Extending WiFi range???

[stimpson]

Santa brought the MIL a Kindle Fire. The have AT&T DSL with a 2Wire modem/router. The range on the router is poor. They want to extend the range, and I was wondering what the best solution would be. Thanks.

 

[jayn_j]

1. better router
2. A more central location for the router
3. A wireless access point hard wired to the router (this is what I use in my difficult house. It gives me two different wireless access connections)
4. a directional external antenna if the router will accept such.

 

[stimpson]

Thanks for the ideas. I just saw this set up at Amazon. May have to try that set up out.

 

[berck]

I suspect that your AT&T modem/router doesn't support 11n. I would suggest getting an 11n access point and install it on your router. You can make sure the two wireless systems don't use the same channels, and you'll be fine. The 11n wifi has much better range than the 11g versions. My 11n covers the whole house, where the 11g only gets about 75%

 

[Voyager6]

Thanks for the ideas. I just saw this set up at Amazon. May have to try that set up out.

Pretty pricey. I would try the new router. There are many good N routers available for less than $100.

 

[stimpson]

Pretty pricey. I would try the new router. There are many good N routers available for less than $100.

The 2Wire is an all in one, so what are the steps to connect the new router to the existing one. Would I have to disable the routing function of the 2Wire?

 

[jayn_j]

The 2Wire is an all in one, so what are the steps to connect the new router to the existing one. Would I have to disable the routing function of the 2Wire?

I believe Voyager was suggesting you replace the existing router with a wireless N router. I missed that one and agree. However, to gain the distances, all your devices need to be wireless N. Otherwise you need to drop down to wireless G on 2.4 GHz and lose the advantage. Some of the more expensive routers will transmit on both.

 

[Teehar]

Speaking from personal experience the 2wire gateway/routers that AT&T send out are pretty much junk.Bridging them is a pain and the power adapters are a joke went through 2 here and several neighbors went out as well.I prefer to use a separate modem bridged and separate router.Wifi has been a much better experience since the change.

 

[stimpson]

I believe Voyager was suggesting you replace the existing router with a wireless N router.

It's a modem/router all in one unit.

 

[navychop]

I have had great success with this wireless point for my MiL. Try this one. Reasonably priced and VERY easy to set up.

 

[stimpson]

I have had great success with this wireless point for my MiL. Try this one. Reasonably priced and VERY easy to set up.

Perfect. That appears to be the winner. Thanks a bunch Navy!!!

 

[navychop]

If you have any problems with dropped connection, just turn off the wireless feature on the original router and let this one carry the full load.

 

[stimpson]

If you have any problems with dropped connection, just turn off the wireless feature on the original router and let this one carry the full load.

Will do. Thanks again.

 

[Voyager6]

The 2Wire is an all in one, so what are the steps to connect the new router to the existing one. Would I have to disable the routing function of the 2Wire?

Here is what I found. Replace 2Wire Modem & Router? - AT&T Community Support

 

[stimpson]

Here is what I found. Replace 2Wire Modem & Router? - AT&T Community Support

Thanks.

 

[stimpson]

I have had great success with this wireless point for my MiL. Try this one. Reasonably priced and VERY easy to set up.

Well I got it set up and the dead spot the MIL wanted coverage in is still a dead spot. The range of this thing is pretty much the same as the 2Wire. So what I did was placed it at the dead spot and connected it to the 2Wire via a home plug adapter. All seems to be good so far.

Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[navychop]

Glad it's working out.

 

[stimpson]

Glad it's working out.

Thanks. We'll see. It seems the Kindel Fire doesn't swap automatically between networks. So, I had to show her depending on which end of the house she is on, which network she needs to select. She did it while I was there, but she forgets those kinds of things.

Sent from my iPad using SatelliteGuys

 

[navychop]

If you kill the main wifi, and just use from the dead spot, will it cover the whole range? Shot in the dark.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

You can't set the second one to extend the first?

My setup is such that I have two Airport extremes. The main one creates the wireless network, and it is set to two channels on manual (one 5ghz, one 2.4ghz) with both on the same SSID. Then the second Extreme serves to extend the wireless network (using the same SSID automatically) and also set to the same two channels. It provides me with excellent coverage over three floors, and you never have to change SSIDs. Dual-band devices like my iPad and mbp use both channels, windows devices (with older wireless cards) use the 2.4Ghz channel.

I used to run two different SSIDs in the house, but this work so much better.