internet connection ?????

Bart Leetch

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Messages
3,206
Location
Clinton, Washington on Whidbey Island
At this time we are living in our 36' 5th wheel trailer with metal sides and are having internet connection problems 1 bar signal, connecting to a router about 120' away when we lived in a motor home with composite sides at 70' away from the router we linked just fine. Right now I am setting on the steps leading up into the bedroom with the entry door open & the screen door closed & getting a full 5 bar signal. Everyone I've talked to so far says get a signal booster. So to describe what I know I'll equate the 1 signal bar to a tennis ball not getting through the metal siding & if I get a basket ball this is going to get me 5 bars inside the metal box?

Help I need to be able to connect hopefully wireless.

Thanks
 
I am using an extender to get out to my shop. I am about 125' from the router. I extender is in the shop. but by the window. It gets good reception that way. I could get 4 bars on the computer if I stood in the doorway with the computer. Now I can sit in my office and be comfortable and have the internet.
 
Bart, I'd agree that an outdoor repeater would work best, but can be a little more expensive. Some guys (Brent) use indoor routers, but set them up as wifi repeaters, and putting them in a 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled for the cords and putting a lid on it to keep it water tight. Check Ebay for a linksys WRT54G, but look for ones that are flashed with the DD-WRT firmware. Can get them for around $20. Typically repeaters run half duplex, which means you'll get a good signal, but half the speed.

I just bought this outdoor one for my shop and was a good price for what it does, but I didn't set it up as a repeater. I set it up as a wifi client, then ran the wired connection to a linksys wifi router, which gave me close to full speed rather than half duplex.

http://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-TL-WA5210G-Power-Wireless-Outdoor/dp/B004PFQX7K
 
My configuration is let say, sketchy at best. I'm trying to bridge the gap between the office and the greenhouse, which is probably 500'. My setup works, but it was a pain to get working, and when it does, just kind of barely works. I'm thinking of looking into something more like what Darren has...
 
http://support.jefatech.com/cantenna/ - a little beef stew can make your wireless go a long way.

+1 to using one of the little routers in bridge mode. If you aren't up for much SW hacking the "buffalo" routers come pre-loaded with sw that supports bridging (not saying they are the best.. just that they are pre-loaded with some open source sw that has more features than most of the default vendor sw).

If you just need to bridge through a metal wall though a passive repeater MAY be enough (no promises), random google search (passive antenna wifi repeater) link that shows the basic idea http://www.tntdiscount.info/passive_rep.php - worst case you're out a couple cans of beef stew and a short chunk of cable.. ... ..
 
Ahhhh now we getting into that black magic subject of antenna theory and construction. :rofl: Next it will be gain and frontal lobes etc. And at GHZ i bail out since i am a low frequency kind of guy.
 
Neat trick on the booster Darren, hadn't seen that one.

Rob just for you,

What would you do
if you lived on a side lobe
so little to see
so little to do...

:rofl: ok yeah I need help.
 
I'd lay some outdoor Cat 6 cable and put a wireless router in your living quarters. You can lay it on top of the ground, or bury it, or put it on some poles. You can buy it in different lengths with a plug on both ends - it's not too expensive, perhaps about the cost of a router.

Mike
 
Good deal Bart. :thumb: How was the setup on it? Might be something I have to consider getting for my Mom. They are across the street from their club house and might just be the ticket to get her on without having to go over there every time.
 
Good deal Bart. :thumb: How was the setup on it? Might be something I have to consider getting for my Mom. They are across the street from their club house and might just be the ticket to get her on without having to go over there every time.

Darren the set up went like this....Put the suction cups on the antenna stick it to the window ( hanging lanyard available too as well as peal & stick & zip tie & it can be placed outside. I loaded the software off of the CD & then plugged in the antenna & went & selected internet access from the bottom bar & selected my network typed in the password & bingo I was hooked up. I did both my laptop & LOML's laptop in 30-45 minutes her's went faster because it was the second time around. It comes with a 15' cable, you cannot extend with a passive USB extension cable but must buy a 30' replacement cable beyond that you will have a severe signal loss. It is not required but it is recommended to select to disable the internal WiFi antenna only because it could create excess heat...I did this & my laptop runs cooler. I get 3 out of the 5 bars with the antenna stuck to the inside of the window & about 150' of distance between it & the router. It claims up to 1 mile line of sight right on the front of the box. As long as it gets 3 bars & is reasonably fast I'll not mount it outside because I'd have to put a hole in my 5th wheel somewhere to do so.
 
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