Extending Wifi Signal

[desmond9]

Just wondering how it might be possible to extend my WIFI signal an extra 300 metres or so. We have a holiday cottage close to our home and I thought this would be the easier way of offering internet to my guests. Any thoughts would be appreciated.?

[LTolledo]

WiFi signal from your:

a) Raspberry Pi based DIY router, or

b) ordinary purpose-built off-the-shelf router?

[PhatFil]

have a google around the Phrase 'directional wifi transmitter/receiver'

theoretically if you devote a pair of ap devices and focus their transmission/reception into a narrow band pointing at each other Yes but it would involve a little spending.


alternatively you could also try leapfrogging a signal across 3 or more cheap battery powered ap devices, but that would probably require a daily battery exchange/recharge.. perhaps buy one and see how far you can walk away and still 'hear' it from your home.. got any old phones with hotspot capacity?? baggy em with an extra battery??


300m is way too long for a network cable and to breach would probably involve a couple of inline repeaters so could be done with a poe setup perhaps
might cost a bit more but would be more reliable and advertising wifi and not being able to provide it will probably upset guests disproportionately

[desmond9]

Thank you very much for the advice people. I think I will look more in to the method of connecting a transmitter to the router, as I think I can get my head around that. I'm not overly technically minded so don't want to try anything too ambitious but think I can afix a TX to the router with few problems. Cheers.

[PiGraham]

Just wondering how it might be possible to extend my WIFI signal an extra 300 metres or so. We have a holiday cottage close to our home and I thought this would be the easier way of offering internet to my guests. Any thoughts would be appreciated.?

TPLINK EAP225 outdoor AP should give you 300+m in all directions. I have had >900m from that to a tablet with an Alfa USB adaptor on it.

Powered by POE (adapter included). Plug it into your router and bolt it on the wall or on pole.

[desmond9]

Would something like this do the job do you think, https://www.dtsdigitalcctv.co.uk/prodde ... rod=AER538 It seems cheap at 29.99.
It seems with this you only need the transmitter at the router end and it boosts the signal. Or have I read it wrong, would I need one at the receiver end as well..?

[PhatFil]

It boasts a 300m range, but yes you would need 2x i each end and a device to connect each to directly, an old redundant isp supplied router would be ideal as the far end access point.

[desmond9]

Right so I can just use my old talk talk router at the cottage with the antenna connected and I'm off and running. That's great cheers. I say talk talk but it is in fact Netgear.

[PiGraham]

Try it and see. It might work. Your best chance is to get the antennas high up (>2m, but roof level if you can). Avoid any vegetation in between.


If you have a directional antenna to link to the cottage you may need an omnidirectional antenna to provide all round coverage at the remote end, although lecage from the directional antenna may be adequate.


It sounds like you will need a device at the remote end that can act as a Wi-Fi repeater. Some routers may not do that by default. Check the manual for repeater setup instructions. If that isn't supported you may be able to change the firmware to run openWRT or the like which provide lots of options and run on lots of common hardware.

[mooblie]

You really need to also consider modifying your Pi to put an external wifi antenna socket on it - and then use directional antennas at BOTH ends (router AND Pi). After all, Wifi is two-way!

Understandably, modifying your Pi like this is frowned on here, but well...