Wireless connectivity Solution

[Roady]

Hi all, I have this problem where the RF from my laptop to my wireless router goes off line when I go into the conservatry at the back of my house, its ok else where!!. The d-link 802.11g broadband router is situated in the front room as its where the phone line comes in for the DSL connection for the Internet. The problem I can see is that there are train tracks at the back of my garden where high voltage cables run along with the train track above for the electric trains, so I suppose that this may interfere with my RF connection.
Does this seem liable and what is best solution, ie antenna booster, repeaters etc.

Thanks to all who reply

[PrntRhd]

Actually your house construction blocking the signal is more likely, IMHO.
How many walls is the access point going through by the time the signal gets to the conservatory? What type of building construction, ie brick, stone, wood framing?

Generally speaking, if you have a single access point you want to place it in the center of the space you wish to cover with signal.

[bassman]

There are a number of things that can reduce the wireless signal causing a dropped connection. Wireless phones, concrete walls, too much distance, and yes, electric trains.
Signal boosters may work but unless you are talking a distance of more then 500 feet with quite a bit of obstruction, I am thinking the interference may still be there. Moving the WAP to a more central location or at least with a better line of sight to the conservatry would probably work best. If you need to get a longer cable to relocate the WAP, I would recommend making it fro CAT5 wire and using regular RJ11 ends.

Good luck :cool:

[Whyzman]

You're wireless provider often has a page you can access that displays signal strength realtime. If they will assist you with this information, you might be able to observe signal strength from inside the house to the conservatory. Then, note what happens when a train passes, taking note on its effect both inside and in the conservatory...

Unless you have the newer 5Mhz routers, you could be getting interference from numerous 2.4Mhz sources...

If metal is present in the conservatory glass framing I'd say you pretty much have a setup that could/should be receiving signals from deep space...

[Roady]

Ok thanks for comments. The conservatory is made out of PVC there is no metal. The main house is built out of bricks and motar, the house aint massive id say the conservatory is probably about 15-18 feet away from the wireless router separated from two walls which I dont thing should cause to much of a inconveniance.

The d-link wireless adapter card in the laptop that I have inserted came with some software and I have used it to measure signal stength and quantity of the RF as I walk through to the conservatory and it does weaken, till im actually in the conservatory, then we loose connection altogether. But I already knnow this because thats my main point os this topic i want to know the reasons and possible solutions. We can bang on about where the signal weakens all day, but I know this so what solutions can I take???

Cheers

[Whyzman]

We can bang on about where the signal weakens all day, but I know this so what solutions can I take???Thanks for the information regarding the construction materials in the observatory. Since there's no metal involved, it would appear that either there's something scrambling the signal outside of the house (i.e., other devices broadcasting on the same or similar frequencies), or the outside wall, or something in it is blocking your signal.

You could throw a booster at it and see what happens...

[PrntRhd]

You can upgrade the signal:
By running a Cat5 cable from the wired port of the router to a second wireless access point closer to the conservatory. ie LINKSYS WUSB54G
By upgrading the antenna(s) on the original access point to increase range.
Relocate the original access point to increase coverage cloud in the conservatory or upgrade to a better wireless router like the new MIMO equipment (which is designed to increase speed, range, and reduce drops from intereference by running 3 channels). ie LINKSYS WRT54GX

No, I do not have any financial interest in my recommendations.

[bassman]

Is it possible to locate your existing router to a point where you would have line of site into the conservatory? Buying a new, longer phone wire might be a bit cheaper then new hardware. New hardware that just might not be able to overcome the reduction of signal you are experiencing.
Not wanting to get into a whole new discussion on construction practices but it is very common, especially in English brick masonry, to have a layer of one type of steel mesh or another between each course of brick. This would in effect create an antenna array blocking even a stronger signal. No matter how much Kryptonite you put in the room, Superman is still protected by the lead shield ;)