Re: How to boost our Linksys WRT150N's signal -- across the house?

On Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:03:31 -0800, dgates <dgates@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote
in <s8gql4h5dsgrgv18qgd4uqod42bjtk1pjr@xxxxxxx>:

I have this much of the signal connected:

from DSL modem
to router
to powerline network adapters (connected via powerline)
to access point (AP).

From there, I'm getting a little iffy -- about whether the access
point is transmitting wirelessly,

Easily tested with the SSID -- change it to "my access point" on the
access point, and see if that's visible (along with the SSID of the
router) in your wireless clients. Go back to the same SSID when you
have it all working, or stick with different SSIDs for manual roaming.

about whether the iPhones are able
to roam,

Seamless roaming is problematic -- many clients try to stubbornly hang
on to a uselessly weak signal even though a much stronger signal is
available.

and what to do about our 6-year-old laptop not supporting WPA
or WPA2.

Seriously consider getting a PCMCIA or USB Wi-Fi adapter that supports
WPA PSK (Personal).

No need to mess with the Internet address.

I had no choice but to put something in.

Put anything in -- doesn't matter.

The Linksys software demands
5 fields of information (under "Setup > Basic Setup," with the
dropdown set to Static IP). I'll list them here and tell you what I
put in each one.

Right under the "Static IP" dropdown:

Internet IP Address: 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (my best guess)


Under "Network Setup > Router IP":

IP Address: 192.168.1.2 (should this have been "192.168.1.1?")
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

I think I might have screwed up with putting a 2 instead of a 1 in
that second "IP Address" field.

Follow my instructions.

1. Before you start on the WRT300N, wire a computer to the remote
powerline adapter and test it thoroughly to be sure powerline networking
is working well.

I did this. Streaming YouTube over the powerline connection was no
problem.

Great.

2. Then wire the computer to the WRT300N (LAN port) to the powerline
adapter to be sure that is working well.

I can now connect to both routers from the one main computer in the
office. I've got their configuration screens open right now. ".1.1"
in IE and ".1.2" in Firefox, just to keep my own head straight.

That's not what I said. Make sure a computer wired to the WRT300N (LAN
port) can access the Internet.

3. Then test the wireless on the WRT300N with all security (router and
access point) turned OFF.

Hmm. Actually, I went straight to secure mode.

Bad idea. Follow my instructions to the letter.

5. Test everything.

Did wireless work or not on both the router and the access point?

I discovered that our 6-year-old laptop doesn't seem to support WPA or
WPA2. However, a networking friend once gave us a WPC300N wireless-n
notebook adapter which I'll research. If it seems that it will offer
us any kind of WPA, then I'll install it.

Good.

If not, then I think the laptop will have to settle for simply
plugging into ethernet cables (attached to powerline adapters) in each
of the two main rooms it likes to visit.

OK.

After saving certain changes on the new 192.168.1.2 (usually changes
on the Wireless tab), I can no longer connect to it until I go
manually reboot it (by unplugging it). (Could this in some way be
related to setting one of the IP addresses incorrectly on the Basic
Setup tab?)

I really don't know. You didn't follow my instructions, and I can't
follow what you posted.

My WRT150N has these (wireless) Security Mode options:

Don't mess with security until it's completely working.

I don't know a perfect way to test that the access point is actually
providing any wireless signal.

Unique SSID. See above.

Take things one step at a time.

--
Very best wishes for the holiday season and for the coming new year,
John
.

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