Help with Networking.. Please

[davidg4781]

I need some help with my wireless network. It's mostly PCs, but I use my MacBook on it too...so that's how I'm justifying asking it here.

Here's the thing. My grandfather uses the DSL daily to check his bank account balance. We were having problems where the DSL router had to be reset, and to make it easier for him, I moved it to his den, so he can reset that and the router if needed. When I did that, though, the wireless signal is having to go through the garage to get to my mom's room, and it's not making it.

What I did to fix it was put a wired router in the den and run a Cat5 cable under the house to my brothers room, where I have a wireless router. This gives it line of sight to my mom's room, bypassing the garage.

I want to simplify this, because right now, the DSL is really slow. I'm not sure if it's caused by all this or if it's just we're on a slow package. The DSL modem would have to stay in the den. I was thinking of maybe getting an access point or something. Mom's computer has wireless, and there's a wireless card in my brother's, but it wasn't working as it should. I don't want to spend too much, but, I would like to get everything working a little better than it is now.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

tricky... try buying an airport extreme base station. if the range isnt good enough, buy an airport express and use WDS mode to link it to the base station. or you could try using an access point and a router using WDS mode if you dont want to buy apple network hardware.

 

[davidg4781]

Yeah, I was thinking of putting the wireless router in the den, and an access point in the far corner of the living room. That should shoot the signal over to mom's and to the bedroom. Any suggestion as to which access point? Both routers I have now are the blue Linksys ones, wireless G.

I'd like to stay away from the Apple ones. Nothing against them, they're just more expensive, when I don't think I'd need something like that. Maybe when I get my own place...for sure when I get my own place.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

oh ok sorry about that. but try a linksys access point, since mixing brands isnt a good idea. for a good priced access point, try Linksys WAP54G Wireless-G Access Point. its the only Linksys one and the cheapest ($70) and uses wireless G so its compatible. your way works better than mine. since the central point of your setup is in the living room, and triangulates the den, mom's room, and your brothers.

 

[davidg4781]

Yeah, $70 is more than I wanted to pay, but, I guess you have to do stuff like that to keep the family happy. I'll wait a bit, I think my bro is borrowing my mom's laptop, so she doesn't need anything out there at this time.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

good thinking, or you could try ebay. its a bit cheaper there.