Author: Paul Stimpson Date: To: Hampshire LUG Mailing List Subject: Re: [Hampshire] Wireless range
Hi,
This is not normal. I live in a solid 40s house and I can cover all 3 floors with a single (not particularly well placed) access point.
My first suggestion would be that you may have interference from another network in the area or a video sender. I would use your favourite wireless tool or "iwlist <interface_name> scan" to get a list of all the wifi networks in the area and which channels they're on then change you network to a channel that isn't used (I recommend avoiding 1,2,3,4,6 and 11 as these are used by out of the box configurations and video senders.)
If you are going to relocate the wireless you will also need power wherever you put it. I would buy a new access point (not a router) then put it wherever I wanted. Cable back to the current router and then consider a Power over Ethernet (PoE) adaptor to run it over the ethernet cable if the AP can (or steal the unused cores and bodge power over it)
If you want to stick your new router on the wall I find a couple of strips of heavy duty stick on Velcro is generally more than enough to make up for the lack of screw holes :)
If all this fails Maplin have the Netgear XEB1004 85MBPS ethernet over mains kit on special for £69. Plug one in your office and put it in your office (it has 4 10/100 ports so it won't rob you. Plug the other one in downstairs and you have 4 ethernet sockets wherever you want them. Just make sure you change the network name so your neighbour can't join your network. You can buy additional units if you need sockets in more places.
