Needing help to Set up Wireless coverage for top of house

Discussion in 'Wireless' started by stubbs89, Feb 3, 2008.

  1. stubbs89

    stubbs89 Bit Poster

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    sorry for the long title

    I've been reading around on the internet for awhile trying to get my head around this but to little availe so i thought someone here might be kind enough to help me out.

    I have one laptop downstairs which is my dads work laptop and is in a 'dock' (he wants it kept there) and this is connected (wired) to the router. We have sky broadband and have a DG834Gt Router which can provide wireless.

    My question is that I am buying an Apple Macbook Pro soon aswell as a Desktop PC both of which will be in my room however my room is on the second floor (loft room) I really don't think think this router will reach up there (i've attached a screenshot of my router status if this helps). Is there anyway I can get a decent speed of broadband up in my room without using a very long wire?

    I've looked at several option such as the Netgear XE102 Wall Plugged Ethernet Bridge Powerline but the decent speed ones are pretty pricey and i have no idea how to set them up. Im quite happy to buy a new router for a fairly big amount if it will reach far enough and be quick enough i believe i could set this up myself if there such a router that can reach that far. looked at aerials and such aswell but as i say i know very little.

    Sorry for the long complicated post but i hope someone can help moi, otherwise I think i might have to look in the yellow pages, you may think that a better idea in fact.

    Thank you
    :-)

    [​IMG]
     
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  2. harpistic

    harpistic Byte Poster

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    [ignore what I said] :oops:
     
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  3. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    First - the Sky broadband router includes a WiFi AP - why buy another router? It only makes things harder to configure.

    Second - rather than use WiFi, the 'Homeplug' system is the way to go for that distance. Look at the Devolo units in PC world (yikes - did I mention that chain? :p ). A starter pair which will do what you want is (or was) £95. Use a cheap switch on your end and you can plug as many items as you want then.

    Harry.
     
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  4. Modey

    Modey Terabyte Poster

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    If the main thing you want is internet for the PC's upstairs then Homeplugs will be more than enough speed wise. Unless of course you are trailing the fastest broadband in Britain for Sky. :)
     
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  5. stubbs89

    stubbs89 Bit Poster

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    oh ok so i can keep my current router then i would need one of these powerline plugs downstairs plugged into the router and one upstairs that i can plug to pcs into (one laptop one desktop).

    I also spotted this Devolo 1208 HomePlug Additional Wireless Extender does that mean i would have aone powerline homplug dowstairs still conected to my router then upsatirs have this and this would transmit a wirless signal which i could acces from the two computers?

    thanks for the help these look good
     
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  6. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    I would avoid having two WiFi APs in the building.

    And not using them will be cheaper.

    Harry.
     
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  7. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Have you tested the wireless connection in your room yet? The signal may go further than you think....
     
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  8. stubbs89

    stubbs89 Bit Poster

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    what would having two wi-fi spots ,as it were, running at the same time do? they would be the same network would'nt they?

    It would would be 'cool' to be able to move around my room freely with my macbook, the desktop could be connected directly to that wireless homeplug aswell, so i would'nt have to buy 3 homeplugs, just two: one downstairs for the router and the wirless one for upstairs that also has a direct ethernet connection.

    I'm not dismissing your comment I just want to learn more :)
     
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  9. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    They would be the same 'network' but different WiFi groups. The interference *might* severely limit the performance. And you would have double the possible problems with neighbouring setups.

    And you really want to try to use a laptop while walking about? :p Most people settle on one place - so if that is on a desk just use an ethernet connection.

    You wouldn't need to buy 3 homeplugs. Just the two plus a (much cheaper) switch.

    Harry.
     
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  10. stubbs89

    stubbs89 Bit Poster

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    Lol your absolutely right the only place I would use the laptop would be at my desk in my room or downstairs (living room) in which case use the router signal. This looks like the perfect option for me and thank you very much for your help (rep given) you've just saved me allot of money I think ha ha. One question, what's a switch? is it a splitter or something else?
     
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  11. tripwire45
    Honorary Member

    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Take a look at the first definition of the term "switch" at webopedia.
     
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  12. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Some shops call them 'hubs'. Strictly, a hub and a switch are not exactly the same, but most users would be hard put to tell the difference.

    They are the basic glue of a network, allowing several machines, when plugged in, to be a network.

    Harry.
     
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  13. stubbs89

    stubbs89 Bit Poster

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    ok cool gotcha. thank you again all the replies on here hav really helped me out.

    Paul
     
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  14. tripwire45
    Honorary Member

    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    *gasp* How can you *say* that??? :biggrin

    Although from the end-user point of view, a hub and a switch both unite individual network nodes into a segment, they actually operate at different levels of the OSI Model.
     
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  15. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Take a typical hub, and a typical switch. Put them on a desk in front of a typical user. Ask them what the difference is. :p

    Harry.
     
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  16. Wassup

    Wassup Byte Poster

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    not mentioned already but you "could" try a Wireless Extender , essentially a repeater that will boost the signal from your sky box.

    I use a Belkin WURE that works well, ie I can watch video with no skipping or jumping, and they are cheaper than the home plug system. [http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=255033]
    They are a bit fiddly to setup, ie plug it directly into your pc first, put them on the same subnet, configure passwords, SSID, etc but once they're set up I have found it works really well.

    prices vary - http://www.ciao.co.uk/Belkin_Wireless_G_Universal_Range_Extender_Access_Point__6472854

    I also used them at my last job in a school where we had the wireless router on the first floor, and then added three of these extenders, one each on the floors above and below and an additional on the far side of the building to increase the range to include the garden area for studetn access, they all worked faultlessly and have increased the wireless reception for the students laptops into all the classrooms.
    ---no I'm not a Belkin salesperson by the way ... *grin*

    :)
     
  17. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    The problem with 'extenders' is either they sit on the same channel as the original - so the bandwidth reduces, or they aren't on the same channel - so the likelyhood of interference increases. :biggrin

    Most schools cover a sufficient area of ground so as to reduce the likely interference though.

    Harry.
     
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  18. Wassup

    Wassup Byte Poster

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    Yup, I put them all on the same channel at school, I think it was 6 if I recall correctly.

    However, at home, for a boost up a couple of floors, I just put one midway between the router and my laptop and there was a significant reception improvement, ie streaming video actually streamed rather than just piddled :biggrin
     
  19. Ryan

    Ryan Byte Poster

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    Am i right in thinking that a hub just connects network points together (permenant bridge)

    and a switch only connects new network points if they are active (plugged in)
    and is also configurable for link speed and sometimes vlan?
     
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  20. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Er - no. A hub copies all input packets to all other output ports.

    A switch 'learns' the MAC addresses for each port, and only sends traffic for a given MAC address to the port it thinks it is plugged into.

    High quality switches may be able to do more, but that is the basic difference.

    Harry.
     
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