Billion UK Forum

I have a sprawling bungalow where several extensions are built onto external walls and thus the signal fades at the extremes.

Moving my 7800n isn't an option. A 3100sn repeater might be, but repeaters seem to be a pain at best.

Before I go down that route, I wondered if anyone has successfully upgraded to the 2db standard antenna to a 7 or 8db, and whether it has improved the signal.

The worst I get at present is 36% of signal at the furthest point. Both my iPad and laptop struggle with that level of signal. A mains LAN doesn't work there either because the run of wiring to the extension is too long.

As the crow flies the distance is 75ft through 2 doorways and 1 external and 2 internal walls. 1 Wall has all the heating & water pipes down it in line of sight to the router.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Pete

I have a 3 floor home and with the router on the ground floor, the top floor although getting signal, tended to often be weak. I decided to try 3 high gain antennae, and they actually lowered my signal upstairs to invariably non-existent.

With a wallet that's tighter than a duck's arse, I wish I'd ponied up for a TP-Link repeater first, as the antennae proved a waste of money and the repeater was money well spent.

With the right aerial and the right reasons they do work, because you save the wasted energy in directions you're not concerned about, but the beam you do get will be narrow near the aerial and coverage outside the beam will be worse than an omni. If you were aiming to cover a building like a shed it would be a good solution but not to go through walls in a building that's the wrong shape.

Like you say wireless repeaters are a pain, best to use wired ethernet to another AP that gives you better coverage (which obviously won't need to be at your 36% point but closer to it than the router currently is!). Running wires is also a pain Or if you have access to somewhere that faces the side of your 75 foot building then put an access point there rather than in your building so it only has the external wall to battle with.

I unlocked an old BT Home Hub and use it as a remote AP but running wires neatly to be able to use it is a pain