Indoor range extension

Hi All,

I have a SMC wireless router connected to a cable modem and a WLAN card
in my laptop. This all works fine if I am at one end of a long narrow
house.
I want to be able to use my laptop at the other end of the house and the
wireless range in far too short.

It is not practical to move the router nor can I install any new cabling
from the room with the router in it.

My idea is to install a wireless access point in the roofspace above one
end of the house and connect it via long ethernet cable to a another
wireless access point at the other end of the roofspace.

The radio ranges needed will only be a few 10s of feet vertically at
each end of the house and so should be well within the capabilities of
my router.

My questions are
Will this work?
If so do I need a cross over cable or a standard one?
Do I need a particular sort of AP so that it does not object to being
connected to another AP without a computer or router involved?
Is this what is described as a bridge? I don't understand the various
WLAN terminology.
The Dlink DWL-900AP seems to offer a single location repeated but the
range from it to each end of the house could still be marginal and I
don't want to buy two of them at their prices

Is there another solution that does not involve running cables in the
'visible' part of my house?

Is the a website or FAQ where I can read up on the basic and terminology
of WLAN systems?

Thanks for reading this far!

All info gratefully received.

TIA

Bob

What do you think of using special cable called "leaky coax" or "radiax".
Think of it a soaker garden hose that has lots of holes in it.
Place the router in a closet as it will not take the humidity, cold/heat
of an attic.

"Bob Minchin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
: Hi All,
:
: I have a SMC wireless router connected to a cable modem and a WLAN card
: in my laptop. This all works fine if I am at one end of a long narrow
: house.
: I want to be able to use my laptop at the other end of the house and the
: wireless range in far too short.
:
: It is not practical to move the router nor can I install any new cabling
: from the room with the router in it.
:
: My idea is to install a wireless access point in the roofspace above one
: end of the house and connect it via long ethernet cable to a another
: wireless access point at the other end of the roofspace.
:
: The radio ranges needed will only be a few 10s of feet vertically at
: each end of the house and so should be well within the capabilities of
: my router.
:
: My questions are
: Will this work?
: If so do I need a cross over cable or a standard one?
: Do I need a particular sort of AP so that it does not object to being
: connected to another AP without a computer or router involved?
: Is this what is described as a bridge? I don't understand the various
: WLAN terminology.
: The Dlink DWL-900AP seems to offer a single location repeated but the
: range from it to each end of the house could still be marginal and I
: don't want to buy two of them at their prices
:
: Is there another solution that does not involve running cables in the
: 'visible' part of my house?
:
: Is the a website or FAQ where I can read up on the basic and terminology
: of WLAN systems?
:
: Thanks for reading this far!
:
: All info gratefully received.
:
: TIA
:
: Bob
:

If you're at one end of the house and only need coverage in one
direction, try making a reflector for one (or both) of the antennas.
Plans here: http://www.freeantennas.com/ and click on "The Original
Parabolic Reflector Template".

Bob Minchin <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>...
> Hi All,
>
> I have a SMC wireless router connected to a cable modem and a WLAN card
> in my laptop. This all works fine if I am at one end of a long narrow
> house.
> I want to be able to use my laptop at the other end of the house and the
> wireless range in far too short.

Take a look at www.hawkingtech.com. I tried their USB36 which has a
high-gain antenna on the end of about a five foot cable. At least doubled my
laptop range on 802.11b. Regards


"Bob Minchin" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi All,
>
> I have a SMC wireless router connected to a cable modem and a WLAN card
> in my laptop. This all works fine if I am at one end of a long narrow
> house.
> I want to be able to use my laptop at the other end of the house and the
> wireless range in far too short.
>
> It is not practical to move the router nor can I install any new cabling
> from the room with the router in it.
>
> My idea is to install a wireless access point in the roofspace above one
> end of the house and connect it via long ethernet cable to a another
> wireless access point at the other end of the roofspace.
>
> The radio ranges needed will only be a few 10s of feet vertically at
> each end of the house and so should be well within the capabilities of
> my router.
>
> My questions are
> Will this work?
> If so do I need a cross over cable or a standard one?
> Do I need a particular sort of AP so that it does not object to being
> connected to another AP without a computer or router involved?
> Is this what is described as a bridge? I don't understand the various
> WLAN terminology.
> The Dlink DWL-900AP seems to offer a single location repeated but the
> range from it to each end of the house could still be marginal and I
> don't want to buy two of them at their prices
>
> Is there another solution that does not involve running cables in the
> 'visible' part of my house?
>
> Is the a website or FAQ where I can read up on the basic and terminology
> of WLAN systems?
>
> Thanks for reading this far!
>
> All info gratefully received.
>
> TIA
>
> Bob
>