Wifi router location

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Originally Posted By: Win
I have a repeater in the middle of the attic. This fills any dead spots in the house and yard.

Repeater?


Repeater?





(sorry... couldn't resist!)

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: kb01
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL


I have no issues lighting up mine with my AP541N

(similar house construction)


That's a bit above my pay grade -- I paid < $60 for my setup. I also keep one of them outside, so I can get wifi in my garage.

The biggest issue is with the few rooms that were renovated in the 50s. The metal lathe acts as a Faraday Cage, blocking pretty much anything wireless (phones, cell phone, wifi, etc.). The 1910s lathe & plaster isn't nearly as bad.


Ahhh, OK, my lathe/plaster is all original from ~1918, so it is the wood/horsehair/mud medley. Though I'm doing a bit of reno right now, but what will be going in is drywall, not plaster, so it won't cause any issues.

My garage is more of a carriage shed, I HAD my Capri in there (sold it) but it is extremely tight with any sort of car in there, and so while I have wifi reception in the garage, it doesn't do me much good, LOL!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: scurvy
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Originally Posted By: Win
I have a repeater in the middle of the attic. This fills any dead spots in the house and yard.

Repeater?


Repeater?


Appears to be working as expected then.

 

[PandaBear]

In an apartment, I usually put it on the highest shelf space in the middle, like on top of a fridge.

In a house, 2/F near the middle of the building.

The main point is, start from your worst case reception and make sure it get at least some coverage, then move it around the allowable range to maximize bandwidth or signal strength for overall use.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Win
I have a repeater in the middle of the attic. This fills any dead spots in the house and yard.


We got one of these from Cisco for around 30 bucks on Amazon, and it has improved the whole house performance dramatically.

 

[threeputtpar]

Time Warner actually told me that the signal is sent upwards from the router, so the best place to put it is in the middle of the lowest level that you want available signal.

We have ours on the first floor in the center of the house, and we get a good signal upstairs and an OK signal in the basement.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
Time Warner actually told me that the signal is sent upwards from the router,

Oh dear.

I'm pretty sure it's the orientation of the antenna that determines the signal area.

You might want to experiment with the xirrus tool linked above to determine which antenna orientation gives you the best signal in the area where you'll be using your wireless device.

 

[sxg6]

From what I understand, the omnidirectional antennas found on most wireless routers send out the signal as pictured below. Basically the signal is put out in the shape of a donut around the antenna. I would imagine wireless routers without external antennas function the same way, for maximum coverage.

Image source
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collater...cd806a1a3e.html