AP access hardware

PS you can also reach me at skip at engr dot uga.edu

... snip ...

Can't help with your problem, however the sig is amusing. You should be aware that all sigs should be preceded by a sig marker, with is a line with exactly "-- " (note final blank) on it.

You need a "repeater", it plugs into an AC jack (wall-wart usually), picks up the wifi signal and as the name suggests, repeats it. A router "might" be able to function as one, but it'd need be listed in the specs as it's not manditory feature. Many access points can do it too but again, check the specs (features) for any product not marketed specifically as a repeater.

It may have better pickup than your notebook when sitting right beside the notebook, but ideally it would be placed strategically closer to the wifi source.

If your repeater has trouble picking up the signal too, then you'd look for a better antenna for it.

Nope - no connection, RFI/Carrier included possible. Gotta be airwaves...

Actually, there's several volunteers - which is why I need a dhcp type solution, and can select among them.

Back when I was involved in the security alarm installation field, that (carrier signal on 110VAC) was a popular means of getting around tough situations in a lousy environment for wiring - but I don't have that luxury.

Gots to be standalone, other than the power supply (though I suppose I could rig some sort of UPS-type power - it can't take much, can it? A car battery could power a 12V unit a long time, right?)...

Thanks

Skip

If you are in the same building with your buddy, you might be able to solve the problem using a powerline carrier repeater solution. I believe Netgear sells a kit solve your exact problem.

Mike Schumann

DHCP is not a problem, providing their (router, usually) is set up to provide it as is usually the case.

A car battery would probably be overkill, shouldn't be charged inside, and you'd be better off with a deep-cycle style battery since the last thing you'll need is high instantaneous current from it. Roughly guesstimating it'd take 12V and 200mA, all you need is enough battery reserve to last you until your neighbors' routers go down from the power outtage... it'll do you little good to have 200 hours runtime remaining if everything else is dead. Typical 7AH sealed lead-acid cell like used in many UPS should be plenty.

Right.

Now all I have to do is find the equipment which will let me do it. Powering was a total aside. I need the hardware to accomplish the trick...

Thus:

"So, I'm a starving college student, living in an AP rich environment.

"However, my laptop antenna, including amps like the Hawking 54G desktop, can't get out of my concrete cellar apartment.

"Several folks have offered to share their connection on wifi, but I can't see them (from downstairs). I can't afford my own ISP broadband (or any other, for that matter) subscription, relying on the school or my neighbors for access (thus the gmail address - though you can also reach me at skip at engr dot uga.edu). Having to go out is a nuisance, but I can't see them at home, so that's currently the solution. Makes study/homework and research a nuisance at best.

"Is there a way (what equipment needed??) to set up a piece, or pieces, of gear so that my laptop antenna could see said equipment, and said equipment could see those APs, such that I could select from them, and wifi surf, as I can when I'm out of the basement? I'm assuming I'd need some omni antenna(s?) and amplification for distance to overcome my bunker.

"Assume for the moment that I can set this up somewhere with power available but it needs to stand alone, otherwise. No connection to my or the other computers or my benefactors' hardware.

"Can it be done? Is anyone now doing it? What gear do I need?"

L8R

Skip

Got any url suggestions?

So, assume a high gain antenna omni - such as a Hyperlink 20" stick 8.5dBi

or the like, assuming a pigtail can be done to mate with the repeater, therefore (presumed) easily able to see the various APs. Will that (say it's high up - though anything is higher than the bunker/basement apartment!) also transmit to me effectively, or do I need some other antenna to be able to see the repeater, too (the other one has a pretty flat donut pattern [see the bottom of the url above], and, assume it's way above me)?

Thanks.

Skip

I already posted the solution- a "repeater", with a better antenna added if it can't be located strategically to cover both areas. If even that is not enough, your next option is either a 2nd repeater, or a bridge situated remotely nearer the hotspot and a wired lead (ethernet cable) down to the basement where there is an access point to regain the wireless(ness).

You need a wireless repeater (or wireless client, if you can run a wire to it from your laptop). I've had good luck with the Linksys WAP54G in this kind of situation, but note that it only repeats the signal from a Linksys WRT54G or WAP54G.

Other repeater solutions should be carefully selected to work with the AP or WiFi router you want to repeat, as most of them have similar restrictions, and you'll get a lot of finger pointing if you try to call two tech support teams and ask what's wrong...

I don't know which particular model works *best* at any particular price-point, nor if *best* will even matter... most major consumer-wifi oriented brands have at least one offering. Pick on price if nothing else, whatever you see a deal on since hours and hours of research is hardly worth $6 return shipping cost to a vendor if it doesn't work.

You'd probably find an omni to be worse, it's not like you need the omni coverage locally, rather than focused on the distant hotspot... then again, I don't know where these spots are nor where the repeater will be located relative to you. IF you were situated such that the repeater could be somewhere inbetween you and the hotspot an omni may be best but if not, if the repeater ends up having to be on your premises, directional may be better... we have no idea if you have a window or roof access or whatever, too many variables to consider.

Depends on distance, I would expect your notebook or desktop system to be the weakest link, so they "might" need better antennas... better to just get the repeater first and see how well it does then contemplate an antenna, but yes your general concept seems right.

Well, that *is* part of the problem, I expect, as - while I have not interrogated them - I suspect the volunteers didn't do a group buy.

I need my laptop to be able to select from those available, and I need something (a repeater, it seems?) to see my laptop and allow me to select between the other APs. I also need to do it with no physical connection to my new gear from my laptop.

Buffalo has the same problem in their "solution" - which for me isn't a solution at all...

I have inquiries out to several manufacturer/distributor types about their purported repeaters (and sometimes + amps), with no replies to date. Of course, that's been my experience in general - web inquiries, or email inquiries, get little attention, and then, largely useless. You'd think they didn't want to sell their gear...

Skip

Check around, if you have a number of volunteers to select from, I'd be real surprised if not a one of them had a WRT54G, it's probably the best selling wireless router in the known universe.

You aren't going to be able to find any vendors (*) who will support the use of their repeater with another vendor's AP, there are just too many things that can go wrong, over which they have no control.

(*) Well, D-Link will probably promise you everything in their pre-sales literature, but they are well known for lying or mis-implementing features. _Don't_ get me started...

So, the answer to my question is, basically, "no"?

That is, there's no solution to act as an amplifier both ways to and from other APs and my laptop?

While I can - if I'm in range - effortlessly choose from several APs with a connected ("wired") antenna, there's no wireless solution? That my computer can figure it out, but there's nothing which can amplify or transmit, choose your terminology, the signals to make them go further, without a wire?

Skip

Do you agree or disagree with William P.N. Smith, further down this list? He asserts no repeater will do it...

Thanks...

Skip

Where did he assert that? Seems like all he asserted was that a certain model needs to work with other of same brand.

Since you have no control over the other equipment generating the hotspots, and presuming these are friendly parties and you have permission to use their wifi, you might ask them what their equipment is.

Generally the problems are more likely trying to bridge, not run at access point. Your time is best spent just buying one and trying it.

You seem to have misunderstood me. There are repeaters, but they generally only work with the same brand AP or router.

Actually, my question (all along) was about the ability to select from the available, visible, APs, as I can do, _if I'm in range_, (select which of several I want - or, as circumstance may require, switch from one to another), from my laptop with or without the Hawking (directional, USB, desktop) external antenna. He asserts the repeaters require compatibility, which is outside the scope of what I'm trying to accomplish. Thus, the answer is - at least from his side - apparently, "no," as his assertion* is that that's how it is with all.

(* "You aren't going to be able to find any vendors who will support the use of their repeater with another vendor's AP, there are just too many things that can go wrong, over which they have no control.")

As final installation would require some (notable, more than simply plugging into an outlet, given the location) effort, and to adequately test same would require installation at the same point, I'm looking for something more assured than "buy one and test it". Meanwhile, being the weekend, there are no responses to the several manufacturer queries sent off.

Meanwhile, I'm not sure I understand your comment regarding problems/bridge/access point. Can (well, "would") you expand?

Thanks.

Skip, still searching for a wifi solution allowing selection between available APs, repeater or not

Oh, you want to change the AP that the repeater is connecting to on the fly, that's slightly different...

The Linksys WAP54G when acting as a repeater, selects the repeater based on it's MAC address, so you could change the AP you are repeating by changing the MAC address. However, when configuring these things, I frequently find I have to reboot or reset them, which sounds like it may not work for you.

You might do something with back-to-back boxes in client-mode and AP mode, then the one that's in client mode can do a discovery of available APs.

Why can't you leave it nailed to a particular AP?