Wireless connection problem - home office
Wireless connection problem - home office
Author
Discussion

MikeyT

Original Poster:

17,750 posts

294 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
I have built a home office in our garden - and while it was being constructed took the laptop out there and it seemed to pick up the network okay ...

But now the thing is finished, you can take the laptop out to it and it'll work right outside the door but not actually IN the thing with the door closed etc.

Is there any type of booster or anything I can get to make the signal *go further* or am I in dreamland?

Any other slutions? Can't resite the Apple wirless thingy I have unfortunately. Is it feasible to get another one, plug it in closer to the home office and then the original one talks to the other one and then onto the laptop if you get me - as you can tell, I'm not even sure how these things work biggrin

Cheers

The Moose

Mikey

Deva Link

26,934 posts

268 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
HomePlug.

Or, we have a Belken wireless extender which works fine, but it's ideally situated between the router and you laptop so siting it in the middle of your garden probably isn't feasible.

MikeyT

Original Poster:

17,750 posts

294 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Ah, yes, but between where the Apple thingy is at present and where the home office is, is a conservatory - so could I plug an *extender* in there?

Any links?

fivesixseven8

6,146 posts

250 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Slight hijack, but it's related...

These wifi extenders, can you get wireless wifi extenders? So something that can sit near the edge of your current reception range and then boost and re transmit the signal?
I have a similar problem to the OP but in my Garage at the end of the garden.

ETA: Something like this? http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Edimax-EW-7416APn-3...

OP, if so then this would suit you too.

Edited by fivesixseven8 on Wednesday 24th February 12:44

Deva Link

26,934 posts

268 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
I missed the bit about Apple, so don't know if it would work for you.

Some people in the comments make a fuss about it not working with Vista but that only applies to the setup disc, which isn't needed anyway.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Wireless-Universal-...

Deva Link

26,934 posts

268 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
fivesixseven8 said:
These wifi extenders, can you get wireless wifi extenders? So something that can sit near the edge of your current reception range and then boost and re transmit the signal?
Yes, that's exactly what they do.

You need to make sure it is an extender and not just an access point which would need an ethernet cable attaching. Both the one you linked to and the Belkin one that I linked to will do both functions.

My daughter uses the Belkin one in a big old house - it picks up the signal from the router in her flat even though her laptop wouldn't work at all, and retransmits it around her flat. She set it up herself although a significant thing is that there's no security on the wireless network she uses (it's actually a hotel).

Edited by Deva Link on Wednesday 24th February 12:53

fivesixseven8

6,146 posts

250 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Deva Link said:
fivesixseven8 said:
These wifi extenders, can you get wireless wifi extenders? So something that can sit near the edge of your current reception range and then boost and re transmit the signal?
Yes, that's exactly what they do.

You need to make sure it is an extender and not just an access point which would need an ethernet cable attaching. Both the one you linked to and the Belkin one that I linked to will do both functions.

My daughter uses the Belkin one in a big old house - it picks up the signal from the router in her flat even though her laptop wouldn't work at all, and retransmits it around her flat. She set it up herself although a significant thing is that there's no security on the wireless network she uses (it's actually a hotel).

Edited by Deva Link on Wednesday 24th February 12:53
Nice one, thanks.

MikeyT

Original Poster:

17,750 posts

294 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
So something like this would be fine then?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Max-Value-Mbps-Home-Double...

Thing is my Apple router thingy only has the one input socket, but would I need two?

One from the modem and one from this thing?


Deva Link

26,934 posts

268 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
Sorry, I'm nt familiar with Apple stuff.

Most home routers would have 2-4 ethernet sockets and you just connect one of those to the homeplug unit and then at the other end (in your garden office) connect an ethernet cable from the other homeplug unit to your laptop.

GhostDriver

879 posts

215 months

Wednesday 24th February 2010
quotequote all
A good alternative to the range extenders are the network plugs that work off the eletrical mains.
Good speed, reliable and easy to set up.

Have a friend that uses them in his garden office. Think they are called powerline plugs, (google is your friend)

anonymous-user

77 months

Thursday 25th February 2010
quotequote all
OP,

For Apple use Airport Express in particular these plugs

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

The ones I have are slightly different in appearance so you may need to search some more.

Plug one of these in the midway point of your 2 connections, Airport Express on your mac will recognise it, allow you to set it as a Wireless Relay Station and Robert is your dads brother.

They aren't cheap but they worked for me smile

HTH

Famous Graham

26,553 posts

248 months

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
quotequote all
GhostDriver said:
A good alternative to the range extenders are the network plugs that work off the eletrical mains.
Good speed, reliable and easy to set up.

Have a friend that uses them in his garden office. Think they are called powerline plugs, (google is your friend)
AKA Homeplugs wink