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I'm Wifi-ignorant. How to extend range?
raindog308
Administrator, Veteran
I have a Linksys E3000 dual band (N, G) wifi router in my basement running Tomato-USB. It works great.
I have an old WRT54GL that I used to run DD-WRT on. I'd like to put it upstairs so that my kids stop complaining about poor wifi performance. Ideally, someone could connect to the upstairs router (which I assume would have a different SSID?) and then it'd be the same as if they were connected to the downstairs...they'd get a 192.168 IP, be able to connect to the LAN, route to the Internet, etc.
So...what exactly am I looking for? I'm not up on my wifi lingo - is this a "bridge repeater"? access point?
I assume I'd want to set a different DHCP range on each wifi point, which is easy enough, or do DHCP on a separate server.
My old WRT54GL only supports G, which is fine...I am only looking to bridge/repeat/whatever G.
Comments
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Universal_Wireless_Repeater
That is a simple repeater, but you can make it a client for the wireless network and add a virtual wireless interface with another SSID to have more complex routing, such as special rules for your kids. The speed will halve tho.
Warning: that guide might be outdated, you should get a more recent firmware, but for within your home kinda operations there will be no problems.
M
Hmmm....?
"THESE ARE NOT THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CREATING A REPEATER OR A REPEATER BRIDGE which is the normal way to link routers. These are OUT OF DATE instructions for creating a special UNIVERSAL repeater as explained below, not for linking the routers you own. See the wiki on linking routers if you wish to connect two routers in your home. That is NOT what these instructions are for!"
Are you running ethernet between the two?
No.
You can as I said connect the second router to the first the normal way, i.e. set it as a client and then make a virtual wireless ssid which will give you more power to NAT and control the rules, but that is a range extender, will simply repeat the signal of the strongest router, I thought that is what you want to do.
M
I did the same about 2 weeks ago with the help of the LET community, checkout the topic:
http://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/4773/multiple-wifi-routers-1-ssid
In short: Get multiple routers, give them the same SSID and encryption method, turn DHCP off (only on for main router) and give them channels 1, 6 or 11. Make sure the same channels do not overlap and that's it!
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge
If its only a little extra you need look at a better aerial. Mine has 8 dbi now and i get pretty much full anywhere i need it now. Used to be around 15-20% in areas
What would be an example of a better aerial? The 3000's antenna is inside the case, alas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantenna
Seriously think about running ethernet between the two routers. Then you could configure the WRT with the same SSID as the Lnksys, a different wireless channel (at least ~5 channels of separation), same gateway, etc., and your home users could transparently roam between the two.
It would break established connections, tho. Annoying in a game or something.
M
Not sure many plays games on the move?
If you play games while walking down stairs you risk breaking things other than your connection.
Not if You can slide down (ARMS!)
You'd still break things. :P
In my experience, having 2 APs means you will move from one to another at times randomly due to reflections and interference even if one signal is pretty strong and another pretty weak, sometimes without moving with ppl walking around, for example.
There are also mobile consoles and whatnot
M
There are also mobile consoles and whatnot
If you make sure they are far enough from apart, that shouldn't happen
For those that are interested, this is how the WiFi network at my Uni looks like:
As you can see they also nicely use the channel 1,6,11 rule
Try placing the wireless router high up in your basement, not on the ground or right next to a computer. Also make sure that there isn't much in the way of the router that might block the signal.
I have an E3000 and I had a bad signal since it was in my computer room which is a small room surrounded by walls, and filled with big computers. I ended up placing it in the basement's ceiling right below all of the rooms in my house. Before I was getting 1-2 bars of signal and now I'm getting 4-5 bars of signal.