Posted on 08/26/2019 12:13:01 PM PDT by RangerM
This is my use case--maintaining the Wifi connection as I move around the yard (1.2 acres).
I work in the yard a lot, and the fact that I'm moving (around the yard) also means that the Wifi signal can be in and out.
I have an Asus RT-AC5300 as my base and it provides fine coverage over most of the house. And covers most of my yard, although there are some weak spots on the farthest extremes. The router itself is on one end of the house in a spare bedroom. The wife doesn't want it in the middle "where everyone can see it".
The repeater I was using with my previous RT-N66R worked well enough, but doesn't seem to like working with the new(er) AC5300.
Since I still have the RT-N66R, I'm trying to decide if I should set it up as a repeater, or an access point on the far side of the house (I have a set of powerline adapters), or if I'd be better off setting up Aimesh using another Asus router.
What's the best solution for my use case?
Walk away from the phone.
Keep the router. Trade in the wife.
Why do you need it? Use a cell phone?
put it in the basement ceiling near a window
A friend of mine had a similar situation.
He put the Wi-Fi router in the attic.
It raised the signal higher and got more coverage...........
Have you looked into high gain antennas?
Depending on the location of the house within the 1.2 acres, maybe raise one of the repeaters, swap out or put reflectors behind one of the antennae. Wave propagation can make up for position and distance. Additionally, put a repeater up high, set it for lower channel 2.4Ghz. The lower frequency will be slower, but will carry much farther.
Once, on a trip, ginned up a directional reflector out of half a vertically split Pringles can over a long 9db gain 2.4Ghz whip antenna. Was picking up pathetically weak signal from 200 yards or so away.
Good hunting....
KYPD
Try putting the router that's in the house in a part of the house that has less walls between it and the outside world to get to you. For example, if most of your yard is a back yard, try putting the router in a window on the back side of the house. Better yet, I have a friend who has the router sitting outside the house, near the back door, with a special rain shield over it to protect the router and other electronics like a stereo. That made all the difference in the world for him and his wife to be able to pick up a signal anywhere in the yard and down at a boat dock.
Wherever you put it, be sure to make a power on/off switch easy to access if you have to restart it. For example, if you need a long extension cord to power it, fine, just have a power strip with the power button near you so you can flip the switch off then on if needed.
Mostly for streaming as I move around the yard.
But, also to cover a weak spot inside the garage (for a connected door opener).
Some people live in areas with poor cell coverage. Here in Alabama where there's lots of hills and also people living at low altitudes on rivers and lakes (thus too low for the cell signal to get down to them), wi-fi access out in the yard gives you access to wi-fi calling.
I’ve considered putting a high gain antenna in the attic, but it would be difficult to run the cable from the router to the antenna (based on where the router is).
Repeaters rarely work well.
A second AP on a small dipole antenna outside will solve all your problems.
https://www.amazon.com/outdoor-wifi-antenna-usb/s?k=outdoor+wifi+antenna+usb
How many stories is the house?
Do you have a basement?
Do you have easy access to the attic?
Is the lot square or “oblong?
Are all the spotty coverage locations on the same side of the house? Including the garage?
Still, if you need WiFi while out in the yard working you ain’t getting much work done.... I know, I have tried. :)
Or go rearrange the living room and tell her thats were YOU want it. Bet a compromise can then be negotiated... lol
Weird. We have AT&T at the ranch and the router they gave us gives us pretty good wifi up to around 500 feet or so from the house.
I’ve been told wifi signals do work better when the router is high. One person described it as looking like an umbrella.
I am trying an Apple AirPort Extreme (which is discontinued but still available if you look around). It looks like a white rectangle. No antennas. Just one signal that goes from 5 gig to 2.4 depending on which works best...automatically.
Put one of those somewhere high and I’ll bet you’ll be fine.
True that! :)
lol, I have to compare it to driving in order to get anything done. I will call them back when I get there or stop for a break.
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