Extending wireless range: Antennas

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semaj

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We are doing some alterations and the wireless range of my DG834G is going to be just short of where my dad will be working.

I read up a little about antennas and it seems like an omni directional antenna is what I need to help get through the extra distance and walls. Do you think this would solve the problem?

Where do you recommend I buy the antenna? I saw a 5DBi (is 5DB enough to make a difference?) Netgear one which I think will suit my needs for R300.
 
Omni-directonal antennas are not suited for Point to Point, but more blanket covering...it will transmit in your area and your neighbours and across the road in a 360degree . If your neighbour also puts up an omni, the chances the two Access points will have a channel clash.

Rather look at a a directional antenna and direct the signal to where you need it to go. as for 5dbi, it depends on the distance.. I would only settle for 8dbi or more.
 
go for an 8dBi Patch and point in the direction of where "dad will be working."

8dBi patch is about R200
 
What kind of range can you expect out of both the 5dbi & 8dbi?

I'm setting up an office in my outbuilding which is +- 15m from the house with a wall in the way. Is it likely that an antenna will be needed at all?

I'm looking at getting the Netgear DG834GT router.

Thanks in advance,
Mark
 
I was also consider using a Yagi for this exercise. a 12dbi Directional Yagi will set you back no more than R300 and they are decent antenna. We set up a link last weekend using a 12dbi Yagi and it manages a connection of 5kms no problems
 
What is the difference between a yagi and a patch antenna?

Also where would I buy them at good prices?

EDIT: Ok I found out that a yagi has a much narrower beam width than a patch which rules out the yagi because I still need signal in other places in the house. I will get a patch and try put it near the celing in one corner of the house and hope that I get signal everywhere.

I also found out that Miro supply antennas so does anyone know a distributor in JHB?
 
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Wireless range is a bitch. I have an outside office behind the garage. After mucking about with antennas with little or no success, the eventual answer to my intermittant signal problems was to swap garage assignments. It seems that my wirelsss signal was getting lost inside my wife's 4x4. My own car is far more forgiving.

Of course, this is not a solution in your case, but it does highlight the fact that removing obstacles between wireless points is often far more effective than trying to overcome them. For example, if you have to have walls between points, try to get the direction of the signal to travel at right angles to them. That will result in far less signal loss than if the signal is travelling diagonally through a wall.
 
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Have you considered getting a cable to link the two areas? Especially since you are doing alterations, it might be an easy time to have a cable installed.
 
Thats a good idea, I could install a cable that would connect the router to another access point and in that way I can split the house between two wireless devices but that is really pushing my budget especially since two weeks ago lightning zapped my DG834GT :mad:

Ill try the antenna and if that's useless Ill run a cable.
 
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