PLEASE help! I'm going nuts. Need to extend range and nothing is working!

[Abouna]

OK, so up until a few days ago I had the following:

Netgear N600
WAP54G
Amped AP300

These covered my 1 acre lot just OK. They had the added pitfall of my devices having to switch SSIDs whenever I moved around the property as the signals overlapped and caused constant reconnects and disconnects.

I decided that a new higher power router might solve the problem with either a repeater or high gain antenna to help.

I bought the AC66U, it seems to work quite well and just barely manages the 4000sq ft house but is not getting to the outbuildings.

I decided to try the Asus repeater EA-N66. It literally made things worse. Range was about the same (!) but seemed to weaken the routers signal?

I sent that back and ordered a Hawking HOD10IP. Though I'm not surprised, it made zero difference. What are these things for? It didn't extend my range 1 foot.

I'm really getting very fed up with this. This is a church and rectory compound and I'm in charge of making this work. I'm at my wits end.

I'm hesitant to try another repeater, though the idea is the most appealing because I;d rather repeat one SSID than add an AP which would just broadcast it's own SSID putting my back in square one.

Any suggestions would be helpful. For some reason I cant figure out how to insert a photo. Here's a link.

 

[RMerlin]

A repeater will cover the area around it, so it makes no sense for it to not extend the range. Are you putting the repeater close to the dead spot? If you just put it right next to your router, then yes, it will have zero effect on range. A repeater must be installed closer to the dead spot.

Also, make sure you use a different SSID for the repeater, so you can ensure that you are actually connecting to the repeater rather than still trying to connect to the primary router.

 

[thiggins]

Don't try to cover inside and outside with a single product. You'll have a better chance of success using an outdoor AP connected via Ethernet to the main router. Something like the EnGenius ENS200 or one of its later succcessors would work nicely and is easy to install.

 

[Abouna]

A repeater will cover the area around it, so it makes no sense for it to not extend the range. Are you putting the repeater close to the dead spot? If you just put it right next to your router, then yes, it will have zero effect on range. A repeater must be installed closer to the dead spot.

Also, make sure you use a different SSID for the repeater, so you can ensure that you are actually connecting to the repeater rather than still trying to connect to the primary router.

Yes, it was close to the dead spot, far from the router.

I did however leave the SSID the same as the whole point of this exercise is so that my various devices aren't always switching networks. I thought that was the beauty of a repeater?

I'm really wondering how large businesses do this? I don;t know nearly enough about networking to figure it out but I do know that when i go to a department sotre etc with free wifi, my phone isn't constantly switching networks, it' the same network for the whole structure.

 

[thiggins]

Yes, it was close to the dead spot, far from the router.

Repeaters need to be more like midway between the base AP and the area that you are trying to extend to. Putting it near the dead spot means that the repeater is picking up a signal that has almost no bandwidth left. Then it cuts that bandwidth in half. Sure you have a strong signal, but a very weak link back to the place where the bandwidth comes from, your base network.

I'm really wondering how large businesses do this? I don;t know nearly enough about networking to figure it out but I do know that when i go to a department sotre etc with free wifi, my phone isn't constantly switching networks, it' the same network for the whole structure.

They use multiple access points connected via Ethernet, just as I suggested.
The Best Way To Get Whole House Wireless Coverage

 

[Abouna]

OK, well I have CAT5 running everywhere.

My central problem here is trying to avoid my mobile devices (phones, laptops, tablets, etc) from continually connecting disconnecting because off overlapping signals.

Is there a good solution for this? If going back to APs is the only viable route then what would be a good paring with the ASUS?

 

[thiggins]

Clients are going to connect/ disconnect even with the same SSID. The problem is few clients are smart enough to do that transparently.

You can control this by reducing power levels for each AP. This may require some tuning.

Again, the EnGenius ENSes are not expensive and easy to set up because they have AP and antenna in one enclosure, are weatherproof and come with a PoE injector so you don't have to worry about power.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
I don't know how the complex perimeter is shaped. My idea is weather proof
radio AP on a pole(or tower; bell tower being a church?) with POE. AP
being positioned high up, it'd have umbrella like coverage.

 

[thiggins]

Hi,
I don't know how the complex perimeter is shaped. My idea is weather proof
radio AP on a pole(or tower; bell tower being a church?) with POE. AP
being positioned high up, it'd have umbrella like coverage.

His linked photo shows a directional solution would work fine.

 

[Abouna]

Just got off chat with EnGenius. NOT encouraging. They simply could not clearly tell me which product wold be best for my application.

It should not be this hard!

 

[thiggins]

Just got off chat with EnGenius. NOT encouraging. They simply could not clearly tell me which product wold be best for my application.

It should not be this hard!

You cannot realistically expect any vendor to tell you which product is best for a wireless application. Wireless has too many variables.

Perhaps it's time to call in a professional.

 

[Abouna]

You cannot realistically expect any vendor to tell you which product is best for a wireless application. Wireless has too many variables.

Perhaps it's time to call in a professional.

That would be great if I didn't live where I do. No reliable pros here that I know of.

 

[TonyH]

Hmm,
I missed the photo. Check with Mikro Tik or Ubiquiti for outdoor stuff and from the picture, put a AP with POE on the roof of the building on the left side(think that is church). Use directional antenna with modest gain or
the signal beam may become too pointy. Lots of patience, budget and time.
You will have near-permanent set up. The AP could be exterior wall mounted too I guess.