How can I boost my wireless signal?

[Monsieur]

Use a modem and wireless router via virgin media.
Son plays xbox upstairs and complains that the wireless signal is too weak and his machine keeps cutting out mid-game.
Is there anything I can buy to boost the signal for him?
Thanks

 

[mr_magicfingers]

wireless modems are limited by law to a certain transmitting power and they're antenna are usually omnidiectional. To increase the signal you can either

1. Make it more directional and aim that power in a particular direction, which might make it better for your son upstairs but will make it worse downstairs.

2. If the antenna on the modem can be unscrewed then there are other antenna's you could help.

3. Some wifi modems (usually the ones running a version of linux) can have their power increased with the software, but this usually means running an open source version of the operating software. I used to do this with a Linksys wrt54g when I lived in a concrete council flat where the signal wouldn't normally make it to the room next door.

I've no idea what router virgin uses, but you could google the router model and 'increase power' to see if anything comes up.

To be honest, if your son's serious about online gaming, you want to use a wired connection to the router, which would take away the problems which wireless might cause and guarantee a good connection to the modem, though I realise that's not always the easiest option.

Hope that helps a bit.

Justin.

 

[Rong]

Yes there is. Have a look on this site for a range extender, http://www.hawkingtech.com

I had a problem in my cottage, the router is at one end and my office at the other. I couldn't run CAT5 cable due to the layout of the rooms so have to use wireless and the signal in the office was very weak. I bought a range extender and now the signal is first rate and I can even pick it up 300m away in the garden or garage (if I ever had a need to!)

Ron

 

[Fanum]

wireless modems are limited by law to a certain transmitting power and they're antenna are usually omnidiectional. To increase the signal you can either

1. Make it more directional and aim that power in a particular direction, which might make it better for your son upstairs but will make it worse downstairs.

2. If the antenna on the modem can be unscrewed then there are other antenna's you could help.

3. Some wifi modems (usually the ones running a version of linux) can have their power increased with the software, but this usually means running an open source version of the operating software. I used to do this with a Linksys wrt54g when I lived in a concrete council flat where the signal wouldn't normally make it to the room next door.

Monsieur, an attempt to translate geek-ese to English.....

Go upstairs, grab your son by the ankles, the dangle him out of the window head head downwards.

Unscrew his 'antennae' and force him to spread eagle so he is 'omnidiectional'.

Your son's absence from the wifi network (and with that, the disappearance of whatever bandwidth 'milfs and student.com' takes up) will vastly improve your own one handed surfing experience.

HTH

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Yes there is. Have a look on this site for a range extender, http://www.hawkingtech.com

Ron

Yep, that's the sort of thing I meant as an extra antenna, but you need a modem that has a removable antenna. Hopefully he'll have one on his modem.

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

here you go

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/

 

[ironandsteel]

Devolo

We use a Devolo Duo plug system which extends the wireless signal / network via the mains wiring (plug from the router and a plug upstairs).

I have a booster antenna too but that's not as effective at reaching upstairs as the signal travels horizontally (?).

Works well - had it for a couple of years now:

http://www.devolo.co.uk/consumer/10_dlan-duo_starter-kit_product-presentation_1.html?l=en

 

[llotse]

I use one of these http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/index.php?CatID=32 Easy to set up and works ok

 

[Red Rock]

I had a similar problem, where my router/ADSL was downstairs and the room the PC is in has brick/block walls with some metal shielding - ie tumble dryer and a couple of other metal cased items on the other side.

The PC is wired, but that's all - everything else uses wireless and reception was crap. The solution was simple, - I just moved the router upstairs, connected the ADSL to a telephone extension in the bedroom and used a USB wireless adaptor for the downstairs PC. Now everything is wireless, the signal is only having to get through floorboards and signal strength is almost perfect everywhere.

I did a speed test on numion.com before and after and there's no change in performance (6.5M download) using the USB wireless connection.

I already had one, but I think they're only about £30 on eBay.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

You got more than one telephone socket ?
Try moving the modem and router.

 

[Rong]

Yep, that's the sort of thing I meant as an extra antenna, but you need a modem that has a removable antenna. Hopefully he'll have one on his modem.

Nope. The range extender picks up the signal from the existing w/less (you usually position it at the extremity of the latter's range) and then boosts it. No antenna removal necessary.

 

[GSmonkey]

Can fully recommend these.

 

[Wapping]

here you go

http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/

I made one of those for my neice, who lives in a large farmhouse, with bloody thick walls.

Worked a treat and it's free.

 

[Rong]

Homeplugs are OK as long as you only want to connect on the same circuit, most households have separate circuits for upstairs and downstairs. I used to use them in my cottage but the connection kept dropping (probably due to the electrics rather than anything else!), when it was working it was brilliant but I got fed up and frustrated with the inconsistency.

 

[Andy B]

+1 for Homeplugs.

I combine wireless with these and find it gives me all the flexibility I need. Point taken about more than one ring main but not a problem here.