Extending wireless strength

MAllen · 13 Mar 2006 at 19:28

Phnom_Penh said:
Yeh thats a repeater and not a bridge, the 3com does do it, but the Dlink doesn't so it won't work.

Repeater / Bridge / whatever.

All round the Netgear docs and site they call it a Bridge. Interchanging the two words. Supports Wireless Bridging and Repeater Mode But Repeater is what it is as it is repeating the same signal. Your terms make more sense and I'll use those words in future...

....anyway I still can't find any reference to Bridge OR Repeater modes in the 3-Com manual. So whichever name, it is not available to us in this setup.

benjo plz. · 13 Mar 2006 at 19:30

The system used is called "wds" or wireless distribution service, see p42 of the manual

.

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 19:34

MAllen said:
BTW - denz1968 - have you thought of using the 3-Com as your main router instead of the LInksys? Could be worth comparing signal strengths with Netstumbler.?

Thought of that but the dlink dslg604 that i have carries my broadband around the house, which is the reason i bought it!!!

Thanks

MAllen · 13 Mar 2006 at 19:36

Phnom_Penh said:
The system used is called "wds" or wireless distribution service, see p42 of the manual .

LOL... so yet another term for it.

That'll be why I missed it....

Denzil - Could be worth a try to see if the D-Link will work with this. Just pop the D-Link details into this box and see what happens. Though Phnom_Penh is probally right that the D-Link won't talk to it. (Depends how standard it is)

When I setup the Repeater/Bridge at my customer's site, all I needed to do was change settings in the second WiFi device to tell it which AP to connect to. I didn't have to tell the main AP that this was happening.

MAllen · 13 Mar 2006 at 19:38

denz1968 said:
Thought of that but the dlink dslg604 that i have carries my broadband around the house, which is the reason i bought it!!!

Thanks

Okay.... so what about comparing the signal strengths anyway? As you already have this kit, you could setup a second WiFi network across the house. On a different channel and SSID. 3-Com connected to D-Link by Ethernet cable. Then have two sets of WiFi networks across the house. This is only sensible to try if that 3-Com is showing a bigger signal.

Ya have the kit, so maybe worth a play.....

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 19:50

MAllen said:
Okay.... so what about comparing the signal strengths anyway? As you already have this kit, you could setup a second WiFi network across the house. On a different channel and SSID. 3-Com connected to D-Link by Ethernet cable. Then have two sets of WiFi networks across the house. This is only sensible to try if that 3-Com is showing a bigger signal.

Ya have the kit, so maybe worth a play.....

So if i do as you say and plug the 3com into the dlink, will the 3 com push the broadband around the house?? If so i have 2 of these 3com boxes to use, so i guess they can then be used at different points to boost signal!!!

MAllen · 13 Mar 2006 at 19:57

denz1968 said:
So if i do as you say and plug the 3com into the dlink, will the 3 com push the broadband around the house?? If so i have 2 of these 3com boxes to use, so i guess they can then be used at different points to boost signal!!!

You have TWO of them.... mmmm... useful.

Make sure each 3-com can get an IP Address of it's own. Either a fixed address which isn't in the DHCP pool of the D-Link or page 32 of the manual shows you can setup your 3-Coms to get their IP Addresses from the D-Link using DHCP.

You should then be able to connect your 3-Com to the D-Link using Ethernet. Then blast the WiFi across the house, to the second 3-Com sitting at the back of the house.

(Note - obviously ask for more details if I use terms that are confusing...)

(Edited and re-written....)

benjo plz. · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:02

You could have said you have two of them before!

makes things a lot easier, do as MAllen says, one into the D-Link, and the other one the other side of the house.

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:07

Phnom_Penh said:
You could have said you have two of them before! makes things a lot easier, do as MAllen says, one into the D-Link, and the other one the other side of the house.

Sorry, reason i only said i had one was cos someone said about connecting an access point.

MAllen · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:08

Phnom_Penh said:
You could have said you have two of them before! makes things a lot easier, do as MAllen says, one into the D-Link, and the other one the other side of the house.

Half of this job is our psychic abilities to spot this missing bits of information.... like weird model numbers at 3-Com... and people who edit their posts after posting them.... BTW - do you want that book back you threw at me?

Denzil - first job you need to do is to install Net Stumbler to find out which channel numbers you and your neighbours are using. Do a check in both the front and back of the house.

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:10

MAllen said:
Half of this job is our psychic abilities to spot this missing bits of information.... like weird model numbers at 3-Com... and people who edit their posts after posting them.... BTW - do you want that book back you threw at me?

Denzil - first job you need to do is to install Net Stumbler to find out which channel numbers you and your neighbours are using. Do a check in both the front and back of the house.

Done that mate. I am on channel 11 on the dlink. There is also a netgear unsecured network on channel 11 near the back of the house that i find with the laptop.

benjo plz. · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:11

MAllen said:
and people who edit their posts after posting them.... BTW - do you want that book back you threw at me?

heh, I only edited because It seemed a bit harsh to throw a book at you

. Nah, read it.

denz1968 said:
There is also a netgear unsecured network on channel 11 near the back of the house that i find with the laptop.

Woot! free stuff

.

MAllen · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:18

denz1968 said:
Done that mate. I am on channel 11 on the dlink. There is also a netgear unsecured network on channel 11 near the back of the house that i find with the laptop.

If you are finding another Channel 11 at the back of the house, then you may find changing the channel on your D-Link is enough to make the difference. Try channel 1 or 7 or any other number. Try a few out and watch what your signal strength does in NetStumbler.

If that experiment doesn't help, fire up the 3-Coms and put them on a different channel to your D-Link and neighbours.

So - for example - Neighbour on 11, D-Link on 7, 3-Coms BOTH on 1

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:40

MAllen said:
If you are finding another Channel 11 at the back of the house, then you may find changing the channel on your D-Link is enough to make the difference. Try channel 1 or 7 or any other number. Try a few out and watch what your signal strength does in NetStumbler.

If that experiment doesn't help, fire up the 3-Coms and put them on a different channel to your D-Link and neighbours.

So - for example - Neighbour on 11, D-Link on 7, 3-Coms BOTH on 1

OK so what are the basics of netstumbler. I have installed it. Ran it, however it disconnects me from wireless, then does not show any networks!!!

MAllen · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:46

netstumbler should turn off your wireless, and then use your latop's wireless for a scan. Problem is that is does not support every type of WiFi card, so if there is nothing appearing - then your card id not supported.

Look in the status bar at the bottom of net stumblers screen. If it complains about no wireless, then your card isn't supported and we have to forget about NetStumbler.

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:49

MAllen said:
netstumbler should turn off your wireless, and then use your latop's wireless for a scan. Problem is that is does not support every type of WiFi card, so if there is nothing appearing - then your card id not supported.

Look in the status bar at the bottom of net stumblers screen. If it complains about no wireless, then your card isn't supported and we have to forget about NetStumbler.

OK just tried it and reports no ap's and no gps, so i guess not supported

benjo plz. · 13 Mar 2006 at 20:53

You'll want to open the devices menu and select the NDis driver for the device, (or the opposite to the one currently selected).

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 21:01

Phnom_Penh said:
You'll want to open the devices menu and select the NDis driver for the device, (or the opposite to the one currently selected).

OK i have it now thanks. Can i change the channel thro netstumbler or do i have to do it through the dlink setup page

benjo plz. · 13 Mar 2006 at 21:04

You'll have to do it through the DLink page.

denz1968 · 13 Mar 2006 at 21:40

so which numbers in particular on net stumbler should i be looking at to do with my signal quality and strength

Thanks