What to do for best network range in home and backyard area?

[Fish]

Hey guys,

Forgive the ignorance you might find in this post as I don't know much about this stuff.

I'm looking to extend my wireless network throughout my entire house and cover my backyard area.

My home/backyard:

• Two story house on the larger side. Main living is upstairs and that is where my wireless router currently is. Backyard is a smaller flat area and a hill leading up to a smallish beach area of about 60 feet wide by 20 feet deep (see pic attached). The issue I'm trying to solve is to get coverage to this beach area so we can listen, and control music through my iPhone/iPad/Apple TV.

ISP:

• Comcast - and I just have the basic wireless router they provide.

My Devices:

• MacBook Pro
• Windows Laptop
• Wireless Epson Printer
• Apple TV (that also controls my outdoor speakers outside which is what I want to be able to control, but need wifi throughout my backyard)
• DLink NAS DNS-323 (Wireless external HD)

The main issue I am trying to solve is the lack of coverage outside. As mentioned above, I control my music via my Apple TV using my iPhone, or iPad. For this to work, both my iPhone (or iPad) must be connected to my home network.

From the little I know, there seems to be a few different directions I can go with this. I just don't know which would be the best option (easy setup, cost, range, reliability, etc...)

Looking to spend up to $200 if needed to get really great wireless range.

I actually have an Amped Wireless SR10000. I got this to use with an AR Drone so not even really sure the best use it would be for my home network.

I was also looking at some of the newer AC routers if going with the AC protocol would be the way to go.

• Asus RT-AC66U ($190)
• Belkin AC 1200 DB ($150)
• Buffalo WZR-1800H ($150)
• D-Link DIR-865L ($150)
• Netgear R6300 ($200)

I read the thread on these forums titled Got a big property to cover? Try this! (Ubiquiti PowerAP-N mini review) , but it appears that router is no longer available. Is there something similar with incredible range that would work for what I need?

I was also thinking of the option to just use the wireless router that Comcast provided and add two wireless repeaters. One on the balcony that would hopefully help cover the outside area. One downstairs to cover some of the rooms downstairs that don't currently get good signal.


Which option would you suggest...or would you suggest something different entirely?


Thanks so much in advance for any help!!!

 

[thiggins]

Best way is to use a separate outdoor AP like this one, connected to your LAN and set to its own SSID and frequency.

Draft 11ac won't buy you anything for range and won't help performance of non 11ac devices.

 

[stevech]

I second the vote for Engenious outdoor AP

 

[Fish]

Sounds good! THANKS!

How difficult is that to setup on it's own SSID and frequency? I looked at the review you linked to and the setup DOS windows in that review made me nervous

Does EnGenius have good tech support that can walk me through the necessary setup?

 

[thiggins]

If you can set up a wireless router, you can set up the EnGenius AP.
I haven't used EnGenius support, so I can't comment.

 

[tipstir]

Make sure you get the latest firmware upgrade for them if available. Support from them is very good. The image you have posted looks like South Florida. Could be neighors

 

[Fish]

Sounds good.

Just to double check to see if I have this right:

I will stick with the wireless router Comcast provided and add this EnGenius AP outside, on my Patio (this will be about 25 feet away of the inside Comcast wireless router. Then I will connect the EnGenius to my current wireless network's signal? It will then rebroadcast a wifi signal throughout my backyard area.

Is that about right?


I also have the Amped Wireless SR10000. Would this be better to use than the Comcast router. The Comcast router can just be a modem and I could use the Amped Wireless SR10000 as my primary wireless router. Then just connect the EnGenius outside on my patio to the Amped Wireless router's signal.


Thank for all the help!

 

[2kfire]

Use the amped router. It will handle things much better than the Comcast would.

With regards to the access point, will it be mounted inside or outside? In either case it would be preferable to run a cable to it from the router. If it will be mounted inside, that should be fairly easy. If you're going to mount it outside and don't want to/can't run a cable to it, then make sure the device you get supports "repeater" mode. This will allow you to connect it as you described. Also, keep in mind your bandwidth will be reduced by half.

 

[stevech]

Sounds good.

Just to double check to see if I have this right:

I will stick with the wireless router Comcast provided and add this EnGenius AP outside, on my Patio (this will be about 25 feet away of the inside Comcast wireless router. Then I will connect the EnGenius to my current wireless network's signal? It will then rebroadcast a wifi signal throughout my backyard area.

Is that about right?

The indoor router may provide enough access outside since it's only 25' away, esp. if the router is favorably located, ideally near a window.

Give it a try before assuming you need to purchase more gear. Try it with the lesser of your client devices, e.g., a smart phone, as it will likely have the weakest transmitted signal sent TO the router.

 

[thiggins]

You will always get better performance by connecting access points via Ethernet. Wireless repeating cuts throughput in half.

 

[Fish]

I won't be able to connect the EnGenius Access Point via Ethernet. This Access Point will be outside the house on the patio.

Now, which EnGenius device is the one to get? When I search Amazon, there are a handful of EnGenius devices that all appear slightly different. Could someone provide the Amazon link to the correct one I will need?

This will be kept outside on a patio that is partially covered. This EnGenius device will be under the covered portion of the patio, but still outside.

Thanks again for helping this newbie out!

 

[stevech]

shop amazon and newegg.com. I prefer the latter because unlike Amazon, you know who you're buying from.

perhaps this, as suggested earlier
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=33-168-083&ParentOnly=1&IsVirtualParent=1

if you're not connecting via Ethernet, look into using Power Line (such as Homeplug).

But first, did you place the router in a good spot for indoor/outdoor coverage as suggested earlier, then check WiFi performance outside?

 

[Fish]

Thanks for the link (and info) Stevech.

Yes, I have tried placing the wireless router very close to the window leading outside and I'm not getting good range at all. That's why I was hoping to place something on the patio that would repeat the signal without any outside walls in the way.

That homeplug looks very interesting! Never heard of it before.

 

[stevech]

HomePlug and other types of IP-over-power-line solutions have a section here in this forum. If you spend time learning a bit about how it works, and how to avoid signal attenuation due to other things connected near a homePlug device, and grasp how homes' power lines run, you can get decent performance from it. It's much harder than cat5 cable or MoCA coax, since those are largely interference free, but it can be made to work.

Too often, people try plug and play and it doesn't play well, and they don't have the patience to learn how to improve power line IP. It's not hard, just takes some devotion to duty, as they say.

I would wonder about range with router near a window. Before you take the leap into other alternatives.. is the window possibly metallic coated for anti-UV? Usually not, in a home. Metal screen wire shades? You should get 50' or so anyway, with good data rates.

 

[Fish]

Ok, I'll look into it a bit more, but not sure I should go that route if it's not plug and play. I don't know much about this stuff and to be honest, I think I'd rather pay a little more to have something easy to setup. That way if it's not working, I can call tech support to help

My backyard is a little unique in that it starts at one story and quickly elevates to what would be even with my second story. Check the pic my first post in this thread. That pic is the view from my upstairs living room looking out the window, through the outdoor patio, to the backyard, and beach area.

Right now the router is in the upstairs living room (about 20-25 feet from that window in the pic). The outdoor patio in that pic is where I'm guessing it would be best to place this EnGenius AP.

 

[thiggins]

If you want simple, find a way to drill a small hole and run an Ethernet cable to where you want the outdoor AP. you will be much happier over the long term. Better speeds, higher reliability.

Wireless repeating is tougher to set up than plugging in two powerline adapters.

 

[Fish]

I called EnGenius and they recommended the EnGenius EAP300

I would just set it up on repeater mode to repeat the signal. Would this be a decent way to go for someone not looking for a complicated setup and not able to hard wire this device outside?

 

[stevech]

I called EnGenius and they recommended the EnGenius EAP300

I would just set it up on repeater mode to repeat the signal. Would this be a decent way to go for someone not looking for a complicated setup and not able to hard wire this device outside?

As I read it, that EAP300 is intended for indoor/ceiling mount - would not withstand rain, etc. I/we assumed you needed this access point to go outside, say in a patio cover or on an exterior wall.

 

[Fish]

Yes, from suggestions in this thread, I will be placing this device on my outdoor patio (partially covered).

The rep said this unit would be okay in an outdoor, partially covered patio, but I didn't ask anything about the way it needs to be mounted. If it needs to be mounted on a ceiling and the coverage is designed downward it might not have the directional coverage I'm looking for. Would it not work on the wall pointing outward?

The EnGenius sales rep said that the ENS and ENH models suggested in this thread need to be hard wired. I won't be able to hard wire. And from recent posts about possible conflicts with a power line like HomePlug and the need to know what you're doing setting it up, it looks like I will need a wireless product.


Sorry guys, I'm just still confused as to what the best option would be for my situation.

 

[thiggins]

You have gotten a lot of good advice and are now reasking the same questions. Time to make a choice. You will probably have to experiment with a few solutions. So make sure you buy your gear from somewhere that has good return policies, like Amazon.

The EnGenius person is obviously misinformed, which you should realize from his/her recommendation of an indoor AP.

The ENS200 supports WDS repeating, as do pretty much all EnGenius products. Its main weakness for your application is that it has a directional antenna. So depending on its orientation, it won't have a great link back to your main router.