Rebroadcasting wireless network to extend range?

[GundamF91]

I've always been wired with CAT5 so this maybe a very basic question about wireless network. So I am trying to get the broadband signal to the guest house. I have a Linksys wireless router but so far it seems that while it gives clear signal throughout the house, the signal is weakened out to where the guest house is. I'm thinking that I could get another wireless router, away from the main router, but closer to guest house, and have it rebroadcast the signal. Think of it as a repeater. Would wireless routers do this?

Any issues that you can foresee that may reduce the effectiveness? How would I go about doing this. And any security holes this may introduce? Thanks for any help.

 

[skyking]

Google Wireless Distribution System (WDS)
your linksys may support it with a flash to aftermarket firmware, and buffalo and a few other routers do it out of the box.
I use it extensively.

 

[TheKub]

Originally posted by: GundamF91
Any issues that you can foresee that may reduce the effectiveness? How would I go about doing this. And any security holes this may introduce? Thanks for any help.

Users in the guest house would have slightly higher latency due to the extra hop (most users wouldn't even know). You just need 2 devices that support WDS or a repeater. No real security risk other than you are expanding the area that malicious people can be in to try and attempt hacking.

 

[GundamF91]

Thanks for the responses. Would both routers have to have WDS capability, or would only the "repeating" route that needs WDS to receive signal and basically forward it on?

 

[JackMDS]

Buy a Pair of Wireless Routers that can do WDS (Zyxel, SMC, Belkin have models that do WDS as is out of the Box.

Linksys WRT54GL can do WDS when flashed with DD-WRT firmware.

Using a Laptop loaded with Netstumbler, do a Wireless survey in the house, http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/

According to the Netstumbler's 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).

Otherwise.

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

 

[QuixoticOne]

I'd say the first step is to find a couple of good fairly decent size external antennae and see if those help, assuming your
wireless router / NIC support external antennae connections.

If not, I'd buy something like two WRT54GL (linux version) unit, after checking to make sure that it
supports both an antenna attachment as well as the use of DD-WRT firmware.
Load the third party DD-WRT onto them, hook up the antennae, put the remote unit into "client mode" off of the master
unit in the main house and see what you get. Of course physically position the units and their antennae for proximity
and line of sight and low blockage.

You'd probably get even better range and performance with some 802.11n units which support DD-WRT, though at the
moment I don't recall specific model numbers.
Here's a list of what they support:
http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

A small "can" antenna or yagi will be more directional than a vertical omnidirectional unit, though if you use one of the
directional antennae you may want to ensure that you're using it on the guest house side and an omnidirectional on the
main house side so the main house area still gets ubiquitously good coverage from the main house router.
Of course some units can take multiple antennae, so having one omni and one yagi may not be impossible on a single
unit. Or you could just dedicate the new house router to servicing the guest house link with a directional antenna and
use your existing house router for in house coverage.

 

[Madwand1]

A single compatible device running DD-WRT v24 can do both wireless bridging and repeating. I.e. it could connect wirelessly to your main router/access point and re-broadcast a wireless signal further. But you're better off avoiding that 1st wireless hop if you can. Wireless is a limited-bandwidth shared medium; the less wireless the better.

If you're going to get another wireless device though, it'd be a good idea to get one which is fully compatible with DD-WRT. This means devices such as the WRT54GL or the Asus WL-520gU. DD-WRT gives you great flexibility, as it can run as a router, access point, client mode wireless bridge, WDS repeater, or client mode bridge + wireless repeater.

 

[Eug]

Do you have ethernet in the part of the house closest to the guest house? Cuz if so, you could buy just about any wireless router and just plug it in to ethernet to extend the network. WDS not required. However, if that is not possible, then as others have said, you'll need two WDS access points.

Or else you could try what I did and install powerline networking. It may or may not work for you, but FWIW it works great for me from my house to my gazebo.