How to Improve WAP range?

[Buzioid]

Does anyone know a way to improve my wap range? I have it in the basement by a window and I want to see how far I can get it to go.
Any ideas?

[The_Saint]

You can buy routers that can enhance you range...


forgot how they are called.

[AzKidd69]

you can either buy/make an larger/more efficient antenna and place it in a more range friendly location (i.e. the roof) or you can buy a repeater for your wap

[pickel]

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=267


I have one by my kitchen window and i connect @ 22mbps to my laptop in the backyard.

[Jon11582]

http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=DWL-800AP-R

Thats probably just about as cheap as you can find it, if you are looking for a hardware solution.

It says 802.11b whereas the one linked by pickle says 802.11g, but its the same model number. I'm thinking that it works on the 2.4Ghz frequency, which B and G both work on, so itll work as either.

I havent been able to find a cheap source for replacement antennas for wireless networking, but if you can find one, that may be the easiest way to go. Most antennas that Ive seen cost as much as the routers themselves.

If you just want to tweak it, there may be a few things you can do to increase the range. If its a 802.11g router, keep it in 802.11b mode, since range will decrease somewhat as thoughput increases, and vice versa. Also, if it has dual mode or quad mode (most D-Link routers do), disable those too. Then you can try changing the channel its broadcasting to to see if you get a better signal on a clearer channel. Outside of that, I dont think theres much else you can do without buying something.

[Buzioid]

I have a router w/ap built in.
D-Link DI-514

It's 802.11b, what is dual or quad mode?

I can't seem to find any better antennas..

[kwebb]

If its a 802.11g router, keep it in 802.11b mode, since range will decrease somewhat as thoughput increases, and vice versa.

Er.......no. Wireless cell range is not a product of modulation type, OFDM for .11g and CCK for .11b. OFDM handles reflective surfaces a little better but by and large range for 802.11b and g hardware is determined by radio quality (receive sensitivity), power out of the box (to the antenna), and antenna gain. That's for the hardware, then you add in obstructions, inteference etc... Throughput advantages do not affect coverage.

[Centurion]

cat chow box antenna addon.

just do a google search for box antennas for 2.4 gig -

dB gain runs from 14 to 2?

Distances - in air - not much for obstructions - 17km so far here - off a wireless AP.

Strength was enough to have a 11mps connection.

[milage varys depending how you drive - some options not available in your area]
C

[MDS]

802.11 -- applies to wireless LANs and provides 1 or 2 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band using either frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS).
802.11a -- an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANs and provides up to 54 Mbps in the 5GHz band. 802.11a uses an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing encoding scheme rather than FHSS or DSSS.
802.11b (also referred to as 802.11 High Rate or Wi-Fi) -- an extension to 802.11 that applies to wireless LANS and provides 11 Mbps transmission (with a fallback to 5.5, 2 and 1 Mbps) in the 2.4 GHz band. 802.11b uses only DSSS. 802.11b was a 1999 ratification to the original 802.11 standard, allowing wireless functionality comparable to Ethernet.
802.11g -- applies to wireless LANs and provides 20+ Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band.

from here

I'm still using 802.11a


Also have a look at the pringle's antenna

[Jon11582]

Originally posted by kwebb


Er.......no. Wireless cell range is not a product of modulation type, OFDM for .11g and CCK for .11b. OFDM handles reflective surfaces a little better but by and large range for 802.11b and g hardware is determined by radio quality (receive sensitivity), power out of the box (to the antenna), and antenna gain. That's for the hardware, then you add in obstructions, inteference etc... Throughput advantages do not affect coverage.

From a little research, it seems hes right. The reason I said that G was slower was because last I read up on them was at the onset of 802.11g, and was a result of product immaturity, not because of the increase of bandwidth. Theres no definitive statements I could find on whether b or g should fetch better range now that both products have matured.

I guess it doesnt matter then, but I know that Dlink still says to shut off dual/quad mode for optimum range.

I believe the DI-514 doesnt have dual or quad mode, just normal 11mpbs mode. The 802.11b model with dual/quad it is the DI-614+, so range is pretty much optimized out of the box for your DI-514.