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  • Wireless Access Points

    I may have posted about this before, but I can't find it.

    I have a Dynex wireless-g router hardwired to my Westell DSL modem (I just dumped my 2-months-free Roadrunner; it kept having trouble connecting to my PC). Mom has a MacBook down the hall in the family room. It's probably about 50 feet away. It's not in direct line of sight, though; there's about a 45-degree jog through a corner of the kitchen to where she is. Most of the time the MacBook connects to my network pretty well, but it drops frequently enough that it frustrates her.

    Could an access point placed down the hall closer to her solve the problem? If so, anybody got any recommendations for a specific make/mfr (or even a used one you don't need any longer)? An inexpensive one if possible. I don't want to spend more than about $75 max if I can avoid it.
    http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

  • #2
    Re: Wireless Access Points

    if you're not planning on networking your computers together, then just get a cheap wifi router for $30 and plug it into any of the existing four ports of your present router. Should do the trick.
    Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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    • #3
      Re: Wireless Access Points

      Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
      if you're not planning on networking your computers together, then just get a cheap wifi router for $30 and plug it into any of the existing four ports of your present router. Should do the trick.
      But I don't want to run cable down the hall to another router (OR access point). I want to run the MacBook wirelessly from the existing Wireless G router in the back room.

      How can I strengthen the signal?
      http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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      • #4
        Re: Wireless Access Points

        Riddle me this, Batman:

        Switching back to Roadrunner and running a speedtest:
        http://www.speedtest.net/result/1215625886.png
        3.34 Mb/s download
        0.97 Mb/s upload

        Running a speedtest using the MacBook wirelessly two feet (two feet!!) from the router:

        0.33 Mb/s download
        0.05 Mb/s upload
        http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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        • #5
          Re: Wireless Access Points

          I went looking for a range extender at Radio Shack and at Best Buy; neither had one. Both salespeople told me that upgrading the wireless-G router to a wireless-N version would probably solve the range problem because it's a stronger signal.

          Anybody know/had any experience?

          I note that a Netgear WNR2000 Wireless-N router is currently on sale: $49 at BB and $59 at RS. Most extenders seem to be about $30-$40, so it wouldn't be a major splurge beyond what I expected.
          http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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          • #6
            Re: Wireless Access Points

            anytime you run an access point, you need to run wires. As for range extenders, a high gain antenna should improve signal strength.
            Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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            • #7
              Re: Wireless Access Points

              After some research I went out and bought a Netgear N300 wireless router today.

              I just installed it (easy as pie, as advertised) and it seems to have lengthened the range remarkably. Where Mom got between 2-3 bars with the Dynex, the signal from the Netgear gadget seems to be hovering between 3 and 4. Good. I was getting tired of saying "I don't know" when asked why the MacBook kept dropping off the network. "Sunspots" is an unsatisfactory answer, I'm told.

              Thanks for the suggestions, guys and gals.
              http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/

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              • #8
                Re: Wireless Access Points

                Aloha all! New to the forum, I know this is kind of a late response but I'm hoping a little bit of advice can help others out.

                What you were looking for was a Wireless Repeater. Basically a Wireless Repeater "repeats" an Access Point's signal. It does nothing more, nothing less. To all your computers in your house, it looks like you only have one access point, which I'm guessing was your intention. A Wireless Repeater lets you extend the range of your Wireless Network without you having to run extra wires.

                I'm glad you actually replaced the Dynex with a Netgear. Dynex is kind of a second-tier/budget brand sorta company, along the lines of Trendnet and Belkin, which most likely means lower quality parts and whatnot. If you need to further extend the range of the Netgear router/access point, just take note in the future to look for a Wireless Repeater.

                Also take note a lot of Wireless Access Points can be used as a Repeater.

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                • #9
                  Re: Wireless Access Points

                  There is software out there that allows for a wireless router to act as a repeater. On some WAN systems Linksys wireless routers are used that way to daisychain signals from subscriber to subscriber within proxemic locations.
                  Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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