I have a question about wireless networks.
Here is my setup:
My DSL internet is set up in the house. I have the DSL modem plugged up in the house, and it is connected to a wireless router in the house. I have a computers and a print server plugged into it, as well as the cable that feeds my office.
The cable that feeds my office comes out of that router, and runs underground out to my office building. That cable is plugged into a network switch that has several cables plugged up that feed my desktop computer, and numerous network plugs that are available throughout the small office building. I rarely have more than the desktop plugged up, and of course the laptop is plugged in with a cable when I use it here in the office.
Having said all that, I would like to have the wireless signal here in the office. It is present, but it is pretty weak. Do I need to have a wireless router here in the office, or just a wireless access point?
It would really just be a convenience, in order to use my Nook Color, or maybe have a little more freedom with the laptop. Chris occasionally com,es to the office, and that would help there as well.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Have a great day.
A wireless access point would do the trick. On small home/office networks you don't want multiple routers unless you have a specific need and the knowledge to keep it running.
The last time I upgraded our DSL, AT&T sent us a combination DSL Modem / WiFi rouiter. The new wireless router has a 14 character password that has upper case, lower case, numbers, and special characters. I already had a Cisco Valent Router, with a complex password on it. Our wireless printer was already connected to the Cisco. I ran a jumper cable from one of the output ports on the DSL box to the Cisco, and we just connect to the Cisco to allow printing and scanning. The only problem is that sometimes my wife's computer will connect to the DSL Router and she can not print. After she removes the printer driver from her computer and spends an hour trying to reinstall it, she will call me at work. I always have her check her WiFi connection, and hook up to Corley Cisco, reinstall the print driver and she is good to go.
I have verizon fios, it came with a router/wireless AP. That is in the basement wiring closet. It has a DHCP server enabled to assign IP addresses. I turned off the wifi on it, because it was not covering the whole house.
I have a Netgear R6300 on the first floor, high up on a TV cabinet that has routing and DHCP turned off, and is in bridge mode, which means it is only a wireless AP. It covers the whole house, including my office and the basement. This model also has a guest mode and you can hook up a hard drive via USB.
I just ran cabling to my barn (600 feet away), and put a Mictotik RouterBoard 951-2n there in bridge mode as well (i.e. routing and DHCP turned off). I chose that model (under $50) because it works to -20°C. It has 4 ports, so it is just functioning as a 4 port switch with wireless AP.
I had to put a repeater in the line to the barn, as ethernet is only spec'd to 100 meters. It is basically a one port switch, powered by POE (power over ethernet). So far everything is working fine. Pulling the cables through a conduit was a little bit of work, but fortunately I planned for that and put in a 4" conduit when I built my house.
Jimmy,
I have almost the exact same setup, mine is just in reverse. I had tried everything to get my wireless router to cross the 60 feet from my house to the office. Nothing worked, but that may be the metal roofs???. I ended up adding another wireless router in the house. It was cheaper to purchase a high-end router than an access point.
The setup is quite easy. The first step is to deactivate the DHCP service in the second router. This effectively turns the router into a switch. From there you can go one of two ways with the wireless setup. You can have two network names (SSID) or both can have the same. I choose to use the same SSID for all of our wireless routers and just manually select separate channels for each. This way the wireless devise only has to be set up for one network and chooses which router that has the better signal.
Hope this helped.
Be sure to set the wireless access point in the office to a different channel than the one in the house to avoid interference.
Thanks for the information guys.
I will look for an additional router or access point to put in the office.
It is pretty low priority, but I would like to get it done sometime soon. I am using my Nook Color more, especially since I now have it set up to dual boot,and can use it as a full fledged android device.
I keep equipment manuals, reference books, etc. on it, and sometimes it would be nice to be able to connect to the internet while using it in the office.
When Chris stops by the office, the signal is weak sometimes, and it would be nice for him to be able to print if he needed to.
Thanks again,
Jimmy
I have one of these and you get the added bonus of a 2TB harddrive wireless backup.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/ME177LL/A/airport-time-capsule-2tb?fnode=4d
:good:
Not every router is equal. Always check the effective range and transfer speed of the system.
I changed to TP-LINK system several years ago and have a router hardwired to everything in the main office and wireless cards in the computers in the other rooms.
Each has 3 antennae and excellent reception all thru an 80ft mobile home.
There are also antenna available that send and receive on a direct path between buildings.
A client has changed to a TMOBILE hotspot for all his needs because of the unlimited data package. Don't know the details of his hookup and hope to find out more soon.
0.02
The simplest would be just get a wireless range extender or booster. Google it. Roughly $60.
