I have a client that has wireless router issues and getting poor signal in one of her rooms. This is a condo in a tall building and the unit is on one floor. The iPad and iPhone go from one bar to no bars in the corner of the building using the existing WRT54G. I want to replace the wireless router (or WAP) with an 802.11n unit and relocate the wireless router to a central location in the kitchen where when we test the iPhone and pad in the bad signal area we consistently get 2 bars of signal where we had one to none with the original router.

The client wants me to leave the router in the original location and replace it with a new 802.11n and place an extender in the low signal location.

I have never had good luck with extenders and wanted to see if I am wrong about using an extender.

I recommended Pakedge but the client wants the under $200.00 wireless router solution and not a $600.00 solution.

I also want to keep the WRT54G and use the wired ports to send Ethernet to the new router in the Kitchen which I assume I would bridge the old router. So can I use the WRT54G router as strictly a wired router and not use the wireless or do I need a switch to connect the new wireless router in the Kitchen? I also have the Kitchen Sonos unit I like like to connect to the new router.

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

Why 802.11n? Does the client have any equipment that supports 'n'?

I'm not sure what an extender is.

I would try the following:

1. Try a better wireless router or WAP - the WRT54G is rather old.

2. Persuade the homeowner to relocate the wireless router (old or new).

3. Install a second hardwired WAP (I guess this is not an option in this case).

4. Consider a mesh network using dual radio devices - which would mean dumping the WRT54G.

5. Consider a dual radio repeater - which would work along with the WRT54G.

Single radio repeaters or mesh networks using single radio devices will likely be slower then dual radio units since the radio has to divide its time between receiving from the wireless client device (a laptop for example) and then sending the data along to the "main" WAP or wireless router.

The same "time sharing" of the radio happens when the data is going in the other direction (to the wireless client).

A dual radio unit can use one radio for each task.

We are ditching the WRT54G or at least using it as a switch if I can.

We are installing a new wireless router in new location that is more centralized in the condo. The iPad I thought supported N...

I'm not going to comment on where to put the antennas but I will say try to never use an extender if you can. You will reduce the bandwidth doing it this way and in some cases it's in half. I would recommend if you use something like an Airport Express to hardwire the Airports. If you use to routers, setup the one to hand out the DHCP and disable this in the other router. Plug the network wire into the LAN side of the 2nd router. Then make sure the routers are set to different channels and not on auto. The only usable channels are 1,6,11. You can overuse AP's/routers/extenders as well. The more you use the more issues you will have with speed. It's best to set them up to get the maximum coverage with the minimum devices.

That was what I thought about extenders. I can get decent signal with a centrally located new wireless router.

For under 200 bucks throw in a Linksys/Cisco Small Business WAP4410N and call it a day. This way you can keep the WRT54G.

Looks good but I need to keep WRT54G in old location as a switch and connect the new wireless router to it via Ethernet in the Kitchen. I was going to use something with Ethernet ports so I can plug Sonos in Kitchen into new wireless router next to it in Kitchen. The WAP4410N appears to be an access point.

Here is a crude outline:

Utility closet.
Comcast Internet Modem
wired into
WRT54G. Port 1 out to DirecTV DECA switch. Port 2 to Kitchen Ethernet outlet (Sonos in Kitchen). Port 3 to Living Room Sonos via 200MBPS Ethernet over A/C adapter. Port 4 to TV room Sonos via Eternet cable.

Kitchen.
Sonos connected via Ethernet to Port 1 on WRT54G in Utility closet.

Living Room.
Sonos " " ".

TV Room.
Sonos " " ".

The only change would be to use WRT54G as a switch if possible (turn off wireless capability or leave it on with different SSID) and change the Kitchen equipment:

Kitchen.
New wireless router connected via Ethernet to Port 2 of WRT54G in Utility Closet.
Kitchen Sonos connected via Ethernet to Port 1 of new router.

Thanks Ali.

First, use a free Wifi diagnostic tool to see where the most traffic is within the customers "airspace". The free software will only give you an idea of where the traffic is and how much of it, for example, there are "x" number of routers on channels 1 through 11. That will tell you the best channels to use if you are staying with 802.11g.

A condo can create havoc for wireless networks. I've seen situations where adjusting the channels of existing equipment can clean up dead spots and poor range issues.

Just a thought before you need to re-configure the system.

You can find great free software here: [Link: metageek.net]

The software is called inSSIDer. Their higher end stuff is amazing, and worth a look if you are in the market to continue doing wifi based troubleshooting and installations.

If that doesn't help, then just add another device in the kitchen as you are planning. I second the WAP4410N, it is a good unit.

And yes, you can disable the wifi on the WRT54G.

So you want to use the wrt54g as a switch? Then put the router in front of it with the modem behind the switch?

You can disable dhcp and wireless from just about any router, essentially making them switches or WAPs. I just don't think you are doing it properly unless I'm misunderstanding something.

Keep in mind that the Comcast modem needs to connect to the WAN port of the router and everything else need to connect to a LAN port on the router.

You are proposing use WRT54G as a switch - yes? If so then it needs to be connected to a LAN port on the new router.

You don't want to connect the modem to a LAN port on the WRT54G and leave everything else the same - this would put some of the existing equipment on the WAN side of the new router - that's not good.

To use the WRT54G as a switch you need a CAT cable from the modem to the WAN port on the new router and another CAT cable from a LAN port on the new router back to the WRT54G.

Used this today on site. Great call.

Fc and Sound. Got everything up and running no problem. Thanks all.