Extend your Wi-Fi network's range
June 8, 2005 | I have a D-Link DI-624 wireless router hooked to my main computer on the second floor of my home. It has two hardwired connections, and I have another computer in the basement that I'm trying to connect wirelessly. The signal strength is very low and frequently disappears. I've seen some talk in certain forums of a buildable wireless antenna. Would this solve my problem? | Submitted by:
Joe B.,
via e-mail
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| It's possible to build a wireless antenna, but might we suggest a couple of other options that are simpler? - Your D-Link router supports WDS, or wireless distribution system, which is a feature that allows for signal repeating. You can buy the DWL-2100AP, D-Link's companion access point to your router, and set that up between your router and your basement (as close as possible to the edge of the router's range without losing signal strength). That should relay the signal down into your basement. Keep in mind that WDS technologies are vendor-specific, so you'll need this particular access point for this setup to work. Also, setting up this access point isn't for the technologically faint of heart, so if you're feeling daunted, read on for a simpler solution.
- You can take advantage of power-line technology found in the Netgear WGXB102 wall-plugged wireless extender kit. This type of technology transmits your data over your home's electrical wiring. Setup is simple: connect your router to one of the two units via the RJ-45 port and plug that unit into a wall jack. Take the other unit, which has an integrated 802.11g access point, down to your basement (or wherever), plug it in to a wall jack there, and voilà--extended network. Though this solution is more expensive than the access point, it's much simpler to set up and you can easily move the access point around, extending your network's range to anywhere in the house that has an electrical outlet.
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