Need suggestions for extending wireless signal

[Narmer]

Title says it all. The range extenders tend to be expensive. However, I've heard that you can buy a router that does the same thing. Can anyone point me in that direction (a cheap router that can just extend the wireless signal)?

 

[Narmer]

5 days and no response?

 

[imagoon]

I believe it has been covered ad nauseum which is why your not getting much. Yes some routers and APs can act like repeaters. They however tend to be slow and often not work in the way you want them to. (Expect at luck 1-5 Mbps with added latency) You are taking an already half duplex technology and adding a store and repeat a second time. The good repeaters typically need at least 2 radios (not antennas) that transmit on 2 channels to be useful.

The units on the DD-WRT page is a good place to start.

An example is the Hawking HW2R1 (not an endorsement) that has to radios, one the transmits back to the back to the first AP and another that transmits to gear. The repeater also needs to be with in range of the first AP to get a good signal, otherwise it will be repeating a weak signal at weak speeds.

Typically you are better off pulling a cable and running another AP.

 

[JackMDS]

WDS

The general approach that I take for Coverage issues is the following.

The best way is to lay few CAT6 cables to central locations in the house, install Access Points, or Cable/DSL Routers configured as an Access Points ( Using a Wireless Cable/DSL Router as a Switch with an Access Point - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html ), and connect them to the Main Router.

You do not want/can not/hate/your client hate to lay Cables.

Start with One affordable Wireless Router that can do WDS (the reason to start with WDS capable Router is that in case you need to add more Wireless WDS hardware the original Router has to support it).

If you are lucky and your environment is conducive to get covered with one Good Wireless Router and you are done.

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

Buffalo-HP-54G, Linksys WRT54GL, and Asus, 520GU can do WDS when flashed with DD-WRT firmware.

It is a good idea to start with the Buffalo since it is a High Power Wireless Router that covers more distance to begin with, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833162134

Due to the added flexibility, it is better solution to choose Routers that can work with DD-WRT
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

http://meanderingpassage.com/2007/04/15/dd-wrt-setting-up-a-home-wireless-distribution-system-wds/

Using a Laptop loaded with Wirelessnetview, do a Wireless survey, http://majorgeeks.com/WirelessNetView_d6102.html

According to the signal strength reading, identify spots that have strong signal. and spot with weak, or No signal.

Evaluate how you can cover the space and start placing WDS units.

Additional Wireless Routers in WDS Mode (Wireless Network - Configuration Modes. ) has to be placed in spots were the signal is good about Half way to the dead spots.

How many WDS units are needed? It depends on your specific environment (that is a good the reason to buying WDS units one at the time, try it, and decide on the Next step).

More about the topic (the pages bellow were written a while ago, ignore the specific hardware recommendation just stick to the principle and get current hardware)

Extending Distance - http://www.ezlan.net/Distance.html

Wireless Router as an AP - http://www.ezlan.net/router_AP.html

Wireless Modes - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Modes.html

Wireless Bridging - http://www.ezlan.net/bridging.html

Hi Gain Antenna - http://www.ezlan.net/antennae.html