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Help with Wireless question please

I have a Linksys Wireless setup that I am happy with overall, but I have a particular room in my house that does not get a good enough signal. I was considering replacing everything with Wireless-N, but then I saw a Wireless G extender that claims to work with my hardware. Here is what I have, and what I am thinking of adding to extend the signal.

Router Linksys WRK54G Laptop WPC54GS Second desktop (usb) WUSB54GS

Thining of adding- WRE54G Wireless-G Range Expander which claims to work with all of my existing equipment.

My main computer and the one connected via USB are flawless (with occiasional need to reset the router), as is the laptop when it is in range, but the one place in the house everyone wants the labtop to work is limited at best and gets no connectivity at all at times.

Should I replace it all with Wireless-N in the hopes that the better range will solve my problem, or can I solve my problem more easily and inexpensively by adding an extender? (WRE54G Wireless-G Range Expander)

Thanks for sharing any informed advice or experience! JK

Reply to
James Kaplan
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James Kaplan hath wroth:

Range extenders, range stetchers, range expanders, and repeaters suck, even when all the devices are allegedly supported. The problem is that they:

- Reduce maximum throughput to half or less. Usually less.

- Usually fail to support WPA encryption through the repeater. Some work, most don't.

- Double the number of packets flying through the air, thus cutting the available airtime in half. In other words, an unnecessary jammer.

- In an enclosed space, where the endpoints can hear each other as well as hear the repeater, the throughput is erratic due to self interference.

No on two counts. MIMO and 802.11n are intended to improve maximum speed, not range. MIMO will also use reflections instead of survive them, thus improving reliability in a highly reflective indoor environment. If you want range, play with antennas, not repeaters or acronyms.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

A directional antenna aimed towards your dead spot is a good option. Even easier, you might want to first try putting a reflector on the router's antenna:

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Makes a difference!

Steve

Reply to
seaweedsteve

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