Home broadband / router question

ChimpBoy · May 17, 2009, 08:16:53 PM

Hi - got a bit of a theoretical question that I could use an answer on.

Say I have a home that I have a broadband connection coming into on one phone line (so only one phone number). I hook the wireless router up in my study with an adsl filter and connect my PC to it with no problems. The wireless also works fine in this area of the house.

However, my house is big and has lots of heavy walls, meaning the wireless signal degrades very quickly outside of my study. My wife has a laptop which she uses and wants to be able to use in the kitchen for surfing. But the wireless signal in the kitchen is non-existent because it's getting too much interference / too much distance from the study.

Could I just hook up another wireless router using an extra phone socket (but the same original phone line) in the kitchen, using an adsl filter, and then use the same user name/password combo on this router as i do on my original router? Or would this not work because I can only have one router on the line?

Cheers for any help you can offer folks.

Penfold · May 17, 2009, 08:19:56 PM

I have a friend who lives in a 17th Century thatched cottage and had a similar problem due to the thick stone walls. He solved it by having several relays for his broadband signal.

I can ask him for more detail if you need them.

Anonymous · May 17, 2009, 08:36:50 PM

You can only have one router on the line unless you have multiple IP addresses allocated by your ISP.

As Pen says, you can get wireless repeaters (Belkin make one) for extending the range of your wireless. The other option is to try some of the new N class wireless routers which should give better coverage.

My preferred option would be to get a couple of "homeplugs" and stick one near your router and the other in the kitchen. I use this method at home and it works well.

T-Bag · May 17, 2009, 08:44:10 PM

Do have two routers. I'm pretty sure that won't work. However the wireless side is different to the ADSL side. Connect to the internet with an ADSL modem, and use one or more wireless systems.
I think Netgear or linksys seperate out their modems and routers regularly, so you can buy the modem and as many wireless transmitter/recievers as you need.
Connect them via cable (using a mains plug) or there is supposed to be a way to get it to pass the signal between themselves but I have no idea how that works.

ChimpBoy · May 17, 2009, 08:46:39 PM

Quote from: BlueBall;276398You can only have one router on the line unless you have multiple IP addresses allocated by your ISP.

As Pen says, you can get wireless repeaters (Belkin make one) for extending the range of your wireless. The other option is to try some of the new N class wireless routers which should give better coverage.

My preferred option would be to get a couple of "homeplugs" and stick one near your router and the other in the kitchen. I use this method at home and it works well.

Home plugs are the devices you plug into the mains to carry a data signal aren't they? If so would prefer not to use this route.

So with the repeaters, do I buy a router and repeater as a package, or can i just buy repeaters of the shelf and configure them up to my router? Any recommendations as to a model worth buying that features repeaters?

Anonymous · May 17, 2009, 08:57:55 PM

Quote from: ChimpBoy;276400Home plugs are the devices you plug into the mains to carry a data signal aren't they? If so would prefer not to use this route.

So with the repeaters, do I buy a router and repeater as a package, or can i just buy repeaters of the shelf and configure them up to my router? Any recommendations as to a model worth buying that features repeaters?

You can buy repeaters as standalone items. Belkin do one which is fine.

I don't understand your reluctance to use the homeplugs though. They are excellent and just work. You could stick in a repeater and it still might not carry enough signal to the area you need and you might end up having to install a couple.

TeaLeaf · May 17, 2009, 09:45:04 PM

My setup is something like this:

Telephone line > Router (inc Wireless Access Point no.1)

Router to Switch

Hard-wired switch to a network socket in the lounge on the opposite side of the house
Lounge network socket has WAP2 attached
Buffalo Wireless Network Adapter connected to WAP2 in the same room (WAP2 is used to get a network connection to the TV/Bluray without wires going right around the room)

Net result is loads of wireless access from anywhere in the vicinity of the house or garden.

If you can't run a single cable to the area you want the WAP then look at the homeplugs as suggested by BB, but cable is cheap and easy to run, through the roof space, outside, wherever.

Hope this helps.

TL.

smilodon · May 17, 2009, 10:30:50 PM

I mentioned home plugs when we had this conversation down the pub. I was ignored as well :eyebrow:

The question put to me was " I like to surf while I'm sat on the bog, but the walls are too thick. What should I do?" Which is not quite the waffle we got above.

Anyway I think it's one of these you're after mate.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=278082 for the Range Extender

ChimpBoy · May 18, 2009, 02:01:32 PM

Cheers folks - after some thought and looking at the layout I think a home plug is probably what I'll have to do. These are the fellas you're talking about, right?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Max-Value-200Mbps-Home-Double/dp/B001AIKBB4/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2JNIC64W9AQYA&colid=2DJOKMZKC3BMK

Thanks again for the insight - I asked Smilo in the pub and he had no idea

Anonymous · May 18, 2009, 03:27:28 PM

Yup that is the sort of thing. Just remember that they will not work through filtered socket extensions (for obvious reasons)

smilodon · May 18, 2009, 03:37:43 PM

Quote from: ChimpBoy;276471Thanks again for the insight - I asked Smilo in the pub and he had no idea

Glad you got it sorted. Sorry I couldn't help. I did recommend a homeplug if you remember, but as people here have mentioned you actually need to be looking at getting a homeplug. I should have thought of that :wink:

T-Bag · May 18, 2009, 03:58:25 PM

It is much cheaper to fit cable if you can run it neatly, but the main plug method is just so easy they're worth that price.

ChimpBoy · May 18, 2009, 09:29:02 PM

Quote from: BlueBall;276479Yup that is the sort of thing. Just remember that they will not work through filtered socket extensions (for obvious reasons)

When you say filtered sockets, you're talking about surge protection, right?

Anonymous · May 18, 2009, 10:53:46 PM

Quote from: ChimpBoy;276542When you say filtered sockets, you're talking about surge protection, right?

Yeah, it tends to remove the data signal quite effectively

Dingo · May 18, 2009, 11:19:58 PM

Quote from: smilodon;276414I mentioned home plugs when we had this conversation down the pub. I was ignored as well :eyebrow:

The question put to me was " I like to surf while I'm sat on the bog, but the walls are too thick. What should I do?" Which is not quite the waffle we got above.

Anyway I think it's one of these you're after mate.

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=278082 for the Range Extender

Why not just talk **** like you always did.....it might not get through thick walls but it certainly got through to Thick Senior Management!!:taz::devil: