How do I improve signal strength?

dannyjo22

dannyjo22

dannyjo22

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Joined
9 May 2005
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Cambridge
My nephew got a 360 for xmas.

They have their PC at the back of the house on the ground floor, NTL cable modem. I got them a second hand router off a mate WRK54G Linksys. His 360 is in the front of the house upstairs, so there is a decent distance between them. I got him the 360 wireless adapter and at best he gets one bar of connectivity.

What are my options to try to boost the signal? Is it possible to buy something to boost the strength.

I was toying with the idea of getting them to get NTL to move the Modem to his bedroom putting the router up high and getting a usb dongle for the downstairs desktop. Do you think this will be better than how it currently is?

Or is there something I can buy to boost the signal?

Any ideas greatly appreciated.
 
You could get better antennae for the router, but I can't find a WRK54G - you mean a WRT?
I'd expect if you moved the router, the end product would be that the USB dongle only got 1 bar rather than the xbox.
 
Its definately a WRK I had problems finding evidence of it in this country too. It came from a high street pc store as well. When I did some googling to find the router it said it was basically the wrt54g but with one antenna.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=WRK54G&meta=&gbv=2

The top link is what I read. How true it is I wouldn't know.

Google images show it too, the one antenna.

So anyway to boost it or fit something else mid way to boost it?
 
You should still be able to get a better antenna.

If that doesn't help, moving them or sticking another router in the middle as a "repeater" would help. Alternatively there's the power line network kit.
 
tolien said:
You should still be able to get a better antenna.

If that doesn't help, moving them or sticking another router in the middle as a "repeater" would help. Alternatively there's the power line network kit.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your time tolien :) Can you link to something to show me what you mean as a better antenna. I'm a network newb :confused: and does that mean removing the one on the linksys and attaching another or is it a cable that plugs into the linksys?

Sticking another router in as a repeater, is that buying a wireless access point? I could say stick that in their living room in the room underneath my nephews bedroom to limit the gap?

I did consider the the plug in network but i'm trying to keep the cost down as much as possible. My sister doesnt have a lot of cash and it would come out of my pocket to keep him happy on the 360. He's cost me so much money this xmas as it is, I might as well adopt him ;)

Basically playing him on the 360 is a good way to touch base with him.
 
dannyjo22 said:
Can you link to something to show me what you mean as a better antenna.
Click to expand...

If the shop doesn't sell them (and as far as I can see they don't), no.

does that mean removing the one on the linksys and attaching another
Click to expand...

If you can remove it, and you can get another that'll connect, yes.

Sticking another router in as a repeater, is that buying a wireless access point?
Click to expand...

Maybe. Lots of things will work as repeaters.
 
Damn so I'm stuck then as nothing can be shown to me of a decent option to buy because ocuk doesn't sell them and any links would be a competitor?

Oh well thanks for what help you could give me :)
 
From reading around on Google it doesn't look like the WRK54G has a detachable antenna. Personally I'd ditch it and get a WRT54G instead, then you can upgrade the firmware with DD-WRT and increase the wireless output and also add better antennas. I know you're trying to keep costs down but the only other option for you is a repeater which wouldn't be far off the £35-£40 of a WRT54G anyway.
 
splitz said:
From reading around on Google it doesn't look like the WRK54G has a detachable antenna. Personally I'd ditch it and get a WRT54G instead, then you can upgrade the firmware with DD-WRT and increase the wireless output and also add better antennas. I know you're trying to keep costs down but the only other option for you is a repeater which wouldn't be far off the £35-£40 of a WRT54G anyway.
Click to expand...

Hmmm I have a WRT54G myself. I may take that around there and see if he gets any improvement. Are they really that much better distance and strength wise?

Failing that I've been thinking of selling his wireless adapter for the 360 to part fund some of those network mains plug thingies. Anyone have decent experience of how good they are?

Thanks splitz :)
 
My WRT54G has the alternative DD-WRT firmware with output tweaked from the default 25mW to 70mW and changed the antennas for 7dBi from the default 5dBi. I share this connection with my neighbour who is around 20 metres away through three double-insulated walls :)

If you want to keep the existing router then I'd do as you say and sell the 360 adaptor. I'd then buy a WRT54G ( ;) ) and set it to bridged mode and use it for the 360.
 
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