AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

All,

I have an 802.11b wireless access point sitting on top of my ADSL router in a corner of the house. It gives me good wireless coverage throughout the house, but the signal in the back garden is too weak to be reliable.

Is there any way to extend the reach of the wireless LAN without having to run a cable through the house to another wireless access point? What I really want is a stand-alone active repeater that sits somewhere inside the house where the signal is good and relays traffic to and from my laptop. Is there such a product?

If there does exist such a thing, can anyone please recommend one? My office has a spare Netgear ME101, which describes itself as a 'Wireless Ethernet Bridge' - would this do the job?

Thanks
Andy.

stevencotton

Wireless ethernet bridge is just that, just connects an AP to your existing ethernet. You can extend wifi range with a coffee can which will also make it more directional, but I'm not condoning that because it's possible you could be breaking various laws! You could install another AP but you won't get a seamless switchover like you (almost) do with GSM, you'll have to reinitiate the connection.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I'm not too bothered about getting a seamless handover from one AP to the other - in fact, if I put the other AP somewhere in the middle of the house it would probably reach everywhere anyway.

What I don't want to do, is run cables round the house from the ADSL router to a second AP downstairs. I don't see the point - why can't the second AP talk to the first wirelessly?

Maybe I could join the ME101 bridge to a second AP? Even so, it seems a bit daft to have two separate boxes where one should do.

Andy.

suba

put your AP as high as possible.

JackClark

Pringles tube on one of the antenna.

RoadrunnerV2

Andy

Which AP have you got? Some AP's support wireless repeating however wireless repeating is not yet a standard so you can't mix different manufactures.

Be careful in using Antennas. Majority of the antennas are not designed for indoor use, their pattern coverage is normally very flat even for 360 degs ones which makes them only good for horizontal coverage

The ME101 won't extend your range, its an wireless Ethernet bridge. It allows you to add any Ethernet device (XBOX, Macs, MP3 Streamers) to the wireless network without the need to install drivers.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

It's a Linksys WAP11 version 2.2.

Interestingly, I noticed that a number of APs mention that they can act as repeaters on the manufacturer's US sites, but NOT on the UK sites. This does seem odd.

I do know that the WAP11 version 2.6 can act as a repeater - there's a firmware download that adds that functionality on Linksys' web site - but it's impossible to tell which version you're buying. I'm sure I bought mine after 2.6 was available.

A.