Need to extend my home network range

[Jim147]

I'm trying to get my network to reach my garage and a cabin about a 120 yards from the house.
I was giving a little Dell mini 10 last week and have used it to check. I can just pick up signal outside the building but low power and only about 5 Mbs.
I think a  outside antenna on my house would put good signal to the area, but I'm not sure if it would get into the buildings without adding small antenna's to the buildings.

Anyone used any antennas or range boosters?

jim

[AZRedhawk44]

Yagi antenna.

http://www.radiolabs.com/products/antennas/2.4gig/18eleyagi.php

[roo_ster]

Yes.

Helped a neighbor share my 'net connection with a couple of directional antennas.  15db on my end & 19db on his.

Here are some:
http://www.l-com.com/familylist.aspx?id=2146
http://www.l-com.com/productfamily.aspx?id=6294
http://www.radiolabs.com/products/antennas/2.4gig/2.4-aluminum-parabolic.php (Good deal on a 24db puppy, IME.)

I would suggest one on each end for best effect, with the garage/cabin end feeding directly into the PC.  Makes a laptop less mobile, but you'd get best signal.

A bridge using an appropriate Linksys WRT54G router & ddwrt (free firmware upgrade) will work, but IIRC, every bridge used halves available bandwidth.  You can also, (shh, quietly) increase the output of the router with ddwrt.  Honestly, I prefer running with the monster-sized directional antennas.

Others routers & aftermarket firmware can do similar tasks.

[Gewehr98]

You can also, (shh, quietly) increase the output of the router with ddwrt.  Honestly, I prefer running with the monster-sized directional antennas.

Others routers & aftermarket firmware can do similar tasks.

Yup, and I've been running Tomato firmware, bumping up the output power of my WRT-54G a smidgen via the internal settings.  No need to shush about it, you'll never get to the illegal power levels from the router's internal transmitter circuit, but you may end up cooking the internals if you're not judicious.

I've also installed a Linksys WSB-24 wireless booster on the output of my WRT-54G, then fed it into a pair of larger omni-directional antennae so I can use my laptop anywhere on the property.  The directional yagi and parabolic antenna idea would be good for what you have in mind. 

[Jim147]

Thanks for the info. I picked out a couple of antennas.
I went to check my router to see what type of end I needed :rolleyes:
Looks like I'm getting a new router too.

I had set the office up with a WRT-54G before I left and it worked great. So I'm looking at getting another one of those unless someone thinks going to wireless N would be better.

For the cabin end I thought about getting an USB with detachable antenna if I can find one. That way it could be hooked to the desktop or pulled out and plugged into any notebook as needed. The garage is not really needed but would be nice to have.

I'll take any other ideas that you might have.

jim

[roo_ster]

Yup, and I've been running Tomato firmware, bumping up the output power of my WRT-54G a smidgen via the internal settings.  No need to shush about it, you'll never get to the illegal power levels from the router's internal transmitter circuit, but you may end up cooking the internals if you're not judicious.

I bet your neighbor is not a PhD electrical engineer who grew up the hard way in E Texas, gathering useful skills like a dog gathers fleas. 

Anyways, if you hardware hack the WRT54G and include a (rather noisy) cooling fan, as well as a powerful antenna, it is possible to run that puppy up to where the FCC would not look kindly upon the whole deal.  That might have been done in the interest of science...and a wager betting a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale that it couldn't be done.

[Gewehr98]

Yes and no.

I'm currently running a WRT-54G v1.0 (20 leds on the front panel), modified with heatsinks and fan.  I did that in an effort to get my 802.11G signal out from the laundry room in the basement to the 2nd floor bedrooms, the back deck, and the front yard.  The A/C and heating ductwork emanating from that room shields a lot of the signal, so I boosted it via the firmware and a pair of 7dbi Linksys antennae.  When that wasn't really enough, I found a Linksys WSB-24 on eBay, and added that to the signal path.  That took care of the problem, albeit in a brute-force way.



Bumping up the transmitter power settings in a WRT-54G does help, but at best you're only going to transmit at the highest output of the circuit, let alone the fact that the wall wart powering the router can only provide so much juice.

If you can find a WSB-24, that would help in conjunction with the directional antennae. 

[Jim147]

I haven't had a chance to get a new router yet.
I was cleaning out my home office yesterday and decided to try moving the router.

I'm sitting in front of the cabin with good signal @ 54Mbps.
I guess I'll just order one antenna for the cabin and see how it works.

Thanks again for the ideas.

jim

[RocketMan]

I was cleaning out my home office yesterday and decided to try moving the router.

I'm sitting in front of the cabin with good signal @ 54Mbps.

Sometimes that's all it takes.  RF in the range used for wireless is notoriously directional, mostly because it reflects off of solid and semi-solid surfaces

[roo_ster]

Those the 7dbi omnidirectional antennae?

[Nightfall]

I love seeing pictures of Gewehr's gear. 

[Ben]

Those the 7dbi omnidirectional antennae?

Not to drift the thread, but I have one of those in the unopened package if anyone wants it for free. Model HGA7S. Shoot me a PM with your mailing address if interested.

[Gewehr98]

Yup, those are the Linksys HGA7S 7dbi omnidirectional antennae.

I'd take Ben up on his offer, posthaste.

If not, I'll do it.   

[roo_ster]

Yup, those are the Linksys HGA7S 7dbi omnidirectional antennae.

I'd take Ben up on his offer, posthaste.

If not, I'll do it.   

I already have 15dbi / 90deg FOV directionals covering chateau jfruser, or I'd jump on them.

[Ben]

Ring. Ring.

Hi, this is Ben. If you're calling about the 7dBi antenna, its been sold. The 68 GTO on blocks in the front yard, and the washer on the porch are still for sale. So is the wife. I'm not selling the bird dawg. Leave a message.

Beep.