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    How to Increase Wireless Signal Strength?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by subi_kazi, Feb 13, 2007.

  1. subi_kazi

    subi_kazi Notebook Enthusiast

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    We have internet connection in my parents appartment with Linksys Wireless Router. But I live two rooms away (40-50 feet away and two wooden walls of obstacles between us) from my parents room, same floor but in opposite appartment. Whenever I try to connect to internet signal strenth is very low about 20%-30% however somtimes it goes upto 60%. Due to this I have problem connecting online and always have to take my T60 to my parents room that I really don't like to disturb them.

    Does anyone have any idea how to increase signal strength on my IBM T60. Is there any assoceries that I can connect to my laptop which boosts its signal receving power of wireless antenna on my T60? Please Help!!
     
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Take a look at my signature guide.

    Also, if you can log onto the router (try connecting to 192.168.1.1 in IE) you can probably increase the transmission strength as well.
     
  3. grumpy3b

    grumpy3b Notebook Evangelist

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    It might not be your laptop's signal. It might be the signal from the router. Increasing that might be the trick.

    Assuming you have a WRT54g router and that it's one that can deal with tweaking the BIOS, you can find a 3rd party BIOS that will give access to those settings. This is not a real beginners thing so if you are not comfortable don't do it as you can "brick" your router. There are several sites out there dedicated hacking (white hat good stuff) the WRT54G routers...give it a google...

    I am assuming you have tried adjusting the antenna positions and moving the router. Heck if you have a place to do it, you could run a cable from one of the antenna posts to your place and attach the antenna there...

    Ya know this is better yet, just get another linksys router (or even a dedicated wifi bridge) and put it into bridge mode then mount it on the wall closest to your place. That should easily solve the problem.
     
  4. andyasselin

    andyasselin Notebook Deity

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    Yes the 3rd party firmware such as dd-wrt works great you can boost the power on it i can use mine down street and thing is inside

    might not want turn power up on that high

    have you also try update the stock firmware on it ?

    and you wireless card drivers

    how low is singal?
     
  5. qhn

    qhn Notebook User

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    or get urself an access point and use it as a signal repeater within the house

    cheers ...
     
  6. bigtrip

    bigtrip Notebook Enthusiast

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    you might just want to try and play with the placement of the router also. (correct me if I'm giving bad info) Put it higher up in the room or out in the open. I've found that it's like cordless phones that need to be placed just right to work at long distances... hope this helps
     
  7. Moose6665

    Moose6665 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I use the Sveasoft firmaware on the WRT54G. Works great, longer range, as well as quite a few extra settings that I find useful. Be warned that there is the risk to fry the router, in which case you can just throw it away.
     
  8. wierdo

    wierdo Notebook Consultant

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    Being a user of both Sveasoft and dd-wrt, let me tell you to get dd-wrt. ;)

    Turning up the transmitter power to 100mw or so will probably solve your problem. The default is around 28mw.

    If increasing the transmit strength isn't enough on its own, you can pick up a better antenna for around $30. Don't buy the crap that Linksys sells, buy something from a place like hyperlinktech.com. What's appropriate depends entirely on where the AP is located and where you need to cover.

    It's odd that you're having problems with it, though, as I can get a signal from my AP out in the parking lot, about 150 feet away on the other side of the building with my T60 using the stock Linksys antennas at the standard transmit power.
     
  9. Lowfront

    Lowfront Notebook Consultant

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    I love dd-wrt as well. I can go incredibly far with mine now.
     
  10. maynard

    maynard Newbie

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