I need help extending the range of an 802.11b network.

[notfred]

Let me describe the situation:

We've got two buildings, about 50 yards aaprt from each other. On the third floor of one building is a wireless LAN. The equipment in the building was intended only for users in that building, they're not trying to broadcast outside of that building. However, I've talked to the people running the LAN in that building, and although they were surprised I could get a signal from outside the building, they were more than happy to let me try and get a connection, they jsut didn't expect thier equipment to broadcast that far.

So, I'm in the other building, and my reception is spotty. Sometimes I get a decent connection, sometimes I don't get a connectino at all. If I go out on the balcony of my building, I ususally get a pretty strong signal.

I'd like to set up a bridge or something that would recieve the signal from the other building, and rebroadcast it around my office in this building so that I can connect wirelessly from my laptop.

What kind of equipment do I need?

 

[IceNineJon]

I have a similar setup to what you currently want. I have a high speed connection which my neighbor shares with me (from across the street).

Here's what you need...

First, get a wireless bridge (in wireless land, a bridge is an often confused term...what I'm talking about is a device that will let you connect two separate networks...sometimes the wireless industry uses the term bridge to describe a device that connects to a CAT5 cable allowing an otherwise wired device such as a printer or XBox to become wirless...you want the former). An example of the bridge you need is the Linksys WET11. However, I don't recommend getting this product because Linksys support is terrible and the WET11 has major problems (my neighbor's locks up constantly which from what I've read online is common with the WET11).

After you get a wireless bridge, you plug the wireless bridge into a wireless router. The router will connect all your wireless/wired devices for your internal network while the bridge connects to the other network.

One word of warning though, the bridge will connect your network with the other building's network. This has security implications since you are now allowing a foreign network to become part of your network.

Let me know if you have any questions!

~Jon

 

[notfred]

Do I need a Wireless Bridge and a wireless router, or just a wireless bridge? I don't need to connect any wired devices to the network, just an 802.11b enabled laptop.

Security isn't a big concern, as only the 1 laptop will be added to the other network. My other computers will remain on the wired network in my building.

 

[IceNineJon]

You need both. The bridge will only connect with an access point/wireless router in their office. Your laptop cannot connect directly to the bridge so they bridge needs to be plugged into an access point/router on your end. You can, however, plug the laptop directly into the bridge via a CAT5 cable but then you couldn't be wireless in your building.

Yeah, it kinda sucks that you need both just to connect one laptop but wireless routers are pretty cheap nowadays. You can get the NetGear MR814 for around $40.

I totally forgot that some of the higher end wireless routers have bridging abilities so you may want to check into that too.

 

[Rkonster]

You could get a repeater, which repeats the signal.

 

[notfred]

Anbyone have any recommendations for specific equipment? I'd like a bridge that I could use an external antenna with. The access point to attach to it could really be anything cheap, I only need to use it in a relatively small area.

 

[JackMDS]

May be this can Help.

Link: Wireless Network - Configuration Modes.