Extending the range of a wireless bridge

This is kinda off topic, but for our robotics team robot, our driver station is connected wirelessly to the robot using a Linksys gaming adapter and a Linksys 610n. This is working fine and dandy. Now is there anyway using another Linksys wrt54gl running ddwrt to repeat that signal so we can get the robot connecting at even further distances?

thanks

 

Not knowing much about Robots and Driver Stations, I would just say that theoretically it should work once you follow dd-wrt's instructions pertaining to setting up a Repeater Bridge.

BTW, incase you're wondering this can be done wirelessly....meaning the Routers will communicate with each other without the need for an ethernet cable connecting them.

 

Have you considered using a cell phone and a data plan as backup? Program the robot to constantly look for and connect to known WiFi points and if that fails, use the cellular data modem to connect through the public internet.

Seems to me that will get you 'infinite' range.

Instead of using a more-or-less passive gaming adapter as the 802.11 gateway on the robot, look at using a 'real' WiFi router (such as another wrt54) to talk to the fixed/base station router.

The wrt54 will require 12vdc at about 1.5 amps. If if this is within the power budget for the robot, check it out. Running linux-based dd-wrt, this will let you re-program the router for higher power and faster connections.

Off the shelf hardware is cool. Using off the shelf hardware that you can re-program to perform better is More Cool.

 

all is good except we participate in FIRST and they force u to use only the specified parts they give u...

also we have a bridge already set up but we want to extend the range of that bridge. would setting up a repeater bridge do that?

 

Not to highjack the thread (though perhaps this product may be an option for the OP as well?), but I've been looking into replacing the antennas on my655 with after-markets products. However, after reading posts in various forums, I'm not sure if that is the best way to extend the range to the back garden (the router is near the front of the house and it's an all-brick contruction house). In reading the posts about antennas, I did come across this company (Hawking) and noticed a product called the 300N Extender. Has anyone have any experience or review of this product? Is this a good option (instead of replacing antennas)?

http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=105&ProdID=394

Many thanks!

 

The problem with extending bridges is that you are always a slave to the range of the USB adapter they gave you. In general, a fixed station has a better tx/rx range than a compact/mobile station.

But yes, in short, a repeater bridge might get it done, but I think you've got other (better) options.

 

Higher gain antennas are an option that I would suggest
You have to make sure that they provide the right coverage
The highest gain antennas are quite directional
Avoid the cheap antennas as they overstate their specifications


Alex

 

Increasing the range of a wireless bridge (connecting 2 separate networks) sounds like it's not a job for the ordinary repeater / range extender hardware.

In your place I'd look in better antenna's and 'line of sight' first.

Here's a bit about extending WIFI range with WIFI repeaters, extenders and sorts.