How To Boost The Wifi From The Village

[canuckamuck]

In the village I live in there is TOT wifi available. I can get unlimited access for 300 baht when I buy a TOT Hotspot account.

This is good, but I can only get the signal on one side of my house, and even then it comes and goes. What can I get to boost the signal so I can have good access all over the house? I have already made a wifi signal booster dish, but this only works for antennae that don't move about. It does not help with a tablet or smartphone.

[joncl]

Well you are half way there. Connect the 'signal booster dish' to you own local access point (not the computer) and relay the WiFi throughout your property.

[Dork]

I presume that is a TOT public hotspot connection that requires logging in on a webpage. If that is the case then a normal Air Point or WiFi router should be able to extend the coverage around your house by setting the device to repeater mode, making the SSID identical to the TOT one and no security enabled.

However that would probably still only allow you to connect one device to the internet at a time, the same as it is now.

Is that the kind of solution you're looking for? Or do you mean connecting multiple devices simultaneously?

[citizen33]

Search e-bay and you will see a variety of wireless range extenders/repeaters which will boost the wireless signal, and will support multiple users. I have a TP-Link product that seems okay. Admittedly I use mine to extend the range of an existing wireless router to reach more distant parts of the house. You would site your range extender in the area where you get the best signal from outside. I don't know if in your case the need to log-in limits access to one user at a time, but the range extender would certainly enable you to move a laptop around the house.

Edited March 13, 2013 by citizen33

[Bpuumike]

Related to this, I use a True SIM and netcard (dongle) which is brilliant in BKK but very, very slow up in 'the village'. Would a netcard/dongle with a USB to allow me to plug in an Alfa signal booster improve things? (I'm pretty lo-tech).

[canuckamuck]

Thanks for the tips. I am out of town for a while, when I get back I will give it a try

[Chicog]

Related to this, I use a True SIM and netcard (dongle) which is brilliant in BKK but very, very slow up in 'the village'. Would a netcard/dongle with a USB to allow me to plug in an Alfa signal booster improve things? (I'm pretty lo-tech).

Depending on the Dongle having a small port in the side, you can buy antennae for it. Example:

http://3gstore.com/product/2279_booster-antenna.html

[Bpuumike]

Related to this, I use a True SIM and netcard (dongle) which is brilliant in BKK but very, very slow up in 'the village'. Would a netcard/dongle with a USB to allow me to plug in an Alfa signal booster improve things? (I'm pretty lo-tech).

Depending on the Dongle having a small port in the side, you can buy antennae for it. Example:

http://3gstore.com/product/2279_booster-antenna.html

OK, many thanks for that. I'll buy a dongle with a USB port and give it a go.