External Antenna WiFi Router Question

[Russet Grange]

Hello all.

Is it reasonable to assume that if a WiFi router has detachable antennas then they can be put onto a suitable extension cable and mounted higher up?

Might be the stupidest question, because why else would you detach them?

I'm thinking of something like this, because the abiity to accept a 4g SIM is a useful additional feature:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-MR100-Wireless...

Thanks

[595Heaven]

You can get a dedicated outdoor router with SIM slot which might be a better solution for you

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-MR100-Outdoor-...

[Russet Grange]

595Heaven said:

You can get a dedicated outdoor router with SIM slot which might be a better solution for you

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-MR100-Outdoor-...

Ah yes, that looks ideal. Cheers

[Griffith4ever]

Go 5G if you want it very fast.

[shtu]

Russet Grange said:

Is it reasonable to assume that if a WiFi router has detachable antennas then they can be put onto a suitable extension cable and mounted higher up?

You can, but you then also have to think about the losses of the additional connectors and cable to do it.

Depending on the intention, higher-gain antennas might be more effective, eg, https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B42WXRQG

[E-bmw]

Russet Grange said:

Hello all.

Is it reasonable to assume that if a WiFi router has detachable antennas then they can be put onto a suitable extension cable and mounted higher up?

Might be the stupidest question, because why else would you detach them?

I'm thinking of something like this, because the abiity to accept a 4g SIM is a useful additional feature:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-MR100-Wireless...

Thanks

Why don't you start by saying what it is you want to actually achieve rather than suggesting a solution to a problem that we don't know about as there may be many better solutions?

[Russet Grange]

E-bmw said:

Why don't you start by saying what it is you want to actually achieve rather than suggesting a solution to a problem that we don't know about as there may be many better solutions?

I want WiFi coverage in my summer house. I have power and a wired network connection in the garage, so I want the WiFi router to be close to the garage.

The garage is 25m from the summer house, but there is a lot of foliage between the garage and summer house and this is attenuating the signal. If I temporarily put the router at the same distance but without trees/bushes in the way, all is fine. This is using a Plusnet Hub Two, which doesn't have detachable aerials.

I considered a 50m cable run, but it doesn't have an easy route, and I don't want to power the hub in the summer house. I know that power over ethernet is an option but have dismissed it.

If I can get aerials about 2m above the garage there will be year-round line of sight, and I considered this the best option, hence the question.

I did consider posting the above explanation, and you make a good point, so I'd be happy to hear alternative suggestions. At present it feels like the options are:

1 - Detachable aerial on a pole
2 - 50m cable run - I did try this but the cable lasted a week before it got chewed, and as I said, it's not an easy cable run
3 - Dig trench, bury cable and whack some mains cable in whilst I'm at it. This is a £3000.00 job and not a small amount of work
4 - Seperate router in summer house with a SIM card and pay about £5/month for data - Haven't ruled this out but it would still need power
5 - Expensive-ish WiFi router and see if it manages anyway (can always return to Amazon), but I prefer the detachable aerial route.

Regarding power, I have a simple Jackery thing (250 watt/hours) which powers lights and Alexa, I don't really want to load it up with a WiFi router as well because they seem to pull about 20 watts.

It's a bit of a first world problem, and regarding power, I think I'd rather put the £300 towards a £500 Jackery upgrade because that gives me a useful gadget and I won't have to dig a long trench or faff about with connecting it all up.

[shtu]

Ahh, much easier to understand what you are up to now.

In your case, the easiest thing to try would be to take your phone with you, turn on it's WiFi hotspot, and see how it goes.

Most phone contracts have so much data available that would do for most uses. Recently I worked all day using my phone hotspot and used less than 1GB of data. You can also cheat a little by making that hotspot have the same name and password as your main house network, so everything just connects as it would in the house.

If you're planning on screening Netflix in 4k UHD all day, maybe not the best option, but if you're just doing some general WFH and web browsing, probably fine.

If you need more data than is feasible that way, an access point and a directional antenna at the house or garage end. However, the 2.4 and 5ghz frequencies used are affected by things in the way (as you've already found), so a hedge trimmer might be part of the solution. Part of the problem is you can make the AP "louder", but if your device can't reciprocate, you still won't get anywhere.

Edited by shtu on Monday 17th August 10:46

[Russet Grange]

Thanks. That is another thing I considered and it does work fine, but I'd prefer the 'thing near garage that's always on and uses my existing connection if I can get a decent signal' option.

[JoshSm]

You do know you can buy external APs? MIMO high gain ones?

Pop onto Ebay and find yourself a used Draytek or something like that and it doesn't even need to be expensive. Won't be the fastest latest but likely to still be plenty.

Or if feeling cheap get an indoor one and stick it in behind eaves/soffets, or in an outdoor rated box on a wall. Might not like the temperatures as much as a proper outdoor one.


Messing about with the antennas, even if you buy big 15dB ones or an outdoor one or a directional one might work but it's a hassle for what you want compared to a remote AP.

[595Heaven]

If you don't need the SIM card (and I don't think you do now you've posted a bit more info), then this would work for you

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-MU-MIMO-Wireless-...

We had a similar requirement to you (need WiFi in the garden room) but were lucky enough to be able to do a cable run pretty easily, We've got a mesh WiFi system and just added a node in there which was hardwired back to another in the house. Works perfectly.

[JoshSm]

595Heaven said:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-MU-MIMO-Wireless-...

That one looks more weather resistant than the claimed 'weatherproof', so it's a cheap solution but put it somewhere sheltered.

Would certainly solve the problem though.

[595Heaven]

JoshSm said:

595Heaven said:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-MU-MIMO-Wireless-...

That one looks more weather resistant than the claimed 'weatherproof', so it's a cheap solution but put it somewhere sheltered.

Would certainly solve the problem though.

It has an IP65 rating so should be fine

https://www.omadanetworks.com/uk/business-networki...

[Russet Grange]

Cool thanks everyone. I'll look on eBay but will probably buy the TP Link item as suggested.

[biggiles]

595Heaven said:

If you don't need the SIM card (and I don't think you do now you've posted a bit more info), then this would work for you

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-MU-MIMO-Wireless-...

We had a similar requirement to you (need WiFi in the garden room) but were lucky enough to be able to do a cable run pretty easily, We've got a mesh WiFi system and just added a node in there which was hardwired back to another in the house. Works perfectly.

I have a reasonable number of these TP-link outdoor APs, and can get a signal nearly 100m away if I need to, with line-of-sight.

They work pretty well, and are Omada-compatible if you want that. TP-link also do a Deco version which is good if you're on Deco.