Foo - increase my wifi range

So I got my new wireless router functioning. It works, but not as well as I would like. I attribute some of this to it's location; the cellar. This however, is unavoidable. Does anybody have any methods of increasing my signal strength? THe increase has to come from the source, the router.
Would it be possible to replace my antenna with something that has a little more substance? Could I run a wire from the router, and essentially move the antenna to another location?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=wireless+access+point&x=0&y=0

http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=wifi+cantenna&spell=1

http://wirelessgardenstore.com/images/SCB_with_box_300.jpg

Hmmm :lol:
Taking the pringles can antenna to another level

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=wifi+antenna&x=0&y=0

eh...

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a267/lizsun/Blog/communication.jpg

Would it be possible to extend the antenna, and have the antenna actually end in a more suitable place?

I know a guy who found an embedded linux to burn to his router's firmware. He turned the gain up on the antenna to well past FCC regulations and supposedly got a range of over 1/2 mile. This is the only good method I know of....no idea where to find embedded linux for the router though.

I know a guy who found an embedded linux to burn to his router's firmware. He turned the gain up on the antenna to well past FCC regulations and supposedly got a range of over 1/2 mile. This is the only good method I know of....no idea where to find embedded linux for the router though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G

Thats what i'll do tonight, i've been meaning to do that. Its only in certain versions and my roommate had the right one, he was confused but when i asked him if we coudl switch he said sure.

None of the wifi antenna solutions will help much through floors and concrete (only for greater distance through open air). Your best bet is to try to run a CAT5/6 cable to the middle floor, and drop the wifi transceiver there.


edit: You have some sort of broadband modem, which is connected to the wifi router with a LAN cable, right?

That would be best case. Multiple repeaters on seperate channels. Any other solution is patch work.

I have heard about the "hacks" and they do work...they still don't blow through concrete though ;)

Since wifi operates at such a high frequency, it's pretty easy to build a set of stacked dipoles. Since we tend to have all our electronic equipment at roughly the same level, vertically stacked vertical dipoles work fine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRT54G

Thats what i'll do tonight, i've been meaning to do that. Its only in certain versions and my roommate had the right one, he was confused but when i asked him if we coudl switch he said sure.

Certain versions of the "G" or "GS" model(v4 or earlier)...or you can get a "GL" model that you can flash also. The L is for Linux. I just bought one. :) http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-Cisco-WRT54GL-Wireless-G-Broadband-Compatible/dp/B000BTL0OA


Lots of good info here... http://www.wrtrouters.com/firmware/wrt54g/

Warning... Flashing with new firmware can turn a router into a brick if something goes wrong. :(

Certain versions of the "G" or "GS" model(v4 or earlier)...or you can get a "GL" model that you can flash also. The L is for Linux. I just bought one. :) http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-Cisco-WRT54GL-Wireless-G-Broadband-Compatible/dp/B000BTL0OA


Lots of good info here... http://www.wrtrouters.com/firmware/wrt54g/

Warning... Flashing with new firmware can turn ANYTHING into a brick if something goes wrong. :(
Fixed it for you.

Actually, all versions of the G/GS can get flashed.

Nobody's made a version for v8 yet... v5 through v7 have a micro version of DD-WRT available.

But, we need to know... what model of router do you have, phantomcow?

Higher gain antennas cannot hurt at all.

And, FWIW, turning up the power output makes the PC RECIEVE from the router more easily, but it does NOTHING for SENDING to the router. Unless, of course, you hack your WiFi card's firmware as well, and turn up the power there. (Be careful with all of this, this can make things overheat and release the magic smoke. :eek:)

Anybody got any tips on wifi equipment for piggybacking at home, thats reasonably priced. I really am not interested in DIY, like a pringles can on the roof with a hobby motor to zero-in on open routers, just a simple uni antenna will do. Something uni directional, but that can pick up signals and transmit to a coffee shop that is a mile or two away, for instance. I know how to set up tunnels, so not worried about the data being vulnerable on unsecured wifi (I know how to crack wep with whoppix distros also, but not interested in breaking the law :lol: )

Unidirectional? Then a super cantenna. Your basic pringles can, just not DIY, and better quality and signal. 1-2 mile range max.

Getting beyond that, non-DIY gets super expensive. An old Primestar dish modded to have a WiFi antenna where the satellite antenna was will do even better. Heck, slap a Pringles can on there. I forget the approximate range when the other end is an ordinary omnidirectional antenna like you find on most routers, though. 20 miles max when there's another Primestar dish involved.

Unidirectional? Then a super cantenna. Your basic pringles can, just not DIY, and better quality and signal. 1-2 mile range max.

Getting beyond that, non-DIY gets super expensive. An old Primestar dish modded to have a WiFi antenna where the satellite antenna was will do even better. Heck, slap a Pringles can on there. I forget the approximate range when the other end is an ordinary omnidirectional antenna like you find on most routers, though. 20 miles max when there's another Primestar dish involved.

Hrm, links? :D

BTW, am I still idling in your channel? I forgot I sent my BNC there, and haven't logged on IRC in awhile :lol:

And whats a good omni directional setup for outdoors? That might simplify things. I could get at least a dozen open wifi signals ina 1 mile range even. Thats not exactly legal either really, unless ya have the owners permission. McDonalds has wifi now too, I think you have to sign up and pay a fee. There is one close by, I am wondering if I get the right equipment and pay a small fee to use something like McDonalds wifi, if it will save me money in the long run over using cable broadband. There is DSL too, but they require a landline still, and my cell phone is good enough for that.

Hrm, tried finding what a subscription fee is for McDonalds, they want me to submit a bunch of info to get to the pricing scheme.

But there is this project thats supposed to be done sometime this year, where I live:



Wireless Washtenaw is a county community coming together to provide free or lower-cost access to the Internet for anyone in Washtenaw County, regardless of their location or economic status. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of Wireless Washtenaw is that the extraordinary collaboration of the private and public sectors will mean that this wireless network will be available county-wide, with no taxpayer dollars spent on its construction, maintenance, and operation.

http://wireless.ewashtenaw.org/
EDIT: hrm, the free version is only speeds up to 84kbps, after that the price is about the same as cable broadband. I guess there's still no free lunch for Internet access.

There are restaurants and cafes that have free access, but you're supposed to be in the store as a customer to use it. Somebody in MI got charged with a felony for using the open wifi of a coffee shop outside of the store: http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/06/another_inciden.html :eek:

You probably are still idling, lol... kicking you will do no good, though, because I can't disconnect you from the network...

As for links:

http://www.cantenna.com/
http://www.wwc.edu/frohro/Airport/Primestar/Primestar.html

Fixed it for you.

:D

Actually, all versions of the G/GS can get flashed.

...... v5 through v7 have a micro version of DD-WRT available.



Yup, thanks for the correction. Forgot about the micro version.

I have the full version of DD-WRT and also HyperWRT......but just havn't had the guts to try the flash thing yet. My wife would prolly beat me severely if I broke it. :lol: