How to boost our Linksys WRT150N's signal -- across the house?
Currently, we have two DSL lines:
EAST SIDE OF HOUSE: in an add-on "office" room separated by thick walls). This DSL line leads to a Linksys WRT150N router, which is connected one computer and three TiVos.
WEST SIDE OF HOUSE: in the living room. This DSL line leads to a Linksys WRT300N router, which is connected to one laptop, and one color printer.
We are about to get rid of Line #2, the DSL line in the living room, leaving only the DSL line in the office, and we would like all devices to be connected to that one router. However, the wireless signal gets very weak as it travels through the thick walls of the add-on room and across the house.
Can we increase that signal -- either by boosting it at the source, or by adding something like a "repeater" somewhere in the middle of the house?
Years ago, we had some kind of "booster" device that connected directly to our old router. The old router had removable antennae, and this booster device sat right on top of it, connected to the router by two wires. The booster looked almost exactly like the router -- blue, and about the same size. It had its own antennae.
I notice that the antennae don't come off of our current WRT150N, so that might hurt the "booster" idea.
Another solution...? We're about to have a spare WRT300N just sitting around. Perhaps we could park that somewhere in the middle of the house and it could pass the signal along...?
However, I've heard comments like "Adding a repeater splits the signal in half."
The number one use for our bandwidth, by a longshot, will be from the computer in the office, the one about six feet from the WRT150N. The only other devices that might even come close would be the TiVos -- say, if we watch YouTube videos, or decide to watch a Netflix movie on demand.
I hope I've provided enough information for someone to help us with our choice. Do we already have all the devices we need, or do we need to buy some additional "booster" or "repeater?"
Thanks in advance.
read more and respond »Posted 5 years ago by dgates in Wireless Networking
