Wireless Router Recommendations, can you help?

[Old Quad Guy]

I’m trying to help a friend find a simple device for her AT&T wireless DSL modem / router (I believe it’s the standard 2wire brand with 4 Ethernet connections) to extend the range from the front of her house to the back yard.

Hopefully something simple to just plug and play into one of the Ethernet ports (or however these things are supposed to work) for under $100 give or take. Thanks.

 

[bming]

You could discuss with a computer retailer if a more powerful antenna might do the trick. These sell for $A75+ down under and just attach to the antenna input of the router. The little thing that comes with a normal wireless router does my whole house (albiet a low set one) so one of these much bigger ones would substantially go beyond that. Just my two cents worth (which could be its total value)

 

[JonUrban]

Jim,

Linksys used to make a repeater that you could set up in between the weak area and the wireless router. I had one and let's just say it's performance was lacking and it was a real pain in the butt to set up.

I just checked their website (They're dumping the Linksys name and going with the parent company "Cisco" for branding these days) and I do not see the device listed anymore.

Probably for a good reason.

The best thing to do would be to move the wireless rounter to a more central location, but that's not always easy.

Nothing is easy...............

 

[mtgc]

99% of these routers have some sort of an antenna. If you can find this antenna, simply take a piece of hookup wire, gauge not important, wind said wire around the antenna a few times and then run the wire up the wall and over as far an area as you can cover. This should significantly extend your range.

MTGC (Michael)

 

[Old Quad Guy]

Thanks for the advice all. That's what I told her at first was to try and move the damn thing to a more central location of the house. Her place is not that big, just average house. But that doesn't seem like an option or is very big pain. You would think they had a simple solution for these types of issues. The antenna seems to be inside these modems. I'll have to talk to her about this.

Thanks again for advice.

 

[etzeppy]

Thanks for the advice all. That's what I told her at first was to try and move the damn thing to a more central location of the house. Her place is not that big, just average house. But that doesn't seem like an option or is very big pain. You would think they had a simple solution for these types of issues. The antenna seems to be inside these modems. I'll have to talk to her about this.

Thanks again for advice.

I have one of these AT&T modem/routers and the antenna is indeed internal to the box. You could add a 2nd wireless hot spot to the mix in "bridge" mode but it would have to be connected to the master via cat5 cable. That might not be an option for you.

I found this device but I don't know anything about it.
http://www.buy.com/prod/engenius-300mbps-wireless-n-range-extender/q/loc/101/213273244.html

 

[timbre4]

In the house I have two solutions running; the first is the D-Link Wireless Access Point 900AP ($30?) with the TALL (16" $15?) antenna and this is seen outside the house. The other access point is the router in my office 100 ft away. Between the two points I can be just about anywhere outside and connect.

The other method is using the bridge blocks that use house AC wiring and CAT5 connection at other end; these have steadily improved and run maybe $100 for a pair. Will look up model info if interested.

 

[cupboy]

Dump the DSL and go with Verizon Wireless. Costs $60 per month. I've been using the Verizon service since last August. The one year contract has probably expired by now, but I'm keeping it for now.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

Dump the DSL and go with Verizon Wireless. Costs $60 per month. I've been using the Verizon service since last August. The one year contract has probably expired by now, but I'm keeping it for now.

I'll keep that in mind, I have Verizon Wireless as my cell phone company. I am getting about 300 MB per secend DL and 50 UP? I think from AT&T plus unlimited nation wide calling with phone features for about $65 a month.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

In the house I have two solutions running; the first is the D-Link Wireless Access Point 900AP ($30?) with the TALL (16" $15?) antenna and this is seen outside the house. The other access point is the router in my office 100 ft away. Between the two points I can be just about anywhere outside and connect.

The other method is using the bridge blocks that use house AC wiring and CAT5 connection at other end; these have steadily improved and run maybe $100 for a pair. Will look up model info if interested.

Yes, thanks for the info and a link would be great if not too much bother. The AC wiring thing might work, although solution one might be a better option for her. Not sure, but either one should work.

 

[Old Quad Guy]

Update:

Well my friend contacted AT& Fee, er AT&T and was on the phone with them for an hour and a half. She found an informative phone rep, and by changing her settings she was able to get a connection on her back porch, extending her range by about 10 feet. AT&T does not sell wireless repeaters anymore as extra equiptment. But here is the kicker, evidently your residential service on you DSL router is supposed to only extend about 25 to 30 feet or so according to phone rep. But for $129! they'll "unlock" the range of your router so that it should be able to go 50 to 70 feet. This is normally a service offererd to business costomers according to the rep.

So she's still weighing her options. She'd rather go for the attena option or some other idea/device rather than trust the word of AT&T that the box has been unlocked. The cheaper way would be to move the damn thing, but without going into the details that isn't the best option.