Weak 3Bb Wifi Connection

[jingjingna]

Hoping someone here can help me solve this problem??

Just had 3BB install a wifi connection in a two storey house. Now if I move the router upstairs I can catch wifi no probs, same thing if I move the router downstairs. It's a pain in the butt to keep on doing that. All my pc's and laptops have wifi built in. How can I access the net up and down at the same time? The 3BB router is a Huawei router no antenna ...do I need to invest in a better router or some kind of booster, if so what do I need to buy. Asked the 3BB guys and they weren't sure..so anyone in the know please advise. :jap:

[sfokevin]

Go buy a cheap basic wifi router and 100 yards or so of ethernet cable. Plug one end of the cable in the back of the 3bb router and run the cable to another part of the house and plug in the second wifi router and name it 3bb2... Oh and make sure the plug setup on the ethernet cable is "straight through" NOT "cross over"

[bigbossron]

Just buy a quality acces point like linksys wrt54 with ddrt firmware or airlive with firmware from south america (high power).

That will do the job.

Ron

[jingjingna]

Go buy a cheap basic wifi router and 100 yards or so of ethernet cable. Plug one end of the cable in the back of the 3bb router and run the cable to another part of the house and plug in the second wifi router and name it 3bb2... Oh and make sure the plug setup on the ethernet cable is "straight through" NOT "cross over"

Thanks for the idea but the idea is to minimise the use of cables/wires!

[jingjingna]

Just buy a quality acces point like linksys wrt54 with ddrt firmware or airlive with firmware from south america (high power).

That will do the job.

Ron

I've heard of Linksys but wondering whether it will be compatible with 3BB? Sorry if this is a stupid question but is an access point different to a router and what is 'ddrt firmware'...??

[sfokevin]

Go buy a cheap basic wifi router and 100 yards or so of ethernet cable. Plug one end of the cable in the back of the 3bb router and run the cable to another part of the house and plug in the second wifi router and name it 3bb2... Oh and make sure the plug setup on the ethernet cable is "straight through" NOT "cross over"

Thanks for the idea but the idea is to minimise the use of cables/wires!

One wire may be an inconvenience - But weighed against the cost, complexity and unpredictability of a new ADSL router that will not be supported by 3BB I would choose a KISS solution

Check this thread out:

Edited September 11, 2011 by sfokevin

[jingjingna]

Go buy a cheap basic wifi router and 100 yards or so of ethernet cable. Plug one end of the cable in the back of the 3bb router and run the cable to another part of the house and plug in the second wifi router and name it 3bb2... Oh and make sure the plug setup on the ethernet cable is "straight through" NOT "cross over"

Thanks for the idea but the idea is to minimise the use of cables/wires!

One wire may be an inconvenience - But weighed against the cost, complexity and unpredictability of a new ADSL router that will not be supported by 3BB I would choose a KISS solution

Check this thread out:

Thanks for the link...dunno if the OP of that topic was able to use a TP-LINK router in the end or not. Have pm'd so hopefully will get an update.

[sfokevin]

One thing to check is your Huawei routers settings...

Type this into your browser: http://192.168.1.1/

Then get the user name & password from your routers manual...

Then click on "Basic" then "Wireless LAN"

on this page about 1/2 way down is a setting for the wifi power - make sure this is at 100%

Also try changing the wifi channel (This setting is near the top)

And don't assume a new router will give you better reception...

Edited September 11, 2011 by sfokevin

[lopburi3]

For much better range just get an "N" (802.11N) wireless router. That is much stronger and better then "G".

[Pib]

I live in a two story concrete house and my Wifi routers have always been based upstairs in the master bedroom but I use my laptop most of the time downstairs on the other end of the house. I've used a Linksys WRT54G router and USR Router Wifi routers on my previous TOT and JINET ADSL plans and now I'm on a True Cable plan I use the True-provided Cisco Wifi router. All were/are G speed (54Mb) routers. Never had a problem in getting a strong signal/solid connection between those Wifi routers and two different laptops I have....and that is with the signal between the routers and laptops having to go through a concrete floor and concrete wall.

Definitely make sure both your Wifi router and your computer's Wifi chip/driver are set to 100%/Highest Transmit Power, as both transmit to talk to each other and if one (or both) is not transmitting high enough to maintain a connection with the other then you get no connection or a slow connection speed.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Pib

[negreanu]

[For much better range just get an "N" (802.11N) wireless router. That is much stronger and better then "G". /quote]

But weaker through walls and floors (5ghz n that is)

[Pib]

Yeap,...agree. 2.4GHz being a lower frequency will penetrate concrete walls/floors better that 5GHz. 2.4GHz is the norm on G model routers; N models routers come with 2.4Ghz & 5GHz. capability so selecting the frequency that works best in your situation/location is a must....and of course if your computer Wifi chip only does 2.4Ghz (like my two 4 year old Toshiba laptops) then then the N router will use its 2.4GHz frequency...its 5GHz capability won't be used until needing to connect to a computer with N capability/5GHz capability....and even then you may not want to us the 5GHz capability if your router and computer signal strength turns out to be better using the 2.4GHz after the signal fighting its way through thick concrete walls/floors common in Thailand. In farangland the floors will usually be thinner concrete and walls some other, less dense material.

The lower frequency penetration thing is kinda like how C-band satellite TV running at around 4GHz will rarely experience rain-fade since 4GHz can easily penetrate rain and rain clouds; but for KU-band TV (like TrueVisions DSTV) running at around 12GHz will routinely experience rain fade (has a tougher time getting thru the rain and clouds)

Edited September 12, 2011 by Pib