally). Would something in the loft be almost as
good given the height advantage I would gain?

In article <(E-Mail Removed)> , Tx2
says...
> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, (E-Mail Removed) says...
>
>
> > I thought that wireless can travel about 100m in open air. I know it can
> > definitely travel more that 20ft!!!
>
> Problem is, where I will need to access the WLAN is at the front of the
> house (the SOHO being at the rear) and having tried a laptop at this
> location, the signal is low to nothing.
>
Your laptop is the problem. You need a Wifi adapter for the laptop that
allows you to have an external antenna with it.

> I could have the router et al in the house, and then just get wireless
> to the SOHO, but for this, again, the router would have to be at the
> front of the house (don't ask, it's just easier at the front) so I lose
> signal at the SOHO end of things.
>
> I thought about Homeplug, but it would have to pass through 2 circuit
> breakers, and I have read /somewhere/ that this may cause problems.
>
> So, I thought, if I maybe have the router at the front of the house,
> with an external antenna mounted on the side (we are end of terrace), I
> might improve the overall signal to the outside premises (which is a
> wooden cabin, incidentally). Would something in the loft be almost as
> good given the height advantage I would gain?
>
I set this up at my wifes work:

DLink 802.11b router in back attic overlooking garden on 3rd floor.

Computers in workshop at end of a 50ft garden behind leaded glass
windows.

The computers using USB dongles get a "poor" signal. It's workable but
it is around 50%. The ones using PCI Wifi cards with proper antennas
get around 80% signal strength.


--
Conor,

Same shit, different day.

"Tx2" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) T...
> In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, (E-Mail Removed) says...
>
>
>> I thought that wireless can travel about 100m in open air. I know it can
>> definitely travel more that 20ft!!!
>
> Problem is, where I will need to access the WLAN is at the front of the
> house (the SOHO being at the rear) and having tried a laptop at this
> location, the signal is low to nothing.
>
> I could have the router et al in the house, and then just get wireless
> to the SOHO, but for this, again, the router would have to be at the
> front of the house (don't ask, it's just easier at the front) so I lose
> signal at the SOHO end of things.
>
> I thought about Homeplug, but it would have to pass through 2 circuit
> breakers, and I have read /somewhere/ that this may cause problems.
>
> So, I thought, if I maybe have the router at the front of the house,
> with an external antenna mounted on the side (we are end of terrace), I
> might improve the overall signal to the outside premises (which is a
> wooden cabin, incidentally). Would something in the loft be almost as
> good given the height advantage I would gain?

Your loft might be the best bet. It's worth a try.
Personally I'd put the router in the front of the house so you can access
the WLAN with your laptop and attach an access point (wired) to a room at
the back of your house where it will have clear sight of your SOHO.
I got a Netgear access point (Me102) off eBay for a couple of quid.
<http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?sofocus=so&sbrftog=1&from=R10&catref=C6 &satitle=access+point+netgear+me102&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D2&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D3&sadis=200&fpos=G76+0DR&ga10244=10425 &ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&so=Show+Items>
I don't have a wifi router but have Cat5 connections running to every room
in the house. So if I want to use my laptop in the front garden I just plug
the access point in to a room at the front of the house or use it at the
back of the house if I'm in the back.