Increasing Range Of Wi-Fi & Buying New Router/Device?

[TheHumanBot]

Hello,
I am using BSNL Internet on D-Link DSL-2730U Router which is
configured to connect on laptop/mac & guest devices like phones ipads etc..
its a 3 floor building and router is placed on 2nd floor inside a room.
so when i am on 3rd floor wi-fi signal are very very low or most of the time not in range.
i want a new router/device which can show range in whole building premise.
i have no idea which device to buy. so guide me here. budget is not much of concern.
just want this damn thing to work on every floor with Strong signals.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Saahib]

You have few options..
1. Buy a new one with larger cover area..
2. Buy boosters or antenna
3. Buy a new cheap device Wifi router.. place one at ground floor, other at top floor and use one of them as repeater
4. Connect both using lan cable and use both as AP

.. Alright that gets even more confusing
You can go for each one by one.. but I think best would be buying a new cheap AP and use it as repeater.. but over all bandwith will be halved . May be you can borrow one from your friend and then play around with it .

I have used all of the above but 2nd one as never found good equipment ..

 

[papul1993]

Buying cheap wireless routers and using them as repeaters is your best bet. Make sure the router you are buying supports the repeater mode.

 

[Sudh4r]

You can extend the signal using an "RANGE EXTENDER". It's just boost the wireless signal from an existing ROUTER.

And FYI, you should have posted this thread in the NETWORK section. PM to whitestar_999 he can help you in this.

 

[TheHumanBot]

okay thanks
now one more questions.
how come i can see other people's wi-fi connections which are like literally 100 feet away from my building?
what type of device they are using?
have pm'd star.

 

[whitestar_999]

wireless signals pass easily through air but not so easily through obstacles like walls,doors etc so a router on top of a building may be able to send signal through air to next building but can't 2 floors down in its own building.getting a range extender is your best option but i have not read good reviews about 2730u.i would have recommended you tp-link 300mbps model which according to many should be able to provide signal to the floor above & below from where it is placed.
*www.deltapage.com/products/TP%2dLink-:-TL%2dWA730RE-150Mbps-Wireless-Range-Extender.html

this one is a bit costly but more powerful:
TP-LINK TL-WA801ND Wireless N Access Point - TP-LINK: Flipkart.com

 

[TheHumanBot]

which property should i see to check the power of signal? not sure if there is property that can tell me how powerful is it?
i can go upto 5k.

and if i buy this where do i put this? replace router and configure this extender?

 

[whitestar_999]

antenna power is measured in dBi but that in itself is not enough because it also depends on construction/design of your house/building.if you can go upto 5k & don't mind retiring your existing dlink then you can get this:
TP-Link : TL-WR941ND : 300Mbps Wireless N Router - www.deltapage.com
& replace its default antennas with these:
TP-LINK TL-ANT2408CL 2.4GHz 8dBi Indoor Omni-directional Antenna | eBay
i don't think you can get a better range then this in this price range.in fact i think the range will exceed your requirements by a good amount.

 

[TheHumanBot]

okay Thanks man! let see how this goes. will post back when i am done buying and everything.
really appreciate the help man!

 

[kARTechnology]

okay Thanks man! let see how this goes. will post back when i am done buying and everything.
really appreciate the help man!

If you can buy router for 5k
Instead of buying a old model, consider buying TP-LINK wdr3600.
It got dual band, 2usb and gigabit ports and the antennas are upgradable.
I currently have this. Got for 4875 but you can use coupons ( ebay)

 

[whitestar_999]

i already thought of that but budget is total 5k & wdr3600 has 2 antennas & even though their dBi is not mentioned i am guessing 5dBi.in 5k op can get WR941ND & then replace the 3 antennas with 8dBi antennas which will result in a large range.

 

[TheHumanBot]

if i get a basic cisco router that would work too?

 

[whitestar_999]

in my opinion if your budget is ~5k or less forget about any other brand except tp-link & asus.no doubt cisco make some good models but only their costly models justify their price tag not the under 5k price range.

 

[TheHumanBot]

so i would go with 2 products that you linked me to OKAY?

 

[whitestar_999]

just because i said so doesn't mean you should not question. anyway if i were in same situation as yours & have the money then i too would buy these 2 products only for range though.also you don't need to retire your 2730u because it will be used as modem in your new modem+tp-link router setup.

buy antennas later because maybe the 3 default antennas of 941ND may do the job.if not then you can buy antennas.

 

[TheHumanBot]

i have no idea on wi-fi devices so i will trust you with it and won't blame you if doesn't serve the purpose.
so no worries. will buy those 2 products and if doesn't work will add extra antennas.

 

[kARTechnology]

i have no idea on wi-fi devices so i will trust you with it and won't blame you if doesn't serve the purpose.
so no worries. will buy those 2 products and if doesn't work will add extra antennas.

you can't add extra antennas. you remove the given ones and install the new ones

 

[whitestar_999]

you mean 1 product--941ND.the antenna is a separate product & to increase range you have to unscrew the detachable antenna of 941ND & screw-in the new one.

 

[TheHumanBot]

can you suggest me another product where i don't have to add extra antennas.
pricing is not an issue as i said. like i buy a product replace my d-link one and it increase the range.

in short a product which replace my current d-link and shows signals to all 3 floors