G+_Billy Vaughn Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 I"m looking for a good wireless router. I have a large house with a basement and in the basement my signal strength is weak. I'm trying to decide if I want to install a wireless router on both floors or if there is a better one for range. Any recommendations? I'm currently using the wireless router/modem from my provider. Thanks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Michael Kickingbear Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Your basement probably has concrete walls. Not the most conducive situation for wifi, unless your modem is down there as well and fed via cable or telex. If your main Internet connection comes into the upper floor, then it shouldn't be too difficult to get decent coverage up there. I only suggest brands of routers I have experience with. For me, that would be linksys, apple, and d-link. All generally do the job. I'm old school, and so for me, any model router that has EXTERNAL antennas would most likely produce better results for range. And I'm referring to routers with external antennas as your wifi SOURCE. In my experience, access points (AP's) are fine with internal antennas in a practical application. But I suggest NOT mixing brands. So if you buy a linksys modem/router, and find that you need more range, get a linksys AP. read the manuals, or go online to the manufactures websites and look at the various configurations that they offer for the product. Also watch you tube videos posted by users with the model numbers you are considering. In your basement, I'd suggest running a physical wired connection Down there to feed an AP. then let the radio in that AP be the wifi source for the basement. You should have better results that way. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Billy Vaughn Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 Thanks for the comment. I do have concrete walls in my basement. I was thinking of running a wired connection down to an AP in the basement. That's probably going to give me the best solution. I work in IT and we have some older Cisco 4200 AP's that are configured to run with a controller based setup but I was thinking of putting stand alone code on it and using it at home. That may be a little too much power, after all I don't want to light up the neighbors....I'll probably get a couple of Linksys devices since I've used those in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Dan Phillips Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Personally I'd stay away form linksys unless you can find an older one and flash the firmware (see episode 3). Depending on the model, applying new firmware will allow you to run up the radio which increases your signal strength. If you don't want to flash the router then go with something that has this option of the box. http://gdgt.com/asus/rt-n56u/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jimbo Schafer Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Hey Bill I recommend Netgear WNDR 3700, I installed dd - wrt software. I have no problem picking up the signal in my back yard. Its weak but it is there in any means. I think you will have to add additional router to extend the strength of the signal. I think there was a nifty episode about extending your wireless network a couple of weeks ago on "Know How". Good luck my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Michael Kickingbear Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Does anyone know how to verify if my modem is communicating to my ISP (Comcast) at maximum speed? I ran "test my.net" with only the modem and a single laptop all hard wired, and test said I am getting 1.5 up and 3.2 down (my average after 10 attempts) Testing states that I may have a problem, but I'm not sure where the bottle neck is. I bought a modem (zoom) so that I don't have to rent one. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Mark Dymek Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 any router would be good in that situation. what i would do is buy a more powerful router like an enterprise grade or you could get an external antenna or a repeater. don't get a 5.0 ghz router because that will not go through walls at all. if you have somewhere that has a good connection you could do powerline networking to a repeater and then repeat that signal out to the rest of your house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_K R Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Michael Kickingbear You may give a try with those outdoor AP for example http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/?categoryid=216 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Teck Mobi Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Please see Know How show below: April 4, 2013 #38: Expand Your Network Make your network reach new places! Russell Tammany gives us the know how to build a client bridge. Sounds like you will need more than one router. For best results all the routers must come from the same manufacture. And just for good measure same make and model. Antenna placement is important. The energy will look some like this. http://www.vias.org/wirelessnetw/img/wndw-print_img_41.png Take time to plan out this network. Look at Buffalo's AirStation™ HighPower N300 DD-WRT Wireless Router Fast DD-WRT Router Look for the DC power out. +5v 1.4 A = too low. NO good. +5v 2.6A = more power = GOOD. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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