Hi everybody, I'm new here, please bear w/me. The search for relevant information is overwhelming and I'm hoping that you guys can help me w/ a simple, inexpensive solution.
Situation: Verizon FIOS internet service, both wired and wireless in the main house. About 40 feet away, is a detached garage w/a room above it; it is in this structure that I'd like wireless internet w/o paying for a whole other connection from Verizon (obviously).
On the side of the main house that is FURTHEST away from the garage is the Verizon ActionTec, M1424WR, wireless router thing :-) This router is hard-wired to a PC that is on the side of the house that is closest to the garage. This router also provides wireless internet service thru the main house for my laptop when I have it at home. (Now I admit, I haven't taken the laptop to the garage and tried to get a signal, it's pretty weak just on the opposite side of the house).
What I would like to know is how to bounce/repeat/send/whatever the wireless signal from the main house to the garage. What I've checked out:
I looked into the parabolic DIY wok-fi style antennas and they seem to operate only by disabling the laptops built in wi-fi and then you have to be tethered to the wok-fi antenna, right? USB wifi dongle plugged into your laptop's USB port?
I also looked into external antennas to try and relay the signal, but there is so much information out there it's gets confusing and they seem like an expensive solution.
I looked at things like Pringles antenna and coffee can antenna and, I'm sorry, I'm not really handy so I don't know if I could build one. guess I could try.
Is it possible to get a couple of wireless routers that have repeater functions and simply plug one into the network jack in the house (on the side of the house closest to the garage) and then plug the other one into an outlet in the garage and hope the signal is strong enough to make the garage a "hot spot", or will that not work and I'd have to have a wireless router/repeater plugged DIRECTLY into a port on the ActionTech, then have another repeater in the house and yet another in the garage to pick it up?
Any tips, hints, points to links, etc., would be greatly appreciated Thank you!!!!!