# boosting wireless router



## Guest (Jun 24, 2008)

I have DSL in the house. A wireless router (inside the house), D-Link DI524 It can reach a couple hundred feet no problem, but any further and it'll lose connection sporadically and theres a noticeable loss of speed. I want to be able to reach another 150 ft or so, into a metal building, so i figure my options are: 1.move router outside 2.get a different router 3. use an outside antenna at the metal building 4.put another router 150 ft away running a cat5 cable from this router. 5. maybe some kind of signal booster device? 
I don't have any idea which way to go on this, but I do know that trial and error is not the way. Does anybody have an idea of how to do this? Has anyone actually done it? Has anyone tried and failed?


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

First choice would be a better antenna on the router, if it has a removable antenna. That might be all you need, although it'll have a tough time going inside a metal building unless you're next to a window facing the router. Even if it doesn't do the trick all by itself, antennas are cheap and it'll make a big difference in the router's range.

Next easiest would probably be a repeater at the metal building. You can buy a wifi repeater, or use a router running open-source firmware like DD-WRT.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

If your going into a metal building you best option is to get a second wireless router and link that to your main router via a cat5 cable. An outside antenna may work but many routers need both antenna, one transmit one recevie so you cant just steal one port. You may also find that the problem isnt getting a signal from the router its the crappy receiver on the wifi device.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Your router is Wireless G, which is only rated at 100 feet. You are seeing exactly what you should see as far a performance. You could buy a Wireless N router that's rated at 160 feet, but I can't promise a lot more reception than you're already getting through a metal building.

If I were in your situation I would run a network cable to the remote building.


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## antarti (May 14, 2008)

3 easy options to try before doing anything else, in order of difficulty:

1) Slow the speed down to 1-2mbps. This should improve range substantially.

2) Google "Wifi DIY antennas" (no quotes) or somesuch. Make 2 cheap antennas/antennae, one a directional and one omni. Attach the directional to the OUTSIDE of the shed, and point in direction of transmitter. Attach the omni (or even another directional) INSIDE the shed, and connect the two with a cable through a window or the shed wall. This will get some signal inside, likely WAY more than enough.

2) If your linksys can be hacked or firmware replaced with one that allows boosting power, do so. True, boosting the power results in a dirtier signal (and probably removes the Class A/B rating), but it might get you there. Linksys usually allows about 30-50% headroom, so there is something to be gained (no pun) if needed


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

> 3 easy options to try before doing anything else, in order of difficulty:
> 
> 1) Slow the speed down to 1-2mbps. This should improve range substantially.


The system is most likely down to the 1-2mbs speeds already.



> 2) Google "Wifi DIY antennas" (no quotes) or somesuch. Make 2 cheap antennas/antennae, one a directional and one omni. Attach the directional to the OUTSIDE of the shed, and point in direction of transmitter. Attach the omni (or even another directional) INSIDE the shed, and connect the two with a cable through a window or the shed wall. This will get some signal inside, likely WAY more than enough.


This works if and only if your router truely has 2 antenna ports, Many of the dual antenna routers use 1 for transmit 1 for receive and you cant split antenna.



> 2) If your linksys can be hacked or firmware replaced with one that allows boosting power, do so. True, boosting the power results in a dirtier signal (and probably removes the Class A/B rating), but it might get you there. Linksys usually allows about 30-50% headroom, so there is something to be gained (no pun) if needed


Doubling the power doesnt double the range. Plus your range issue is two ways. from the router and to the router. Pumping up the router may get you a better signal at the remote end but doesnt improve the recevied signal at the router.


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## OntarioMan (Feb 11, 2007)

There are also "powerline" ethernet products - basically you plug one device into the electrical outlet in the house near the router, and connect that device to a port on the router. A "matching" device is plugged into an electrical outlet in the remote metal building, and that device has an ethernet port. Instant ethernet over the electrical system.


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