View Full Version : Wifi boosters
Fokkerwokker
20th Jul 2007, 15:36
Mum has banished me to my study, which is over our garage, and a bit tight on signal strength for our wifi based in the main house.
Has anyone any faith in these new fangled 'plug in' boosters?
I don't particularly want to re-site the router for a number of reasons and wondered if a booster would sort the problem?
Any suggestions gratefully recd as always.
Ta
FW
Saab Dastard
20th Jul 2007, 18:24
I bought an antenna (from Maplin) that effectively takes the aerial out from behind the PC to the top of the case - this has a DRAMATIC effect on reception!
To further improve the signal, I made a parabolic reflector from the cardboard tube a bottle of whisky came in (single malt, natch) cut in half then down the middle (but retaining the metal base) then covered in tinfoil!
Works a treat, not just in improving the reception of my own signal, but helps by blocking out neighbouring signals from the "wrong" directions!
Not elegant, but what the hell!
SD
tallsandwich
20th Jul 2007, 19:30
We gotta see a picture of this.....
Would that be one of those 'flux gates' wot I hears of?
Saab Dastard
20th Jul 2007, 20:26
Nice one Mike! :D:ok:
I'm afraid the reality is a little more modest!
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/Saab-Dastard/IMG_2582.jpg
SD
That is genuine Art Deco!
Saab Dastard
20th Jul 2007, 21:20
Art Phallic, I thought! ;)
SD
Try one of those booster antennas like the one above.
There are WiFi boosters, which are effectively a "WiFi relay" - they work OK, but usually only with kit of the same manufacture. I've heard of many folks with one of a different brand tearing their hair out...
My inclination, if you can do it and if the base unit has a spare socket, would be to run a Cat 5 cable towards where you sit, and stick a second WiFi unit on the end of that.
Basil
21st Jul 2007, 08:40
Knowledgeable ex RAF maritime AEOp and airline captain uses Wi Fi along with Devolo which is in effect like a LAN system.
http://www.devolo.com/co_EN/index.html
Also check your PMs :ok:
I also second the vote for the HomePlug standard as an alternative. I've been successfully using the a couple to provide network connectivity to my server rack in the garage. It they've proved much more reliable then the spotty WiFi coverage I could obtain.
There's plenty on Ebay (http://www.google.com/search?q=sms+from+pc&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en-gb&start=40&sa=N) of both the original 14Mbs and 85Mbs HomePlug systems.
Although with all these things take the theoretical bandwidth given with a large pinch of salt. Quality of wiring, distance etc all have their parts to play. If you want to stream any Video or VoIP streams reliably then look at the HomePlug Turbo 200Mbs range of devices.
Fokkerwokker
22nd Jul 2007, 11:14
Double thumbs up and many thanks for all the useful suggestions.
Brgds
FW
:ok:
Saab
I did not know that there is a Maplin's in Soho!
I use Homeplug on so-called 85 Mbps. I get about 16, but that's from a scrappy Samba NAS. If you are going into Homeplug please note that the 14 and 85 variants are incompatible with the 200 technology (although not mutually exclusive). 70 GBP gets you 85, 130 for the 200. It's less than I paid. :ugh:
Worth every penny - It. Just. Works.
You might be able to offset the expense by on-selling the technology to your parents, or better yet, charging for their bandwidth :)
BOFH