vncntchn
join:2003-11-18
Warwick, RI
| What could I use to boost my wireless signal..
I'm using a Linksys BEFW11S4 v3 router.
It's running great and when I have an 'Good' to 'Excellent' signal, I almost never timeout. It's good enough that I can play FPS (First Person Shooter) games on this connection! 
However, my laptop doesn't want to pick up a signal when I get a little too far from the router. At about 3 walls and 20 ft., signal is dropped to 'Good'. I can't even get to the other side of the house! 
My laptop has the integraded 'Intel(R) PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter'.
What would give me a better signal, a new/better router or a new Mini PCI/PCMCIA card and which brand/type to get? |
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dagr8tone
join:2004-01-19
Massapequa Park, NY | access point in between them or upgrade to 54mb wireless |
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No_Strings
Premium,Mod
join:2001-11-22
The OC
Host:
Wireless Networking
All Things Unix
Cox HSI
Qwest
Efficient
| reply to vncntchn
54 mbps won't do anything to strengthen the received signal, especially on the periphery of the range.
To better focus the signal in the the desired direction, you can try adjusting the antenna elements on the router or moving it to a better location. You can also try a reflector, links for which are posted almost daily - about the frequency with which this question is asked. A search will tell you more.
Change channels on the router and turn off any 2.4GHz phones to help work around any potential interference.
Should you exhaust the free or nearly-free possibilities without results, post back for some alternate equipment advice.
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"Fine, everybody's a Texan. Change planes in Dallas and you're a Texan."Hank Hill |
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higgins6
Premium
join:2002-03-29
New York, NY
| reply to vncntchn
Can you move the router into another room?? The router can be far from your main PC, cable modem, whatever. I snaked an ethernet cable from one bedroom to the next (loosened the faceplacte for the cable TV connection. It ain't pretty, but it's behind two dressers.) The router now shoots me a much better signal to my laptop in the living room.
Any signs of interference from other networks? You might also try changing the channel on yours and get better reception to the laptop.
Can you attach an external antenna to this? Perhaps firing a directional antenna out to your laptop would work.
Folks around here also use metal reflectors around their routers to boost the signal in one direction. I've never tried it.
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higgins@dorsai.org |
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