Poor WIFI Signal strength

Feb 17, 2005 26 Replies

A wireless access point has an Ethernet port, through which it attaches to the fixed (wired) Ethernet. It bridges wireless signals in range - passing frames to and from those devices and devices attached to its Ethernet port.

So yes, it needs wiring in to one of your modem/router's Ethernet ports; and therefore you may find it just as easy to move the box you have - which AsIUnderstandIt has both an ADSL port for your phone line and wireless capability (and I'm guessing one or more wired Ethernet ports too). If you're just experimenting with a better location for it, you can run a gert big long RJ11 extension - they're cheap as chips - while shifting the Belkin about the place, and worry about neatening up the cable route once you know it's worth putting the ADSL-wireless box halfway up the lounge wall, above the kitchen cupboard, or wherever. (Since the ADSL signal's travelled several - mayhap tens - of thousands of feet between the exchange and your house, an extra 50 foot of extension cable isn't going to make a massive difference...)

Did anyone mention Netstumbler (I just caught this thread) to see what else is about?

FWIW I have a 1897 solid brick / lath and plaster house and with a variety of WiFi PCMCIA cards and USB devices get a reasonable signal around all of the house with the 3 WiFi devices (1 Netgear AP (b) and Q-Tec (g) and Belkin (g) WiFi routers) I have used so far.

I've even taken the laptop over the road and used it an my friends kitchen, 50m plus two windows?

All the best ..

T i m

wireless

attaches

thousands

Great, more cables to hide, that was the whole point of wireless!

I'll try a new card in my laptop first and then experiment with a new location for the modem/router, only problem here is that I wanted my home PC to be wired into the ethernet ports as opposed to wireless, this means I will have to get a wireless card for my PC too, Uggggggg.

Thanks for the advice Stefek.

Cheers

Richard

Hi Tim

Great rub it in why dont you! :)

My house was built on Queen Victorias diamond jubilee which too is in

1897, it is 2 cottages converted into 1, 5 bedrooms but this realisticly shouldn't be a problem I thought and it sounds like the construction is the same as yours.

So, based on what your saying do you think I could possibly have a duff ADSL modem/router? I already mentioned I was going to get a new 802.11g PCMCIA card which will hopefully rule that out and as Stefek suggested will experiment with placement of AP by getting an RJ11 extension. I may just take the lot back and get it xchanged, you know what PC World are like for re-flogging faulty returns.

I downloaded Netstumbler and it detected my AP OK and nothing else so I guess thats another possible out of the equation.

Cheers

Richard

wherever.

Uggggggg.

Hooraahhhhhh

Just bought myself a BT Voyager PCMCIA 802.11g card and I'm succesfully running WIFI from my front room and bedroom. Every room in the house can now get a signal without drop outs. The signal in the front room is classed as very low by the software but It's still very much usable and doesn't drop out and that's with OOTB settings. I'll have a further play with different channels to see if I can get a further improvement.

Problem solved, I would like to of seen what a Belkin 802.11g card would of done but they were out of stock.

Thanks everyone for your input on this subject.

Cheers

Richard

succesfully

improvement.

In the garden by the hot tub oh yeah! :)

On 18 Feb 2005 12:23:33 -0800, a particular chimpanzee named snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

Lath & plaster, not foil-backed plasterboard?

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