Question Range extender for detached garage.

[nOOky]

We have a ZyXEL PK5001Z modem by Centurytel for our DSL service. We have a detached garage about 50 feet from the house that barely gets 1 bar on my cell phone, sometimes no bars. I'd like to be able to extend the range so I have WIFI in the garage for the garage door opener, and so I'm not using data on my phone when I'm out there. I'd also use it for streaming music if possible.

I don't have any experience using one of these devices so I wonder if there is a preferred brand, and any placement considerations other than the wall closest to the garage I guess?

The modem is currently on the other side of the house kitty corner and I don't want to move it. Coverage in the house is fine, I just want to reach the garage. Being able to have WIFI while mowing the lawn (up to 100 feet away) would be nice, but not mandatory.

 

[DooKey]

About three years ago I went with a pair of these and setup an AP in my garage.

Amazon.com: EnGenius Technologies Long Range 11n 2.4GHz Wireless Bridge/Access Point (ENS202): Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: EnGenius Technologies Long Range 11n 2.4GHz Wireless Bridge/Access Point (ENS202): Computers & Accessories

www.amazon.com

 

[JackMDS]

There are variety of solutions but the Best one depends on the enviroment.

First thing to understand is that extender has to in a spot that it can get good signal, and then it can Extend the signal. Most extender also reduce the signal between getting and transmitin further into half.

So.. the easiest solution, if the signal is good in the side of the house that face the garge, try to put there an Extender and check it in the reultant signal in the garage.

The Best type of solution is to connect an Access Point (AP), or a Wireless Router configured as an AP via CAT cable to Network, and place the connected AP on the side of the house towards the garge.

A more comprehensive solution is to get strong weather protected Outdoor AP, put it on a mast on the roof, and connect as POE with CAT cable to the Network. Such a solution might result with good WIFI signal all over the property.

Hardware example - https://www.data-alliance.net/ubiquiti-locos-rockets-bullets-nanoStations

 

[Muadib]

I got one of these for my garage.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Extender-External-Antennas-TL-WA855RE/dp/B0195Y0A42/ref=sr_1_3?crid=42KFDM41SC72&keywords=range+extender&qid=1577995910&sprefix=range%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-3

I have full bars in my SUV using this.

 

[nOOky]

There are variety of solutions but the Best one depends on the enviroment.

First thing to understand is that extender has to in a spot that it can get good signal, and then it can Extend the signal. Most extender also reduce the signal between getting and transmitin further into half.

So.. the easiest solution, if the signal is good in the side of the house that face the garge, try to put there an Extender and check it in the reultant signal in the garage.

The Best type of solution is to connect an Access Point (AP), or a Wireless Router configured as an AP via CAT cable to Network, and place the connected AP on the side of the house towards the garge.

A more comprehensive solution is to get strong weather protected Outdoor AP, put it on a mast on the roof, and connect as POE with CAT cable to the Network. Such a solution might result with good WIFI signal all over the property.

Hardware example - https://www.data-alliance.net/ubiquiti-locos-rockets-bullets-nanoStations

I could do either of the first two solutions you described, the third would be harder, and I'm not sure worth the effort. I actually have a spare Linksys wireless N router in a box somewhere I could use, but it seems to me that I tried using it in the past and it was having all sorts of problems so I abandoned it.

I think the first solution is likely the best, as I get great signal on the wall that would be closest to the garage. Thanks for the comprehensive reply, and for all the replies! I'll probably end up picking something up from Amazon after work.

 

[SamirD]

The easiest thing would be a set of either moca or powerline adapters that will get you essentially a 'wired' connection to the garage from the house. For moca, you would need a cable jack in the garage which may not exist, but for powerline all you literally need is an outlet.

 

[Eric Fazekas]

I have a detached garage that is futher than 50 feet away. I use Linksys Velop nodes to get seamless handoff from the house to the garage and the outside area between the house and the building. But pretty much any of the new mesh network solutions should work.

The velop node in my garage provides me with a wired connection (RJ-45) that goes to a small switch for my wired POE cameras in that building and allows them to share the same IP space as the house so the NVR will recognize them.

 

[nOOky]

The easiest thing would be a set of either moca or powerline adapters that will get you essentially a 'wired' connection to the garage from the house. For moca, you would need a cable jack in the garage which may not exist, but for powerline all you literally need is an outlet.

I have never heard of the powerline adapter, I think I'll give that a go first, and if my wiring is good enough the speeds should be adequate. Thanks!

 

[DooKey]

I have never heard of the powerline adapter, I think I'll give that a go first, and if my wiring is good enough the speeds should be adequate. Thanks!

You have a detached garage. Depends on how your power is wired from the main panel at the house. I had no luck with power adapters. YMMV.

 

[nOOky]

The garage is just another 30 amp breaker from the house panel run through conduit to the garage, so I think it should work.

 

[Muadib]

The garage is just another 30 amp breaker from the house panel run through conduit to the garage, so I think it should work.

Yes, a powerline adapter should serve you well. I have these, and they work great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H74VKZU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[nOOky]

I'm ordering the cheaper version if it works I will need some sort of streaming music device as I can't even get an FM signal in the garage.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSQAIQU/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza#

 

[nOOky]

Thank you for the suggestions. I hooked it up yesterday, and have WiFi in the garage now. Just for the heck of it I ran an internet speed test on my phone, and I got results way higher than my actual speeds. I have 8 Mbps down 768Kbs up ADSL, and I was getting 20Mbs down and 7Mbs up.

Whatever, I'm sure that's some sort of anomaly. It did get me thinking that if the signal is going through my entire electrical system, what keeps my signal from leaving my home circuit out into the "wild", and what sort of barrier or buffer would keep someone from gaining access to my network?

 

[Muadib]

Thank you for the suggestions. I hooked it up yesterday, and have WiFi in the garage now. Just for the heck of it I ran an internet speed test on my phone, and I got results way higher than my actual speeds. I have 8 Mbps down 768Kbs up ADSL, and I was getting 20Mbs down and 7Mbs up.

Whatever, I'm sure that's some sort of anomaly. It did get me thinking that if the signal is going through my entire electrical system, what keeps my signal from leaving my home circuit out into the "wild", and what sort of barrier or buffer would keep someone from gaining access to my network?

You can set a password on them.

 

[nOOky]

Yes my network is password protected, I'm just thinking if it's going through power lines it can probably be out there somewhere instead of just limited to the normal WiFi range of a few meters... probably not worth worrying about.

 

[JackMDS]

Just make sure that you order Powerline that is easy to return if needed.

YMMV, but you should know that Powerline is the most unreliiable type of Network "Gizmo".

Why? Because it is affected by the whole Electrical system of the property.

Even if it work OK in general there can sudden sever interruptions.

As an example, I had a situation that any time a family member used an hair dryer the Powerline traffic "Tanked".

To begin with, a specific House Electrical system can be unfit to Powerline Ethernet because it is too spiky to supress.

Or unreliable because of periodical use of Appliances that insert additional Electrical noise.

 

[Eric Fazekas]

Someone earlier mentioned that it depended on how your garage was wired and that was relevant because, from my understanding these things don't work beyond your power panel. I guess the signal gets scattered. So, it shouldn't work anywhere else like your neighbor's house or even if you had another building with a subpanel. I wouldn't worry about.

 

[JackMDS]

The world physics does not work on all ur none.

While the filters in the Powerline adapters reduce the electrical noise so the "thingie" can work the level of the genraral noise (including for other breakers) can affect the Powerline Network.

The amount of Electrical Noise in our enviroment is so tramendos that its effect is beyond what is disclosed on the "Marketing Specs{.

I did not say No to try it, I just mentiond "make sure that you can be easily returned it if it does not work well".

Powerline Ethernet came to market almost 30 years ago. It is so easy to install and use that if was really Good it would conguer the market long time ago. It did Not.

P.S. At the beginning of the work on the Powerline there was high hope that the Internet would trough the Powerline and there is No need for separate ISPs etc. Unfortunately after a While the idea was scrapped when it was understood that it is "a Pie in the Sky".

 

[VirtualLarry]

Thank you for the suggestions. I hooked it up yesterday, and have WiFi in the garage now. Just for the heck of it I ran an internet speed test on my phone, and I got results way higher than my actual speeds. I have 8 Mbps down 768Kbs up ADSL, and I was getting 20Mbs down and 7Mbs up.

Whatever, I'm sure that's some sort of anomaly. It did get me thinking that if the signal is going through my entire electrical system, what keeps my signal from leaving my home circuit out into the "wild", and what sort of barrier or buffer would keep someone from gaining access to my network?

With numbers like that, if those are backed up by several speedtests, then you're either using cellular data, or you ALREADY ARE "piggy-backing" on a neighbor's internet connection.

 

[mxnerd]

Use website like ipchicken.com to check your WAN IP address with and without Powerline adapter being plugged in see if it stays the same.

Usually DSL ISP will not upgrade your internet speed. Your traffic probably goes through your neighborhood like what VL has said.