Looking for someone who can install a home network solution for me?

B

broken1

Expert Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2006
Messages
1,686
Reaction score
1
Location
Sandton Area
I live in a small double story townhouse. I stuggle with WiFi and if the router is downstairs there is zero signal upstairs, and if the router is upstairs the signal is good in places, not good in others and no signal downstairs.

As I stream movies around to the TV's - what I would like is Ethernet cables installed from the downstairs modem/router to upstairs router(s) so that I can have movies over ethernet and multiple WiFi AP's to ensure great signal.

Can anyone recommend a network installer that would be keen for a small job like this?
 
You can also look at homeplugs. The ones that plug into your existing powergrid via wallsocket. Very underutilized technology imho.

Else try a range extender for normal wi-fi boosting, or just run a physical cable upstairs, im sure u can route it somewhere out of sight?
 
broken1 said:
I live in a small double story townhouse. I stuggle with WiFi and if the router is downstairs there is zero signal upstairs, and if the router is upstairs the signal is good in places, not good in others and no signal downstairs.

As I stream movies around to the TV's - what I would like is Ethernet cables installed from the downstairs modem/router to upstairs router(s) so that I can have movies over ethernet and multiple WiFi AP's to ensure great signal.

Can anyone recommend a network installer that would be keen for a small job like this?
Click to expand...

To explain your problem, double stories are notorious for bad Wireless signals because of the concrete slab between the first and second floors which causes signal failures (I don't know why but I did read this on another forum post). You won't get signal between that slab hence why there is no signal from downstairs to upstairs and vice versa, so a WiFi booster probably won't work.

I like the suggestion of the homeplugs as it uses your existing electrical wiring for networking.
 
I have yet to have a homeplug solution that doesnt suck.

To be fair, I havent used or tried one in the last 18 months, but depending on your wiring etc they can be a nightmare.

Cabling will cost you around R500 - R900 a point, and personally, i think its worth it.

The only cabling companies I know are the ones that do big jobs like interconnect etc.
Maybe try call cable link applications and see if they can recommend someone
 
Is it possible for you to run lan cable from downstairs to upstairs? this would allow a direct uninterrupted connection to an AP upstairs? In which case you can use a W-N30.
If you cannot run cable, you can use a High powered wireless device such as a PicoM2.
It is never a sure thing though as wireless is dependent on the obstacles in the house such as walls etc (been pointed out).
However if you run a lan cable, do you have a ducting through which it can be channeled? Lan cables can be an eyesore sight as over years they gather dust & look ugly....
 
my homeplugs work a treat. simplest solution. but if i could afford this i would do it.
 
where are you based? If in Cape Town, I'd be happy to help you out with a wired solution. At a nominal cost of course.
 
To understand why it doesn't work upstairs you need to look at the dispersion pattern of an omnidirectional antenna:
6dBi.gif


In the horizontal plane the signal is equally dispersed so if there were no obstacles you should pretty much get the same amount of signal in any direction for a given distance.

The vertical however obviously isn't quite as forgiving so the problem is when you're on a different floor you're already on the bounds of the signal and then of course there's a big floor in the way.


As an aside, a "more powerful" omni actually focusses the signal MORE on the horizontal plane which means LESS vertical height.

For this reason I would recommend an access point on each floor, preferably connected by a cable but homeplug devices can work too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X