Wireless networks and double storeys: my tale of woe. Help!

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Donovan

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I have recently moved into my new place. I've never really lived in a double storey house before let alone had a wireless network in it and I seem to be having some problems.

The floor between the two levels is basically solid concrete with some cinderblocks in it. My wireless router is downstairs.

The problem is that I have several dead spots upstairs, and also, when I get signal it connects and is fairly strong but then it kind've wanes. This is causing some hectic problems for me.

I'm looking at adding one of these: http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=57 to the router and directing it in the hopes that it will help. Will it? Any other suggestions?
 
Where do you surf the most? Upstairs or downstairs?

If upstairs, why not move the router upstairs?

The concrete floor usually is strengthened with steel rods, this tend to block the signal.
 
Does your existing wireless router support WDS? If so why not plonk a wireless access point in-between the router and the dead spot.
 
Going the antenna -or brute-force- route may not be the best way to do this. I found better results with getting a couple of ol' faithful WRT54GL routers that I:
- reflashed to DD-WRT to get control over which box did what (including being able to switch off being a router as well as adding the WAN port to the switch and so using that for linking the two instead of using one of the 4 regular ports
- linked by cable between the two floors and turned the radio power DOWN, instead of boosting it by relying on antenna gain. This also encourages a wireless device to use the stronger signal on each floor.

YMMV, but the HGA route may not work out as well as you'd like.
 
A wireless antenna with a higher gain only serves to "focus" the signal and not strengthen it therefore you will get even less coverage in certain areas.

Rather get a cable and another wireless router. If a cable is REALLY not an option look at ethernet over powerlines.
 
I agree that the additional antenna won't serve your purposes... like everyone else said either

1. Add a bridge/repeater
2. Try increasing the output of your wireless db
 
I second the suggestion to add another router upstairs via cable. But I would also try boost the xmit strength before spending money.
 
Donovan said:
I have recently moved into my new place. I've never really lived in a double storey house before let alone had a wireless network in it and I seem to be having some problems.

The floor between the two levels is basically solid concrete with some cinderblocks in it. My wireless router is downstairs.

The problem is that I have several dead spots upstairs, and also, when I get signal it connects and is fairly strong but then it kind've wanes. This is causing some hectic problems for me.

I'm looking at adding one of these: http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=57 to the router and directing it in the hopes that it will help. Will it? Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

Do you have any double volumes?

From previous experience I knew I was going to have problems with my wireless network in the house, so I made sure the sport with the best iBurst reception will also give the best wireless reception.

It is currently situated next to a window, in a double volume column, allowing the signal to go up and spread across the second floor.

I used an additional AP previously, but with that move it is not necessary anymore.
 
I do have double volume areas, but I don't want to spoil them with ugly internetty boxes and stuff :)

My router does not support WDS... sucks to be me I guess. Maybe I should just add an AP upstairs and wire it to the router.
 
Donovan said:
I have recently moved into my new place. I've never really lived in a double storey house before let alone had a wireless network in it and I seem to be having some problems.

The floor between the two levels is basically solid concrete with some cinderblocks in it. My wireless router is downstairs.

The problem is that I have several dead spots upstairs, and also, when I get signal it connects and is fairly strong but then it kind've wanes. This is causing some hectic problems for me.

I'm looking at adding one of these: http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=57 to the router and directing it in the hopes that it will help. Will it? Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...


I live in a double story apartment, and also had very week signals with my wireless router being downstairs, and my pc being upstairs. So I bought a Omni antenna from www.miro.co.za and connected it to my wireless network card in my pc. I know have full signal strength.

http://www.miro.co.za/products.php?cat=13&sub=59
 
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