Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 4390

I am trying to get my house fully networked, but it's a stone built farmhouse with three foot thick internal walls and its causing me some issues.

At present I have a wired network on the ground floor connecting my study with the living room and kids playroom where the the TiVos are.

I want to be able to have network connectivity on the first floor too, but running wires through several enormous stone walls is too much like hard work. However said walls also mean the wireless stuff doesn't have the range.

My idea is this:

I add 802.11g to my current wired network in the study.

In the attic have a repeater directly over the study, and then have further repeaters over each room I want networked (the walls stop at attic floor height). Data from the internet or the TiVos would then route via the adapter in the study to the one in the roof, then sideways from that one to one over the relevant room , then down to an adapter attached to the target device (an XBox, probably).

Would this work? Can a wireless signal "bounce" that many times?

And if so, can anyone tell me what combination of access points, bridges, rouers and game adapters I'm likely to need?

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Stuart

Check out my hacks, including intelligent automatic padding, background re-prioritise Season Passes in TiVoWeb, make your TiVo send you a daily status e-mail, and other stuff we can't talk about on TC here TiVos: 110Gb + Sky + CacheCard, 160Gb + Freeview + CacheCard, 110Gb + just network (Turbonet & 802.11g)

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location:
Posts: 2045

Three foot is a mighty obstacle, but it could be worth do a search on your favourite search engine of "war driving" antenna to review how people use enhanced antenna to boost reception.

Going the attic root is probably the most aesthetically pleasing, but if all rooms where reception is required have an external window, I would be tempted to see if mounting antenna near windows, either externally or internally, can keep the network in-touch (also a possible alternative route for a wired network which would give you the maximum bandwidth for streaming video).

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 4390

Listed building; can't do anything external.

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Stuart

Check out my hacks, including intelligent automatic padding, background re-prioritise Season Passes in TiVoWeb, make your TiVo send you a daily status e-mail, and other stuff we can't talk about on TC here TiVos: 110Gb + Sky + CacheCard, 160Gb + Freeview + CacheCard, 110Gb + just network (Turbonet & 802.11g)

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: South Coast, Sussex, UK
Posts: 1391

Install a fibre optic 10 Gigabit network.

If a jobs worth doing, its worth doing well

Also immune from hackers and the fibres are so small.

Automan

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 4051

If you have a garden shed with mains power that is in view of the necessary rooms, you could try siting A/P's in the windows and using a repeater A/P in the shed. That would probably use fewer repeaters than your loft.

Of course, you could always move to a nice modern Wimpey estate with timber-frame walls.

Next time I go house-hunting, I will definitely expect to see such things as broadband-connectivity in the house details.

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Ian.

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Registered: May 2001
Location: Usually Derby, England.
Posts: 820

In new-builds it is increasingly common to see broadband status from BT or the cable company in the details.

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Stephen

Using with Sky, SkyEye T-Link, Kameleon, Samsung 160Gb + Western Digital 120Gb, CacheCard with 512MB of memory, tweaked recording settings, TiVoWeb and APC Back-UPS 500.
Tivo Mods and TivoWebLogos Source. Fixed ui.itcl module for new genres here and Mary Christmas

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Registered: Aug 2002
Location: Maidenhead, UK
Posts: 265

I think that the 54Mbs "g" variant is better at coping with wireless repeating and bridging than the 11Mbs "b" variant?

I had to register the MAC addresses of my Belkin 54g access points (and update the firmware) to get them to talk to each other - but once I did this I was able to bridge my upstairs and downstairs wired networks with no problems.

But I also live in a 70s box - so I doubt there is much attenuation going on!

(The Belkins and a few other access points have two aerials - though I don't know if this is to allow diversity reception or not.)

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 4051

The two aerials are for diversity. It uses the one with the strongest reception. I believe that you can get directional aerials with stronger signals, albeit not for legal use.

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Ian.

For gold text on leather in TiVoWeb, try the redbook, bluebook, greenbook and blackbook themes, now updated with button menus

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Franklin, MA
Posts: 990

You might want to consider getting a Linksys WRT54G and loading the firmware from Sveasoft. The Sveasoft firmware allows you to bump the transmit power from 24mw to 84mw. Of course the long term effects on the router of having the transmit power maxed is completely unknown at this time. I've been running mine at 54 with no problems and it gives me an effective range (through a brick building) of 100 yards.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 4051

If you can up the power by firmware, it sounds like the hardware is designed to handle it, and is artificially limited by local legislation. The only problem with upping the power can be conflicts with the neighbours. My Philips video sender has a very striong signal and no directable aerial. I should imagine that half the neighbourhood watches my TiVo.

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Ian.

For gold text on leather in TiVoWeb, try the redbook, bluebook, greenbook and blackbook themes, now updated with button menus

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 4390

quote:

---

Originally posted by iankb
If you can up the power by firmware, it sounds like the hardware is designed to handle it, and is artificially limited by local legislation. The only problem with upping the power can be conflicts with the neighbours. My Philips video sender has a very striong signal and no directable aerial. I should imagine that half the neighbourhood watches my TiVo.

---

Nearest neighbour a mile away so not an issue!

__________________
Stuart

Check out my hacks, including intelligent automatic padding, background re-prioritise Season Passes in TiVoWeb, make your TiVo send you a daily status e-mail, and other stuff we can't talk about on TC here TiVos: 110Gb + Sky + CacheCard, 160Gb + Freeview + CacheCard, 110Gb + just network (Turbonet & 802.11g)

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 4051

I presume that you've looked at networks that are piggy-backed on the mains cabling. Not that my mains is clean enough to use for 'phone connections. How do they get the mains cabling through the 3-foot thick walls?

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Ian.

For gold text on leather in TiVoWeb, try the redbook, bluebook, greenbook and blackbook themes, now updated with button menus

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Registered: May 2001
Location: Usually Derby, England.
Posts: 820

quote:

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Originally posted by iguru42
You might want to consider getting a Linksys WRT54G and loading the firmware from Sveasoft. The Sveasoft firmware allows you to bump the transmit power from 24mw to 84mw.

---

__________________
Stephen

Using with Sky, SkyEye T-Link, Kameleon, Samsung 160Gb + Western Digital 120Gb, CacheCard with 512MB of memory, tweaked recording settings, TiVoWeb and APC Back-UPS 500.
Tivo Mods and TivoWebLogos Source. Fixed ui.itcl module for new genres here and Mary Christmas

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 4051

Re. the use of mains cabling, this link may of interest. There is also a link to an ADSLGuide review on that page.

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Ian.

For gold text on leather in TiVoWeb, try the redbook, bluebook, greenbook and blackbook themes, now updated with button menus

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 4390

quote:

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Originally posted by iankb
I presume that you've looked at networks that are piggy-backed on the mains cabling. Not that my mains is clean enough to use for 'phone connections. How do they get the mains cabling through the 3-foot thick walls?

---

__________________
Stuart

Check out my hacks, including intelligent automatic padding, background re-prioritise Season Passes in TiVoWeb, make your TiVo send you a daily status e-mail, and other stuff we can't talk about on TC here TiVos: 110Gb + Sky + CacheCard, 160Gb + Freeview + CacheCard, 110Gb + just network (Turbonet & 802.11g)

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: W. Yorks, UK
Posts: 1833

quote:

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Originally posted by iguru42
You might want to consider getting a Linksys WRT54G and loading the firmware from Sveasoft. The Sveasoft firmware allows you to bump the transmit power from 24mw to 84mw. Of course the long term effects on the router of having the transmit power maxed is completely unknown at this time. I've been running mine at 54 with no problems and it gives me an effective range (through a brick building) of 100 yards.

---

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http://www.tivobugs.co.uk » List of current bugs and problems.

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 4051

quote:

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Originally posted by sanderton
Bit of a mare really.

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A country life and technology don't really seem to mix. I think that you should either move to a Docklands penthouse, or start raising pigs.

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Ian.

For gold text on leather in TiVoWeb, try the redbook, bluebook, greenbook and blackbook themes, now updated with button menus

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 215

quote:

---

Originally posted by iankb
A country life and technology don't really seem to mix. I think that you should either move to a Docklands penthouse, or start raising pigs.

---

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Eric

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location:
Posts: 2045

A rushed visit to the forum just in case you make a Easter Monday shopping trip to buy equipment.

A quick review suggests that even at 2.4 GHZ the cone of silence could be a significant impediment to the solution you suggest if you use standard antenna arrays and orientation.

I will post a fuller and more considered view after the hols.

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Somerset, England
Posts: 4390

quote:

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Originally posted by ericd121
I was quite impressed that sanderton's "Nearest neighbour a mile away" yet he can receive ADSL!
Unless, of course, his nearest neighbour is the local exchange...

Sounds like a nice life, actually; Pigs and ADSL or Broadband and Broadbacks.

---

Ok, it might be 3/4 a mile to the nearest neigbour (a pub. ). And actually we do have three pig sties - vacant at the moment though!

I was somewhat suprised to be able to get broadband too; the local exchange is about two miles or so away on the edge of the nearest town; in this part of Somerset you go from "urban" to extremely rural in the the blink of an eye. If you stand on the brow of the rise at the front of our house and look south west you see the Blackthorn cider factory and the warehouses and light industial estates of Shepton Mallet; if you turn around you see nothing but the Mendip hills and a couple of farmhouses. the hill completely screens out Shepton, so we feel VERY rural!

The broadband was probably helped by an incident two years ago when the local farmer's accuracy at rabbit shooting left something to be desired and he shot out the telephone line half a mile from the house. It was too decrepid to repair, so they ran a new brand one out from the exchange. As they also had to pay me several hundred £ in compensation for loss of service in the month it took to fix, I reckon that BT will start making a profit out of me in about 2034.

The other big advantage to living out here in the wilds is we get our own special allocation of Glastonbury tickets (and a locals only hotline to order them!)

I have The Wurzels on my iPod....

__________________
Stuart

Check out my hacks, including intelligent automatic padding, background re-prioritise Season Passes in TiVoWeb, make your TiVo send you a daily status e-mail, and other stuff we can't talk about on TC here TiVos: 110Gb + Sky + CacheCard, 160Gb + Freeview + CacheCard, 110Gb + just network (Turbonet & 802.11g)

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