Wireless internet extender / booster ?

[Savvi]

Hi All

 

 

Just moved house and being an older style and built properly i'm having problems with the wireless broadband. If i have the Bt business hub in the room (which i have as a office) the connection is poor elsewhere in the house especially the sitting room where the kids use the Wi / laptop etc.

 

 

Has anyone else had this and has anyone tried these extenders that say they boost the signal up to overcome this ?

 

Here are a couple i found on ebay but not sure if they work ?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

[Vista]

I don't know about either of the links you posted but a friend of mine had the issue you describe when he set up an office outside in what's best described as a glorified shed. He used a system that sends the broadband signal through the power cables in the house and said it worked a treat. Not sure which one he bought but this link describes the system

 

http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/default ... GroupID=61

 

p.s. both your links point to the same item

[gearbox100]

My brother lives in the same street has his mother in law (shame ) , if they stood in the window they could use her broad band , so they fitted a `high gain` antenna to the modem then put a booster in the window of his house , now he can use her broad band through out his house , not sure what system he his useing but a local I.T man advised it and it works perfect

[Savvi]

Thanks Changed the link !!!

 

 

Not sure about the plug type, i'm also looking to be able to use it outside in my "glorified shed" which will be via an additional fusebox so not sure if that will work ?

 

Once i get it sorted out as my workshop

 

The netgear one claims to boost the signal and speed up the connection ? sounds good if it works.

[Savvi]

My brother lives in the same street has his mother in law (shame ) , if they stood in the window they could use her broad band , so they fitted a `high gain` antenna to the modem then put a booster in the window of his house , now he can use her broad band through out his house , not sure what system he his useing but a local I.T man advised it and it works perfect

 

 

The Bt business hub doesn't have an external antenna, i can't use either of the neighbours as neither of them own a computer, i found out when i called round to say hello they are brother-in-laws in their 70's and their parents owned our place (in the middle) when they were alive !!!!

[Savvi]

Anyone used any of these ?

[Badgerman85]

Anyone used any of these ?

 

i do alot of wireless network setups and installs at work, ive used alot of the range extenders and frankly found that most of them are rubbish, best bet is to run a long cable through the ceiling from the bt homehub to an access point and run a second wireless network, its a bit of a hassle but really is about the only thing that will give you a stable reliable connection! the "homeplug" adapters are pretty good, theyre the things that run over the ring mains in the house, but they have to be on the same ringmain otherwise no good, you can also get homeplugs that act as wireless access points, so you could plug one in by the homehub, another in the room you want access and boom youd have a wireless network over the powerlines, bout the best advice i can give without seeing the site etc!

[Savvi]

Thanks

 

It's an early 70's chalet style bungalow, the loft has been converted so not many places i can put a router, the office is in the back left corner and sitting room is on the right front corner.

 

 

I also have a large shed which is at the back right side which i'd like to be covered.

 

I was going to fit a wired network but since moving in found there's little access to some of the rooms due to how it's been extended, in my old place i fitted it all while building the extension etc.

[Badgerman85]

you could always try swapping the homehub for a wireless-N / N+ / Rangemax router, some of them have fantastic ranges, look out for the ones that say 300mbps on them as they usually have the longest range, may be worth a try, and most shops will let you take it back if it doesnt do the job, as long as you factory reset it!

 

obviously theres no subsitute for a wired network, which is what i always tell people, but the costs are usually alot higher as they take alot longer to fit up, and most people like the idea of wireless, which i can totally understand as when it works it is great!!

 

if you spot any products you like the look of or wanna try out put em up and ill take a look see whats cracking!

[Savvi]

As the links above:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

 

There's also some more and netgear do a slightly different one, think the one above is a re-con one, the same seller does the other version as well ?

[Badgerman85]

that little belkin thing is a fooking joke, dont even bother with it, had nothing but trouble with em over the years!

 

the netgear rangemax is a great bit of kit, but you gotta make sure the devices your connecting have wireless-N compatibility / adapters otherwise they wont benefit from the extra range or speed, theyll just run in 54g mode which has a limited range!

[Savvi]

What about this one ?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

I mainly use a Dell X300, Wii, Dsi etc.

 

 

They do another version of the Netgear one also ?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Netgear-WNDR3300- ... 483e477b0f

 

I dont mind spending the money as long as it does what i need it to

 

Cheers for the help by the way !!!

[Badgerman85]

well the Wii and DSi definitely arent wireless-N, so would need to be used within range of a standard router, as for the X300 im not too sure what it comes equipped with as the specs vary accross the range!!

 

the first link looks like a TP-Link router, our budget supplier keeps offering them to us but weve used a few and they dont seem to be all that reliable!

 

the second one works as a repeater but only in conjuction with another N spec router, so that wouldnt help all that much!

 

Have you tried moving the homehub around to see if you can extend signal?

 

what kinda dimensions are the building??

[Savvi]

Thanks

 

 

Looks like it's going to be the plugin type then.

 

 

The house is not that big, but it has been extended so some of the walls are double skinned (were outsied walls) which seems to be the main problem.

 

 

From the office to the sitting room is only about 6 mtrs, but there are 3 brick walls and one of them is a double in between.

 

A couple of mates seem to think the plugs work well and you can plug a ethernet cable into them which could be useful i suppose ?

[RS2kSX]

What about this one ?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

I mainly use a Dell X300, Wii, Dsi etc.

 

 

They do another version of the Netgear one also ?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Netgear-WNDR3300- ... 483e477b0f

 

I dont mind spending the money as long as it does what i need it to

 

Cheers for the help by the way !!!

 

I've got the Netgear and it's ok'ish, limited on range through our house with the walls.

can i just plug another one in the other side to help? dose it not conflict with the first?

quite sad really as i used to install cat 5/6 a few years ago and i'm lost with this wirless stuff!!

[Badgerman85]

theres different types of the homeplug/powerline adapters, you can get ones that just have an ethernet socket, or ones that emit a small wireless network, personally id go for the cable versions as theyre the most reliable, and the belkin versions as they come with lifetime warranty, something like this maybe:

 

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/242492

 

and yes! you need a pair! to start with! then you can add individual ones after that!

 

failing that there are range extenders you can connect using an ethernet cable, but youd need to run one through the loft or something which you said before could prove a bit tricky?

[Savvi]

Thanks for all your help, i've ordered a pair of the Belkin 300mps ones to try it out, found a set on ebay for £39 delivered so when they arrive i'll let you know how i get on

[Badgerman85]

£39?? that aint bad is it!!

 

that brand new is it??

 

i know theyre well over £100 most places!

[Savvi]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

Got 2 pin euro plug, but says it comes with adaptors as well.

[Badgerman85]

will they guarantee they work in the UK? different countries mains run at different voltages/frequencies so plugging them into 240v could just fry them! im not sure, not an expert on forgeign tech, my exp. so far is sourcing a mains charger with a usb socket for charging my mp3 player whilst in the alps!

 

gotta have tunes when you hit the powder!!

 

anyway, if they do work they should be cracking, and you can always use these to run a range extender / access point at the other end of the house, so youd have 2 wireless networks, but at least theyd be connected via a hardwire of some kind!

[Savvi]

Quick update

 

 

It arrived ok and does work in some rooms however not in the room i wanted it to !!!!

 

 

Nothing to do with the kit, i realised that the house extension is on a seperate loop and therefore connection is bad and a waste of time !!!!

 

 

So any other ideas

[Badgerman85]

another thing to try is put your wireless router in the loft/attic, get it as central to the rest of the house as possible, and as high as you can get it, could increase range quite a bit!

[GJUK]

Not really read the thread but.

 

I would replace your BT shyte hub with a netgear range max or similar.

 

Then, if you live in a castle with 3 metre thick walls (like some of the people I go to see do) buy some simple network repeaters/boosters.

 

Wireless is great but being wired is better. It's more secure etc etc. This is why I've had 26 CAT6 points installed in my new home. Ball ache to do though.

[Savvi]

I've started to fit cat5 but you cant'd beat opening up the laptop and just using it where ever, including in the bog

 

 

 

I have tried a normal netgear but not sure which uprated one to go for ?

[jamie]

Just a thought, try changing the wireless channel on the router to say 1, 6 or 11. Could be getting interference from another nearby network. This setting should be in the Router Admin page (accessible via a web browser).

 

After doing this you may have to do another network search and connect on your desktops, laptops etc. Sometimes they just reconfigure themselves.