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I'm moving to a ten unit apartment complex that has a WiFi hot spot. I think it's just a router sending signal to the apartments, and I happen to get the unit right across from the source of signal. My question is if I should buy a router for added security and if this router will boost the signal?

ED have been taking my money since 1995. :P

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I'm moving to a ten unit apartment complex that has a WiFi hot spot. I think it's just a router sending signal to the apartments, and I happen to get the unit right across from the source of signal. My question is if I should buy a router for added security and if this router will boost the signal?

 

Regarding the boosting part, no. You need a different box, a range extender, to boost (relay) the signal. A separate router would need to be connected to the data source (cable, dsl...) that is feeding the communal router.

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I understand.

 

My home is WiFi hell sometimes so I own almost every possible router, range extender, bridge, etc., that you can imagine. I actually just reconfigured my whole network (due to issues) and the next day the router decided to become a paperweight.

 

Needless to say that stuff was resident in active brain cells.:D

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I had network cables going everywhere in my home until I bought a couple of Devolo dLAN connectors, expensive but worth it in the long run. Functions like a router, too

 

pc.jpg

 

(No, Devolo, you can't use my quote for your sales department)


Edited by Depth

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USB vs PCI wifi signal receiver thingy, which is better?

 

Performance will likely be the same, so choose the one that will be more convenient for you. I would go for PCI, just to have the usb port free, never seem to have enough of those.

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Depth, those things look expensive. I don't even know if they sell them here.

 

I was leaning towards the PCI myself but some site said to go for USB. If performance is close then I'll get the PCI since I can't think of anything else to put there.

ED have been taking my money since 1995. :P

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I prefer the USB variety. More convenient to swap out and if there is a location or interference issue you can hang it on a USB extension cable to allow you to locate it better.

 

Personally, I also have way more USB ports than I need on every single machne I own.

 

For that matter I have a handful of excess USB WiFi adapters that I don't particularly need but I suspect shipping from the US is more than one would cost new where you are.

 

If I am wrong about that PM me.

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Just bought a D-Link Rangebooster N USB Adapter DWA - 140. I figured having an antenna in a hard to reach place and up against the wall can't be good especially when the WiFi signal is coming from outside the apartment. I hope this thing works because it wasn't cheap here.

 

cichlidfan, thanks but shipping would have cost about the same. :thumbup:

ED have been taking my money since 1995. :P

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Just bought a D-Link Rangebooster N USB Adapter DWA - 140. I figured having an antenna in a hard to reach place and up against the wall can't be good especially when the WiFi signal is coming from outside the apartment. I hope this thing works because it wasn't cheap here.

 

cichlidfan, thanks but shipping would have cost about the same. :thumbup:

 

Let us know how it does.

 

As for walls and such. The worst offender I found so far is my really dense wood computer desk. I had a decent adapter in the back of the PC under the desk...couldn't connect. Moved it to the USB port on the monitor (right above the desk and maybe two feet closer to the router)...no problems at all. This was with a router only one room away on the same floor.

 

On top of that I have more than a dozen devices that can use the WiFi connection.

 

I really wish I could hardwire this house!!:P

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It didn't work but it's my fault. The driver did detect the USB booster, but only once on the initial install. The problem started during driver installation when it asked me to 'pressed/clicked' a button when it was searching for the WiFi signal and I thought it meant the button on my USB booster when it meant on the router. Naturally it failed to find the signal but after that when attempting to repeat the search, I kept getting a 'cannot find adapter' (something like that) message even though win7 detected the device. Deleting the driver and installing it again didn't solve anything. Lesson here is to read the quick install guide. sigh...

ED have been taking my money since 1995. :P

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Well, I got it to work two days ago and it stopped working yesterday night. It stopped right after I rebooted the comp as required by the service pack update. I have no idea if this is just a coincidence or win7 service pack related issue, but I am pissed. The return policy in this country is next to nonexistence. Now I'm going to the place where I bought it so they can give me "the look"...

ED have been taking my money since 1995. :P

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