[mcharley94]

Hey Network Gurus',

I have a client that has asked me to extend the range of their wireless router and I was hoping for some advice.

Here's the scenario...

They presently have a Netgear wireless router (I am not at their facility ATM so though this model is very close I am not positive it is the exact one). The router is in the main office/building, which is concrete block. There is a second building/service garage, where access is needed for a laptop with integrated WiFi as well. The service garage is of steel construction and sets about 300 ft from where the router sets. The signal, though weak does reach the front of the garage, but does not reach the office, which of course is in the far back corner.

Other than running a CAT5 or better wire from building to building, what other options do I have in regards to strengthening the signal. About one year ago I tried to use a Netgear signal booster, (I can't seem to find the model to show you ATM ), but what it consisted of was two modules where you ran an Ethernet cable from the router to one module that plugged into a nearby electrical outlet and was suppose to send a boosted signal to the receiving module in the front of the garage bridging the signal to the laptop. This didn't work worth beans.

Anyway, although I do have the signal encrypted at 128 bit this is a very rural area so signal theft is not really a major concern. Even so, security is always a factor, isn't it ?!?! As such a directional boost would probably be better but I'll leave that up to those who reply to offer their recommendations.

Thanks, Mark

 

[johnwill]

Re: Extending Wireless Range

Here's some suggested products. The directional external antenna and the signal booster would probably be a good choice. You'd want the antenna in direct line-of-sight to the garage.

Hawking Tech has a number of products that will help you increase your wireless range. The root page is Hawking Hi-Gain™ WiFi Range Extending Products.

Some of the more interesting products are this Hawking [HSB2] Hi-Gain WiFi Signal Booster, which can be used on either end of a wireless connection to boost the signal power.

Another way to increase your signal strength is by the use of hi-gain antennas. You can choose from omni-directional or directional models, here are a some examples.

Hawking [HAI7SIP] Hi-Gain 7dBi Omni-Directional Antenna

Hawking [HAI15SC] Hi-Gain 15dBi Corner Antenna

[HAO14SD] Outdoor Hi-Gain 14dBi Directional Antenna Kit

 

[mcharley94]

Re: Extending Wireless Range

OK, I am back at this one again.

I went and bought the Hi-Gain™ USB Wireless-G Dish Adapter to see if this would do the trick. It improved the range but not quite enough to reach where it needs to. so what I did was purchase a TRIPP LITE 16 ft. Active Extension Cable and ran it through the wall which allowed me to mount the antenna on the other side of a steel wall. This has given me, not a great signal (about 25%), but at least it works. Thinking that maybe I was losing signal strength due to the length of the cord I brought the laptop out into the garage and pluged it in direct....no change in strength, so I guess it is what it is :4-dontkno

Anyway, to get the Hawkings antenna to work I had to disable the built in Dell Wireless 1370 WLAN Mini PCI Card on this laptop, which presents a problem. There are times where the owner needs to access wireless elsewhere, such as the main building, or say even a coffe shop, but seeing as the Hawkings antenna is mounted in the garage and is cumbersome anyway, obviously this can't be toted along. I wouldn't think they should have to anyway, but maybe I am assuming too much?

So, my question is...can the built in Dell Wireless 1370 WLAN Mini PCI Card still be active along with the Hi-Gain™ USB Wireless-G Dish Adapter, and if so, why can't I seem to get it to work?

If it can, no doubt you will need more information from me regarding the configuration, but I had to start somewhere, right? :wink:

BTW, for some reason the link for the router in use, which is in my first post, takes you to an incorrect page so here is the right one...just on case.Netgear Router

 

[johnwill]

Re: Extending Wireless Range

Maybe you should consider a wireless bridge right near the outside antenna and run a wire from the bridge to the office in question and connect wired. Then when you take the machine elsewhere, you have the standard wireless option available.

 

[mcharley94]

Re: Extending Wireless Range

Me again

This set up is still a thorn in my side, so I thought I would come ask for advice again before I invested any more time and money into it.

The set up has changed a little since I posted on it last, so I will go over it again as an update.

We have at the front a Wireless G Linksys router connected to a cable modem.

Attached to that we have a Hawking Hi Gain Directional Antenna

On the receiving end we have a Hawking Directional Dish, which is mounted in the ceiling of the garage adjacent to the office we need internet access to. That is linked to the laptop via 2 - 16.4 ft. USB 2.0 Repeater Cables.

With this collage we were able to obtain a decent signal, about 50% signal strength, be it sporadic, which is the issue at hand. Obviously there is plenty of areas that can go wrong with this set up.

If they would have approved my first proposal and let me put up a couple of outdoor directional antennas I doubt I would even be asking these questions, but they were too cheap to go that route, so here I am eating the cost myself to fix it My fault for not being convincing I guess.

Anyway, what happens is the connection will be there one day and the next day/hour the laptop will not even find the signal. I will then have to go repair the configuration via XP's repair network connection option and then all is well again. I am thinking the culprit is the dish antenna itself, and/or the linked USB cables, but even with just one cable it gives us this problem.

At this point I am willing to eat the cost to get it done and over with. I just want to get it right and get it off my back.

As mentioned in my earlier posts above, the two points are about 300 ft apart. The router sets in a small office attached to a block building about 60 ft long, which the signal must pass through.

The garage is about 120 ft from the back of that block building and is steel construction. There are no obstructions between the two buildings. On the back of the garage is another office where the laptop sets, which is maybe another 60 ft back.

What I am thinking on doing is to attach an access point to one of the ports on the wireless router via CAT5e and place it at the back of the block building closest to the garage. Then place another apertures (suggestions welcome) at the front of the garage and run another CAT5e from that to the laptop, thus making the wireless jump only about 120 feet.

NOTE: as the setup stands now, if I take the laptop to the front of the garage without the dish antenna and just use the built in wireless card on the laptop it gets a decent signal, so I know the distance can be jumped being it spans the exterior distance and the block building now. So by placing the access point further back in the block building I am assuming that would improve the signal all the more.

What I am trying to do is obtain the best (most stable) signal I can obtain, at the least cost, which is what brings me here for any advice for those willing to help.

Thanks in advance for any input ray:

 

[johnwill]

Re: Extending Wireless Range

The outdoor antennas are the correct solution here. Trying to get the signal through all of that and the steel garage is just asking way too much! I'm surprised it's ever gotten a signal!

If you can position those interior antennas in a window facing each other they should do the job, but not not how you're doing it now. You need to get them to the closest walls, and obviously a window would help.

To test, you can simply drag the existing equipment to the test locations, if you get it working, then you can consider how you can make the installation permanent.