10 tips for improving your wireless network

taken from here (of all places...) http://www.microsoft.com/athome/more...elesstips.mspx

10 tips for improving your wireless network

Extend the range and the strength of your wireless network


1.Position your wireless router (or wireless access point) in a central location.
When possible, place your wireless router in a central location in your home. If your wireless router is against an outside wall of your home, the signal will be weak on the other side of your home. Don't worry if you can't move your wireless router, because there are many other ways to improve your connection.
http://www.microsoft.com/library/med...improve_02.gif


2.Move the router off the floor and away from walls and metal objects (such as metal file cabinets).
Metal, walls, and floors will interfere with your router's wireless signals. The closer your router is to these obstructions, the more severe the interference, and the weaker your connection will be.


3.Replace your router's antenna.
The antennas supplied with your router are designed to be omni-directional, meaning they broadcast in all directions around the router. If your router is near an outside wall, half of the wireless signals will be sent outside your home, and much of your router's power will be wasted. Most routers don't allow you to increase the power output, but you can make better use of the power. Upgrade to a hi-gain antenna that focuses the wireless signals only one direction. You can aim the signal in the direction you need it most.
http://www.microsoft.com/library/med...improve_04.gif


4.Replace your computer's wireless network adapter.
Wireless network signals must be sent both to and from your computer. Sometimes, your router can broadcast strongly enough to reach your computer, but your computer can't send signals back to your router. To improve this, replace your laptop's PC card-based wireless network adapter with a USB network adapter that uses an external antenna. In particular, consider the Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless USB network adapter, which adds an external, hi-gain antenna to your computer and can significantly improve your range.
Laptops with built-in wireless typically have excellent antennas and don't need to have their network adapters upgraded.



5.Add a wireless repeater.
http://www.microsoft.com/library/med...improve_05.gif
Wireless repeaters extend your wireless network range without requiring you to add any wiring. Just place the wireless repeater halfway between your wireless access point and your computer, and you'll get an instant boost to your wireless signal strength. Check out the wireless repeaters from ViewSonic, D-Link, Linksys, and Buffalo Technology.


6.Change your wireless channel.
http://www.microsoft.com/library/med...improve_06.gif
Wireless routers can broadcast on several different channels, similar to the way radio stations use different channels. In the United States and Canada, these channels are 1, 6, and 11. Just like you'll sometimes hear interference on one radio station while another is perfectly clear, sometimes one wireless channel is clearer than others. Try changing your wireless router's channel through your router's configuration page to see if your signal strength improves. You don't need to change your computer's configuration, because it'll automatically detect the new channel.


7.Reduce wireless interference.
If you have cordless phones or other wireless electronics in your home, your computer might not be able to "hear" your router over the noise from the other wireless devices. To quiet the noise, avoid wireless electronics that use the 2.4GHz frequency. Instead, look for cordless phones that use the 5.8GHz or 900MHz frequencies.


8.Update your firmware or your network adapter driver.
Router manufacturers regularly make free improvements to their routers. Sometimes, these improvements increase performance. To get the latest firmware updates for your router, visit your router manufacturer's Web site.
Similarly, network adapter vendors occasionally update the software that Windows XP uses to communicate with your network adapter, known as the driver. These updates typically improve performance and reliability. To get the updates, visit Microsoft Update, and then under Select by Type click Hardware, Optional. Install any updates relating to your wireless network adapter. It wouldn't hurt to install any other updates while you're visiting Microsoft Update, too.
Note When you go to Microsoft Update, you have two options: the Express Install for critical and security updates and Custom Install for high priority and optional updates. You may find more driver updates when you use Custom Install.


9.Pick equipment from a single vendor.
While a Linksys router will work with a D-Link network adapter, you often get better performance if you pick a router and network adapter from the same vendor. Some vendors offer a performance boost of up to twice the performance when you choose their hardware: Linksys has the SpeedBooster technology, and D-Link has the 108G enhancement.


10.Upgrade 802.11b devices to 802.11g.
802.11b is the most common type of wireless network, but 802.11g is about five times faster. 802.11g is backward-compatible with 802.11b, so you can still use any 802.11b equipment that you have. If you're using 802.11b and you're unhappy with the performance, consider replacing your router and network adapters with 802.11g-compatible equipment. If you're buying new equipment, definitely choose 802.11g.
Wireless networks never reach the theoretical bandwidth limits. 802.11b networks typically get 2-5Mbps. 802.11g is usually in the 13-23Mbps range. Belkin's Pre-N equipment has been measured at 37-42Mbps.

Nice post. :)

lets pin this just for the noobies

im noob in wireless
i was trying to find a way to get a better reception from my neighbour...
will get my own later

http://filesharingtalk.com/vb3/showt...ght=wifi+miles

just remembered. my mate got his own PC so we can try again without his dad being a cawk about it :01:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 100%

im noob in wireless
i was trying to find a way to get a better reception from my neighbour...
will get my own later

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That's actually worth a :glag:

Was your neighbour helpful when you asked him to reposition his router? :schnauz:

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Originally Posted by GepperRankins

http://filesharingtalk.com/vb3/showt...ght=wifi+miles

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:O :D brilliant thanks

Quote:

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Was your neighbour helpful when you asked him to reposition his router?

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http://filesharingtalk.com/vb3/image...es/schnauz.gifi follow the advice of the majority - its his free generosity, will probably tell him after i got my own

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Originally Posted by suprafreak6

lets pin this just for the noobies

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Yes, pin this.

Orb, Wireless Router
Orb consists of two parts: 1) Network Home Plug: Its function is to transfer the network signal into the normal electricity network. Therefore this appliance features a power plug which is attachable/detachable and the plug is connected to the home plug main body with a power line. Also the home plug main body has a RJ45 port for connecting network cable. 2) Wireless Router: It functions as a normal wireless router, but it has a feature to make it special – a light bulb connector. Thanks to the built-in standard light bulb connector the wireless router can plug on to any standard light bulb housing, allowing the wireless router to receive the power and the network signal from the normal electricity network. This means that only a single necessary network cable is needed to connect to the home plug. This is the true meaning of “wireless router”.

Design: Liteon Technology Corp


http://www.yankodesign.com/images/De.../orb_small.jpg http://www.yankodesign.com/images/De...orb2_small.jpg

any link to buy one of those?

http://webserver.ifdesign.de/beitrag...itrag_id=25213

bah i've been noticing some assholes stealing my internet. I wish there was a way around this without having to disable wireless access point,,

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Originally Posted by Formula1

bah i've been noticing some assholes stealing my internet. I wish there was a way around this without having to disable wireless access point,,

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There is. Enable encryption.

i have a netgear mr814 router, i dont think it has that feature :/

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Originally Posted by Virtualbody1234

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Formula1

bah i've been noticing some assholes stealing my internet. I wish there was a way around this without having to disable wireless access point,,

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There is. Enable encryption.

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pish. google "airsnort". my WAP is now offline.

Just bought a Trendnet 802.11g adapter 108mbps...Came with a extension cable and the signal is excellent (above 90%) all the time, even though my router is in a different room beside metal drawers.:cool2:

Too bad my shitty linksys router's only 54mbps:(

That may be useful

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Originally Posted by fkdup74

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Virtualbody1234

There is. Enable encryption.

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pish. google "airsnort". my WAP is now offline.

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thanks i'll look into that.

edit: All the computers in my home are connected through a wired connections. It's just that i notice outsiders, who are a connecting through a wireless connect. If i disable wireless access point in my router's setup, my router is like to drop connection. Im wondering do you or anyone know of a good program i can use to monitor computer that are connected to my network? AirSnort is just well... bad, it depends too much on downloading additional files, hasnt been updated since 2003, seems you must have a wireless card which i dont have..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Formula1

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fkdup74

pish. google "airsnort". my WAP is now offline.

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thanks i'll look into that.

edit: All the computers in my home are connected through a wired connections. It's just that i notice outsiders, who are a connecting through a wireless connect. If i disable wireless access point in my router's setup, my router is like to drop connection. Im wondering do you or anyone know of a good program i can use to monitor computer that are connected to my network? AirSnort is just well... bad, it depends too much on downloading additional files, hasnt been updated since 2003, seems you must have a wireless card which i dont have..

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Your post isn't very clear but if you're not using the wireless feature then you should just disable it.

But what if you have a house with two floors? And you have all the wireless gear set up on the upper floor
if your in the basement - will such a thing as a repeater placed downstairs help?
or should you place the wireless gear...between floors?

100%, i hope you don't mind me answering the PM in here.

you could try messing about with a colander. i've found the best way to work out the focal point (provided the surface is reflective) is to just move your finger towards the middle to find the most powerful focal point, or you could use maffs to find half the radius. i've never had any noticable results doing this though, not had a proper test.


another way, which most definately does work, is a cantenna. i made one with two sweetcorn tins, a tuna tin and some various other crap.


http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html

Thankyou GepperR, I look forward to adding a can to my laptop. I will post results when i am done.

Yes!
Great tips! I just realized that I am an idiot. But no more! Thanks!
wademalorgan

nice post, rly.

hey thanks alot for these tips