Wireless

[wink wink]

I am seriously thinking of setting up a wireless network in my house. So far I have a basic understanding of what I need to do in order to achieve this. Now my only concern before I spend the moey and time setting this all up is, what is the range I will receive from a typical unit. And does construction material of my house play any factor into this all. My house is constructed from concrete with all marble flooring. Anyone have any insight to how this will hinder a wireless network?

Thanks

[BALIX]

I recently went wireless following sound advice on this very forum. Whilst everyone's situation will be different the signals that fly back and forth between my router and receiver are, according to the diagnostics, excellent. This despite passing through several layers of plasterboard. It probably helps that the wireless adaptor on PC no. 2 is a USB device as this allows the aerial to be moved around but I would guess that your house would have to be made of lead to prevent a decent signal getting through.

[Ausatco]

Not quite lead, Balix, lesser materials have a significant effect.

Every wall or floor reduces the signal strength, especially if the signal has to pass through at an angle, in which case the wall or floor appears thicker to the signal.

The blurb that came with my gear quotes 100m range in ideal conditions, which is outdoor line of sight. Indoors, every wall and floor reduces that and further reduces with the density of material.

Brick, stone, marble etc will reduce signal more than plasterboard. Plasterboard walls with rolled steel frames (becoming common here - beats the termites) are notably influential.

I tested my gear - the uninterrupted line of sight test got close to 100m. Then I put my wireless router in its cubby under my desk. Signal had to pass through desk partitions and drawers, plasterboard internal wall, timber frame then brick cladding. Range is about 50m.

Most times you will get a workable wireless network with basic equipment in a private house - the signal may not be at its strongest, but it will work ok.

Ancient stone castles, computers in dungeons etc may require special consideration, such as high gain antennas, etc.

AA

[P.Pilcher]

I don't wish to appear negative, but if your house is constructed the way you describe it, there will be a grid of steel reinforcing rods in the walls and floors. This may cause trouble, so I suggest you try before you buy if that is possible. To be fair, it may well work satisfactorily because it uses a pretty short wavelength signal, but with your sort of house there is a bigger risk of it not working than one constructed without using steel reinforced concrete.

P.P.

[stagger]

I live in a building with thick stone/brick interior walls and find that they seriously impede my wireless signal. With the wireless router on the same floor as my laptop I need something close to a clear line-of-sight between them (e.g. through a doorway) to get a connection.

However, the signal passes through the ceiling to the flat upstairs much more readily.

So if you have a house with thick walls and more than one floor try putting the wireless router upstairs so the signal can come down through the ceiling into each room.

[wink wink]

Thanks for the replies people, I was a bit suspcious I may enounter problems. The house has concrete walls and ceiling. I was wanting to set up wireless so I could use my laptop anywhere in the house but between concrete, different floors and space I am beginning to doubt that it will work well without spending a fortune.

Thanks for the insight :)

[Timothy]

WiFi is very capricious. In my kitchen I get Excellent signal strength, in the sitting room 3m away (and the same distance from the antennae) I get Low or Very low, in the bog (sad I know), which is maybe 3m the other way on the same circumference from the router I get Very low or no connection.

The biggest difference, and this is rarely mentioned, is the WiFi adapter. I have three ones I play with.

The worst is the 3com PCMCIA with a pop out aerial, then an ActionTec which sticks out of the side of the PCMCIA slot, and the best is a USB one, because I can move it on the end of a USB extension cable to get the best signal.

I use a Draytek with high-gain antennae. It is a 1929 typical suburban brick house, but the bog is in an extension made of brieze block.