Re: N vs G Range with G devices

OK. I had already started to answer your long one before, but now I
see you are getting it set up. Anyway, here' my answers, disregard if
inapplicable:

n Jun 22, 9:54 am, Bill <opchi...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Why does one antenna work better than two? If you remove one, does it
matter which one?

Once you go directional, whether reflector or panel antenna, I don't
think two help, so I prefer to reduce clutter. I kept the right one
(looking at the front). DD-WRT has option to turn antennas off, I
forget about the native linksys firmware.

...The walls of the room are more like exterior than interior
walls. I've tried it and the signal doesn't really get outside the
room to the rest of the interior of the house - but does do well
enough on the porch just external to that room.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

...I put the main WAP on the second
floor on channel 11 and the Netgear (for now) on channel 1. The only
function of the second WAP is to get signal to the porch, which it
does well. Because of the physical boundaries of the room and the wide
separation of channels, I think I'm OK with 2 wireless networks.
Although I'm going to ask about that in a few paragraphs.

Sounds you are doing it the right way.

My wife will kill me I mention wiring another. One WAP has to
be upstairs.

For the room without wiring, I'd either run powerline networking
(Netgear XE103 is fast and reliable) from the router to it that room
and then go into the WAP from there, or...

I tried it and it didn't work well - the speed was awful and I blamed
the old wiring in the house.


But you used the Linksys..xxx. They aren't all the same, several
different speeds and standards. Somehow I think your wiring is not so
bad.

Consider trying powerline again, with Netgear XE102 or XE103 pairs.
Unless you think you are gonna stream HD video, that is. If doing
video, then find a recommended brand that uses the better standard- no
advice, but I think it's there. The Hi speed standard Netgear chose
is said to be problematic. But the 85 and 14 mbps they use seem
solid.

I've spent some time the past couple of days reading the DD-WRT wiki
and plan to flash the firmware of a WRT54GL (see below).
OK ... I ordered 2 WRT54GL's from Provantage. I'm going to replace
both the WAP54G and the Netgear WPN824 with them.

I've bought from them and been happy too. The Linksys should be good.
I'd keep the WAP as well - did you figure out if it takes DD-WRT
also?

I ordered Linksys because I'm comfortable with the interface and I'm
confused enough already.

DD-WRT is very similar to Linksys interface, just way more buttons.
Most of it you can ignore.
As an aside, they say the Tomato interface is very nice, less
powerful, but enough for most users. You may want to look at that
one.

So, I will have 2 WRT54GL's. I plan to flash one ar both with DD-WRT.
I have 4 7dB antennae that I can use (or not). One WRT54GL *has* to go
in a second floor room wired to a Linksys BEFSR81 router. The second,
I believe, has to go in the only room on the first floor wired to that
same router, the "slab room" next to the porch. Ideally, I'd like to
have only one wireless network (so I don't have to switch when I go
out on the porch), but can live just fine with 2.

What do you suggest for the two WRT54GL's relative to (1) flashing
with DD-WRT, (2) type/number of antennae, (3) relationship to each
other, ie, none (2 networks) or a repeater. I plan to eliminate the
range expander from the equation.


I'd flash em both for consistency. As for placement, etc, it depends
on if you do want to check out powerline again or not. Either case,
you put one in the slab room. If you use powerline, then the other
router or AP can be optimally placed to fill in the rest downstairs -
and you decide if you still need a third one upstairs. No repeating
needed.

If no powerline, then make a two-radio repeater, I suppose. Run one of
the DD-WRT boxes as a client with a reflector towards upstairs AP and
run any other router or the WAP cabled to it with omnis. Two box
repeater allows you to optimize the antenna and placement for each
side of the link - point-to-point on the client side and point-to-
multi on the AP side.

Use a single reflector or small panel antenna for the upstairs-
downstairs link (if no powerline). Might use a reflector or panel for
the concrete room towards the porch and also to keep interference with
other downstairs network down.
Probably want to use omni for the main downstairs AP if it's
relatively centered in it's coverage area.

When using straight omnis (no reflector), might as well use two stock
ones if close to target area or two 7 dbi if more coverage needed.

I would keep everything on the same subnet, the same network. The
router upstairs handing out the addresses in all cases. What I don't
know is if you can keep the same channel downstairs and have them
overlap for roaming or if need to run different channels. Don't
know. Maybe somebody else will jump in.

But if you must still do the upstairs-downstairs link, then that
should be on a different channel than the downstairs broad coverage.

Hope that helps. It sounds like you are into it - you can play around
with antenna placement and stuff.

Cheers,
Steve
.

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