This Old House

Hi,
I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set up a
wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a mix of
operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've been told that
I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work in my 150 year old
house because the walls are old fashion plaster/lath. Does anybody have
experience with this? I don't want to do anything fancey, just share an
internet connection and let guests use their wireless laptops to access
the net. Any info would be appreciated.
TIA Paul

Hi Paul;
Plaster walls are usually very difficult as they are constructed with wire
mesh in the plaster to act as a base.
I recently set up a wireless network for a fellow that had plaster walls.
With the router in one room and a laptop in the next, a distance of about 5
feet, the laptop could not get a signal. This was all done with fully
functioning, known good, equipment.
That being said, the truth of the matter is no one can tell what will or
will not work. The only way to tell for sure is to try it out.
Professionals setting up commercial wireless will come in and do a site
survey to see what works. If you can borrow some equipment you might try
that. Of course you always have the option of buying from an outfit that
has a liberal return policy (although I abhor that type of thought).
HTH;
TomA
"Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
> I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set up a
> wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a mix of
> operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've been told that
> I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work in my 150 year old
> house because the walls are old fashion plaster/lath. Does anybody have
> experience with this? I don't want to do anything fancey, just share an
> internet connection and let guests use their wireless laptops to access
> the net. Any info would be appreciated.
> TIA Paul
>

In article <FHozb.16320$(E-Mail Removed)>,
Tom A <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
:Plaster walls are usually very difficult as they are constructed with wire
:mesh in the plaster to act as a base.
:I recently set up a wireless network for a fellow that had plaster walls.
:With the router in one room and a laptop in the next, a distance of about 5
:feet, the laptop could not get a signal. This was all done with fully
:functioning, known good, equipment.
:That being said, the truth of the matter is no one can tell what will or
:will not work. The only way to tell for sure is to try it out.

Quite right. For example, in my 55-ish year old plaster-wall house,
with a single AP, I get good signal throughout the place, and
usable signal up to about 25 feet outside. Perhaps the way they
constructed plaster changed over time.
--
Everyone has a "Good Cause" for which they are prepared to Spam.
-- Roberson's Law of the Internet

Paul wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set up a
> wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a mix of
> operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've been told that
> I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work in my 150 year old
> house because the walls are old fashion plaster/lath. Does anybody have
> experience with this? I don't want to do anything fancey, just share an
> internet connection and let guests use their wireless laptops to access
> the net. Any info would be appreciated.
> TIA Paul
>
As the two above posts noted, it has a lot to do with the construction
method. My house has plaster interior walls. The plaster was applied to
sheetrock (holes drilled in the sheetrock to anchor the plaster). Since
the plaster has no wire mesh imbedded, I get excellent signal throughout
my house.

Jerry Park wrote:
> > Paul wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > > I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set
> > > up a wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a
> > > mix of operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've
> > > been told that I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work
> > > in my 150 year old house because the walls are old fashion
> > > plaster/lath. Does anybody have experience with this? I don't
> > > want to do anything fancey, just share an internet connection and
> > > let guests use their wireless laptops to access the net. Any info
> > > would be appreciated.
> > > TIA Paul
> > >
> > As the two above posts noted, it has a lot to do with the
> > construction method. My house has plaster interior walls. The
> > plaster was applied to sheetrock (holes drilled in the sheetrock to
> > anchor the plaster). Since the plaster has no wire mesh imbedded, I
> > get excellent signal throughout my house.

The method I am familiar with (house is now 110 years old) - they
attached one inch strips of wood horizontally across the studs with just
enough of a gap between each strip to allow the plaster to anchor. So
once again no use of wire...!

Paul,
If your walls are true lath(wood) and plaster, you will be far better off
that the wire mess and plaster walls used infrequently (usually in bathrooms
where mortar and tile were applied, not plaster). Try to centrally locate
the wireless router connected to the DSL or cable modem relative to the
location of your computers. The goal is to minimize distance from the
wireless router to each computer and thereby increase the chances of good
signal strength.

"Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
> I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set up a
> wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a mix of
> operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've been told that
> I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work in my 150 year old
> house because the walls are old fashion plaster/lath. Does anybody have
> experience with this? I don't want to do anything fancey, just share an
> internet connection and let guests use their wireless laptops to access
> the net. Any info would be appreciated.
> TIA Paul
>

On Wed, 3 Dec 2003 16:29:44 -0500, in alt.internet.wireless , "John"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Paul,
>If your walls are true lath(wood) and plaster, you will be far better off
>that the wire mess and plaster walls used infrequently (usually in bathrooms
>where mortar and tile were applied, not plaster). Try to centrally locate
>the wireless router connected to the DSL or cable modem relative to the
>location of your computers. The goal is to minimize distance from the
>wireless router to each computer and thereby increase the chances of good
>signal strength.

Also, if possible try to get it ABOVE the ceilings - while the walls
may well be four to eight inches thick, possibly with steel mesh
inside, the ceilings are more likely to be plasterboard and quite
thin.

Mark McIntyre


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Hey lynksys also do an amplifyer, this may help


"Paul" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
> I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set up a
> wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a mix of
> operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've been told that
> I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work in my 150 year old
> house because the walls are old fashion plaster/lath. Does anybody have
> experience with this? I don't want to do anything fancey, just share an
> internet connection and let guests use their wireless laptops to access
> the net. Any info would be appreciated.
> TIA Paul
>

Thanks for all the great suggestions. . . . Paul


Paul wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set up a
> wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a mix of
> operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've been told that
> I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work in my 150 year old
> house because the walls are old fashion plaster/lath. Does anybody have
> experience with this? I don't want to do anything fancey, just share an
> internet connection and let guests use their wireless laptops to access
> the net. Any info would be appreciated.
> TIA Paul
>

"-Lone_Wolf-" <-lone_wolf-@CLOTHESexcite.com> wrote in message
news:b8szb.551273$pl3.119974@pd7tw3no...
> Jerry Park wrote:
> > > Paul wrote:
> > > > Hi,
> > > > I'm a newbe to all this Wireless stuff, but I would like to set
> > > > up a wireless network in my house. We have three computers with a
> > > > mix of operating systems, Win 98, XP Home, and WinNT 4.0. I've
> > > > been told that I'll have trouble trying to get wireless to work
> > > > in my 150 year old house because the walls are old fashion
> > > > plaster/lath. Does anybody have experience with this? I don't
> > > > want to do anything fancey, just share an internet connection and
> > > > let guests use their wireless laptops to access the net. Any info
> > > > would be appreciated.
> > > > TIA Paul
> > > >
> > > As the two above posts noted, it has a lot to do with the
> > > construction method. My house has plaster interior walls. The
> > > plaster was applied to sheetrock (holes drilled in the sheetrock to
> > > anchor the plaster). Since the plaster has no wire mesh imbedded, I
> > > get excellent signal throughout my house.
>
> The method I am familiar with (house is now 110 years old) - they
> attached one inch strips of wood horizontally across the studs with just
> enough of a gap between each strip to allow the plaster to anchor. So
> once again no use of wire...!

This is true. Most wire in plaster walled houses was put in later. However,
most really old houses have had the walls redone at some point, and they may or
may not have used wire. Bottom line is that you never know what's in there.

Borrow some wireless gear, and see if it works. Two laptops with their wireless
cards talking to each other will tell you what you need to know.

Matt O.