Looking for a good long range router

[paul0660]

I want to get the signal to my mom's house. It is 100 feet away, has a few trees in the way, and of course two exterior walls and some interior walls. My current router

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833122269

is detected outside mom's house but not inside. I don't know anything about router alphabet soup, and won't be online gaming.

Thanks.

[psssniper]

EnGenuis from what I've heard from people that know. I have one but don't need the long distance.

[JDay]

Get a pair of Linksys WRT54GL routers, flash DD-WRT onto them and get a pair of directional antennas. All you need to do then is setup one router to be a repeater, mount the directional antennas on the side of the house, plug them into one of the antenna ports on the routers and aim them.

[JDay]

EnGenuis from what I've heard from people that know. I have one but don't need the long distance.

The 600mW power output on those exceeds the max allowed by the FCC. You'd get more range with a high-gain antenna anyway. Not to mention that it probably wouldn't be able to pickup the other APs signal.

[r3dn3ck]

Just find a high gain antennae for both sides. Around here it's as hard as walking into Fry's. http://www.linksysbycisco.com/UK/en/products/HGA7S

I've seen them at Best Buy too. A nice inexpensive solution. No drivers, no installing any software or configuring jack. Screw em on and enjoy.

[JDay]

Just find a high gain antennae for both sides. Around here it's as hard as walking into Fry's. http://www.linksysbycisco.com/UK/en/products/HGA7S

That antenna will not work on the WRT series routers since they use a RP-TNC connector as opposed to an SMA. I'm also not sure that those high-gain antenna's will reach out 100' reliably or with a decent connection speed. Directional antenna's are the way to go for links over any distance. You don't even need to buy them if you have some pringles cans lying around. Just make sure you get the right connector for your routers and that your routers can use an external antenna. The router I mentioned above is a very good choice.

http://www.cantenna.com/

http://www.amazon.com/HyperLink-HyperGain-HG2414P-Directional-Antenna/dp/B000OQAA50

ETA: You will need two of these to plug that antenna into a Linksys WRT series router. I would also get longer cables so you can mount these outside.

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-TEW-AMBA-RP-TNC-RP-SMA-adapter/dp/B000NZNTVE/ref=pd_sim_dbs_e_1

[paul0660]

Thank you for those responses. I think they might be overkill, but some of that is because of my lack of understanding. I did some tests this pm using the current modem in its unoptimized location (under the desk). I found that I could connect at 1.3 mbps (wired gets 1.5) upstairs in mom's house on the side closest to my house, and .9 downstairs in her house on the same side. (modem is upstairs in my house). I get no connection upstairs on the other side of the house, 30 feet and a couple sheetrock walls away, which is where the office would be there. This was on a compaq laptop with internal antenna. Doesn't this mean I am pretty close to what I need already? If I optimized the modem location (by a window facing mom's house) and added an external antenna (if possible), then used an external antenna on the desktop in her office, might I be home free?

[JDay]

Whatever you do you're going to need to replace that router, it is not made for range. You might be able to get away with using a wrt-54gl and some high gain antennas though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124190

http://www.amazon.com/802-11g-9dBi-OMNI-Directional-High-Gain-Adapters/dp/B002DGE62M

[paul0660]

JDay, shouldn't I be looking for a b/g/n compatible router?

[JDay]

No, N doesn't have nearly the range that B and G do. The WRT series of Linksys routers are also time proven to be a reliable solution, especially once you flash dd-wrt onto them.

[armygunsmith]

Get a pair of Linksys WRT54GL routers, flash DD-WRT onto them and get a pair of directional antennas. All you need to do then is setup one router to be a repeater, mount the directional antennas on the side of the house, plug them into one of the antenna ports on the routers and aim them.

This is your best, most economical way to go. The routers he mentioned are G capable routers. I have used a similar setup more than once. The cantennas are sweet. Sometimes you can get away with only using one.

[badhabit90]

just get a "N" router and you should be good. you can find them as cheap as 50 bucks.

here...

and get a "N" adapter

here...

i have this and works great so far....

here...

it helped my range problem. and i came from a wrt54g router...linksys to be exact.

[paul0660]

What I got from this:

http://www.webmasterworld.com/webmas...re/3906260.htm

and some other reading indicates that n does have longer range, but only in clear line of sight applications because its higher freq is more easily blocked by obstructions. I am going to fool around with locations and a remote antenna for the receiving computer.

I forgot to mention that I do want to maintain omni coverage in the first house, which is fine. On a linksys with dual antenna, can one be the original omni and one converted to a high gain directional, or do they work together and have to be matched?

[five.five-six]

dig a trench and run fiber

[Corbin Dallas]

Get a pair of Linksys WRT54GL routers, flash DD-WRT onto them and get a pair of directional antennas. All you need to do then is setup one router to be a repeater, mount the directional antennas on the side of the house, plug them into one of the antenna ports on the routers and aim them.

This is your best bet.


N-Draft or Wireless-N routers do not have the power to go long distance through walls, trees, etc...