Wifi options?

[DeeK]

Hey guys,

I have a client who is looking to extend his wifi range and I'm not too experienced with all the new wifi options as I usually just hardwire everything because its way better. But he wants to use his new Ipad and Iphone in his workshop.

His house has a netgear WNDR3700 located in the exact center of his house. 30 feet from his house he has his workshop, its a metal building (probably not good to pass a wifi signal through it). It's all on the same electrical system though so powerline networking would be an option. Although I'm not overly familiar with powerline networking.

So my question is? would it be better to go with a high powered repeater that may have spotty signal inside his building? or would a powerline networking wired to a wifi access point be the better way to go?

Can someone give me a quick rundown on how each of these systems work? These fancy new wifi options are all new to me...

Thanks in advance.

[Alterac]

Is their any conduit that you could pull some network cable, and then hook it up to a wireless access point?

You could do powerline networking, get one of the Powerline AV 500 kits, and a Wireless Router (set it up as an access point though) and do that.

[wtf im nameless]

What about a point to point bridge using something like this:

http://luxul.com/xap-1040

[DeeK]

I should mention it is a permanently heated workshop. so it doesn't need a rugged outdoor element proof device.

But my original thought was to run a powerline setup to a wifi access point.

Or here's a better question. is it possible to run a router in access point mode and still use the cable ports on the router as well? He is thinking of moving his entire office to his workshop. Computer and all. Problem is that there is already a router in the house so router to another router would not work unless access point mode allows it to be chained behind another router.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I'd just bury some conduit, run some CAT 6 through it from the router in his house to a wireless access point (or router set to WAP) in the garage. No need to ever worry about signal strength then either.

[DeeK]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I'd just bury some conduit, run some CAT 6 through it from the router in his house to a wireless access point (or router set to WAP) in the garage. No need to ever worry about signal strength then either.

While that would be ideal. digging up his concrete slab,then repouring would be expensive. This is why I'm looking for other options. Powerline networking to a WAP in the workshop will likely be what we end up doing. I just don't know the logistics of how powerline networking works or any of the concerns by doing things this way.

[firebane]

Originally posted by DeeK


While that would be ideal. digging up his concrete slab,then repouring would be expensive. This is why I'm looking for other options. Powerline networking to a WAP in the workshop will likely be what we end up doing. I just don't know the logistics of how powerline networking works or any of the concerns by doing things this way.

Powerline needs to be on the same circuit from the point you plug it in to the point your going to use it.

Yes you can make a standard router nothing more than an access point but it has to support it.

[Alterac]

Originally posted by firebane
Powerline needs to be on the same circuit from the point you plug it in to the point your going to use it.

Completly Wrong.

Maybe in your Scenario this may have been the case, (depending on if your house is new enough to use afci breakers or not, and if you have to go accross two afci circuits that use capacitance, but some major brands do not do this, which makes them powerline av friendly.) (ref: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/lanwan-basics/31238-slow-homeplug-five-ways-to-boost-powerline-network-speed?start=1 )

I have a set ive used quite a bit, and my buddy bought some powerline av 200 mbps kit that works quite well across different circuits in his condo.

Personally I bought the only Non Powerline AV kit, a Belkin 1000mbps kit based on a competing product by Gigl.

It gave me about 10mbps accross my circuits, I ended up putting in a plug in the basement on the same circuit as the one in my bedroom so i could get a solid 50mbps. That gigle chipset is just garbage compared to the new Powerline AV 500 (and 200) setups.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by DeeK


While that would be ideal. digging up his concrete slab,then repouring would be expensive. This is why I'm looking for other options. Powerline networking to a WAP in the workshop will likely be what we end up doing. I just don't know the logistics of how powerline networking works or any of the concerns by doing things this way.

Ah, sorry - I did not realize there was a concrete pad in between the workshop and the house.

How about running the conduit along the bottom of the fence or something?

[DeeK]

Okay here is my final questions:
- If I have router A in the house, and run a cable or powerline network to router B, and setup router B as a wireless access point. Do the 4 cable ports on the back of the router still function?
- and if so, does router B then act like a switch?
- Can router B be chained behind router A in such a fashion?

[rage2]

Powerline is the way to go. I had my boss's house setup that way years ago, and it worked flawlessly. Massive 4 story house, and dead spots everywhere. 4 access points later, had perfect wifi throughout the house.

One thing that was important was I had to turn DOWN the signal strength on all the router/APs using hacked firmware to get the devices to hop to the next AP properly. When the signal strength is broadcasting too high, there were fringe areas where the device (laptop, phones) would see a wifi signal, but wasn't broadcasting strong enough to actually send data back to the AP, but it stayed connected, and refused to hop to the other APs. Turning down the signal strength to closer match the weaker devices solved the problem.

I did notice that powerline ethernet (at least products from 3-4 years ago) introduced quite a bit of lag, and really only pumped out 6 or 7mbits at best. Still worked well for what he used it for, not sure if that's improved now.

[DeeK]

Originally posted by rage2
Powerline is the way to go. I had my boss's house setup that way years ago, and it worked flawlessly. Massive 4 story house, and dead spots everywhere. 4 access points later, had perfect wifi throughout the house.

One thing that was important was I had to turn DOWN the signal strength on all the router/APs using hacked firmware to get the devices to hop to the next AP properly. When the signal strength is broadcasting too high, there were fringe areas where the device (laptop, phones) would see a wifi signal, but wasn't broadcasting strong enough to actually send data back to the AP, but it stayed connected, and refused to hop to the other APs. Turning down the signal strength to closer match the weaker devices solved the problem.

I assume you mean DD-WRT?



I did notice that powerline ethernet (at least products from 3-4 years ago) introduced quite a bit of lag, and really only pumped out 6 or 7mbits at best. Still worked well for what he used it for, not sure if that's improved now.

That was the old intelogis system if my research serves me right, the new powerpacket system induces less lag and gets up to 14Mbps.

Thanks for the info Rage :D

[Alterac]

Originally posted by DeeK
Okay here is my final questions:
- If I have router A in the house, and run a cable or powerline network to router B, and setup router B as a wireless access point. Do the 4 cable ports on the back of the router still function?
- and if so, does router B then act like a switch?
- Can router B be chained behind router A in such a fashion?


1) Yes
2) Yes (assuming you have the routing mode turned off, including dhcp/etc)
3) Yes

:D


With DD-WRT:
- You would Disable the WAN Connection Type
- Change Local DHCP to Forwarder (set your Main router as the dhcp server)
- Just dont use the WAN port after that. Some Revisions even allow you to move the WAN port into the LAN Section so you can use it also. (SETUP -> VLANS -> Check it into LAN.)

With Linksys Generic (from a E3200 I have here)
Setup -> Basic Setup
Internet Type: Bridge Mode (Plug LAN Cable into WAN Port)
IP: Obtain, or Static whatever, just remember it. (i usually set it to static.. Gateway IP +1)

[DeeK]

Perfect, thanks Alterac, I know now exactly what how I'm going to set this up.

Thanks again for the all the responses guys!

:clap: