Best device to extend wifi range

[propman07]

All right Calgunners.....give me some help with this one. I'm trying to get wifi in my detached garage so that I can access the internet while using the reloading bench in the garage. I've tried one of these devices that had good reviews on Amazon, but the performance has been disappointing. Loss of connection, poor signal, etc. Do you have any other suggestions, or something that works for you?

http://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Extender-300mbps-Multifunction-Repeater/dp/B00HBYKVA2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1399344421&sr=1-1&keywords=WR-WN300

[echoThreeOneSix]

you can always run a Cat V to another cheap wireless router and use it as an access point. that would probably do you well. can you run a cable or do you need it to be completely wireless?

[propman07]

you can always run a Cat V to another cheap wireless router and use it as an access point. that would probably do you well. can you run a cable or do you need it to be completely wireless?

Thanks for the reply. I can get close to the garage, but there is no way to get a wire run physically to it. There is some conduit for the electrical to the garage that runs underneath the walkway between the house and the garage, but I don't have access to it.

[ejhc11]

I've installed these where the DSL router was on the 2nd story bedroom and it brought enough signal to the downstairs. This was a very large home.

Netgear

[SkyHawk]

You could use an ethernet to powerline adapter to extend your network to another WAP in the garage http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA2...dp/B00AWRUIY4/

This lets you run ethernet over your existing AC power lines. It works!

Edit - just noticed you said detached garage. If they share any common electrical panel you could probably establish the link with the powerline adapters. They just need to be on the same side of the 120v service to your home, they don't have to be on the same breaker. You can also find older or used powerline adapters for less $$ on ebay.

[Cyberion]

So what are you connecting and how once in the garage? Laptop? Desktop? Other? I've found extending wifi, while simple sounding, has been not so simple. A lot of solutions will depend on what router you have and what firmware runs on it. And if you run encryption on your wifi network. (you should) I've tried and many solutions that looked good did not allow encryption so they were worthless to me and had to return them.

I extend only certain devices using this.

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-4-port-Wireless-Bridge-TEW-640MB/dp/B004FMI3DA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399348247&sr=8-1&keywords=trendnet+tew640

It's a little old but works. So on the receiving end, I do plug in my device because it doesn't allow for wireless connection to it. I put a few of these in the house and then cat5 cable from the laptop, xbox, etc. right into the back of that bridge. Best of all it accepts all types of encryption from my router and no comprises to security are required. Simple and inexpensive.

But if you need a wireless connection for your device in the garage, then sorry but this will not do the trick for that.

[Fireof59]

Go to Frys electronics . You can find a wifi extender antenna. shouldnt be expensive. I had a friend in IL that extended his several homes away

[propman07]

I've installed these where the DSL router was on the 2nd story bedroom and it brought enough signal to the downstairs. This was a very large home.

Netgear

Thanks. I'll take a look at that one. I might give it a try.

You could use an ethernet to powerline adapter to extend your network to another WAP in the garage http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA2...dp/B00AWRUIY4/

This lets you run ethernet over your existing AC power lines. It works!

Edit - just noticed you said detached garage. If they share any common electrical panel you could probably establish the link with the powerline adapters. They just need to be on the same side of the 120v service to your home, they don't have to be on the same breaker. You can also find older or used powerline adapters for less $$ on ebay.

I always wanted to know if those worked or not. I wonder if you could connect one of those, and put a wifi router on the other end? Hmmm.....

So what are you connecting and how once in the garage? Laptop? Desktop? Other? I've found extending wifi, while simple sounding, has been not so simple. A lot of solutions will depend on what router you have and what firmware runs on it. And if you run encryption on your wifi network. (you should) I've tried and many solutions that looked good did not allow encryption so they were worthless to me and had to return them.

I extend only certain devices using this.

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-4-port-Wireless-Bridge-TEW-640MB/dp/B004FMI3DA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399348247&sr=8-1&keywords=trendnet+tew640

It's a little old but works. So on the receiving end, I do plug in my device because it doesn't allow for wireless connection to it. I put a few of these in the house and then cat5 cable from the laptop, xbox, etc. right into the back of that bridge. Best of all it accepts all types of encryption from my router and no comprises to security are required. Simple and inexpensive.

But if you need a wireless connection for your device in the garage, then sorry but this will not do the trick for that.

I'm looking for a wireless connection, but I guess that a wired one would work. I use a laptop, iPad, and Pandora on an iPhone in the garage to stream music. I'm running encryption as well, so that's part of the problem.

Thanks for all of the replies.

[SkyHawk]

I always wanted to know if those worked or not.

They do!

I wonder if you could connect one of those, and put a wifi router on the other end? Hmmm.....

Yep - that is exactly what you do. Plug one end into your main router/cable/dsl modem whatever or a switch if you use one near your main router. Plug the other end (in the garage) into another cheapy but reliable wireless access point (like a linksys running DDWRT). Using the powerline adapters, it will be just like you ran a long CAT6 cable to your garage - simple as that. You can plug it directly into a laptop, or another WAP to give your garage wireless coverage. Be sure to plug it into the LAN side of the new garage wap to make a transparent bridge back to your home network, don't use the internet/WAN port on the new garage wifi router. That way you don't have to configure more routing etc. You are basically setting up a transparent wired to wireless LAN bridge when you do it this way.

Then you can setup the same SID & WPA password on the garage WAP as the wireless SID+password in your house and roam back and forth seamlessly. Your tablet/laptop or other wireless device will still use the same IP, gateway, dhcp, dns whatever. it will still get and use those services from your home network. You can walk back and forth between garage and house and your wireless tablet/laptop will be happy - practically speaking it will not know the difference. If the wireless coverage zones overlap, you will probably never even notice when your laptop/tablet switches from one to the other. It will always switch to the strongest one without you having to do anything, if the WAPs use the same SID+pwd and are on the same LAN.

[nathan4610]

Look into Ubiquity. I use the UniFi line for my house and detached garage. Also have several other AP's and wireless bridges from them.
As far as WiFi is concerned, there is no one better for the price.

https://www.ubnt.com

[Cyberion]

I'm running encryption as well, so that's part of the problem.

Be careful and ensure this will work in advance then. I never found a solution that allowed WPA2 encryption, except the wireless bridge noted already. (That includes trying to connect a router to another router) Some solutions will allow WEP (older security--and insecure now)

I would try Fireof59's suggestion

Go to Frys electronics . You can find a wifi extender antenna

if I needed to connect wirelessly on the other end...and wanted to keep WPA2 security intact.

[manuelcardenas77]

When my signal is weak, I just throw on my tinfoil hat

[skuehl]

i have a cisco ea6400 router downstairs in the front of the house. and the re2000 range extender on the second floor in the back of the house. house is 2200 sq ft. so far it works great. easy to install and device seem to connect to the closest one automatically. i am pushing a lot over wifi in my house. four apple tvs 5 mobile devices and 6 laptops. haven't had a glitch. except for when y wife unplugs it to plug in the iron. :-) whats the distance from where your current wifi device is to the closest spot in the detached garage?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[propman07]

They do!



Yep - that is exactly what you do. Plug one end into your main router/cable/dsl modem whatever or a switch if you use one near your main router. Plug the other end (in the garage) into another cheapy but reliable wireless access point (like a linksys running DDWRT). Using the powerline adapters, it will be just like you ran a long CAT6 cable to your garage - simple as that. You can plug it directly into a laptop, or another WAP to give your garage wireless coverage. Be sure to plug it into the LAN side of the new garage wap to make a transparent bridge back to your home network, don't use the internet/WAN port on the new garage wifi router. That way you don't have to configure more routing etc. You are basically setting up a transparent wired to wireless LAN bridge when you do it this way.

Then you can setup the same SID & WPA password on the garage WAP as the wireless SID+password in your house and roam back and forth seamlessly. Your tablet/laptop or other wireless device will still use the same IP, gateway, dhcp, dns whatever. it will still get and use those services from your home network. You can walk back and forth between garage and house and your wireless tablet/laptop will be happy - practically speaking it will not know the difference. If the wireless coverage zones overlap, you will probably never even notice when your laptop/tablet switches from one to the other. It will always switch to the strongest one without you having to do anything, if the WAPs use the same SID+pwd and are on the same LAN.

This might be the ticket for me. Thanks. I was hoping to be able to do something like this.

Look into Ubiquity. I use the UniFi line for my house and detached garage. Also have several other AP's and wireless bridges from them.
As far as WiFi is concerned, there is no one better for the price.

www.ubnt.com

Thanks for the link. I'll keep that in mind if the other solution posted doesn't work.

Be careful and ensure this will work in advance then. I never found a solution that allowed WPA2 encryption, except the wireless bridge noted already. (That includes trying to connect a router to another router) Some solutions will allow WEP (older security--and insecure now)

I would try Fireof59's suggestion if I needed to connect wirelessly on the other end...and wanted to keep WPA2 security intact.

I may take a trip to Frys and see what they have. Thanks. I'll keep the info about encryption in mind as well.

When my signal is weak, I just throw on my tinfoil hat

Nice....I guess I need more tinfoil in my hat, as the signal in the garage is weak....maybe that's a good thing.

i have a cisco ea6400 router downstairs in the front of the house. and the re2000 range extender on the second floor in the back of the house. house is 2200 sq ft. so far it works great. easy to install and device seem to connect to the closest one automatically. i am pushing a lot over wifi in my house. four apple tvs 5 mobile devices and 6 laptops. haven't had a glitch. except for when y wife unplugs it to plug in the iron. :-) whats the distance from where your current wifi device is to the closest spot in the detached garage?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I will take a look at that re2000 as well. It sounds like you use the wifi a lot in your house. The distance from the current device that I have to the location in the garage is 30-50 feet, single story. There are two walls in between the two, but the device that I linked in the first post does not have external antennae. Maybe that is part of the problem.....

[skuehl]

I will take a look at that re2000 as well. It sounds like you use the wifi a lot in your house. The distance from the current device that I have to the location in the garage is 30-50 feet, single story. There are two walls in between the two, but the device that I linked in the first post does not have external antennae. Maybe that is part of the problem.....

30-50 feet shouldn't be a problem. The distance for mine is about 30 ft and through two-three walls and the ceiling between downstairs and upstairs.

There is no external antenna though. But in my experience these operate just as well as the netgear, linksys and actiontec I have used with an external antenna.

Hope it works out for you. If you were/are close I would offer to bring it over and connect it. Just buy one and if it works great if not return it. I found it at Fry's for the best price. normally not a big Frys fan. :-)