NEED HELP EXPANDING WIRELESS NETWORK

[kfagan61]

I sure hope someone can help me with this, it's driving me crazy. Here is my office set up:
In my network closet on 3rd floor I have the following setup:
Internet connection from ISP to a Netgear switch
2 Netgear 802.11 b routers connected to the switch
Router a is connected to a Linux webserver with an assigned static IP from ISP
Router b is connected to a Windows webserver with a different assigned static IP
Both routers are set up with different SSID's and using DHCP.

Everything works great on the 3rd floor. Now I have moved to the 2nd floor and and can barely get a signal from router a and cannot get absolutely nothing from router b.

I am trying to be able to remotely connect to these webservers but am unable to do so. I can get to the Internet but the connection is to slow to do anything with it. What do I need to add to the 2nd floor to be able to get a better connection? Running a cable is probably not an option.

I do have an extra Netgear router. Can this be used, if so, how would I configure this or do I need some other equipment.

Seems to me that this is possible to but I can't figure out.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.


Thanks in advance
fagan

[LittleKing]

I might be mistaken on how you have it setup, but having two DHCP servers on the same network will not work. This might not be affecting the problem you are talking about, but it might help find the second AP.

LK

[GroundZero3]

i would move the acess points out of the closet just to see if there is a boost of signal on the second floor as alot of things can affect the signal.

What kind of network cards are you using?

Kwebb would be the best to answer this question because he works on wireless stuff all the time.

Wose case is you might have to buy a wireless acess point and set it to repeater mode. But i dont think you can repeat both wireless signals.

[kfagan61]

Hi GroundZereo3

I'm not using any network cards, I'm using USB adaptors, not sure if this could be some of the problem. I will try moving the routers out of the closet to see if that helps.

Maybe kwebb will give me a reply. Looking for the easiest and least expensive way of doing this.

Thanks
fagan

[kwebb]

You have these seperate WLAN AP's on seperate, non overlapping channels correct? Meaning one would be on channel 1, while the other is on 6 or 11. One of those combinations anyway. 1, 6, and 11 do not overlap. If your trying to get better coverage you definitely want to get the AP's out of any closet, if they are in fact in a closet. The antennas at least need to have as much open air as possible. In a closet you can have multipath so bad you might have a hard time getting a client association at 10 feet, much less through a floor or two. Lots of things to try but frankly you haven't really provided a tremendous amount of detail, and in some circumstances you might not be able to give enough information. Sometimes testing on a site survey by someone who knows what he/she is doing is the only way to find out what the problem might be, if there even is any. 2.4 Ghz phones, other AP's within range, rebar in the flooring, major obstructions in the path (steel, water etc..). Many reasons microwave LAN coverage can be sub par.

[kfagan61]

I have tried the routers on different channels and it doesn't make any difference. The reason that the routers are in a "Closet" is that is where the network connection comes into the building and doesn't give me much to work with. I will be working on this weekend and moving the routers out and try to put up in the ceiling or something and see if that helps.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

[GroundZero3]

something you can try is to buy network cables long enough to where the wireless devices are not in the closet.

[mikey71497]

maybe run a cable from the router (switch ports on the back) to an uplink on another switch that is located closer to your machines. Either that, or go wireless and put a signal booster halfway between so the signal gets re-generated.