Help Please! Wireless Router Range issue....

:confused Hello all, I was wondering if i might be able to get some help. I am new to the whole wireless router thing and need to know if there is anyway to extend the range of the signal? We went to Best Buy and bought a D-Link Xtreme N Wireless-N Gigabit Router model DIR-655, the sales associate thought it would work for us to be able to connect wirelessly in the house and the home office about 200 foot away (the office has metal siding, not sure if that is an issue...). Well the signal is great in the house and decent almost to the front door of the office, but kaput in the office. My question is, what do I need to extend the range (if anything would work)? I have been trying to do some research of my own online but it's making my head spin I am not sure what is what i.e. range booster antenna, usb adapter card, or where to even start looking... Sorry to be so needy, I am way out of my league with computer issues. Thanks in advance.

Chey

P.S. I don't know if it make a difference or not but we have WildBlue sattelite internet

 

I also have a D Link 655 plus the booster dongle and my laptop works perfectly around the house but recently i had to put my work station in the garage it is only about 20 feet from the router but the signal drops to very low and slows down a lot it's just because there are two rather thick walls between about 13 inches and have cavity insulation the router just does not have the ability to penetrate very well.

radio signals like to go in straight lines so hence the deterioration

.

 

Hello, Stocksfam, welcome to MAJOR GEEKS.

Yes there are several ways to overcome your difficulty.
30 metres (100 feet) is about the average max useful range.

You can extend this by placing repeater(s) closer to your office.
These repeaters can be fed their signal in one of three ways

By wireless.
Place a 'repeater' 50 feet from the current transmitter. This will extend the range to 150 feet. Place a second repeater 50 feet from the first, gaining you another 50 feet and so on. you can continue addding 50 feet per repeater in this way. Each repeater will require a mains point for power.
I think this is the least desirable solution, but is totally signal wire free.

By ethernet cable
Run an ethernet connection from your router to your office and place an 'access point' centrally within the office. The access point will either need mains power or (more expensive) can be powered from the ethernet cable with suitable choice of equipment.
I think this is the best solution.

By powerline transmission
You can obtain devices which transmit the signal 'through the mains' to another mains outlet, in your office. You would plug one device (transmitter) into a mains socket and connect it to the router. The second device(receiver) would be plugged into a socket in your office and connected to a pc there. There are both cable fed and wireless devices for the second (receiver), but the transmitter has be be cable connected to the router.
You can connect more than one receiver in this way.
However this system is only certain to work if the transmitter and receiver are on the same ring main. They may work on another, they may not.

When you have thought through the geography of your needs post again with details and we will help choose the most suitable equipment.

 

you could also try making a coffee-can sender and point it at a window at your office, and put a reciever there with one of those wireless decibel booster thingies.

 

I agree with StudioT. I have a wired setup about 100 feet away that works very well.

Did anyone else notice the banner add at the bottom? http://www.wifi-link.com/

Ironic... Or is it?

E

 

Thanks for the responses! I swear I am not trying to be obtuse, but I am confused:confused To go "wired" I can run an ethernet cable out of something like a house window down to the garage (a.k.a. home office) about 200 feet away and use an access point? What is considered an access point?

If I were wanting to go with powerline transmission what would I need to purchase?

Just to give you guys a little info, the router reaches just fine to the guest bedroom (room next to computer room where router is located). Guest bedroom is at the very end of the house. Then it is a straight shot( no trees, hills other structures) to the garage. Thanks again.

Chey

 

Some (hopefully) simplified explanations.

The normal max length of an ethernet cable run is 100 metres.

An access point is the name for a transmitter that wifi receivers can log on to. There is an access point in your router.
Depending how it is set up an access point has quite a few capabilites including transmitting on different frequencies from the original router and interfacing with several wifi receivers.

A repeater contains a receiver and a transmitter. However the transmitter rebroadcasts exactly what it receives, it merely boosts the power locally. a 'Booster thingy'

This is no good however. The lower the signal the slower the connection, until it stops altogether. thus you can boos tthe signal at the edge of range, but you can't boost the output speed to any faster than the input.

That is why it is necessary to place repeaters halfway (approx) where the signal is still strong enough for max speed.

You haven't said what continent you are on so I can't point you at prices and suppliers, but I would budget £100 to £150 for the project in the UK whichever solution you use at commercial prices. Doing some of the work yourself could reduce this towards £50.

 

Ah yes, now I understand the geography question! I am in the United States.

 

If you are leaning toward the ethernet solution, place an ethernet socket near the router and another near where you want the access point. Interwire these with a length of standard CAT5E or CAT6 network cable.

Then use short 'patch' cables to plug the router and access point in at each end.