Boost Wireless Network

honeyboy18

I am in need of boosting my signal from my wireless network. I am not interested in changing my network; just need to boost my signal.
Can someone give me advice on some of the products I should be looking
at.

gregzoll

You can't boost your wifi signal. You can go with a AP that allows you to use better antennas, or place AP's in your home for better coverage. If this is about a laptop or desktop, and you are trying to snag someone else's signal forget it. This is not the place to discuss theft of wifi if that is what you are asking about.

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honeyboy18

Keep your pants on; an don't jump to conclusions. I was asking about strength build up of my own signal; I am not interesting in stealing from someone else.

What is AP for instance; that would be a help. Thank you.

Bud Cline

What would be an even a bigger help is if you were to say what it is you are trying to do so that someone here may be able to help you. Your abbreviated comments serve no purpose. Why so secretive? Your wording and lack of wording is what would lead someone astray.

honeyboy18

Haven't got time for this. So secretive I am a double agent.
Thanks for nothing.

Bud Cline

What a special tool you are.
Adios

Jackofall1

Hello Honeyboy and welcome, I think to the best DIY'r site on the web.

Check this site out you will find many solutions to your apparent problem

http://www.ezlan.net/Distance.html

PS: I have never talked to a secret agent must be a real interesting line of work.

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BigJim

I am having a problem with a wireless right now and maybe this is the place to find some answers. Down at the church house we have three computers in separate offices, the preacher's office, the library and the sound room. There is only one cable to hook to the internet. We have a router which I am not sure it is a very good one. We can get a signal to two of the computers but not all three.

I have changed the router around but it still won't receive at all three PCs. When the router is in the central PC the distance is about 35-40 feet tops to each computer. The walls are block walls but I don't think that would cause this problem. My main question is, do different routers have a stronger signal?

We are hooked into Comcast right now if that is of any help.

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Jim

gregzoll

jiju1943 you are going to have to audit the layout, by using something like these tools http://www.metageek.net/products/map-plan/ and either chanalyzer http://www.metageek.net/products/chanalyzer/ or inSSIDer http://www.metageek.net/get_inssider_today/ Our church uses four ap's to cover all four sides of the building.

Depending on how much the elder's are going to allow for budget for technology, will be the kicker. The first thing is to get the wired network on the correct equipment (patch panels for every jack, a real router/firewall, a good managed switch, and good wireless equipment). Since there is a possibility that there would be records on the network that are available to anyone logging in, using a domain for the network, by using either Microsoft Small Business Server, or building your own linux domain server with Samba, or one of the roll your own using Ubuntu, that has everything already built in is better.

Lay out a plan, figure what you have now for equipment, software, then find out what needs to be upgraded. Comcast Business services should be able to help, find out what they charge to bring the LAN up to a better set up, and talk to your flock to see who does this stuff in their job and has the qualifications, since they may be able to sit down and help the initial.

Just adding AP's can be easy, and using Linksys routers that you can load DDWRT on, is probably the cheapest route if you want to build as you go, then move into commercial SoHo equipment. But keep in mind, that you end up spending more in piece meal, than you would doing it from the beginning.

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BigJim

Good gravy, thanks Greg, I do appreciate you taking your time to help me out. I am afraid I am just not smart enough to understand all of this, looks like we will need to get a tech out there on this one. We have the Linksys router and wireless plug in things. In the near future we are changing IPs so hopefully we can get all of that done at the same time.

Thanks again Greg.

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Jim

honeyboy18

Thank you Jackofall 1 for your help; was much appreciated.
P.S. an your use of manners.

Ironlight

Yes different routers have different signal strength. And the latest standard, "N" has the greatest range. Also, even individual routers of the same model can have significantly varying signal strength due to manufacturing quality control.

Another option is to add bigger antennae to the receiving computers. If they are desktops then that should be a simple matter of screwing in an aftermarket antenna to the back of the PCI card, provided they are using a PCI card for wireless.

Regarding security, simply turning on MAC address access filtering should be more than adequate for your needs. Every computer has a unique MAC (machine access code) address, and most wireless routers let you configure which MAC addresses to allow access to.

Another option to consider is Powerline Networking. It is highly reliable and easy, but a bit slower than wireless and not as secure. Netgear makes a good line of powerline network adapters. You plug them into electrical outlets and it uses the electrical lines in the building to create a network.

BigJim

I really appreciate your help Ironlight, I did look online and found several high gain antennas and hope they work. Thanks again.

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Jim