Repeater Or extender or router or ???

[lsdinc]

Hi all,

Am bit confused about what I need. I have moved into a new flat and it is an odd shape so I cant get wifi in the front rooms (well a very weak signal). It is not a big flat and it is all on one level it is just an odd shape, Is sort of 'L' shaped. I can get a good signal all along the long edge of the 'L' but not on the short bit and that is where the front rooms are (2 bedrooms and a studio).

What is the best way to get a better signal? I was thinking of putting a wifi router or repeater in front room (the studio) that can get the wifi from back of flat and then 'repeat' this signal. One of the computers in studio does not have an antenna so would be helpful if the 'router/repeater' could also connect via a LAN cable to the computer and then it can connect to network that way.

The network I would like to set up would be able to handle media streaming, render farming and internet all throughout the flat.

The internet is provided by BT (not sure if peeps in states or UK will be reading this but is a UK provider).

I do not want to spend any more the £50 on a router/repeater, what would do the job? I was looking at this one: ZyXEL WAP3205 Wireless Dual LAN Access Point. Will this receive and broadcast or do I need to wire it up to access point? This is what I find confusing. I ZyXEL WAP3205 Wireless Dual LAN Access Point what to have to connect it to access point as that would mean I would need to run wires and I hate running wires around living space!

Not sure if I'm making sense, please ask me questions if I'm not being clear and i will try to clarify my meaning.

Thanks a mill,

Les

 

[barryherne]

The easiest idea will be to place your router to the middle of your flat (to the top of right angle of L). You could do that with a LAN cable.
Of course any repeater or extender will help. But I'm not sure if it is legal to use extenders at your place. You know in some countries (e.g. Australia) active repeaters are banned.

 

[donkey42]

hi lsdinc

i'd try add a high gain antenna to your existing Wireless Access Point (WAP) or make an antenna like one of the many tutorials like

Click Here

or you could use an old router as a IP relay (usually somewhere around DHCP settings)

personally i'd try an antenna first, start by trying a 10dB gain antenna (post for explanation)

and if you make it it won't cost you much at all, what have you to loose ?

if you decide to purchase an antenna it will be about half the price of purchasing a new router
but you need to understand the difference between Directional and Omni-Directional

• Directional = works in 1 direction
• Omni-Directional = generally considered to work in many directions

you want a directional high gain antenna

 

[donkey42]

added new post to improve reply

Am bit confused about what I need. I have moved into a new flat and it is an odd shape so I cant get wifi in the front rooms (well a very weak signal). It is not a big flat and it is all on one level it is just an odd shape, Is sort of 'L' shaped. I can get a good signal all along the long edge of the 'L' but not on the short bit and that is where the front rooms are (2 bedrooms and a studio).

What is the best way to get a better signal?

well the best / easiest way would be to use a high gain antenna on you existing WAP (Wireless Access Point)

I was thinking of putting a wifi router or repeater in front room (the studio) that can get the wifi from back of flat and then 'repeat' this signal. One of the computers in studio does not have an antenna so would be helpful if the 'router/repeater' could also connect via a LAN cable to the computer and then it can connect to network that way.

The network I would like to set up would be able to handle media streaming, render farming and internet all throughout the flat.

The internet is provided by BT (not sure if peeps in states or UK will be reading this but is a UK provider).

i'm in UK too

I do not want to spend any more the £50 on a router/repeater, what would do the job?

a home gateway (router/WAP) would work but unless you have a spare i wouldn't buy one that you don't need

I was looking at this one: ZyXEL WAP3205 Wireless Dual LAN Access Point. Will this receive and broadcast or do I need to wire it up to access point?

well usually any router can act as a repeater just set it up as a DHCP relay (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) on the router / WAP your adding
as DHCP mainly gives IP addresses to clients (computers on the network) this way as a relay it would simply forward the existing DHCP requests to the relay,

hope that clears things up for you

BTW: i still think you would be better upgrading your existing antenna

The easiest idea will be to place your router to the middle of your flat (to the top of right angle of L).

which is cheaper barryherne an antenna or a repeater ? (basically a router without routing capability, which most routers can disable the ability to route packets)

I'm not sure if it is legal to use extenders at your place. You know in some countries (e.g. Australia) active repeaters are banned

@barrherne, why does an obvious UK user want to know what is banned in Aus?
BTW: you fine in UK because reading are taken after the antenna, just go with about a 10dB gain antenna, and even if it was illegal don't tell anyone and if anyone asks just say i set in like that for testing purposes