3800 wireless router range issues

[milleniumgt]

I am having some signal trouble with my WRT54G Linksys router. I have a laptop set up in an upstairs bedroom and my router is hanging out in the basement. I get a signal but it is pretty low. I have changed the channels around on the router and it helped a bit, but not enough. I am really limited in a lot of things that I can do. I don't have the ability to move the router to higher ground and can't really change the network topology much. (I don't want to rearrange the whole house due to this little laptop) I am looking to see if anyone has tried to build a parabolic reflector for their router antennas. I am looking to go the DIY route first since aftermarket high gain antennas and range expanders can be anywhere from 40-100+ dollars. TIA

Andre

Click to read more...

 

[Toasty]

1st thing to do would be to go to sveasoft.com and download the alternative firmware. you can turn up the transmit power and that should help quite a bit

sveasoft offers 2 versions of it's firmware... the latest and gratest is like 20 bucks. the previous version is free

 

[Fish]

Routers in a basement are usually a bad idea. Usually you want it on the central floor.

 

[Toasty]

while it is not an ideal place for it, given the right settings, it is possible, I have had decent results, but the type of hardware used does play a significan part in what type of range you get

are we talking laptop in 2nd story or 1st floor above basement?

(assuming 2nd floor)

if the firmware option is not good for you, then i'd look @ a range extender/repeater


and, yeah i know you are looking for a DIY solution, but in all reality, you're gonna spend a decent ammount on parts, and will not have guaranteed results.

 

[milleniumgt]

Originally posted by Fish+Feb 25 2006, 11:42 PM-->

Routers in a basement are usually a bad idea. Usually you want it on the central floor.

[snapback]116217[/snapback]​

[/b]

Yeah, I was sure that I was going to have some trouble doing it this way.


<!--QuoteBegin-Toasty@Feb 26 2006, 12:09 AM
while it is not an ideal place for it, given the right settings, it is possible, I have had decent results, but the type of hardware used does play a significan part in what type of range you get

are we talking laptop in 2nd story or 1st floor above basement?

(assuming 2nd floor)

if the firmware option is not good for you, then i'd look @ a range extender/repeater


and, yeah i know you are looking for a DIY solution, but in all reality, you're gonna spend a decent ammount on parts, and will not have guaranteed results.

[snapback]116225[/snapback]​

Yeah the laptop is on the second story of the house.
I'm not to familiar with the whole firmware upgrade thing. I am a little hesitant in doing this purely due to my lack of knowledge in that area. Is this going to give me some type of new interface for the router with some additional options? Do I have the option to go back to my default "out of the box" settings if I needed to do so? Do you think I could get the same results by going with a firmware upgrade from the Linksys site? Sorry for all of the questions.

 

[Toasty]

the linksys site won't give you the extra configuration options, and yeah the sveasoft firmware will give you extra settings to configure the router's power, and some other specialized settings.

you shouldnt have any problems going back to the standard linksys firmware.

there are a good number of faq's @ sveasoft.com

 

[milleniumgt]

that sounds like a good deal, then I will give them a look. thanks for the help.

 

[chipmonk212121]

a range expander would be about 100$.......sooooo try the software first .........then if that doesnt help get the range expander and place it on the first floor and you should be just fine

 

[milleniumgt]

Originally posted by chipmonk212121@Feb 26 2006, 05:44 PM
a range expander would be about 100$.......sooooo try the software first .........then if that doesnt help get the range expander and place it on the first floor and you should be just fine

[snapback]116283[/snapback]​

I am all about not spending that much more money on this. The laptop I bought is for my parents so I don't want to go all out on it. This will just be an internet only pc for them. I can't believe how much all of the router accessories are like the other antenna's and range expanders, they are just as much if not more than the router itself. I think that is a bunch of BS.

 

[chipmonk212121]

well.....welcome to technology...........its not cheap........relocate your router.......if you want convenience......your going to pay for it

 

[Toasty]

is there a reason that you cannot relocate the wireless router? no wireless card in your pc that is adjoining in basement? if that is all that is stopping you, take your cable/dsl modem up to main floor, along with the wireless router. stick it somewhere that has cable/phone, and get an inexpensive internal or external wireless adapter for other pc in basement. then there you go

that would be cheaper way to go, if you can re-arrange things a bit