How to optimize signal range for router with extra (9dBi) external antenna?

I have three tenants in an appartment building 50 meters across the street. I have a Linksys WRT54GL router with DD-WRT firmware. On that I added a Hawking Outdoor Hi-Gain 9dBi Omni-Directional Wireless Antenna Kit. I set the DD-WRT firmware on Xmit 50Mw.

The tenants on the front have a signal reception of about 20 - 30% The tenants on the back of the building (40 meters deep) have a signal reception of zero.

What am I doing wrong? Or: what can I do to optimize the signal?

Thanks in advance for your help!

WRT54GL DD-WRT

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[HAO9SIP] Outdoor Hi-Gain 9dBi Omni-Directional Wireless Antenna Kit
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Reply to
fcmwiesmans
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On 4 Jul 2006 03:38:15 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in :

You're trying to punch signal through a building with multiple walls. :)

You can try more antenna gain, being careful to keep enough beam width to cover the target building, but I doubt that will be enough. You may need to install a wireless client bridge connected to a wireless access point to cover the other building, and even that might well have serious problems with interior walls. Test it first by carrying your current setup over to the other building.

Reply to
John Navas

Old Dutch building with non-iron walls ...

And I was told that a couple of 'wooden' / 'stone' walls at this distance - 50 meters across and 40 meters deep - would not be a problem for a standard WRT54GL. Let alone with a 9dBi omnidirectional Outdoor antenna ...

50 Mw to f.i. 85 Mw ?

Could you explain that to me. What (Linksys) hardware woudl I need to add to what I have now?

Can't do ...

It's plugged into my ADSL outlet in the wall in my appartment. :-)

Or do I understand you wrong?

Reply to
fcmwiesmans

Stone, masonry, stucco and the like can be very effective at blocking signals. Try setting a laptop in the window of a unit facing the antenna, then go behind the wall and note the signal loss.

Told by whom? I'd certainly have warned against trying to get the signal to penetrate a multi-dwelling structure, even more so since the signal would already have to travel 150 feet.

Antenna gain is different than the radio output power. Check what vertical and horizontal beam width angles your antenna claims to deliver. Then draw a diagram showing how those angles cover the desired target. Some antenna have very small (8 to 12 degree) vertical beam angles. Make sure you've got an antenna that covers properly.

Sure you can, take the access point and put it in a unit with only the standard antenna attached to it. Then see how well that signal penetrates the structure. You don't need the adsl connection to check signal strength.

-Bill Kearney

Reply to
Bill Kearney

Just got this answer from hawking this morning:

We advise you to buy the HAO14SDP. This antenna has a range of 2 miles and can go through walls, but metal will conflict.

I'm going to build me a 'bridge'. See end of posting.

Gain9.0dBi PolorizationLinear,Vertical H-plane360=B0 E-plane15=B0

But this will be replaced by the HAO14SDP. And that has a vertical beam of 30 Horizontal Plane 30 Vertical Plane.

Never too old to learn! Gonna do that in a sec and - report back to the bos ;-)

Thanks for your advice untill now Bill.

Maybe you can comment on another posting on this subject I just placed in a DD-WRT group firmware for the the WRT54GL).

This one:

With good functioning WLAN - how to create a wireless 'bridge', out-of-the-box, with a second WRT54GL

I have got a good working WLAN. There are also users in another house -

30 meters diagonal across the street - that use the WLAN. These users live at the front of the building Others, that would like to use the WLAN, can't receive a signal. They live at the back. The building is 40 meters deep.

My question is: one of the users at the back desperately needs a connection by tomorrow-evening. So I am looking for a rather 'quick & dirty' solution that works 'out of the box', rather than an optimal solution.

Can someone advise me if the next presentation of what I think is OK will work?

Current setup: =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

1 x Alcatel STHome modem (not tweaked to Pro) 1 x WRT54GL (Firmware: DD-WRT v23 (12/25/05) 1 x Hawking Hi-Gain omnidirectional 9 dBi antenna

New setup: =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

1 x Hawking Hi-Gain directional 14 dBi antenna, to replace the omnidirectional 9 dBi, to 'focus' the beam across 1 x WRT54GL extra for acroos the street, as AP/Bridge The Hawking Hi-Gain omnidirectional 9 dBi antenna then goes on this router

If this os so far 'correct' concerning the hardware, my questions then is:

- can I leave the settings on the 1st WRT54GL like they are now (yes please, because they're functioning)

- what will the settings in DD-WRT be for the 2nd WRT54GL?

I would rather like to work with firmware on both WRT54GL the same - so the firmware of dec 2005. That would leave the old setpu like it is, in case everyhting goes wrong. Unless someone can convicne me the newer firmware will be better or necessary.

Things I am worried about that might confuse me when 'making the bridge' with the 2nd WRT54GL are things like NAT, DHCP. If someone has a configuration like this working, could he/she post the settings for both WRT54GL 's ?

[HAO9SIP] Outdoor Hi-Gain 9dBi Omni-Directional Wireless Antenna Kit
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[HAO14SDP] Hi-Gain=99 14dBi Outdoor Directional Antenna Kit
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Reply to
fcmwiesmans

On 6 Jul 2006 06:11:19 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in :

With the high-gain directional antenna on your end, it might be enough to also get a better antenna for the user at the back; e.g., . For a simple commercial solution, consider the Hawking HWU8DD

Reply to
John Navas

Thanks John.

The HAO14SDP will be delivered tomorrow morning.

The guy at the back already has this Hi-Gain=99 USB Wireless-G Dish Adapter, you 're pointing at with your URL.

So if all goes well my troubles will be over by tomorrow afternoon.

I'll let you know.

Thanks !

Reply to
fcmwiesmans

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