Signal Strength Issue

Hi Folks,

I recently purchased a Linksys WAG354G

I have a house of modern(ish) construction (circa 1984) but it does
have that nasty double skinned plasterboard with the aluminium foil
stuff within the interior walls - which seemed to give me grief
before when I used my Buffalo wireless router. (At least I think this
stuff is partly to blame)

As a result I resorted to mainly using CAT5 into a switch and didn't
use wireless much.

Circumstances prevail - and now I've got the Linksys and want to be
more wireless, I'm having issues with signal strength again.. suprise
... suprise..

It seems if I place the router in any other room from a wireless PC
the signal strength is crap. So crap that downloads suffer to the
extent of 56k modem speeds.
I've gone via CAT5 into the Linksys and the ISP is certainly not the
problem ;-) it's the wireless.

I have a Dell Latitude X300 (with inbuilt 802.11g (Centrino) - and
this is fair, but not great.. And got hold of a Belkin USB 802.11g
adapter for my desktop thinking it would be "useful".. well AFAIC is
totally shit. The drivers are crap.. ..the bundled software conflicts
with things... Aghh... Anyhow - that's another story...
But it's appears the USB product suffers more from signal issue than
the Dell.

Anyhow - If I put the router proudly on display in the master bedroom
window (which pisses the wife off big style!!!) - I get reasonable
signals upstairs.. Downstairs again is just crap.

What I'm wondering is.... should I buy a PCI card for the desktop
(will this improve things over the nasty Belkin job)? - and I'll just
have to make do with the laptop getting a poor signal.
Or - how easy is it to get hold of the optional antenna for the
Linksys WAG354G (is it a special part only from Linksys??, or does
anyone know if it's a generic fit to a common antenna?)
Even so.. will that antenna on the Linksys improve things?


I hear of many people getting fantastic signals with their wireless..
and in my house it seems signal can't go from lounge to bedroom
without it bordering on useless.

I've tried different channels etc.. and the Linksys doesn't appear to
be any better than the aged Buffalo.

I'm starting to get P'd off now.. surely there's something that I
could try?

Any help appreciated.


Regards

Steve

In MsgID<(E-Mail Removed)> within
uk.comp.home-networking, 'Steve C' wrote:

>I'm starting to get P'd off now.. surely there's something that I
>could try?

One other option, though I haven't looked for a while now so your own
google search might be an idea, is to use an ethernet over mains system
for most of the distribution. If you try the search and don't find
anything then get back to this group and I'll have a go, or perhaps
someone around here already has a recomendation.

Most of your network could use the mains piggy-back for its data feed,
requiring only a standard power socket, so the static computers will be
fine. As for a laptop, I imagine there will be a mains-ethernet to
wireless bridge available which you could plug in as close as possible to
the laptop and just use wireless for that final linkup.

Otherwise, sitting inside an effective faraday cage, you're going to have
serious problems with wireless.

Dave J.

"Steve C" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi Folks,
>
> I recently purchased a Linksys WAG354G
>
> I have a house of modern(ish) construction (circa 1984) but it does
> have that nasty double skinned plasterboard with the aluminium foil
> stuff within the interior walls - which seemed to give me grief
> before when I used my Buffalo wireless router. (At least I think this
> stuff is partly to blame)
>
> As a result I resorted to mainly using CAT5 into a switch and didn't
> use wireless much.
>
> Circumstances prevail - and now I've got the Linksys and want to be
> more wireless, I'm having issues with signal strength again.. suprise
> .. suprise..
>
> It seems if I place the router in any other room from a wireless PC
> the signal strength is crap. So crap that downloads suffer to the
> extent of 56k modem speeds.
> I've gone via CAT5 into the Linksys and the ISP is certainly not the
> problem ;-) it's the wireless.
>
> I have a Dell Latitude X300 (with inbuilt 802.11g (Centrino) - and
> this is fair, but not great.. And got hold of a Belkin USB 802.11g
> adapter for my desktop thinking it would be "useful".. well AFAIC is
> totally shit. The drivers are crap.. ..the bundled software conflicts
> with things... Aghh... Anyhow - that's another story...
> But it's appears the USB product suffers more from signal issue than
> the Dell.
>
> Anyhow - If I put the router proudly on display in the master bedroom
> window (which pisses the wife off big style!!!) - I get reasonable
> signals upstairs.. Downstairs again is just crap.
>
> What I'm wondering is.... should I buy a PCI card for the desktop
> (will this improve things over the nasty Belkin job)? - and I'll just
> have to make do with the laptop getting a poor signal.
> Or - how easy is it to get hold of the optional antenna for the
> Linksys WAG354G (is it a special part only from Linksys??, or does
> anyone know if it's a generic fit to a common antenna?)
> Even so.. will that antenna on the Linksys improve things?
>
>
> I hear of many people getting fantastic signals with their wireless..
> and in my house it seems signal can't go from lounge to bedroom
> without it bordering on useless.
>
> I've tried different channels etc.. and the Linksys doesn't appear to
> be any better than the aged Buffalo.
>
> I'm starting to get P'd off now.. surely there's something that I
> could try?
>
> Any help appreciated.
>
>
> Regards
>
> Steve

Or you could get one of the new netgear all in one boxes with a 300% signal
increase - DG834PN. It works with a mates new 3 storey house.

In MsgID<du5983$no$(E-Mail Removed)> within uk.comp.home-networking,
'Artemis' wrote:

>Or you could get one of the new netgear all in one boxes with a 300% signal
>increase - DG834PN. It works with a mates new 3 storey house.

The impression I got at a friend's house was that once you're stuck with
foil lined walls you can just about get from one room to another (via the
door + reflectivity?) but that other than that there is pretty much zero
propagation.

Do you think one of those boxes would manage it? If so then I'll suggest
it to him, a wired network is all well and good (once the drilling's done
at least) but he's got a rather nice wifi capable laptop that currently
only connects in one room.

Same goes to the original poster, if you can find a workable wireless
method then please do post back here about it.. I stand by the suggestion
of LAN over mains as the only thing that springs to my mind.

Dave J.

>Same goes to the original poster, if you can find a workable wireless
>method then please do post back here about it.. I stand by the suggestion
>of LAN over mains as the only thing that springs to my mind.
>

Guys.. thanks for your posts..

I take it these "foil lined walls" are the source of my problem?

I only noticed them when I was knocking some walls about a couple of
years ago when doing a refurb.

I've currently moved the router (Linksys WAG354G) to the bedroom -
wife not pleased... But have an old phoneline (dead) in the office..
So looks like for now will get that patched into the main phoneline to
the house (ie it becomes an extension to the main line) - pop the ADSL
router into that - go via ethernet to the router - and have to suffer
when downstairs with the laptop.

My other option is to find some kind of repeater. I have one of the
original buffalo 802.11g routers which supports WDS.. but the Linksys
doesn't.. Also Linksys are supposedly developing their own method of
distrubutive wireless - but the product I have doesn't support
anything..

But certainly will post back if I come up with something..

Regards

Steve

"Dave J." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In MsgID<du5983$no$(E-Mail Removed)> within uk.comp.home-networking,
> 'Artemis' wrote:
>
>>Or you could get one of the new netgear all in one boxes with a 300%
>>signal
>>increase - DG834PN. It works with a mates new 3 storey house.
>
> The impression I got at a friend's house was that once you're stuck with
> foil lined walls you can just about get from one room to another (via the
> door + reflectivity?) but that other than that there is pretty much zero
> propagation.
>
> Do you think one of those boxes would manage it? If so then I'll suggest
> it to him, a wired network is all well and good (once the drilling's done
> at least) but he's got a rather nice wifi capable laptop that currently
> only connects in one room.
>
> Same goes to the original poster, if you can find a workable wireless
> method then please do post back here about it.. I stand by the suggestion
> of LAN over mains as the only thing that springs to my mind.
>
> Dave J.

Hi Yes, it would work. My friend has three storeys of foil lined walls and
this netgear box works in all rooms and the box is not in the middle of the
house either. Apparently, it sends the signal around obstructions and boosts
it when needed, or some such stuff.

# Combines ADSL modem, router, switch, Super G and 802.11g access point
# Up to 1000% more wireless coverage than 802.11g routers
# RangeMax" Smart MIMO (Multi-In, Multi Out) Technology
# 6 Internal Smart Antennas adapt on the fly to interference
# SmartWizard" Installation Assistant
# 100% compatible with 802.11b, 802.11g, and SuperG® devices
# Ultra-Secure (double firewall, WEP, WPA-PSK) protect against unauthorized
usage

Reviews at:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...937168-6408402

http://www.netgear.co.uk/wireless_mo...er_dg834pn.php