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Home Network with Computers out of WiFi Range

B

Bosunsfate

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 20, 2006
344
0
Silicon Valley, CA
I have a network problem where a couple of rooms in my house just don't get good WiFi coverage with my core home network.

Beyond putting up a chain of base stations, including one outside. What are my options?

I thought that there are options to go through my homes electrical system?

Putting in Cat5 cable isn't an option if I want to keep the costs down.:)
 
robbieduncan said:
No idea how good any of it is, but a 1 second trip to Google gave me this.
Click to expand...

Thanks Robbieduncan, now I just need to find one a in the US. With the dollar exchange rate I'd get killed here. :)

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I did a rough Google search as well. In fact, I've been doing that for that past hour. :confused:
 
Bosunsfate said:
I have a network problem where a couple of rooms in my house just don't get good WiFi coverage with my core home network.

Beyond putting up a chain of base stations, including one outside. What are my options?

I thought that there are options to go through my homes electrical system?

Putting in Cat5 cable isn't an option if I want to keep the costs down.:)
Click to expand...
I can't imagine anything cheaper than running cat5 assuming you run it yourself. Maybe just make a short run where you can get a base station closer to those rooms.
 
skubish said:
I can't imagine anything cheaper than running cat5 assuming you run it yourself. Maybe just make a short run where you can get a base station closer to those rooms.
Click to expand...

I would have to cut into walls, etc. The rooms I'm trying to get into are in a separate structure at my house.
 
Why I like Mac's

Leave it to a Mac site to make this just as simple as possible.

Powerline Network Adapters was the key word.

This MacWireless site is pretty nice. Link

This 3 port network adapter looks like the trick. Any thoughts and opinions on whether there are better ones? The "Known Issues" isn't the end of the world since one of the Mac's is a G5.
 
Leave it to a Mac site not to tell you the potential downsides :p

First of all, I'd investigate if the ultimate location to see whether it's on the same ring main. If it's not, it's not going to work. Secondly, performance of powerline networking is highly variable and it's one of the reasons why it's not more popular.

I would say setting up a chain of range extenders or a point-to-point relay system depending on the range would be a lot better in the end.

Linksys sells one of the cheapest indoor range boosters. More sophisticated and weatherproof solutions are available from the likes of Cisco. Beyond that there are many options, but the price increases sharply. What I use between my dump (as I call my home) and my garages is a microwave link, since it's beyond the practical range of 802.11 and I can't put any extenders inbetween.
 
Just so you know I live in Thailand. Our wall are solid brick the floors are poured concrete with rebar I've had no problems my daughter has a macbook I have an iMac with the linksys router,. Here it the site you really should check out at
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Sate...nksys/Common/VisitorWrapper&lid=7455327773B07
this is wireless N. My daughter went about three hundred meters down the street and the connection was still good, in the garden and from floor to floor still no problem. No wires and Apple software takes care of it all. This is important to me as I have guests coming to our B&B with notebooks and they just want to check e-mails etc. without any complications. Take a look at my place in2siam.com I know blatant advertising just cut what you have to.
 
Ethernet over power is an interesting option, but I think most of the time wireless is easier. Certainly in a few instances it’s the best or only option, but since we don’t know your exact situation I’ll suggest either wireless options (a dd-wrt router set up as a repeater or bridge, wireless n, directional antennas etc.) or an improvised cat5 (actually cat6) run. If you’re in a newer house without nooks and crannies this may not be possible, but I’ve run cable for a number of friends and relatives utilizing spaces around heating pipes, old air heating vents, basement space, space around other electric runs, plumbing etc. Usually I just try to get it down to the basement, then over to where it’s going. Sometimes it’s still convenient or necessary to use wireless somewhere in the run, but often running 50’ of cheap cat6 from newegg will solve wireless problems by getting the router/ap closer to where it’s needed.

Describe your exact situation if you're interested in options other than ethernet-over-power
 
2 weeks ago I moved my Xbox 360 upstairs from the basement. My cable modem and wireless router are still in the basement. In order to get onto Xbox Live I was going to buy a 360 wireless adapter. I went to Best Buy and found one of these "electric adapters".

I spent the same amount as I would have on the Xbox 360 wireless adapter on this:

http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-Wall-...58/ref=pd_sim_e?ie=UTF8&qid=1196704538&sr=8-9

The link I gave you I believe is just one piece. What I bought from Best Buy came with 2 pieces that plug into an electrical outlet (but are exactly the same as the on in the link). I ran an ethernet cord from my router into one of these (plugged into the wall near my modem). I then plugged another one in near my Xbox 360 upstairs and ran an ethernet cord from it into the 360.

It works flawlessly. I haven't had any issues with my wireless network and I have no issues with connecting to Xbox Live on my 360. Anytime I want to move it I have that option as these will work anywhere in the house :)

There is also one that extends your wireless range:

http://www.amazon.com/Netgear-WGXB1...9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1196704538&sr=8-9
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I used to use power-line ethernet adapters...they worked fine. Sometimes there are deals, I can I got a pait for $40 from compusa.
 
I know you said besides chaining wireless, but that is the best option IMO. I use AEBS with WDS 802.11n. I have some interference near where my internet comes in and didn't want to change it so WDS was my next option. Works great and I serve like 15-20 devices at a time.
 
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