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[gener8or]

I recently installed a DIR 655 and am very happy with its performance. Unfortunately due to the nature of my house, the router and modem have to live in what is essentially the basement. I have a relatively good signal given the location - between 2 and 3 bars -  but I would like to improve he signal by extending the antennae into the living area. Changing the location of the router/modem is not an option.

I have looked at the ANT24-0230, but with its 3.8 foot cable it doesn't do me any good. I need to extend the antenna array about 20 feet from the router.

Does anyone know if the extension can be this long and if so, what the pitfalls to building an extension of this size would be? I'd like to know what I'm up against before I sink a bunch of $$ into RP-SMA connectors & cabling - man, that stuff is *expensive*.

Many thanks for your input!

[EddieZ]

With every meter/3 feet of cable you loose an increasing amount of 'power'. You need to keep it as short as possible. So the cable supplied really is the best to go with.

If you need to bridge this distance, you might consider moving the router (extending the WAN ethernet cable) or using an extra AP or extender.

You can replace the stock antennas with 7 or 9 dBi ones, but remember that the alignment will change and with more dBi you will not only boost signal but also boost the 'noise'.

[P01arBear]

Just out of my personnal curiosity, is the ANT24-0700 compatible with DIR-655 and would it give good results (if says, you leave 2 in-box antennas and that one)?

[EddieZ]

I've got one like that (Hawking) and it works fine. If it brings enhancement....that depends also on your situation at home.

[P01arBear]

So the ANT24-0700 is compatible with wifi "N"?

[tipstir]

So the ANT24-0700 is compatible with wifi "N"?

I don't see why it can't work, SMA connector..



Are you going to buy 3 of them?

[Fatman]

Sorry to be a stick in the mud but you do not want to run a 20 ft long antennae cable.  The losses would be horrific.  The only applicable solution would be to move the router (longer Ethernet cable) or add an access point.

IEEE802.11n is designed to used with matched antennae arrays which perform constructive interference, I would only use it with an antennae array designed for IEEE802.11n.

[EddieZ]

Sorry to be a stick in the mud but you do not want to run a 20 ft long antennae cable.  The losses would be horrific.  The only applicable solution would be to move the router (longer Ethernet cable) or add an access point.

IEEE802.11n is designed to used with matched antennae arrays which perform constructive interference, I would only use it with an antennae array designed for IEEE802.11n.

Like I said, thanks 

There are not many single antennas around that perform that "constructive interference' trick (yet).
I would have bought the Dlink ANT24-0230, but PM and Marketing don't want to sell them in Europe. Looking at the firmware-escapades that decision does not surprise me either...

[tipstir]

Sorry to be a stick in the mud but you do not want to run a 20 ft long antennae cable.  The losses would be horrific.  The only applicable solution would be to move the router (longer Ethernet cable) or add an access point.

IEEE802.11n is designed to used with matched antennae arrays which perform constructive interference, I would only use it with an antennae array designed for IEEE802.11n.

Good to know this info.. I never bother changing the ANT, but a Senior Network Engineer told me that you could take the internals what makes up the ANT and wrap around the external ANT to create a magnet field thus creating increase in coverage. What's your theory on that one?

[gener8or]

Thanks for all your help!

I had a feeling it was a bad idea to try an run cabling that long but wanted to hear it from people who have experience in this type of thing. I'm familiar with the properties of Ethernet, but RF is a field about which I know practically nothing.

Thanks!

[Fatman]

Good to know this info.. I never bother changing the ANT, but a Senior Network Engineer told me that you could take the internals what makes up the ANT and wrap around the external ANT to create a magnet field thus creating increase in coverage. What's your theory on that one?

This would amount to creating your own antennae from salvage parts, I know of no antennae pattern that matches that description either.  I would be seriously wary of destroying an antennae for this purpose.

[EddieZ]

This would amount to creating your own antennae from salvage parts, I know of no antennae pattern that matches that description either.  I would be seriously wary of destroying an antennae for this purpose.

I would like to see the results though. I've seen some awesome result from DIY antennas

[davevt31]

This would amount to creating your own antennae from salvage parts, I know of no antennae pattern that matches that description either.  I would be seriously wary of destroying an antennae for this purpose.

If I wear a tin foil hat while using my wireless, will this help the reception 

[sandman]

If I wear a tin foil hat while using my wireless, will this help the reception 

Yes, this works great, but if two people both wearing tin foil hats are within 15 feet of each other, the interference negates any gains...

Unless the tin was mined from two areas at least 1,250 miles from each other.   

[lotacus]

Perhaps if you were to purchase replacement antennas from the corporate DWA series access points may do the trick. Or make 3 yagi antennas. But I would just buy an access point.