WiFi extender for seperate projects

[crumdub12]

A Chara,

I am looking for a WiFi extender that will be 50+ ft from the WiFi router, and cover between 50 - 150 ft. in the other direction.

I have a laptop with built in wifi card accessing router with strong signal , in area I want to put the extender .... would this device meet my requirements?

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=NW-259-NG


Also looking to use similar extender to connect to Cisco Aironet access point 50 ft away, the office the extender will be based in has solid block walls ( 9 inch thick) .....


Any information greatly appreciated

 

[thiggins]

There are many that can work. Check our Charts.
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-extender-charts/view
and Ranker
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/rankers/wireless-extender/view

The key is proper placement. The Extender should be placed closer to your base router than you may think. Don't place the extender near where you get a weak signal from the router.

 

[crumdub12]

Thanks for the prompt reply Tim,


Thanks for the links, used them to pick the EX6200 I have highlighted in original post, as it seems to be have good features, futureproofed and 5Ghz Up / Downlink leader.


A laptop with Internal WiFi can get a good signal from the Router, which line of sight is about 55ft away, but this maybe moved to facilitate business needs.


The other project needs to connect to Cisco Aironet access point, arond 15ft from floor level, and 50 ft distance from AP .... main impediment is 9 inch solid block wall between them ...


Are their tests I can use to establish extenders success before Purchase .... NetStumbler, InSSIDER etc .... what DbM should I expect for a successful install of extender ...


Any information greatly received ..

 

[thiggins]

Are their tests I can use to establish extenders success before Purchase .... NetStumbler, InSSIDER etc .... what DbM should I expect for a successful install of extender ...

The only test I can suggest is to see what the signal level is like in the target extension area.

Extenders work best to bring signals to areas where there is little to no signal. They don't help to improve performance in areas where there is already medium level signals.

 

[crumdub12]

Apologies Tim,


Am not explaining this correctly.


I am looking at two distances

1. Wifi Router / AP => Extender - 50 foot

2. Extender => Computers - 50 - 150 foot


The test I spoke about was router to extender, the other test, I assume can only be tested when installed.

I believe the device I picked has "fastlane", allowing close to full bandwidth on both sides of the extender .... but could be wrong.


Would I need to be getting a signal at the endpoint ( 200ft. from router now) before purchasing the extender?

 

[thiggins]

Yes, the EX6200 supports fast lane. Also has a pretty nifty location indicator, if I recall correctly. Check the review.

No, you do not need to have a signal at the target extension location (200ft) from the main router. That is why you are putting in an extender!

Buy and try is the only way to really know.

 

[Trip]

Buy and try is the only way to really know.

^ Isn't that the truth! Short of using a single dual-radio unit, I often will deploy 2 of the same ap/bridge/extender model, wiring both of them together (if they have built-in switching lan ports, otherwise through an external switch), using one as a dedicated client bridge to connect back to the original broadcast, and the other as the "re-broadcast" AP. This often produces lower latency, less jitter and allows for roughly double the bandwidth utilization as compared to using just a single 1-radio unit set to "repeater" mode. It is more costly, of course, but depending on your budget, it may be an option.

 

[azazel1024]

A couple of suggestions on extenders.

Only do it if there is no option to wire in an access point.

If you can't wire in an access point, consider if you can run powerline adapters between the current AP/router and the location where you'd want the wireless coverage. If so, do that instead.

Finally if neither of those is an option, then look at an extender.

As for testing if it'll work at all, yes something like Netstumbler or InSSIDer can help determine this. Where you are planning on locating the extender, check the signal strength. I would say if you cannot get at least 70dBm signal strength at that location on EITHER band you plan on using as the connection back to the AP/router, then don't bother. It is likely so weak that you'll be "halving" a really crap connection. Now if all you need to do is get SOME KIND OF CONNECTION out to the new location and speed doesn't matter, you are probably fine down to around 80dBm, just be warned at levels above 70dBm, unless the extender has much beefier antennas than the device you are testing signal strength with, the wireless throughput is going to be attrocious and it'll kill (IE terrible throughput) whatever is connected to the original AP/router as well while something is connecting through the extender.

You can't really test at the location you desire to get wireless signal without putting the extender in, though within reason, you can test the signal from the original AP/router. If you can get signal most of the way to the new location before it drops completely, then having an extender part way likely will ensure some kind of signal gets to the final location, it just might not be a very good one.

Fast lane is likely not to be an option with what you are describing though.

What is the exact setup here? You mention a 9" thick concrete/block wall and 50ft, then another 50-150ft. Or is that seperate from what you were mentioning? It sounds like two different requirements for extenders? Multiple extenders is going to absolutely THRASH your wireless, even if you aren't extending an extender.

Other than the one wall, is this otherwise open space? Or minimal obstructions (cubicles)? If there are a number of walls between the extender and the 50-150ft...I would not expect the signal to carry. Maybe if there is one wall in the way that is not concrete, possibly. 5GHz and any obstructions and 150ft, almost deffinitely not.

What might be your best bet in both cases here are TWO access points to extend the signal. One access point in WDS bridge mode with directional antennas pointed back to the originating access point, then another access point with omnidirectional antennas plugged in to the AP that is in WDS bridge mode, with a seperate 2.4GHz/5GHz channel(s) set on it. That should give you a much better connection back to the originating access point and it also will not lead to a halving in throughput (because the basestation AP in operating on a seperate channel), though it'll still tie up wireless bandwidth from the originating AP.

 

[fistv]

They do make 18 inch and 24 inch masonry bits that will make short work of that block wall big enough to push a cat5e though and crimp a connector on. In a corner, out of sight, up high, can be closed up later with some mortar if need be. Do it in the right spot with a PoE AP and you can gorilla tape it to the wall over or covering the cable hole. This using wireless to extend wireless to extend wireless is nothing more than an exercise. It can be done but not with consumer grade stuff.
One thing popped into mind, does that block wall have electric outlets and by chance are they exactly in the same place on both sides of the wall, you may already have your hole and a big one at that. Maybe even one for ethernet over power. Just some ideas.

 

[azazel1024]

They do make 18 inch and 24 inch masonry bits that will make short work of that block wall big enough to push a cat5e though and crimp a connector on. In a corner, out of sight, up high, can be closed up later with some mortar if need be. Do it in the right spot with a PoE AP and you can gorilla tape it to the wall over or covering the cable hole. This using wireless to extend wireless to extend wireless is nothing more than an exercise. It can be done but not with consumer grade stuff.
One thing popped into mind, does that block wall have electric outlets and by chance are they exactly in the same place on both sides of the wall, you may already have your hole and a big one at that. Maybe even one for ethernet over power. Just some ideas.

Problem with the later is you'd be unlikely to be able to run ethernet through. It can be run through the boxes by code (and just plain not safe).

You can do my suggestion with consumer gear, I've tested out a similar setup and it works fine.

That doesn't mean it isn't a bodge for a proper wired in access point.

 

[fistv]

Problem with the later is you'd be unlikely to be able to run ethernet through. It can be run through the boxes by code (and just plain not safe).

You can do my suggestion with consumer gear, I've tested out a similar setup and it works fine.

That doesn't mean it isn't a bodge for a proper wired in access point.

What I was thinking was if there are two outlets, one opposite the other on each side the holes the boxes are in are usually pretty big, an ethernet cable should just fit through, that is how I have seen most block construction done because they are usually run in conduit. Other option, two of those ethernet over power modules, the outlets might even be on the same breaker, then it's just a matter of hiding the cable on both sides of the wall which you can cover with plug mold. Me, I would just drill the hole between the cinder blocks, easy to just repair with a couple of spoonfuls of mortar if you need to remove the cable.