Improve wireless connectivity to outdoor security camera?

NeilF · 26 Jul 2018 at 22:09

My security camera is on the front of the garage and is reporting a poor wife signal (-85dBm on my phone's wifi analyser).

I have two choices to improve it's wifi connect to my network?

1) Just get a standard wifi extender and put that say in garage which obviously just then repeat my standard wifi signal/channel. Note: I get about -60 to -70 dBm on my phones wifi analyser there.

2) I have a homeplug in the garage. Get a wired repeater and plug it into that homeplug, and broadcast a wireless signal from there.

I'd imagine if (1) would work OK that might be wisest as that would mean a more powerful wifi signal of my standard wifi channel for use everwhere around the front of the house? Where as (2) might result in a better connection speed for the camera, but would mean two different competing wifi channels?

Anyone recommend a solution?

Note: The router is inside the house about 2-3ft the other side of the garage double brick wall. As I said I get about -60 to -70 dBm on my phones wifi analyser there inside the garage. Down the other end of the garage on the outside of its wall its then redulced down to -85dBm.

NOTE: I think something like a Meco AC1200 would let me do both of the above? Via Repeater Mode or Router Mode?

Duke · 27 Jul 2018 at 08:42

Option 2 would be far better imo (..better still just run ethernet to the camera if it takes it?). I've never been a fan of repeating a wireless signal in the past, unless things have suddenly improved in the last few years.

The1nonly1 · 27 Jul 2018 at 09:14

Option 2 would be better.

NeilF · 27 Jul 2018 at 09:39

Duke said:
Option 2 would be far better imo (..better still just run ethernet to the camera if it takes it?). I've never been a fan of repeating a wireless signal in the past, unless things have suddenly improved in the last few years.

Yeh, from what I've seen I believe you're right. So use a homeplug in the garage to then feed ethernet to Acess Point. Would its wifi network then be different to my existing one, or could it be the same? ie: So a device would jsut be assigned to my wireless network and potentiall be using the new Access Point or my existing Router?

Note: The camera is 2.4ghz wireless only...

Duke · 27 Jul 2018 at 10:06

You can set the SSID of the garage AP to be different if you wanted to ensure it was always going to use it.

NeilF · 27 Jul 2018 at 10:20

So any recommendations for what to get?

A dedicated Access Point, or just another Router?

In an ideal world it would need Ethernet in (from my homeplug) and Ethernet out to my Roku (I have a TV while I work out). That's why the Homeplug is there at the moment. Worse case I'll also have to get a switch to split the homeplug ethernet.

Duke · 27 Jul 2018 at 10:46

Most APs won't have the extra ports/switch so would have to probably get a wireless router and set it up as an AP instead, disabling DHCP etc. Something cheap like the TPLink TL-WR841N would do.

NeilF · 27 Jul 2018 at 11:17

And if an ethernet port isn't an issue would a dedicated access point make more sense? eg: How about the TPLink TL-WA901ND? And just plug that into the hmoeplug in my garage?

james.miller · 27 Jul 2018 at 11:40

just a switch will do, don't need an AP for that

. You dont even need a witch if your homeplug has more than 1 ethernet port.

NeilF · 27 Jul 2018 at 11:43

james.miller said:
just a switch will do, don't need an AP for that

To improve the wireless signal, to a wireless camera?

I have a homeplug in the garage, so plan would be to just plumb in an AP in there probably just on the other side of the wall to the camera in question

Crazy thing is, this would still only be like 20ft away from the main SKy router, but I guess that would be through at least a major exterior house wall etc.

(You can see my signal stengths in the OP)

james.miller · 27 Jul 2018 at 11:51

Sorry the way you said if Ethernet isnt an issue made me think the camera had a port on it

That AP should would do the job just fine plugged in to a homeplug.

NeilF · 27 Jul 2018 at 11:58

james.miller said:
Sorry the way you said if Ethernet isnt an issue made me think the camera had a port on it That AP should would do the job just fine plugged in to a homeplug.

No... That's just for a Roku I have to watch TV in the garage...

Worse case I'll just put in a £10 switch so I can put the Roku and the AP down the (same) homeplug.

Duke · 27 Jul 2018 at 13:04

NeilFawcett said:
And if an ethernet port isn't an issue would a dedicated access point make more sense? eg: How about the TPLink TL-WA901ND? And just plug that into the hmoeplug in my garage?

Correct

pcfarrar · 27 Jul 2018 at 15:08

Option 3 fit a UniFi AP AC LR in the house and an UniFi AC mesh in the garage. UniFi AP AC LR might even be good enough alone to do the job.

NeilF · 28 Jul 2018 at 14:53

Well, there's now a TP-Link WA901ND the other side of the wall (in the garage) to where the camera is going. The spot outside where the camera is going was measuring (on my phone's wifi analyser) -85dBm... Now it's at -43dBm