Booster for WiFi

[CarolineH]

I have just had my Livebox WiFi router changed for a more modern one, as with all technology, the services seems to have deteriorated and the signal is poorer than before.

I have read comments on here about boosters for WiFi, but know nothing about them, please could someone explain how they work and give me recommendations?

Thanks

[gam]

You wouldn't usually expect a new router to have a worse wifi performance than an old one - although of course this could be the case.

Before spending money I'd check a few things:

• Have you moved it closer to a wall/floor/ other appliance? If so, give it better space around it.
  If it has an external aerial, experiment with its orientation.
  The router will offer a choice of wireless channel numbers. In every environment some will work better than others due to local rf interference. Experiment with different channels.

If all else fails I wouldn't recommend a booster as they can be hard to configure and rarely deliver their promise. Powerline adapters are the way to go. You can get wifi versions as well as ethernet and can mix and match if needed.

HTH

[la vache!]

I agree with Gam, boosters are generally a waste of time.
I use cpl plugs for my house with the livebox (because I the electricity counter is the same), plus a Apple Airport express borne for wifi plugged into the cpl.
For the gites which are on different electrical counters, I use ethernet cables into the sockets and then an Airport Express in each gite to give wifi.
Works perfectly
FWIW if you have the Livebox 2 it uses wifi 2 and not g like the old one, so it should be better, not worse if you had the old Livebox before. I've always found the wifi strength of the LB2 very good compared to other routers.

[CarolineH]

Thank you gam and LV

As I said, I didn't really know what I wanted (just that I wanted WiFi to reach the customers!)

I have a Livebox Pro 2 - but it's rather a stupid design (IMHO) because the old Livebox stood up and was a wedge shape - it is placed in the front window of a first floor room in my house, which seemed to give the best coverage before. The new livebox is also a wedge shape but will not stand up, because all the ethernet ports are at the bottom of the wedge - so it lies on it's back I suspect this may be the problem because now it can see over the window frame! I will experiment by putting on a box.

If that doesn't change much, I have read about these CPL plugs (not sure what they're called in English) and it seems that they transmit the internet signal over the electricity wires. I have one electricity meter for my house and all the gites (mistake, but too late now!) but there are different fuseboxes and distributions (tableaux) all over the place - will this still work. Do I need one at each end of where I'm trying to reach - i.e. one next to the router and one in each gite?

Another question - Am I limited to apple airport bournes or is there something similar which is cheaper - because for 5 gites this is going to mount quickly in price.

Thanks - sorry for being a luddite!

[la vache!]

You can get bornes which are cheaper, I'm sure. Gam said that there were cpls with wifi incorportated - I haven't come across any in France, but if they exist then that will be the cheapest option. As long as your gites are all on the same electricity supply I think cpls should work, but maybe worth checking first. I'm staggered that your wifi ever reached as far as it did in your set up, considering the thickness of the walls. Mine never reached next door due to the metre thick walls.

[Debby K]

I use 2 Devolo dlan 200 avplus WIFI receivers in 2 of my gites. Has to be the same electricity circuit. Not too expensive. Good after-sales help in French and English. The transmitter is plugged into my Quickspot (see Hadopi discussion) but it used to be plugged into my Livebox and worked perfectly. My new Livebox 2 has a far better WIFI range than my old Livebox but still not quite good enough to reach the 2 furthest gites.

Debby

[gam]

I have read about these CPL plugs (not sure what they're called in English)

Homeplug is the technology standards name so they tend to be called Homeplugs or powerline adapters.

and it seems that they transmit the internet signal over the electricity wires. I have one electricity meter for my house and all the gites (mistake, but too late now!) but there are different fuseboxes and distributions (tableaux) all over the place - will this still work.

Yes, that's how they work. If the Gites are all on the same meter then there's a good chance they'll work but you won't know until you try. Maybe just buy one pair and test them.

Do I need one at each end of where I'm trying to reach - i.e. one next to the router and one in each gite?

Yes, one on its own at the router and another one at each location i.e. 5 locations needs 6 Homeplugs.

Homeplugs come in speed variations and configurations. You'll need an ethernet version to plug into the router and wifi versions in each Gite. 200Mbps is more than fast enough for internet and cost under £20 each for the ethernet versions but about twice that for the wifi versions. So it would add up to a fair bit of cash.

An example (you may well find better prices or models):
http://www.amazon.fr/D-Link-PowerLine-W ... 004O4P7TC/

BUT before you splash out, please do experiment with wireless channel numbers. You may well find that one offers a big improvement over the current one used. It's often the case.

[French Cricket]

You can get bornes which are cheaper, I'm sure. Gam said that there were cpls with wifi incorportated - I haven't come across any in France, but if they exist then that will be the cheapest option.

They do, I have them, and they work! Mine are the Devolo dLAN 200AV Wireless ones - there's a starter kit with the plug that goes into the modem/box plus one wifi access point, then you can just buy single access points to add to the system.

I've got 3 access points - thinking of adding a fourth - and they work pretty well. Like you, Caroline, we have one EDF meter but lots of distribution boards, which doesn't cause any problems. Easy to set up too. Not cheap - starter kit around 128€, single access points around 80€ - but cheaper than buying a non-wifi plug plus separate access point.

What happens in practice is that the system creates a new wifi network rather than just extending yours. There are ways and means of setting it up with several adaptors so that you can 'roam' between plugs seamlessly (Caroline - if you do buy these ask me how to do it - it took me hours of research to find out so someone else might as well benefit!).

The downside is that they haven't got pass-through plugs so take up a wall socket. The upside is that it's such a simple way of getting a wifi network round a big house with thick stone walls, without wire. And encryption is easy too - you can set your own log in password to replace the long dashed default one, and there's a second push button which encrypts content.

And not one guest has had a problem logging on ... yet!

There are a couple of other wifi systems - Netgear do one which is cheaper - but the Devolo comes out top in reviews.

[Windy]

Home plugs are ace -We use the around the house and up in my office I have one that repeats the Wifi signal using a different SSID.

[CarolineH]

Just a little update - thank you all for your input.

I have played with the Channels on my Livebox and reception has indeed improved together with putting it on a box so that it can see out of the window - I now have the same coverage as I had with the old box.

I have also bought some HomePlugs to generally improve the reception in each gite, because there are some blackspots. My walls are a metre thick as well, LV, but I think that reception is ok because the gites are around the house in a courtyard setup so the WiFi can pass through the windows (if that makes sense) rather than trying to get through granite.

I bought NetGear homeplugs (I ordered them before you posted your recommendations, FC) after a little initial confusion I have managed to set them up - I ordered two initially and have just ordered another five to cover all areas.

I have created a new network with a new password, so now have security between our personal WiFi devices and the guests ones.

Another little success story