Wi Fi Dead Areas

Cacran

Not sure if I have the right forum.

We have a problem with Wi Fi dead spots within our home. I think our walls are thick or something. We have Virgin Media Broadband. We get a good Wi fi strength in the room that has the modem in it. But it gets poor in other rooms, often cutting off. We asked the man who fitted the system. He said all we could do was to move it. That seems like a complicated job to me. is there any gadget I could get to extend the modem so that we can use laptops in other rooms without having hit and miss connection?

globalds

something like this would do the trick

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DHB2T44
it uses the ring around your house so should just be a case of plugging into the power supply of each room.

I haven't tried it but seems to get lots of positive reviews
In true money saving spirit ...This is probably not the cheapest you can get or may even find this item cheaper elsewhere

flashg67

How about something like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-300Mbps-Wireless-Wifi-Repeater-802-11N-Network-Router-Range-Expander-Extender-/161063460542?pt=UK_Computing_Boosters_Extenders_Antennas&hash=item2580215ebe - as above I've not tried it, and there may be cheaper ones. However, I have used the non-wireless version of globalds recommendation and they work a treat - no reason to think the wireless ones wouldn't be the same.

If you have a spare wireless router around, these can often be configured to 'boost' the signal in other areas, but you'll need to know what you're doing - plenty of guides on youtube etc though

Pincher

It's not the wall, it's what it's made of.

I have Virgin Media too, and it's fine through two brick walls, but not through my under floor heating insulation, which has a layer of Kingspan, i.e. aluminium foil on two sides of polystyrene.

The first thing you should try is to put the modem/router in the centre of the house. The cable from the wall box to the router is just co-ax (preferably a good quality co-ax) with F-connector, so you can make one as long as you want.

If this solves it, there is no need to get an extender.

You can use the co-ax you made, which is untidy, or you can have another wall box installed

littleboo

Do you have the Superhub 1 or the Superhub 2 ? The version 2 is supposed to have better wifi than the 1, which was reportedly poor. If it's the V1, you could run it in modem mode and try adding a separate wireless access point.

Wireless repeaters are not very efficient.

You can extend the ethernet network either using CAT5e cable, or powerline adapters which will use your ring main wiring. Then, you either use a wired connection or have a second wireless access point, which could be built in to the powerline adapter.

It probably comes down to whether or not you willing to run cables, if not, then powerline adapters with additional access point(s) is probably the best way to go

Buzby

The S2 is dual band WiFi, but unless your local kit supports this, you won't benefit. Your 'dead spots' may well be interference spots - and until you select a better channel (other devices cause problems) your router may be blameless.

Use software to scan your location, and use the best wifi channel based on those results.

malc_b

You need to look at your house from a wireless point of view. Hard things to get through = thick walls, silver backed plasterboard, RSJs; medium = walls; easy = plasterboard, doors, windows, floors (between storeys), stud walls.

So for example, in my extended house I have some external walls that are now internal. Passing through them is hard so signal is very poor. In right side front room the router/wifi. That can "see" down right side of the house (through a stud wall that used to be a door). It can also see up to above it. And to left side at the front. In the front left side room is a wifi bridge/repeater. So that sees down the left side of the house and also above it. Hence I get 100% coverage.

I wouldn't go for powerline adaptors - strictly they don't meet CE as they would fail emissions tests (if they passed they couldn't work).

Wifi bridges are in common use. I use 2 TP-Link WR841N's. My ADSL router is separate (also TP_link). All 3 are DCHP servers (ranges do NOT overlap). Note with TP-Link you set one end to bridging not both. It still works with both set I believe but not reliably.