Help needed with Wireless Internet Repeater

That is the BT Business broadband router.

You won't be able to put up anything reliable on the basis of that device. I  even suggest: Don't even try, waste of time. I know the datasheet says all kinds of things to the contrary.

If you are not an IT person, I suggest: Don't just buy equipment. Get somebody in who can install, measure troughput and signal quality, can amend, can maybe change to  different devices if needed etc etc.

Gary was very right, for such cases no IT man can possibly guess correctly all relevant parameters of the actual situation on site. 

Hi Deborah,

I've just taken a look at the site on Google Street View. Would you be able to get consent to place directional antenna's on the Chimney stack of each building? That should be high enough for direct line of sight without risk of getting blocked by lorries & double decker buses.

Even if you offer the chimney owner's a small annual fee for it, it would work out cheaper in the long run than additional DSL and a VPN (and almost certainly faster).

Steve

Deborah, I think your best bet is to ask your 4N area leader for help locating someone close by to visit your shops. Meanwhile there are a couple of things you may find useful to consider.

• Do you want to share data, printers or anything between the shops? or is it simply you want to have Internet access (email/web) from both shops?
• Is it going to be a problem if the shop without broadband loses Internet every time a bus goes past, or a delivery lorry parks outside?

I am based in Eltham today and would be happy to pop in to take a look for you Deborah. Earliest I can get there is probably 4:30?

Hi Deborah and friends,

if you almost get a signal, then you can do it with a directional antenna. If either of your current routers has an antenna plugged into it, then you can replace it with a directional one (£20 or £25 at Maplins). It does not look like BT router has one (I don't have the full specs); what is at the other end?

Antenna gain is measured in dB. Unless you love logarithms, best to use a rule of thumb ... every 9dB will double the range.

I would completely agree with the guys, that you want to be able to see from one router to the other. If you can put the routers higher up and with line-of-sight, it will help. That is line-of-sight between the antennas, so a separate antenna located more favourable than moving the whole router. A bus or truck blocking the line will interupt the link; that will slow it down but will not cause most applications to break. IP was designed to cope with losing some packets, they should be resent after the link comes back up, so unless you are streaming video (lost frames are not resent - it's too late) you will need patience when the bus passes, and not need to start again.

Kind regards,
    Simon.

Lol.

I have just re-read this thread and it has gone from sticking a repeater in the front of the shop to erecting kit on the top of chimneys. Amazing what can happen. It all comes down to what the service is required for and whether there are better and easier alternatives.

Gary

Actually I'm surprised no-one suggested a Pringles can, aka the cantenna. Good excuse for a snack as well. I didn't think that would look very professional in a shop 

Directional antennas for wi-fi are compact, quick search shows 5" x 4" x 2" for a decent gain. The top corner of a window facing the other premises will be fine, it can even go right next to the router, depending on what is in the vicinity. If there is almost a link now, we are only talking about a little more signal level. I prefer solutions which don't add something extra to go wrong. A directional antenna does not use any more power, it just sends the radio waves where you want them, not in all directions. 

I've resisted the temptation to include formulae. Is the forum like a book, you lose half your audience for each equation you include?

Cheers,
    Simon.

Oh dear Glen I missed the chance of you looking at the setup , ive not been in work or on the computer today - drat!!!!

Hi Brian
I only want internet access, if the signal goes from time to time, I can live with that.
I went back outside to check the signal distance. I got right outside the other shop with a very faint signal - but a signal yerrrr.
what do you think I should do?

Hi Deborah

I am in Eltham again today and roughly a 2-3 minute drive from your shop. I would be happy to pop round and take a look for you. Would 4:30 be OK?