Wi Fi Repeaters

[givenall]

Is it worth using wi fi repeaters to extend the range of my wi fi router. I have a weak signal in my Bed room and thinking of using a repeater.

What is the best way to use a repeater, use the same ssid or use a new ssid name

[lovetotravel]

I was looking into this and read the performance will suffer a bit. So I moved my router and it's helped a bunch. Had to run some wires, but wasn't too hard.

[Dork]

Agree with lovetotravel. It will work but probably not very well. If it is possible to ran a LAN cable between them, that is the best solution.

Regarding the ssid, if you use extender/repeater mode generally you must set the security and ssid to be the same. If they are connected via LAN cable you can choose. I think it is easier to manage if you set them to different ssid's and switch each time you move. The problem with having the same ssid is that wifi technology doesn't handle roaming very well. That means that your wifi client won't transition from the weaker to stronger signal until the weaker signal is dropped completely. There are some work-around solutons to this but they're not simple to implement.

[Pib]

A repeater will definitely increase your signal strength but the big down side is it cuts your bandwidth in half. So, if you main Wifi router is transmitting a 20Mb internet connection, you'll only be able to get 10Mb max connected to the repeater as the repeater has to spend half its time/bandwidth talking to the main Wifi router and the other half talking to the client/laptop/smartphone/etc. Even if you do have low signal strength in some areas/rooms unless it low enough to seriously degrade bandwidth/speed or maintain a connection, I wouldn't worry about it.

I played with the repeater idea once just for gee-whizes/because I had several Wifi routers laying around when I set a Linksys WRT54G Wifi router into repeater mode downstairs and it would connect wireless to my main TrueOnline provide Wifi router upstairs....it had to be setup using the same SSID. Now it sure increased the signal strength downstairs, but it cut the bandwidth in half since it was in repeater mode. Instead of being able to get a full 20Mb speed from my TrueOnline DOCSIS/cable 20Mb plan, I could only get 10Mb when connected to the repeater router. Now if connecting to the main Wifi router upstairs I could still get 20Mb although the signal level was significantly less than the repeater downstairs,but still more than strong enough not to affect the bandwidth/speed.

You might want to try repositioning your Wifi router as sometimes just a slight relocation can make a significant signal strength difference for key areas of the residence. Some people have had success in using a high gain antenna on their Wifi routers but I've tried that approach over the years and its way overrated....good hype for selling high gain antennas but the high gain ain't really there....there is some gain but not what is advertised.

Heck, you can build a tin-foil reflector in 15 minutes and for particularly no cost with tin foil, some stiff paper, tape and scissors to fit on your Wifi external antenna (if you router has an external antenna) which will provide more gain (usually 3 to 4db gain which is effectively doubling your radiated power) which can be a big help in strength by focusing it towards a certain direction in your residence. Some people have just used a beer/cola can cut open in a certain shape...I tried that approach but it didn't work nearly as well as the home mode tin foil reflector.

Just google "tin foil wifi relector" or something along those lines...plenty of sites will come up showing how to built one with simple stuff laying around the house. I would upload a picture of mine but I can't right now as ThaiVisa is having an attachment/file upload problem right now per their Support Forum. But this web Link shows some pictures of what I'm talking about....just be sure the tin foil is 2 inches (give or take little) behind the router antenna to get the best gain.

[Pib]

Now that the ThaiVisa attach files feature is working for me again, here's a picture of my home made tinfoil Wifi signal reflector on my True-provided Thomson router. Easy to install, remove and point in the direction of your choice...also very lite. Gives me about a realworld 4db gain as measured on my client devices. It gives more gain that a supposedly 7 db high gain antenna (only gives about a real world 2-3 db gain) I bought off Ebay years back and still have. And when monitoring the gain of the tinfoil reflector and the 7 db gain antenna, the tinfoil reflector signal gain is steady where the 7 db gain antenna varies up and down from about 1 to 3 db gain. The router is upstairs in the master bedroom on the far end of the house....I mostly use my laptops and smartphones downstairs on the other end of the house and the reflector is pointed in that direction. You still get good signal strength on the rear and sides of the reflector...it's just some of the back/side power is redirected/focused in the forward direction where my laptops/smartphones are mostly used.

[sysardman]

Now that the ThaiVisa attach files feature is working for me again, here's a picture of my home made tinfoil Wifi signal reflector on my True-provided Thomson router. Easy to install, remove and point in the direction of your choice...also very lite. Gives me about a realworld 4db gain as measured on my client devices. It gives more gain that a supposedly 7 db high gain antenna (only gives about a real world 2-3 db gain) I bought off Ebay years back and still have. And when monitoring the gain of the tinfoil reflector and the 7 db gain antenna, the tinfoil reflector signal gain is steady where the 7 db gain antenna varies up and down from about 1 to 3 db gain. The router is upstairs in the master bedroom on the far end of the house....I mostly use my laptops and smartphones downstairs on the other end of the house and the reflector is pointed in that direction. You still get good signal strength on the rear and sides of the reflector...it's just some of the back/side power is redirected/focused in the forward direction where my laptops/smartphones are mostly used.

Hi folks before going spending money try the noodle strainer method. Buy a big noodle strainer that looks like a small satellite dish (only a few baht) cut a hole in it (centre) and put your antenna or usb Wifi dongle in the middle. works like a charm. Or if your antenna is the detachable type you can buy ones with higher gains from most IT outlets.

[Pib]

Whatever type of modified antenna setup a person tries they should try to confirm how much signal gain (or loss) they really achieved...and it's also very important to see how stable the new signal strength is. Modifications to antennas can sometimes fool a person into thinking they achieved some gain, which maybe they did, but at the same time caused the radiated signal to become unstable strength-wise...that is, jumping up and down in strength by quite a few decibels (db) which can cause problems in bandwidth and your client devices maintaining a connection.

Wi-Fi Inspector, a piece of freeware, is an excellent and easy to use piece of software to actually see your signal strength, not only in numbers but in a real time graph and other ways. You can download this software at this Link. I've tried other similar software but I like this one the best since it seemed to do much better reliable in measuring/displaying signal strength.

For example, in below snapshot of my Wi-fi router signal using the History function of Wi-Fi Inspector which makes a signal measurement every 5 seconds (or whatever you setup) the left side of the graph shows my home made tinfoil reflector removed and instead I put a frying pan cooking screen/cover two inches behind the antenna...kinda like creating a dish antenna...but notice how the signal dropped and became unstable probably due to something called VSWR/canceling signal reflections. Then at about the 300 second point on the chart I put my home made signal reflector back on....notice how the gain jumped up and became stable. Some antenna modifications/reflectors just don't work very good....some do...some don't.

Now, where I said I got a realworld 3-4 db improvement with my home tinfoil reflector, well, I was wrong...guess my memory is failing me as I get older and drink more Chang beer. It's really a 10-12 db gain. In below chart snapshot the left side starts off with my reflector installed, then I remove it at about the 300 seconds point on the graph and just have the router's antenna in use, and then at about 150 seconds on the graph I reinstall the reflector on the antenna. Please note the 10-12 db gain with the home made tin foil reflector.

Yeap, I would highly recommend using something like Wi-Fi Inspector to look at your signal strength as a person experiements with Wifi router locations, antenna locations/modificaitons, etc., as it will show just how well (or bad) the experiment is working out. Cheers.

[sysardman]

Whatever type of modified antenna setup a person tries they should try to confirm how much signal gain (or loss) they really achieved...and it's also very important to see how stable the new signal strength is. Modifications to antennas can sometimes fool a person into thinking they achieved some gain, which maybe they did, but at the same time caused the radiated signal to become unstable strength-wise...that is, jumping up and down in strength by quite a few decibels (db) which can cause problems in bandwidth and your client devices maintaining a connection.

Wi-Fi Inspector, a piece of freeware, is an excellent and easy to use piece of software to actually see your signal strength, not only in numbers but in a real time graph and other ways. You can download this software at this Link. I've tried other similar software but I like this one the best since it seemed to do much better reliable in measuring/displaying signal strength.

For example, in below snapshot of my Wi-fi router signal using the History function of Wi-Fi Inspector which makes a signal measurement every 5 seconds (or whatever you setup) the left side of the graph shows my home made tinfoil reflector removed and instead I put a frying pan cooking screen/cover two inches behind the antenna...kinda like creating a dish antenna...but notice how the signal dropped and became unstable probably due to something called VSWR/canceling signal reflections. Then at about the 300 second point on the chart I put my home made signal reflector back on....notice how the gain jumped up and became stable. Some antenna modifications/reflectors just don't work very good....some do...some don't.

Now, where I said I got a realworld 3-4 db improvement with my home tinfoil reflector, well, I was wrong...guess my memory is failing me as I get older and drink more Chang beer. It's really a 10-12 db gain. In below chart snapshot the left side starts off with my reflector installed, then I remove it at about the 300 seconds point on the graph and just have the router's antenna in use, and then at about 150 seconds on the graph I reinstall the reflector on the antenna. Please note the 10-12 db gain with the home made tin foil reflector.

Yeap, I would highly recommend using something like Wi-Fi Inspector to look at your signal strength as a person experiements with Wifi router locations, antenna locations/modificaitons, etc., as it will show just how well (or bad) the experiment is working out. Cheers.

Hi Pib have you tried Netstumbler I know a lot of Wifi hackers use this for finding access points and signal strengths. I'm not one of them but I have used the software

[sysardman]

Now that the ThaiVisa attach files feature is working for me again, here's a picture of my home made tinfoil Wifi signal reflector on my True-provided Thomson router. Easy to install, remove and point in the direction of your choice...also very lite. Gives me about a realworld 4db gain as measured on my client devices. It gives more gain that a supposedly 7 db high gain antenna (only gives about a real world 2-3 db gain) I bought off Ebay years back and still have. And when monitoring the gain of the tinfoil reflector and the 7 db gain antenna, the tinfoil reflector signal gain is steady where the 7 db gain antenna varies up and down from about 1 to 3 db gain. The router is upstairs in the master bedroom on the far end of the house....I mostly use my laptops and smartphones downstairs on the other end of the house and the reflector is pointed in that direction. You still get good signal strength on the rear and sides of the reflector...it's just some of the back/side power is redirected/focused in the forward direction where my laptops/smartphones are mostly used.

Hi folks before going spending money try the noodle strainer method. Buy a big noodle strainer that looks like a small satellite dish (only a few baht) cut a hole in it (centre) and put your antenna or usb Wifi dongle in the middle. works like a charm. Or if your antenna is the detachable type you can buy ones with higher gains from most IT outlets.

Here you go:

[Dork]

Now that the ThaiVisa attach files feature is working for me again, here's a picture of my home made tinfoil Wifi signal reflector on my True-provided Thomson router. Easy to install, remove and point in the direction of your choice...also very lite. Gives me about a realworld 4db gain as measured on my client devices. It gives more gain that a supposedly 7 db high gain antenna (only gives about a real world 2-3 db gain) I bought off Ebay years back and still have. And when monitoring the gain of the tinfoil reflector and the 7 db gain antenna, the tinfoil reflector signal gain is steady where the 7 db gain antenna varies up and down from about 1 to 3 db gain. The router is upstairs in the master bedroom on the far end of the house....I mostly use my laptops and smartphones downstairs on the other end of the house and the reflector is pointed in that direction. You still get good signal strength on the rear and sides of the reflector...it's just some of the back/side power is redirected/focused in the forward direction where my laptops/smartphones are mostly used.

Hi folks before going spending money try the noodle strainer method. Buy a big noodle strainer that looks like a small satellite dish (only a few baht) cut a hole in it (centre) and put your antenna or usb Wifi dongle in the middle. works like a charm. Or if your antenna is the detachable type you can buy ones with higher gains from most IT outlets.

Here you go:

Hmm well, fine if you don't mind decorating your living space with those things. Personally I would rather splash out THB900 for a tiny wireless N AP.

[sysardman]

Now that the ThaiVisa attach files feature is working for me again, here's a picture of my home made tinfoil Wifi signal reflector on my True-provided Thomson router. Easy to install, remove and point in the direction of your choice...also very lite. Gives me about a realworld 4db gain as measured on my client devices. It gives more gain that a supposedly 7 db high gain antenna (only gives about a real world 2-3 db gain) I bought off Ebay years back and still have. And when monitoring the gain of the tinfoil reflector and the 7 db gain antenna, the tinfoil reflector signal gain is steady where the 7 db gain antenna varies up and down from about 1 to 3 db gain. The router is upstairs in the master bedroom on the far end of the house....I mostly use my laptops and smartphones downstairs on the other end of the house and the reflector is pointed in that direction. You still get good signal strength on the rear and sides of the reflector...it's just some of the back/side power is redirected/focused in the forward direction where my laptops/smartphones are mostly used.

Hi folks before going spending money try the noodle strainer method. Buy a big noodle strainer that looks like a small satellite dish (only a few baht) cut a hole in it (centre) and put your antenna or usb Wifi dongle in the middle. works like a charm. Or if your antenna is the detachable type you can buy ones with higher gains from most IT outlets.

Here you go:

Hmm well, fine if you don't mind decorating your living space with those things. Personally I would rather splash out THB900 for a tiny wireless N AP.

Well I thought the black one looked very art nouveau add a few trimmings and you have a great conversation piece.

I suggested it because some people are on tight budgets and don't like throwing money at what is a flawed technology. I personally use cabled ethernet and have yet to meet problems with signal strength. I'm not too lazy to run a cable to the places around my home where I use my computer but each to his/her own.

[Pib]

When you say Wireless N AP that's just another way of saying a Wifi router with N capability(802.11n) unless you are talking about something else. While 802.11n does give additional range in many cases it's not a guarantee that you get an additional range over older 802.11g type Wifi routers/APs. A lot will depend on the residence you live in (i.e., concrete or plaster walls, etc) and if the connecting clients also have N capability, like both of my laptops which are older 801.11g models. And maybe the OP currently has a N AP/router. Plus, my tin foil antenna reflector fits right in with the other junk decor in my house.

[Pib]

Well I thought the black one looked very art nouveau add a few trimmings and you have a great conversation piece.

I suggested it because some people are on tight budgets and don't like throwing money at what is a flawed technology. I personally use cabled ethernet and have yet to meet problems with signal strength. I'm not too lazy to run a cable to the places around my home where I use my computer but each to his/her own.

Running additonal cable will definitely work and maybe not too hard to do in an apartment or small single story home. But running additional cable in residences like a two story concrete home with many rooms might not be easy or practical. And like in my case with a two story concrete home the cabling would have to be secured on the inside or outside of the walls (not too pretty) with a good amount of drilling holes through concrete floors/walls or wooden window frame to string the cable to other rooms upstairs and downstairs. Plus, you are still bound to plugging into an LAN outlet when what you really want is a wireless connection for your computer or other device. Nope, I'll stick to wireless enhanced by tin foil technology.

[Pib]

Now that the ThaiVisa attach files feature is working for me again, here's a picture of my home made tinfoil Wifi signal reflector on my True-provided Thomson router. Easy to install, remove and point in the direction of your choice...also very lite. Gives me about a realworld 4db gain as measured on my client devices. It gives more gain that a supposedly 7 db high gain antenna (only gives about a real world 2-3 db gain) I bought off Ebay years back and still have. And when monitoring the gain of the tinfoil reflector and the 7 db gain antenna, the tinfoil reflector signal gain is steady where the 7 db gain antenna varies up and down from about 1 to 3 db gain. The router is upstairs in the master bedroom on the far end of the house....I mostly use my laptops and smartphones downstairs on the other end of the house and the reflector is pointed in that direction. You still get good signal strength on the rear and sides of the reflector...it's just some of the back/side power is redirected/focused in the forward direction where my laptops/smartphones are mostly used.

Hi folks before going spending money try the noodle strainer method. Buy a big noodle strainer that looks like a small satellite dish (only a few baht) cut a hole in it (centre) and put your antenna or usb Wifi dongle in the middle. works like a charm. Or if your antenna is the detachable type you can buy ones with higher gains from most IT outlets.

Here you go:

I like it....I really do.......any of those home made antennas would fit right in with my junk decor home. I just may scrap my tin foil technology and build one of the pictured devices. Good stuff.

[sysardman]

Well I thought the black one looked very art nouveau add a few trimmings and you have a great conversation piece.

I suggested it because some people are on tight budgets and don't like throwing money at what is a flawed technology. I personally use cabled ethernet and have yet to meet problems with signal strength. I'm not too lazy to run a cable to the places around my home where I use my computer but each to his/her own.

Running additonal cable will definitely work and maybe not too hard to do in an apartment or small single story home. But running additional cable in residences like a two story concrete home with many rooms might not be easy or practical. And like in my case with a two story concrete home the cabling would have to be secured on the inside or outside of the walls (not too pretty) with a good amount of drilling holes through concrete floors/walls or wooden window frame to string the cable to other rooms upstairs and downstairs. Plus, you are still bound to plugging into an LAN outlet when what you really want is a wireless connection for your computer or other device. Nope, I'll stick to wireless enhanced by tin foil technology.

Accept your comment Pib and thanks for the like, the only thing I will say is that electricians tend to be very lazy people and if you look at their work you can maybe spot little dodges they use for routing cables like false ceilings, along skirting boards, through cupboards etc. If, like you say, you have no options then WiFi it is - no argument from me. I just like don't like the 'throw money at it' solution, if people sell hi-tech it should do what it's supposed to or they should sell their Porsches and put it back into R&D. By the way the photo came from http://www.usbwifi.orconhosting.net.nz/, not personally tried it so don't flame me but have heard good results from various sources.

[sysardman]

Well I thought the black one looked very art nouveau add a few trimmings and you have a great conversation piece.

I suggested it because some people are on tight budgets and don't like throwing money at what is a flawed technology. I personally use cabled ethernet and have yet to meet problems with signal strength. I'm not too lazy to run a cable to the places around my home where I use my computer but each to his/her own.

Running additonal cable will definitely work and maybe not too hard to do in an apartment or small single story home. But running additional cable in residences like a two story concrete home with many rooms might not be easy or practical. And like in my case with a two story concrete home the cabling would have to be secured on the inside or outside of the walls (not too pretty) with a good amount of drilling holes through concrete floors/walls or wooden window frame to string the cable to other rooms upstairs and downstairs. Plus, you are still bound to plugging into an LAN outlet when what you really want is a wireless connection for your computer or other device. Nope, I'll stick to wireless enhanced by tin foil technology.

Accept your comment Pib and thanks for the like, the only thing I will say is that electricians tend to be very lazy people and if you look at their work you can maybe spot little dodges they use for routing cables like false ceilings, along skirting boards, through cupboards etc. If, like you say, you have no options then WiFi it is - no argument from me. I just like don't like the 'throw money at it' solution, if people sell hi-tech it should do what it's supposed to or they should sell their Porsches and put it back into R&D. By the way the photo came from http://www.usbwifi.o...hosting.net.nz/, not personally tried it so don't flame me but have heard good results from various sources.

Just as a footnote to explain why I am not comfortable with WiFi, to me it's like saying I don't mind the CIA/MI6 putting phone taps on my phone. Wifi is notoriously insecure and despite claims of this and that encryption I still don't believe it to be totally secure. A classic example was in the news about some claimed encryption (not sure if it was the new passport RFID) but within a few hours some hackers had it cracked and posted on the web. I know ethernet has it's flaws and can be intecepted at the ISP level but unless someone has physical access to the network I'm happy to continue with it.