RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

Just wondering - my laptop speaks to the wireless router through a USB Wireless plug-in thingy and the signal strength is pants in anything but the same room as the router.
To start with I thought the router was rubbish, but perhaps the weakest link is the USB receiver, as anything more than 15-20 feet away from the router and the signal strength goes right down.

PeteBrant

I use a USB adapter for both my machines at home and they work fine. I prefer them to wireless PCI cards because they give greater flexibility as to where you put the antenna.

Did yours come with an extension lead so you could position the USB antenna?

The other thing you can try is changing channel on the router (ideally to either 1,6 or 11) Some times this will improve thigns.

RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

mmmmm no it didnt - It came "free" with the Netgear RangeMax wireless router, just a plug-in (no antenna or anything)

Just like this one - Amazon.co.uk: Netgear RangeMax WPN111 Wireless USB 2.0 Adapter: Electronics & Photo
But looking at some of the comments maybe I shoudn't bother with it !Tried switching channels and on 3 at the moment - seems to give best signal.

In same room as router - fine - 90/100% signal strength. Take it just 1 room away (through a wall) and the signal drops to 60/70% and any further and its <20% and drops the signal so much its unusable.
I just expected more - my office is only about 15m from the router (through 3 walls) and cant use the laptop in there - signal is too poor.

PeteBrant

It entirely depends what those walls are made of - You might find it better if you put it up stairs or downstairs rather than on the same level if you can. (The theory being that signals get through floorboards far easier than they do brick)

With regards to channels.
Have a scan and see if there any other networks in the area, and see what channel they are on.

The reason I said 1,6 or 11 is because these are "primary" channels. - all the others are varying degreess of "overlap" so you can get intereference with a network on a different channel if not 1,6 or 11.

108mbps only works on channel 6 IIRC, so if you are on channel 3, then you aren't getting the extended range or performance.

To be honest, going through 3 walls and being 15 meters away, and getting 2% signal strength sounds about right, I would play with the position of the router as far as you can.

RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

Ah OK - I didn't know 108 only works on 6 - will try that channel later.

Its an old house with thick heavy walls so that doesn't help. Plus there is a lot of wireless traffic (wireless bells, wireless electric gates, wireless CCTV cameras) so all that cant help.

Had same with my XBox Wireless Adaptor - yippee, wireless online play I thought - but it wouldn't pick up a decent signal (25 foot away through 3 walls) so switched to wired

Thanks for the advice Pete.

PeteBrant

The other option of course is to wire to a wireless access point. That way you can put a decent wireless signal into the room in question and still keep the freedom of having the wireless laptop.

RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

Yeh that might be an option - just wanted to avoid wires all over the house but if needs must.

HankScorpio

Powerline extenders?
PowerLine Wall-Plugged Range Extender - WGXB102

A guy in my office with an old 3 storey house solved a lot of problems with one of these near the router and one on the top floor.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Check your router signal strength, sometimes they can be set low.

mart360

buy a bigger ariel of flebay

boosts the range so they say


Mart

Alan C

I'd have one eye to the 100mw legal limit for the output of 802.11 (this area is a little confused for various bands and definitions of base stations etc...) as adding any antenna gain will take you over this (and very easily by a considerable margin if you just bolt 'any old' antenna on...)

It is highly unlikely anyone will come knocking however, unless you operate in a monitored and very restricted area or you are a business that doesn't need someone from a regulatory body auditing your Wireless network..... as you appear to be operating in a 'noisy' environment, any power gain could disrupt local nets or devices and therefore someone will audit the space...

(party pooper speech ends.... )