[stevelup]

Pat,

If you put a good quality wireless access point in your upstairs window, you may well find that the device in the shed will just work without any further fettling.

I would try that before wasting too much more time and money.

[pat]

Thanks - will do

Any recommendations for Good access point . Don't mind spending bit extra

Pat

[Paul_Sengupta]

I was going to suggest that - you could start by trying the one you have at the moment!

[Sjoram]

Just to add to this in regards WAPs:

I've previously had Speedtouch & Netgear routers with built-in WAP and a standalone Edimax WAP.

I now have 3 x Cisco WAPs but even 1 Cisco WAP I found wipes the floor in terms of coverage compared to the others!

Wireless is a complex beast though and to do it properly can be a bit of a dark art at times!

We now use Aruba WAPs at work that self-configure once you have done the first one for a particular site. On the permanent offices, we get the supplier in to do a RF survey to tell us exactly where to position the WAPs (& how many) for optimal coverage.

[Keef]

As Sjoram says: it's a bit of a dark art. There is a logic to how radio works, but nobody told the radio waves that.

The simple principles that work most of the time are: if the aerials can see each other, it will work. If it doesn't work well, try moving one aerial a quarter of a wavelength nearer or further from the other. At WiFi frequencies, a quarter of a wavelength is about 3 cm: that much can make a big difference. (You see why it's a dark art!)

In terms of which wireless access point: I've used most of the popular brands, and they've all worked fine except for Belkin. I may have been unlucky with those, I dunno.

A "diversity unit", with two aerials spaced a short distance apart on the same unit, will work better than one with a single aerial.

I use a very rough and ready calculation for range: a standard WiFi signal will go through one brick or concrete wall, two stud walls, 100 metres of air, or any mixture pro-rata of the above. That's a rough approximation (refer "dark art") and sometimes greater range will be achieved.

[pat]

OK to test your patience further.
I have without having to buy anymore kit at the moment :
Wireless router on the "wrong" end of the house connected to PC with ethernet cable
Pair of "network over mains" devices (not being used)
Spare newish wireless router (TP-LINK TD-8968)
Two spare notebook PCs

I get good house phone DECT radio connection from line of sight from window to shed.

Can I connect spare router as WiFi extender via mains network thingies?

I am amazed at help available on here. Not much call however for my area of expertise (Fluoroplastics )

[Sjoram]

Yes you could, but you'd need to make sure any LAN services such as DHCP etc were turned off as you don't want it conflicting with your main router. I don't know the TP-LINK kit that well and don't have time right now to look up what needs disabling. Probably just DHCP would suffice. Hopefully someone else will confirm otherwise I will update when I have a bit more time.

[morticiaskeeper]

Pat

I'm glad you asked that question, it save me asking it?

The mains LAN units work well, but rather than buy another one, it would be good if an old router could be used to share the connection.

[Keef]

Pat: in short, yes, it will probably work.

You need some Cat 5 patch cables (they are cheap cheap cheap).

One of the "network over mains" devices by the main router, cat 5 to the router.
The other network over mains devices, on the same ringmain if possible, in room with a view to the destination.
Cat 5 from that to the wireless router that's presently connected to the PC (assuming you don't need it for the PC). Put the wireless thing on the windowsill where it can "see" the destination.

See if that works from the destination. If so, stop. If not, then there's DHCP to be played with. Or use the TP-link thing.

[pat]

Thanks Keef, that's exactly what I had hoped. Will try tomorrow.

Pat