Improving Indoors Wi-Fi Reception? 76
VirtualUK asks: "I was given a WiFi base station and PCMCIA card for my laptop as a Christmas present so that I could read slashdot...urm I mean work, in any room in the house. When I read the manual it stated lofty figures of being able to work up to hundreds of feet inside office environments, so I felt that it would be more than capable of being able to allow me to stay connected in my tiny house. It seems however that the WiFi gods are against me as I tap this posting in the next room to the WiFi base station, a mere 20-30 feet away, just regular so-thin-I-can-hear-an-ant-fart walls, no kryptonite, no lead cladding and yet still I struggle to get a constant connection. I've found that shifting the laptop to face different directions sometimes helps, but as should it be this hard at such short range? Is there anything I can do to make my WiFi work better in a house environment?"
Build a new antenna (Score:5, Informative)
Brand? (Score:5, Insightful)
Linksys Helps! (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Linksys Helps! (Score:2)
it only works on their 802.11b stuff, which is what the poster porbably has.
Also, I have a friend who uses it, and get's access now to his garage (about 70 feet away) even though the WAP + signal booster lies in his basement. So it sounds like a good solution, one I'm using when my mother-in-law moves into the building we live in, so I can give her some cheap broadband.
Buy the Linksys WSB24 Booster Now! Now! (Score:2)
Suboptimal PCMCIA card design? (Score:4, Interesting)
Could be part of the problem.. Try turning your laptop 90 degress onto it's side. :)
Re:Suboptimal PCMCIA card design? (Score:4, Informative)
http://www.trevormarshall.com/byte_articles/byte1. htm [trevormarshall.com]
QUOTE.. And this leads us nicely into the real world. The designers of the antennas for PCMCIA cards face a real problem. It is not easy to form antennas onto the small circuit board inside the bulbous plastic cover that sticks of the end of the PCMCIA card. I won't go into the technology here, but below is plotted a typical sensitivity measurement for a laptop equipped with a PCMCIA WLAN card. The effective gain of this antenna is low, less than 0 dBi (typically -4 dBi) and it is very directional.
Re:Suboptimal PCMCIA card design? (Score:1)
(Just in case he takes you seriously is spite of the smiley.)
Any other 2.4 ghz devices? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Any other 2.4 ghz devices? (Score:5, Insightful)
Try changing the channel. I had bad range with my Linksys until I changed it to use channel 11.
SpinalTap (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Any other 2.4 ghz devices? (Score:1)
Remember, this channel is only the base. You use bandwidth from 2 channels on either side as well. So channel 1 uses bandwidth up through 3. 6 uses from 4 through 8. 11 uses 9 through 13.
In other words, the only 3 non-overlapping channels (in the U.S.) are 1, 6, and 11.
There's things you can try (Score:5, Informative)
I've found that some things (water, water pipes, metal of any kind, walls to some extent, some metallised windows absorb/reflect the microwaves extensively. Sometimes you can move the base station so that it peeps around the edge of stuff, and then you can find good coverage over the whole building.
Also, try putting the aerial higher or lower, near a window or door may be good.
- find out if there's any interference
Some equipment, noteably, cordless phones; less likely microwave ovens (get your oven fixed if that's the case!) Bluetooth can also interfere.
- get better equipment
Ultimately I've found some equipment has poor range. You don't say what equipment you have. You may be able to modify the aerial on a base station, but try everything before doing that; it may make your equipment illegal.
I've found ranges of 100 ft or so in a building is quite achievable, although sighting of the base station is sometimes critical.
Re:There's things you can try (Score:2)
Exactly.. it took me a while before I figured out the fridge was causing my problems ;).
I can get full power surrounded by tile in the bathroom, but the damn fridge blocks the bedroom.
Faraday. (Score:5, Funny)
FWIW, my little linksys base station gives me solid coverage all over my house, and even outside. Maybe it's the base station or card?
Re:Faraday. (Score:3, Interesting)
when using a dlink dwl-650+ with it's proprietary coding as
using an orinoco card, but still nothing like what I've seen
in office environments. Your faraday cage comment caught
my attention, because my house has steel siding. I wonder
if the walls are some sort of resonant cavity, creating
feedback interference.
Re:Faraday. (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Faraday. (Score:2)
It's easy to do with some electrical tape and a pair of dykes.
Re:Faraday. (Score:2)
Tore the AP apart to look at the antenna. It doesn't even have a diversity antenna, and the antenna as it were is a PCB that is horizontal. The connector was something proprietary.
I found an antenna with a similar connector and a length of coax from another AP at work. This is a proper antenna with a knuckle, no gain really. Just installing that on my access point gets me 5.5-11Mbps across the house. Works like a charm now.
The point? Antennas in home equipment like that Linksys gear is crap. A decent one will do wonders.
Position of your hand affects 802.11b on laptops (Score:1, Redundant)
On one laptop, the PCCard slot is toward the rear of the machine, so there is normally no effect unless I move my hand way over.
On the other laptop, the PCCard slot is toward the front and I have to watch that I don't have my hand resting over the antenna when I am not typing.
To check this, pull of the Link Info screen of your Wireless LAN Configuration Utility and watch the bar graphs as you move your hand.
Filing Cabinets? (Score:4, Interesting)
tall omni's are good for yardage (Score:5, Informative)
I recomend.... (Score:4, Funny)
The removal of a few walls (I recomend avoiding weight-bearing walls)
Really improved my signal reception!
WARNING: you MAY not get your security deposit back
-OZ
Laptop Antenna (Score:4, Informative)
I don't know how practical a solution it is, but you might be able to make/buy an antenna to attach to your laptop to improve signal.
Re:Laptop Antenna (Score:3, Interesting)
I have an airport card in my powerbook, but i use an orinico card in the pcmcia slot because it has 3 to 4x the range!
The airport card barely works around the house.
The orinoco card works down to the street, past the 4 units out the front (we're a house behind 4 units).
Really amazing how much further that little orinoco can go. And i have several orinocos (gold, bronze, white), they all have that range.
Airport sucks.
D.
Re:Laptop Antenna (Score:2)
Re:Laptop Antenna (Score:2, Informative)
Higher (Score:3, Informative)
Good luck.
Or lower (Score:2)
WiFi Vendors (Score:3, Informative)
I run windows XP/2k and Mac OS X. It is my experience that the Microsoft and Netgear products are worthless as far as client adapters are concerned.
The microsoft USB device seems to JAM my net everytime i set it up. If i turn it on, no new clients can join the network. Both netgear adapters can't keep a TCP connection for more than a minure (with 100% reception).
Now, the Lucent stuff is GREAT! it work everywhere flawlessly, same for AirPort (although i think that they use the same chipset). Both the netgear and linksys APs work great.
So, cheapo client adapters are a no go. Stick with Lucent stuff.
Re:WiFi Vendors (Score:1)
I think its less of a case of staying clear of "cheapo client adapters" but more 'your mileage may vary'
Tim
Increase line of sight (Score:1, Redundant)
Step one find sledge hammer
Step two move hammer at rapid velocity at wall
Step three Come up with good excuse for spouse/land lord/parents
Step four enjoy incresed range of WiFi
Had the same problem. (Score:3, Informative)
Change Channels (Score:2, Informative)
Multipath problems? (Score:4, Informative)
There's a terrific graph in the 802.11 Handbook [amazon.com] (the IEEE companion guide to the 802.11 standard) which simulate the signal strength of the signal in a typical environment by using raytracing techniques [amazon.com].
Basically, it's not necessarily the wall right in between you and the AP, but other potential radio reflectors that are affecting your signal. Moving the access point up, down, left, or right by a few inches could make all the difference. So move it around!
Use the same standard.... yeah read on... (Score:2)
So if you already have compliant devices, stay away from non-standard devices.
Hope this helps someone who may have had a confusing experience because of this.
Re:Use the same standard.... yeah read on... (Score:2, Informative)
The access point has got two external antennas and gives me a great coverage in the whole house. I was thinking about getting external antennas before, but I'm not going to need it =)
Now everything I'm waiting for is for the 22Mbs cards to get supported under Linux. The drivers are out, but I prefer knowing they work well before buying the hardware
Back to basics (Score:2)
Does anyone in your local area use WiFi? Try changing the channel the AP uses.
Depending on the (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Depending on the (Score:3, Informative)
Which brand? (Score:3, Informative)
While there doesn't seem to be TOO much difference between APs. (Or at least, even cheap APs like those from Linksys, D-Link, etc. perform far better than even high-end client cards), some client cards are MUCH better than others. While Lucent Orinoco cards are not specced as having much higher transmit power than your run-of-the-mill Prism2 (Linksys, D-Link, Belkin, etc etc.), their receiver is much more sensitive. As a result, with the same AP, an Orinoco gets much better range. I have both D-Link DWL-650s, a Belkin Prism2 card, and an Orinoco Silver. The Orinoco beats the other cards, hands-down.
If you want the best range possible at all costs, most Cisco cards have 100 mW transmit (as opposed to 20-25 for most others) and the highest receive sensitivity of the mainstream cards. The only better card I've seen is the Demarctech Reliawave (One of the few good Prism-based cards - Best receive sensitivity AND the highest transmit power I've seen.) Ciscos are also the most likely to work in an office environment if you want to bring it to work, since many corporations only trust LEAP and none of the other 802.1x solutions so far.
Orinocos are now $50-60 if you search hard enough. Get one. You won't regret it. If that doesn't work, THEN look into boosting the AP signal with a Linksys booster, but the most important is to have a good client first.
It's your card (Score:3, Informative)
I say that, because I had the exact same problem when I got my wireless setup (linksys card and router). Sitting on the couch (about 25 feet from the AP), I would have to tilt the laptop on my lap, just to get a signal. It was quite awkward, and I was REALLY unimpressed after reading on the box that I should get hundreds of feet, and yet, it lost connection if I put it down on the coffee table.
I read some online forums, and saw people who had much better luck with Orinoco cards. I called where I had ordered it from, and got an RMA for the linksys card, and bought a brand new Orinoco silver card. I can now be anywhere in the house, and 300 feet down the street with perfect signal.
This made wireless just what I thought it should be. Stable, and good signals everywhere. I kept the linksys AP, because that seemed to work great with the Orinoco card.
Find a friend who has an Orinoco card, and try it on your laptop. You will buy one that night.
--Spack
Watch out for mirrors (Score:2, Interesting)
Scotty, you need more power!!!!! (Score:1, Funny)
It's a simple cheap hack that makes a world of difference. First, run down to your hardware store and pick up a three pronged, twist lock electrical plug. they run about $7. Next replace the wall wart on your access point with the new twist lock plug. Finally, locate your access point in the laundry room and plug it into the twist lock receptacle next to your clothes dryer.
That's all there is to it, you'll be able to roam all over your block with a good solid signal.
One note of caution, with this increased power output, your neighbors will also be able to use your signal. So, make sure that you turn on the high security features of WEP on your access point. TTFN
Re:Scotty, you need more power!!!!! (Score:1, Informative)
You'll just end up being listed in the Darwin awards at worst, at best you'll likely start a fire.
Firmware (Score:2, Informative)
NYC Wireless (Score:2, Informative)
give it a try
generated field (Score:1)
Re:generated field (Score:1)
Try a new card (Score:1)
They offer client cards that run at 200mw, about %50 more range (theoretically) than a Cisco card (which is also very good at 100mw).
Aluminium foil? (Score:3, Interesting)
The idea is so the signals between the AP and your WiFi card have a better chance of bouncing off the foil and around walls and other obstacles. If you can find some inconspicuous areas it might not look too ugly.
This apparently helps for IR remote controls. Not sure if it works for WiFi.
Horozontal Polarisation... (Score:1)
Horozontal antennas tend to be much better at transmitting/recieving at low angles when they are fairly close to the ground when compared to vertical antennas.
One disadvantage is the fact that there are two nulls. These will be off the ends of the antenna, so you have to stay around the front or back of the antenna (front would be looking at the antenna so it is at it's widest. like ---------.
Just something to try.
Yeah, but will it go through trees? (Score:2)
I have two buildings I'm trying to bridge...
I have 2 WAP11 v2.2 units... tried to bridge them
THey houses are about 400 feet apart... there is a row of trees in between.
What are the odds that I can get that to connect without trenching fiber? Hopefully some wireless guru can help me
T
Re:Yeah, but will it go through trees? (Score:2)
400 feet is nothing for one of these once you get em built and pointed at each other. I think the record using shotgun antennas (what the pringles can antennas emulate) is like > 100km.
Re:Yeah, but will it go through trees? (Score:1)
T
Still looking? (Score:2)
These guys make / sell the stuff. I haven't had any experience with them so YMMV. They don't list the pringles can mod, but have some other things for sale.
http://www.peopletechnologyonline.com/_jpmaurer
That site also has a list of mod'ers at the bottom, maybe one of them will build you a set
Re:Still looking? (Score:2)
This guy has a killer tutorial. Enjoy.
Re:Still looking? (Score:2)
T
Re:Yeah, but will it go through trees? (Depends) (Score:1)
Re:Yeah, but will it go through trees? (Depends) (Score:2)
A really stupid 802.11b question. (Score:2)
Re:A really stupid 802.11b question. (Score:4, Informative)
Yes, set the APs to bridge to each other's MAC addresses. You've created a wireless bridge between two networks.
[[For that matter, can two access cards just communicate with each other]]
Yes, this is called "Ad-Hoc" mode. It's a checkbox when you're setting the network up; in Windows XP it reads something like "This is a computer-to-computer (ad-hoc) wireless network that does not use an access point." At which point you just worry about SSID and WEP keys if any.
Try updating your drivers (Score:2)
I have the same problem (Score:2, Informative)
I was shocked and seriously disappointed with the horrible signal strength, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot that I can do without modifying the equipment. I know that rotating my laptop so that the PCMCIA card is pointed towards the AP helps, but of course, when I am in bed, the antenna is on the 'wrong' side.
Raising the height of the AP, along with rotating the AP (so that the antennae are towards the center of the apt.) seems to help a little, but it is marginal.
A friend (also with a WAP11) purchased an antenna that claimed to boost the signal, but it simply didn't work with the WAP11. They also refused to reply to his e-mails asking for a refund. So I've been reluctant to purchase a replacement antenna that claims to increase AP power.
At this point, I would say that making my own is the only thing I would be willing to try.
Simple (Score:2)
-- TIm
Guaranteed to work... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Guaranteed to work... (Score:2)
Brush up on antenna theory (Score:1)
You may be up against... (Score:2)
Eventually the company moved to larger, more open offices with sheetrock walls and only one layer of modern latex paint and everything is much better.