Suggest cheapest router with repeater mode / dedicated repeater

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Crazy_Eddy said:
Err.. IINM, you advocated placing the repeater 2/3rds away from the edge, i.e. very close to the main router.
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no, not 2/3rds away but rather a third or even a quarter from the edge. Just not at the edge.


Crazy_Eddy said:
One year on and still propagating a myth :)

Since you trust smallnetbuilder, here's how they put it :-
"repeaters start out with a minimum 50% throughput loss."
"If you're trying to work around the signal-sapping effects of stone or concrete walls, those obstructions will also kill the repeater's signal, on top of the built-in 50% throughput reduction."
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Not a myth, since there is no floor plan provided am referring to open space with nothing in between. Just to understand signal loss as a result of the repeater. Walls will complicate this more.

Crazy_Eddy said:
From the same article on SNB :-
"best repeater placement will involve a lot of trial-and-error. Placing the repeater closer to the main wireless router will provide higher bandwidth for the repeater to retransmit. But the longer distance from the repeater will reduce the signal received at the target area and also the resulting throughput. Placing the repeater closer to the target area will provide a stronger signal there, but at the expense of even less received throughput to be repeated."
In other words, they are recommending balancing both router - repeater and repeater - client links like I had already suggested.
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excellent, you found it :)

That's the tradeoff i wanted explained as a result of repeater placement. You could get a better signal if you placed the repeater little closer provided it was feasible. Whether its feasible or not depends on who's asking but the option must be presented.

Numerous times in manuals i've seen they put the repeater at the edge and that isn't the best way.
 
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blr_p said:
no, not 2/3rds away but rather a third or even a quarter from the edge. Just not at the edge.
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Umm if you're expecting only a third of a signal after 1 wall, how were you proposing the client see any signal after 2 walls? Let's not forget, a router/repeater will always see a much better signal than a client.
 
All i'm saying is measure the signal at the strongest point ie in the vicinity of the router and then at the weakest point from the router. Then find where that signal is a quarter or third more than the weakest. That's where you place the repeater.

A wall depending on thickness absorbs anywhere from 5-10db.
 
blr_p said:
All i'm saying is measure the signal at the strongest point ie in the vicinity of the router and then at the weakest point from the router. Then find where that signal is a quarter or third more than the weakest. That's where you place the repeater.
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That would be the ideal situation. But in the real world, your client may not be equally well placed in a spot that has 1/3rd the signal of the repeater, i.e. you need to compromise and place your repeater w.r.t your client, or you need to add one more repeater to bring the signal closer to the client.
Speaking of which, I find it odd that nobody has made routers with dual 2.4GHz radios, so one can work as the link and the other as a repeater on a different channel to avoid interfering with the link channel. There are dual band routers that use the 5GHz band as the backhaul link, but considering the range is usually poor I don't see how it would work effectively.
 
With our slow internet connections (compared to 1st world countries) of 1 Mbps and such, does the 50% loss and such matter ?
My main router is a cheap TP Link one and is 54 Mbps max. And my broadband connection is 2 Mbps airtel (at Pune) and MTNL 1.3 Mbps at Mumbai.
Will the repeat still give me full speed of my internet connection ?

@cisco_tech

Any update on your router from flipkart ?
 
Hi everyone,
I am looking for a wireless extender/repeater with LAN capabilties. I am using a Brother DCP-7065DN printer with LAN connectivity. I want to place the printer in another room.

I am currently using a Cisco Linksys E3000 WiFi router, the signal strength is very low or nil in the farther reaches of the house. I want to connect the printer and bolster the WiFi signal strength.

Looking for a cheap option! Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Sibot
 
indy1811 said:
http://www.amazon.in/D-Link-DIR-505-Mobile-Companion-Router/dp/B0095PC2P2?tag=googinhydr18418-21

http://www.dlink.com/us/en/home-sol...-and-bridges/dap-1320-wireless-range-extender
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That seems to be a bit on the expensive side. It is available for 1,2xx on Amazon - http://www.amazon.in/DLink-DIR-505-Mobile-Companion-Router/dp/B0081TXIQA?tag=googinhydr18418-21

But you can get cheaper TP Link routers that double as repeaters with more LAN ports. I'll keep this in check! Thanks

raksrules said:
@sibot

Check my other thread for repeater. I am waiting on @cisco_tech to give feedback on the Netis WF2411 N150 Wireless Router available on flipkart, he has ordered it. It is Rs 700 shipped currently.
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Hmm, that seems like a good cheap option. But the reviews don't seem to be so good on the FK website. I'll keep a tab on this. Thanks
 
Crazy_Eddy said:
That would be the ideal situation. But in the real world, your client may not be equally well placed in a spot that has 1/3rd the signal of the repeater, i.e. you need to compromise and place your repeater w.r.t your client, or you need to add one more repeater to bring the signal closer to the client.
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Sure

Crazy_Eddy said:
Speaking of which, I find it odd that nobody has made routers with dual 2.4GHz radios, so one can work as the link and the other as a repeater on a different channel to avoid interfering with the link channel. There are dual band routers that use the 5GHz band as the backhaul link, but considering the range is usually poor I don't see how it would work effectively.
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If both radios are in the same device then the range of the repeater will be as limited as the primary.
 
raksrules said:
With our slow internet connections (compared to 1st world countries) of 1 Mbps and such, does the 50% loss and such matter ?
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Yeah for internet it doesn't make a huge difference - just saying, don't place the repeater randomly and make a weak signal to your laptop/PC a potential bottleneck :)

blr_p said:
If both radios are in the same device then the range of the repeater will be as limited as the primary.
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Sorry I meant that as a solution for improving repeater throughput not range. A repeater needs to receive a data packet on a channel, check that the channel is free, and then re-transmit on the same channel (which causes the minimum 50% loss). What some repeater/mesh networks do is use the 5GHz band to receive data from the main router and simultaneously transmit to clients on the 2.4GHz band, since the two bands aren't shared. Since 2.4GHz has 3 non-overlapping channels, a repeater with 2 x 2.4GHz radios working on say channel 1 and channel 6 could technically transmit and receive simultaneously without interrupting each other.
 
Crazy_Eddy said:
A repeater needs to receive a data packet on a channel, check that the channel is free, and then re-transmit on the same channel (which causes the minimum 50% loss).
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Half duplex like a walkie talkie

Crazy_Eddy said:
What some repeater/mesh networks do is use the 5GHz band to receive data from the main router and simultaneously transmit to clients on the 2.4GHz band, since the two bands aren't shared. Since 2.4GHz has 3 non-overlapping channels, a repeater with 2 x 2.4GHz radios working on say channel 1 and channel 6 could technically transmit and receive simultaneously without interrupting each other.
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Ah, they must be using powerful 5 Ghz radios to keep range the same. Things are a bit simpler if you pay what they are asking.

Why arent' they offering it in the consumer space ? not until the cost of 5ghz radios comes down.

Not found any ac routers under 10k currently. Just a draft ac for 5.5k. dlink 850L
 
raksrules said:
@cisco_tech

Any update on your netis router ?
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Still not arrived yet. Looks like arrived at nearest HUB. should be in my hand by tomorrow.
9fwfGGL.png
 
Just done with the setup. Repeater mode is working fine. In 3 clicks setup was done. Under wireless selected as repeater mode . scanned my main AP and it showed all the surrounding AP. Mine showed with 30% signal strength where I have put my netis router. Selected that AP and its done.
So far no signals drop or anything.
 
cisco_tech said:
Just done with the setup. Repeater mode is working fine. In 3 clicks setup was done. Under wireless selected as repeater mode . scanned my main AP and it showed all the surrounding AP. Mine showed with 30% signal strength where I have put my netis router. Selected that AP and its done.
So far no signals drop or anything.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback. That router is currently at 669 on flipkart. Planning to buy now.
Is the router'a range good and you get same internet speed as your main router ?
 
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