Extend my network coverage?

Question

I work at a small conference center and am looking to extend network coverage to a few of our meeting rooms. All our buildings are older and made out of cinder block. The drop point from Comcast is at one end of the building and there are two conference rooms I would like to cover.

We are currently using a Wireless Range Extender, but since it has the 50% drop it is not a viable solution anymore. (I am still going to use it to try to get internet to a building about 50 ft away, but that is a different question.)

We have Linksys WRT54G routers that I was going to load DD-WRT on and make a few access points instead of buying them.

My question is can I go from Router > Access Point > Access Point? Or do all of my access points need to be wired directly into the router?

Answer 1

Wireless signals are affected by many factors including wall density, electrical interference, directional antenna range, etc.



Depending on the size of your location and the factors listed above, you may need one or more wireless access points or wireless range extenders to cover all areas adequately.



Unless you have experience in network configuration, it's not a good idea to use multiple routers unless you turn off the routing functions and use them as wireless access points. Your wireless signals will interfere with each other if they're operating on the same wireless channel. A router also acts as a DHCP server to assign IP addresses, you only want one DHCP service running.



Wireless access points connect to the router via Ethernet (some models use a WiFi connection) and then broadcast a wireless signal. You can set it up with the same SSID or have multiple SSIDs. If you use the same SSID you should use non overlapping wireless channels such as 1, 6, 11.



For example if you main router broadcasts on channel 1.



Set your 1st access point to broadcast on channel 6



Set your 2nd access point to broadcast on channel 11



You can connect your router to the first AP LAN port and then daisy chain additional APs, LAN port to LAN port.



Good Luck...

Answer 2

Go Cable Modem > Router > Wireless Controller > AP > AP > AP > AP > AP > AP > AP > AP



If you have Comcast, you probably have a SMCD3GCCR with 4 ports on the back. If you have a true business router, which I doubt due to you saying you have WRT54Gs plugged in your office, you should have the wiring as this:



CC Cablemodem ------- Router ------- Wireless Controller ----- APs



You should think about installing the AP's with a 30-50% overlap to ensure you have maximum density across your building. They should be able to leach to the next building as well. If they don't you can get an external AP and set it on the outside of the building and have it repeat over to the next building.



It's the most complete solution you can do and can expand or contract with more AP's when you need it. The device can authenticate users using your radius servers and domain controllers so you don't have to setup some cheesy WPA key "IE@TGR@SS"... or some silly easily cracked WEP 64/128 bit key.



http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10315/index.html



http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/solutions/small_business/products/wireless/aironet_series_access_points/index.html





The budget you have to take into consideration for the project to do it right:



Wiring and Installation fees for wiring the place up with Cat 5E or 6 Cabling

Installation Fees for installing the AP's on the ceilings

Price per AP

Price of the WC





Usually a cabling company will be able to do all the installation and wiring of everything so long you have the AP's and Wireless Controller. It will be up to you to configure the controller...



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Stop using residential grade devices for business applications and shame on you for bringing in the blue bricks loaded with DD-WRT for a business solution. If you're the network admin for the site, they should think on replacing you...

Answer 3

the two purchase a repeater(TP link do one) even with the undeniable fact that it halves the information fee, or purchase a better antenna perhaps +9db or greater advantageous to screw onto the router, you should consistently connect it by ability of cat 5 cables