PoE wireless adapters with different circuits...

[Merlin]

Hi everyone,



I've been asked to help out with getting WiFi access in a client's tenanted flat, linked to the main house's Internet connection.

I had a quick scan in the flat and the WiFi signal is incredibly weak. Too weak to consider a WiFi repeater/booster.

With no cables in place, my suggestion is to use a PoE adapter network. I've used them before, with great success.

The owner's just sent me a message saying that he has no idea whether the flat is on the same circuit or not, but that it has its own meter. This tells me that the flat likely has its own circuit.

I'm probably asking a very ignorant question here, but as I don't know exactly how meters work with the circuits, better an ignorant question now than a stupid one later.

If you have a meter in place, such as in a flat, does that mean that the flat definitely does not have any connection to the main house or simply that the meter is recording the power usage through it and cutting off the power when the credit runs out on a joined circuit?

Assumed answers welcome.

 

[Trompie67]

Unless there is a separate DB the flat will be fed from the main house - where the main DB is.

Unless it is 3 phase they will all be on a single phase, so all plugs will be on the same phase.

With POE it's not so much circuits you need to worry about, as phase. We have 5 different circuits for the plugs in our house, but are on single phase, so POE works 100%.

 

[Merlin]

Excellent. Thanks Trompie.

 

[Merlin]

UPDATE: The flat has a separate DB...

 

[Merlin]

UPDATE: 3-phase...

Perhaps I'll be lucky and the flat plugs will be in the same phase...

 

[mister]

Don't you mean ethernet over power? not power over ethernet?

 

[Hamish McPanji]

This ^^^ . I think you are talking about powerline adapters. POE is something else

 

[Merlin]

Sorry. Yes, you are 100% correct. Total newb' mistake.

My brain's frazzled. I'm about to go on leave for a month and my mibd's on a million things. :-D

 

[sajunky]

As you get a small signal, you can increase signal couple of ways:

- Use externally mounted 2.4GHz WiFi AP. You can increase signal dramatically by byppassing couple of bricks.
- Manually control access for this AP. Allow only remote devices from the flat. AP's typically cut off weak clients to increase speed of clients with stronger signal.
- long-range AP with stronger radio.
- directional antenaes.

Combine these methods for aggregated effect. In professional application you would use dedicated wireless link.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

Sorry. Yes, you are 100% correct. Total newb' mistake.

My brain's frazzled. I'm about to go on leave for a month and my mibd's on a million things. :-D

What's the distance between the flat and the house?

 

[Merlin]

Thanks for the tips.

It's just a few metres to the flat.

I had a long chat with the local IT shop today. Ultimately it was decided that a cable to the flat is the way to go, to which the owner has now agreed. We'll be sorting this out later next month.

 

[Hamish McPanji]

Thanks for the tips.

It's just a few metres to the flat.

I had a long chat with the local IT shop today. Ultimately it was decided that a cable to the flat is the way to go, to which the owner has now agreed. We'll be sorting this out later next month.

You have chosen the best solution. I do have some convoluted solutions that have works for years without issue, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

 

[Merlin]

I always advise cabling as preferable, but a lot of home owners prefer to go wireless for aesthetics, cost and ease of installation.

In an office environment, there are certain situations in which we will actually refuse to provide support without a cabled connection.

 

[sajunky]

Use solid lightning protection on Ethernet cables. On both sides, where PC or network hub is plugged to the mains. It is especially important as you are on different power lines.

 

[Merlin]

Noted. Thanks.