Help: Extending a wireless network

toma_alimosh · May 20th, 2008, 01:53 AM

A friend of mine moved recently, and his new, multi-level house doesn't quite carry wireless signals very well between levels, so he asked me to help him find a solution to this problem.

Searched the net over, but didn't find all the answers, so I thought I should ask you guys.

Having to choose between a repeater and another access point, well, the repeater won't do any good if the signal is already weak and it would suck, so he's stuck with the option of making another access point (or more than one, as required). As most of you know, APs are expensive and a good alternative I've found is to turn a normal wireless router, which would be much less costly, into an access point which is linked by cable to the main router.

So here's where my doubts come in. He wants to access his network with the same security settings, etc. That way he would only have to program one auto-connect network on his laptop and PDA with the same settings. Theoretically, when he's to connect to the network, finding two access points with the same name, etc. the network adapter will choose the point with the higher, signal, right?

But here's the really tough part. He wants the two access points to do handovers ... so he can carry his PDA around the house and his wireless connection doesn't break as he moves from one extreme of the house to the other. Could that be accomplished by turning a wireless router into an additional access point and programming it the same as the first one? Or do you really need an acctual access point for handovers?

prizrak · May 20th, 2008, 02:33 AM

WRT54G v4 and below with DD_WRT firmware will most likely help him out. You can get wireless range extenders and higher gain antenae. However I'm not sure if they would be able to carry the signal far enough.

I believe that as long as the name is the same and the rest of the settings it will be able to "hand off" the signal. If his using XP's wireless zero configuration he might have problems, it only looks at network names so it can actually jump between higher signal and lower signal networks.

Hidden_Hunter · May 20th, 2008, 02:56 AM

a router running dd-wrt is probably the cheapest way of creating a network like that, creating a scalable wireless network really is a question of how large is your wallet D:

Viper007Bond · May 20th, 2008, 04:44 AM

Tomato FTW.

jensked · May 20th, 2008, 06:26 AM

I'd go for a bigger/better antenna.

Viper007Bond · May 20th, 2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jensked

I'd go for a bigger/better antenna.

Yeah, but Tomato / DD_WRT can both boost the power of the existing antenna.

If he doesn't have a WRT54G/GL, then a better antenna would be the best first step.

jensked · May 20th, 2008, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

Yeah, but Tomato / DD_WRT can both boost the power of the existing antenna.

If he doesn't have a WRT54G/GL, then a better antenna would be the best first step.

Srsly? I hate that I bought a stupid D-Link. I want that Tomato firmware! images/smilies/cry.gif

Viper007Bond · May 20th, 2008, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jensked

Srsly? I hate that I bought a stupid D-Link. I want that Tomato firmware! images/smilies/cry.gif

WRT54GL is the best ~~modem~~ router hands down IMO. The custom firmware is just f'ing awesome.

http://pic.phyrefile.com/v/vi/viper007bond/2008/05/20/tomato.png

toma_alimosh · May 20th, 2008, 03:49 PM

Hmm, alright, I'll give the linksys router and custom firmware a try. Thanks for the suggestions.

Hope he'll agree to all this hacking and stuff ... if it will save him money, he probably will. images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Hidden_Hunter · May 20th, 2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

WRT54GL is the best modem hands down IMO. The custom firmware is just f'ing awesome.

pfft you haven't used IOS then have you D;

prizrak · May 20th, 2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hidden_Hunter

pfft you haven't used IOS then have you D;

LOL IOS FTMW images/smilies/smile.gif

Though you don't get a nice web interface images/smilies/wink.gif

Hidden_Hunter · May 21st, 2008, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prizrak

LOL IOS FTMW images/smilies/smile.gif

Though you don't get a nice web interface images/smilies/wink.gif

use SDM if you want a web interface then images/smilies/biggrin.gif

jeffy777 · May 21st, 2008, 02:09 AM

I agree with Viper, Tomato rocks.....though I have not tried IOS. But Tomato does everything I need, and a lot more, so I'm too lazy to try flashing something else on there.

Hidden_Hunter · May 21st, 2008, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffy777

I agree with Viper, Tomato rocks.....though I have not tried IOS. But Tomato does everything I need, and a lot more, so I'm too lazy to try flashing something else on there.

IOS is the operating system for routers, I was flicking through a magazine and people were comparing uptimes of their routers and the time wasn't measured in months but years!

I images/smilies/love.gif

IOS

Viper007Bond · May 21st, 2008, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hidden_Hunter

IOS is the operating system for routers, I was flicking through a magazine and people were comparing uptimes of their routers and the time wasn't measured in months but years!

I images/smilies/love.gif

IOS

Is that unusual? My router would probably run for years no problem if I didn't lose power from time to time.

matt2000 · May 21st, 2008, 09:36 AM

This might work if you don't have the router on show. I'm sure I've heard of some Wifi boosters that go between the router and the wireless PC though.

+ YouTube Video

toma_alimosh · May 21st, 2008, 04:16 PM

^

neat trick.

May 20th, 2008, 01:53 AM	#1
toma_alimosh Joined: Mar 14th, 2005 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Ontario Canada Age: 20 Posts: 2,357 Car: none as of yet Rep Power: 38	Help: Extending a wireless network A friend of mine moved recently, and his new, multi-level house doesn't quite carry wireless signals very well between levels, so he asked me to help him find a solution to this problem. Searched the net over, but didn't find all the answers, so I thought I should ask you guys. Having to choose between a repeater and another access point, well, the repeater won't do any good if the signal is already weak and it would suck, so he's stuck with the option of making another access point (or more than one, as required). As most of you know, APs are expensive and a good alternative I've found is to turn a normal wireless router, which would be much less costly, into an access point which is linked by cable to the main router. So here's where my doubts come in. He wants to access his network with the same security settings, etc. That way he would only have to program one auto-connect network on his laptop and PDA with the same settings. Theoretically, when he's to connect to the network, finding two access points with the same name, etc. the network adapter will choose the point with the higher, signal, right? But here's the really tough part. He wants the two access points to do handovers ... so he can carry his PDA around the house and his wireless connection doesn't break as he moves from one extreme of the house to the other. Could that be accomplished by turning a wireless router into an additional access point and programming it the same as the first one? Or do you really need an acctual access point for handovers? __________________

May 20th, 2008, 02:56 AM	#3
Hidden_Hunter D: Joined: Oct 7th, 2006 Last Online: 08:12 AM Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 20 Posts: 3,839 Car: '08 Honda Accord Euro Rep Power: 37	a router running dd-wrt is probably the cheapest way of creating a network like that, creating a scalable wireless network really is a question of how large is your wallet D: __________________ My car is dark grey not black!

May 20th, 2008, 04:44 AM	#4
Viper007Bond Lazy Head Dude Joined: Sep 21st, 2003 Last Online: 09:23 AM Location: Portland, Oregon Age: 24 Posts: 20,218 Car: Dodge Viper (I wish!) Rep Power: 224	Tomato FTW. __________________ Fight back against the evil Quiky by +1'ing this post! There is no replacement for displacement. - Wolfgang Bernhard, Chief Operating Officer, Chrysler Group talking about the Dodge Viper SRT-10 ... I ask Herb Helbig, vehicle synthesis manager for SRT and a member of the original Team Viper development group since day one, if they'd ever thought of adding traction control. "It comes with two," he says, pointing at my feet. "Learn to use them." Got it. - Motor Trend on the 2006 Dodge Viper Coupe, November 2005

May 20th, 2008, 06:26 AM	#5
jensked Joined: Mar 31st, 2005 Last Online: 06:34 AM Location: Flanders, Belgium Age: 24 Posts: 3,881 Car: RIP Opel Astra -> 2006 Toyota Corolla Wagon Rep Power: 32	I'd go for a bigger/better antenna. __________________

May 20th, 2008, 03:49 PM	#9
toma_alimosh Joined: Mar 14th, 2005 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Ontario Canada Age: 20 Posts: 2,357 Car: none as of yet Rep Power: 38	Hmm, alright, I'll give the linksys router and custom firmware a try. Thanks for the suggestions. Hope he'll agree to all this hacking and stuff ... if it will save him money, he probably will. __________________

May 20th, 2008, 02:33 AM	#2
prizrak Joined: Apr 2nd, 2007 Last Online: 03:14 AM Location: Brooklyn, NY Age: 25 Posts: 1,331 Car: Audi A4 1.8T Rep Power: 16	WRT54G v4 and below with DD_WRT firmware will most likely help him out. You can get wireless range extenders and higher gain antenae. However I'm not sure if they would be able to carry the signal far enough. I believe that as long as the name is the same and the rest of the settings it will be able to "hand off" the signal. If his using XP's wireless zero configuration he might have problems, it only looks at network names so it can actually jump between higher signal and lower signal networks.

May 21st, 2008, 02:09 AM	#13
jeffy777 Joined: Feb 8th, 2005 Last Online: 03:39 AM Location: US Age: 27 Posts: 5,461 Car: '04 Toyota Sienna, crippled people like vans.... Rep Power: 45	I agree with Viper, Tomato rocks.....though I have not tried IOS. But Tomato does everything I need, and a lot more, so I'm too lazy to try flashing something else on there. __________________ A man named Jeffy once said, "If laziness is craziness, then I've lost my marbles...and I don't feel like trying to find them."

May 21st, 2008, 04:16 PM	#17
toma_alimosh Joined: Mar 14th, 2005 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Ontario Canada Age: 20 Posts: 2,357 Car: none as of yet Rep Power: 38	^ neat trick. __________________

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