Our temporary office is an office trailer we had built and used for a townhouse project. It is close to the house, a walk across the backporch. It has metal siding.
We have three desktop computers in the office and high speed satillite internet. We feed the satillite into a wireless router, and have successfully networked all three computers thru the wireless router. The three computers are all hardwired / networked thru the wireless router. We have a laptop we use in our house that has built-in wireless. The wireless network connection at the laptop works but works sporadically…..sometimes not at all, sometimes with very strong connection and sometimes a weak connection.
I am using the laptop now and have a very strong connection.
What could we do to improve the laptop’s connection?
Does the metal siding on the office trailer affect the wireless connection?
Should we use a hard wired router in the office , locate the wireless router in the house and run a wire from the wireless router to the office router?
The HP laptop and Belkin wireless router are new.
Replies
TX,
The wireless routers use the same frequencies that cordless phones do (2.4ghz) and I know phones historically have a problem with metallic siding.
I would definetely look at a hard wired connection, you could rig something up using signal boosters or get some cat6 and conduit and be done with it. Easy, reliable, quick, and relatively inexpensive.
Jon Blakemore
RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
I found that the metal air return in our carriage house seemed to badly affect the wireless operation. Also, sun spot activity caused major problems.
There are booster antenna for the wireless unit. That helped some. If you can't find one for you model, e-mail me and I'll look up the place I used. They make generic ones, and you specify the connection needed.
I've used the linksys WRT54GX wireless router to extend range and signal strength significantly. I bought mine at newegg.com: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16833124170
There are a number of factors that affect wireless signal strength. Masonary and wire lathing are reportedly problems, but I've found it just depends.
But I used two of these to send good signal throughout a 5500 sq ft. house that had lots of masonary and plaster walls.
Tim
If you want to check your connection speed, go to Google and type Internet Connection Speed Test. There are a bunch of free test sites.
Does the metal siding on the office trailer affect the wireless connection?
Yes
Should we use a hard wired router in the office , locate the wireless router in the house and run a wire from the wireless router to the office router?
Yes
In addition to 2.4 ghz cordless phones, microwave ovens can have a significant effect(to the point of no connection at all while it is running). My router covers the entire house except the garage on the opposite side of the house. There are several low signal spots that I could probably solve with the aftermarket high gain antennas if it became a real problem.
Marc
Before you spend a lot of money/time, you might want to try this solution.
Some metal flashing or dryer vent, cardboard, and packing tape (duct tape for the classy look). About 15 minutes and you'll know if it worked or not.
It did for me.
http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template/
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"He who prints the money makes the rules†Rep. Ron Paul
Thanks guys.