Setting up wireless home network

[ls02]

I am setting up home network with four PCs. One is in the office and is connected to an 802.11n wireless router via a network cable. Two others have 802.11n wireless cards. Unfortunately one PC is in opposite side of the house floor above from the router and the signal is very weak. I am not sure it is due to the card or it is just because there so many walls between the card and the router the signal is very weak and transfer rate is very low.

What's the possible solution to this problem? I am thinking about running a network cable from the router to the room where the PC is.

[Colbyt]

My home net is wired and I prefer it that way so I am not the most informed person on the subject.

You can get a "repeater" type of thing to echo the signal along. Also some routers and cards send and receive better than others.

Here is an Ebay link to show you what is out there:

Pulling a wire will cost less than most of the other options.

Colbyt

[Steve Daniels]

On Sun, 5 Apr 2009 07:53:19 -0700 (PDT), against all advice, something compelled ls02 , to say:

If your access point has exposed antennas, try setting one of them in a vertical position, and one horizontal.

[Jim Elbrecht]

I think you'd do better at alt.internet.wireless - but FWIW my cure for a weak signal was a Linksys WRT54GL. On my second floor, and works fine through 2 interior walls, an aluminum sided exterior wall- and 50feet out to the deck. This is with the same computer that had sporadic connections through one interior wall.

Check Newegg and Amazon for prices and reviews- I had to check Newegg- still popular & $55.

Jim

[sid]

Of all the network systems I have set up, I always prefer a wired connection to a wireless. The only time to use a wireless connection is if the system is mobile or very temporary. That being said, if you want to troubleshoot the system;

1.) The first step is to swap-out the cards and see if you get the same performance. See if the system that is closer now has a week signal and the far one has a better signal ? 2.) Try to determine if there any objects in the way that would weaken the signal ? A. Is the far system in or above the garage that is insulated with foil faced insulation ? 3.) If possible, make the far system mobile and slowly move it closer and closer in proximity to the router. If you have something inhibiting the signal in the house, you will see the signal strength get noticeably better as soon as you move away from it or if it=92s between you and the router, then as soon as you pass it up.

Just a place to start.

Sid.

[RBM]

There are always numerous ways to address things like this. A simple solution if you can run a Cat5 network cable to the weak area, is to just purchase a wireless access point (WAP), plug it into the router and give it the same SSID. It'll transmit just like the antenna in the router, but from the weak location. If you want to hard wire any network stuff from the second location, connect the router to a switch, then to a WAP. Now you'll have both wired and wireless from the second location. You can also do this with a second wireless router, which tend to be cheaper than access points. You'd set it up as an access point and disable DHCP so it doesn't try to assign ip addresses

[ls02]

Why is this complicated? My wireless router is connected to cable modem and has four network cable ports. One is used to connect the PC in the same room to the router as the router and cable modem are in that room. Why can't I just run network cable from the room with cable modem/router to the room with weak wireles connection and have the PC there be connected to the router via that network cable?

[RBM]

Why is this complicated? My wireless router is connected to cable modem and has four network cable ports. One is used to connect the PC in the same room to the router as the router and cable modem are in that room. Why can't I just run network cable from the room with cable modem/router to the room with weak wireles connection and have the PC there be connected to the router via that network cable?

You absolutely can do that.

[The Daring Dufas]

I have a Linksys wireless router with high gain replacement antennas and I have external high gain omni and directional antennas that will hook to the wireless cards for desktops. I used this setup at a time when a neighbor had DSL and let me install the wireless router at his place. I got a really good signal through several walls and across into my home through a few more walls. If your router can accept high gain antennas, this could solve your problem.

TDD

[aemeijers]

That will work, of course, but before you get out the drill, I'd try moving your access point a couple feet higher, and reorienting it. If it has the little swivel antennas, try moving them around as well. Small changes can make a big difference. Are these PCs laptops or desktops? I'd try a different PC in the problem room, and see what kind of handshake it gets. Depending on what type of PC and card, they also sell external antennas to snatch more signal out of the air.

-- aem sends...

[Mark]

Yes that is by all means the easiest solution if running the wire isn't an issue. My linksys router is 2nd floor front of house while we use our laptops most often in the rear family rooms and kitchen area. Signal isn't extremely strong but works fine for most normal things and I have very little problem with larger downloads or uploads. Another option would be to locate the router in a more central location and run your cable back to the hardwired PCs.

Another group that is good for this is microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless

Why is this complicated? My wireless router is connected to cable modem and has four network cable ports. One is used to connect the PC in the same room to the router as the router and cable modem are in that room. Why can't I just run network cable from the room with cable modem/router to the room with weak wireles connection and have the PC there be connected to the router via that network cable?

[metspitzer]

I am not sure what speed your wireless network cards are, but using a Cat 5 cable is at least twice as fast for me using my wireless network card.

[DanG]

If routing the cable is doable, that is the very best solution possible. I think everyone was sensing that you preferred not going through that. Are you going to conceal it in the walls or just do the old AT&T method of stapling along the baseboards and up a corner of the room?

[Red Green]

ls02 wrote in news:a3cd50f4-44da-44f5-9901- [e-mail]:

Swap cards and see if the problem moves.

[LouB]

And buy the wireless router from a place that allows returns with NO penalities.

Lou

[Frank]

My set up is very similar, going catercorner through house from 2nd to first floor. The wireless router works OK but I have a 2nd machine belonging to a consulting client that required hard wiring as they do not trust security of wireless network. Since it was on the clients dime, I hired our provider, Comcast, to string the ethernet cable figuring it would be a convoluted affair and take a few hours at $30/hour. It was but to my surprise it only took 1 hour and the $30 charge included price of wiring.

[Kyle]

You didn't indicate whether the WiFi card for the PC is in a slot on the motherboard, or external. Internal cards don't have quite the range external antennae do - so one solution might be to get a USB wireless antenna that could be mounted up above the PC on the wall or some such.

Another possibility is to get a commercial-grade antenna for the router/access point, which could boost the signal.

Finally, if you are adventurous enough or have the geek skills, you could replace the firmware of your router with Tomato

or one of the other third-party, open- source firmwares that allow you to boost the signal of your wireless. Mind you, it's not possible for all wireless routers, but it's well worth a shot. We did this with the router at my church, and were able to get signal through three thick granite walls without danger of burning out the antenna or unit.

[LouB]

Words like "hack" in a URL make me nervous.

Lou

[N8N]

.

sounds about right, most ethernet is 100 Mbps and wireless is 54Mbps

nate

[Oren]

Is the card the same brand as the router? Is the router on the same channel as the houses next door, and across the street?

Try re-seating the card and changing the router to a non default channel number. Sees if that helps.

Cat5 is always the better option, if it works best for you.