I have a garden office which is about 200ft away from the house, with no direct line of sight. For the past few years, I've used a devolo powerline gadget, which has been usable, if not great. This has now stopped working, and won't pair up. It must be over ten years old, and was second hand when I got it. Do i just replace it with a similar device, or is there something else available? I considered a dongle, but the monthly payments seem high. Running a cable down is not really an option, though i should have considered it when the mains power was being installed. How reliable and expensive is tethering? There must be a way of getting usable wifi down there! What do the experts think? Cheers!
Garden office wifi.
- Thread starter mpjbiker
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Run a Cat 6 cable down there?
@sparkplug to the consulting phone
That’s what I’d do, connect a WiFi router at the other end, main computer wired from the router and WiFi for all your devices
These guys are super helpful and will tell you exactly what you need
with your spec, not running another wire through the garden, the least hassle way is to use the existing mains cable with a new powerline adapter. Pretty sure the tech will have improved in the decade plus since your Devolo device was current.
some recommendations here https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-powerline-adaptors - seem to be mostly TP Link and Devolo with a wide price range depending on the bells and whistles you need
if you need one in a hurry, Screwfix sell the TP Link ones.
some recommendations here https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-powerline-adaptors - seem to be mostly TP Link and Devolo with a wide price range depending on the bells and whistles you need
if you need one in a hurry, Screwfix sell the TP Link ones.
TP-Link RE550 AC1900 WiFi Extender Booster WiFi Booster | Gigabit Port, EasyMesh Compatible, 3 External Antennas, Works with Any WiFi Router, App Control Easy Setup, UK Plug : Amazon.ie: Electronics
TP-Link RE550 AC1900 WiFi Extender Booster WiFi Booster | Gigabit Port, EasyMesh Compatible, 3 External Antennas, Works with Any WiFi Router, App Control Easy Setup, UK Plug : Amazon.ie: Electronics
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I might have the wrong end of the stick.....but would this help in a socket in the house, nearest to the shed/office.
Unifi to the rescue.
Tethering from a phone works fine. Just depends on the amount of data you use and what you do.
Have a look at the external antennas range from Unifi. Might be something that covers what you need as the outdoor APs have fairly decent range.
Otherwise: expensive, but... Starlink. But it would be a separate contract/cost, and network.
Tethering from a phone works fine. Just depends on the amount of data you use and what you do.
Have a look at the external antennas range from Unifi. Might be something that covers what you need as the outdoor APs have fairly decent range.
Otherwise: expensive, but... Starlink. But it would be a separate contract/cost, and network.
5g router if you have a good signal?
Or fiber optic for the long run?
Do you have electric in your shed?
With a earthing from the house?
I've got a spare TP link extender somewhere. It uses the ring main earthing to transmit. Easy peasy.
Can post to you for the price of postage
With a earthing from the house?
I've got a spare TP link extender somewhere. It uses the ring main earthing to transmit. Easy peasy.
Can post to you for the price of postage
Not sure if 5G is really needed. Depends what you want it for. I see you have power. Short of runnig a cable , I’d go for a 4G wireless router option.
I have the same with my second garage under the block of flat across the street. Cable zero option so i have internet in the said garage using a wireless 4G modem and I run 2 Ring cams off of it and therefore have security at said garage
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As usual with these things - lots of variables in play.
Does garden office need to be on the home network for any reason?
What speeds are needed for work, and will that change in future?
bla bla etc etc.
The short answer is that if powerline was working before then just buy a replacement for £50-£80 and be done with it.
Long answer is that running fibre or ethernet would be the best from a technology pont of view but that doesn't sound like a practical option which brings us to a point to point connection as the next best - except you don't have direct line of sight so...
You might be able to get round that by fannying about with erecting poles to get a line of sight or.....
..or if it doesn't need to be on the same network and there's decent mobile reception you could get an LTE router and a decent external antenna and an unlimited data SIM or Starlink or one of Starlink's emerging competitors..
..or you could just spend £50 on some TP Link powerline adapters and be up and running in 10 mins without a monthly subscription.
That's where I would start...
Does garden office need to be on the home network for any reason?
What speeds are needed for work, and will that change in future?
bla bla etc etc.
The short answer is that if powerline was working before then just buy a replacement for £50-£80 and be done with it.
Long answer is that running fibre or ethernet would be the best from a technology pont of view but that doesn't sound like a practical option which brings us to a point to point connection as the next best - except you don't have direct line of sight so...
You might be able to get round that by fannying about with erecting poles to get a line of sight or.....
..or if it doesn't need to be on the same network and there's decent mobile reception you could get an LTE router and a decent external antenna and an unlimited data SIM or Starlink or one of Starlink's emerging competitors..
..or you could just spend £50 on some TP Link powerline adapters and be up and running in 10 mins without a monthly subscription.
That's where I would start...
Tethering or hotspot works fine if you have good mobile coverage, I use it all the time for work but phone can get hot if using a lot of data and needs charging at the same time.
Data over power netwwork works well but you have to be on the same network and ideally the same circuit, have you made any changes there recently as it doesn't work on different phases of a three phase system. Can you get the house end device onto the office circuit from the house or have you plugged it into a house ring circuit.
Hardwired outdoor access point part of the way if you can but 200' is to far for mamy devices but you could hard wire an extender part way back as well.
Nothing is better than hardwired, Im glad I hardwired my place when everyone was saying wifi does everything you'll ever need a few years back.
Data over power netwwork works well but you have to be on the same network and ideally the same circuit, have you made any changes there recently as it doesn't work on different phases of a three phase system. Can you get the house end device onto the office circuit from the house or have you plugged it into a house ring circuit.
Hardwired outdoor access point part of the way if you can but 200' is to far for mamy devices but you could hard wire an extender part way back as well.
Nothing is better than hardwired, Im glad I hardwired my place when everyone was saying wifi does everything you'll ever need a few years back.
I use a load of Virgin media gigabit powerline adaptors
I picked them up on ebay for about £30
the other option is a roll of cat six and a switch box in the mancave (future proofing)
I picked them up on ebay for about £30
the other option is a roll of cat six and a switch box in the mancave (future proofing)
Thanks so much for all replies-I'm afraid some of it goes over my head 
. Sounds like the most straightforward solution is to try a new version of what I w as using before. The power to the shed comes straight off the consumer unit as far as I know, and the powerline thingy plugged into the nearest socket to it, I don't understand ring mains, cat 6 and electrickery. I just need it to be fast enough to watch youtube, and browse sites like this. I guess if I get them from local screwfix, if it doesn't work then I can take them back.
. Sounds like the most straightforward solution is to try a new version of what I w as using before. The power to the shed comes straight off the consumer unit as far as I know, and the powerline thingy plugged into the nearest socket to it, I don't understand ring mains, cat 6 and electrickery. I just need it to be fast enough to watch youtube, and browse sites like this. I guess if I get them from local screwfix, if it doesn't work then I can take them back.Thanks so much for all replies-I'm afraid some of it goes over my head
a sensible approach considering the modest cost of £40 with plug and play from the box
sounds like you need it more for skiving than actual work!
You say your powerline adapters are old and that they wasn't that great.
maybe you had old slow ones and your broadband was too fast for them.
Its not uncommon for some old devices to max out at 10mbps, newer ones are 100 and 1000+
Also cables are the same Cat 5 is 10mbps Cat 5e and Cat 6 or 7 is much better for todays super fast fibre.
Something like these are good if expensive, but as well as fast wired options (2600mbps) you would have great WIFI in your office too from the same device.
Either that or run an armoured ourdoor cat 6/7 cable.
But at over 60m your going to need to buy a decent quality cable or you will lose speed over that distance.
maybe you had old slow ones and your broadband was too fast for them.
Its not uncommon for some old devices to max out at 10mbps, newer ones are 100 and 1000+
Also cables are the same Cat 5 is 10mbps Cat 5e and Cat 6 or 7 is much better for todays super fast fibre.
Something like these are good if expensive, but as well as fast wired options (2600mbps) you would have great WIFI in your office too from the same device.
Either that or run an armoured ourdoor cat 6/7 cable.
But at over 60m your going to need to buy a decent quality cable or you will lose speed over that distance.
PM sent!
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Which one was it, I need to buy a new one, our WiFi can’t get through a very thick stone wall and my Lenovo plug in kit has given up after a lot of years?
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