Virgin Media broadband - need help connecting remote hardware via WiFi

theukmoog

theukmoog

theukmoog

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12 Jul 2008
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A family member has their Virgin router in the lounge, getting around 380Mbps.

Their laptops etc get good signal throughout the house but they have 2 wired PCs and a NAS in a study, which they've used a DeVolo (1400Mbps) network-over-powerline pair to connect to the router in the lounge.

However, the powerline signal from lounge to study is poor - losing over 90% over the bandwidth and only getting around 30Mbps in the study :(

I've tested the powerline plugs in the same 4-way extension and they get 350+ there, so it's not a fault with the plugs just noisy mains, I guess.

I've rejected installing wireless cards in the PCs, as the NAS is old and won't support that.

They don't want to run an ethernet cable as they only moved in a year ago and have only recently had building work and decorating completed.

So... is it possible to connect the study (with 3 wired devices) to the Virgin WiFi in the lounge?

They all run into a single switch which then connects to the Powerline plug - can I just replace the Powerline plug with an Access Point or WiFi extender and connect that wirelessly to the Virgin WiFi?

Any help appreciated as I'm out of my comfort zone here!
 
Sounds like you want a wireless bridge or media bridge they are sometimes called.

I believe Asus routers are most popular and you connect to them and put them in media bridge mode.

That way they are effectively working as a WiFi card for everything that is connected by ethernet.
 
As said, media bridge is the best option as long as there's a decent WiFi signal in the study. Many routers support this so it's just a matter of selecting a suitable router and configuring it as a bridge. A Wanted post in the MM may get you something suitable.
 
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Thanks guys.

I tried to sort it with a router that was advertised as having "internet booster" which I took to mean boosting/extending the wifi signal... it doesn't... so that's going back!

I've now purchased a NetGear AC1900 WiFi Mesh Extender, which has a single ethernet port.

I've tested it at home and it has hooked into my Ubiquiti WiFi and is serving multiple wired devices through a switch plugged into the port.

Speed isn't amazing at home (which is why I've wired the house up) dropping my Virgin broadband from 390 to 96Mbps... I have thick walls so am not surprised.

I don't see any reason why this won't work with the family member's Virgin router, so I think the issue is solved.

I've only written this much in case anyone googles the same issue... they can skip straight to the AC1900 :)
 
theukmoog said:
I've tested it at home and it has hooked into my Ubiquiti WiFi and is serving multiple wired devices through a switch plugged into the port.
Click to expand...

You should have mentioned earlier that you've got a UniFi AP, there's a couple of UniFi options. Probably not relevant now, but may as well mention them. Edit - I assumed (wrongly) that the family member had a UniFi AP.

There's the Device Bridge Switch and the Device Bridge. I've got Device Bridge installed in one of offices to get a PoE phone online in the reception in one of out offices after an electrician totally butchered a few runs of cat 6a. I haven't tested the UDB with a switch behind it, but I expect it'd work fine.
 
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I was just testing it at my home with my Ubiquiti kit - target installation is just a bog standard Virgin Router - but, yes, those Ubiquiti devices would be ideal here, if I hadn't hard-wired the house already :)
 
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