Extending wifi coverage into a garage

andyrr

I am looking to use my garage with floored upper area to study in. Problem is I need internet access and the wifi signal doesn't reach that far.
A cabled connection is not really ideal.
Simplest/cheapest solution ?
Will just be an ipad that I use in the garage study area I think.
I think some of these plug-in extenders rely on the devices all being on the same electrical circuit which won't be the case here.

thegreatdivide

As long as the garage is on the house mains circuit you can buy a Power Line Adapter with or without WiFi. I strongly recommend the TPLink AV500:

http://uk.tp-link.com/products/details/ ... P-KIT.html

slowbike

the mains extenders rely on the power lines being of reasonable quality - mostly they are - sometimes they're not.

Other range extenders rely on there being a signal to extend - I've got several, Apple Airport Express is by far the simplest, but TP-Link TL-WA850RE is pretty reasonable.
What you may have to do is put a range extender in between your main AP and your garage - so it won't be in your garage - but may/should boost the signal in there.

What you need to do before anything else though - is check what signal you've got in the garage and if anything is interferring - quite often your neighbours will be using the same channel and that causes interference - so you may be able to get a reasonable signal without any additional hardware. Airport utility on the iPad is a reasonable scanner.

47p2

Powerline adapter will only work properly if the garage is connected to the house ring main. Best solution is to run a Cat5e cable then use an old hub in the garage made to carousel the signal, works a treat.

keef66

I discovered my garage is on the same circuit as the sockets in the bedroom above it. Having confidently switched off the circuit labelled "Upstairs Sockets" I proceeded to electrocute myself when the screwdriver slipped while removing the faceplate from one of them to paint the wall.

When in fact I should have turned off the circuit saying "Garage". But I also need to remember that one of the garage sockets is actually connected to the "downstairs sockets" circuit.

If I knew where to find the "builder" who did our extension I'd like to electrocute him...

47p2

keef66 wrote:

I discovered my garage is on the same circuit as the sockets in the bedroom above it....But I also need to remember that one of the garage sockets is actually connected to the "downstairs sockets" circuit.

Typical lazy builders shortcut, they don't care what happens once you paid up.

I decided after having several quotes from c̶o̶w̶b̶o̶y̶s̶ builders to build a garage that I would tackle it myself, it took two years, was a massive learning curve and my DIY skills were put to the test, but I now have a proper man cave to be proud of.

slowbike

electrocution is a major hazzard - best way to check you're not about to get shocked is to turn the power off completely ...
failing that - plug a light or a fan in - ensure it's lit/turning - then turn off the circuits until you find the one that turns off the light/fan ... then realise you forgot your torch, fall off the step and over your bike that's setup on the turbo, break your leg and have 6 months off the bike ... or so I'm told ...

drlodge

Powerline adaptors...I use the Devolo ones and they are very easy to setup and use.

drlodge

Slowbike wrote:

electrocution is a major hazzard - best way to check you're not about to get shocked is to turn the power off completely ...

Its not that much of a hazard as long as you have RCD protection. Until recently my house had a 6 way fuse box from 1958 (no RCD) and the earth to the Consumer Unit was attached to the incoming mains water pipe and nothing else!

keef66

drlodge wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

electrocution is a major hazzard - best way to check you're not about to get shocked is to turn the power off completely ...

Its not that much of a hazard as long as you have RCD protection. Until recently my house had a 6 way fuse box from 1958 (no RCD) and the earth to the Consumer Unit was attached to the incoming mains water pipe and nothing else!

That's a point. The consumer unit was new in 1989, and individual circuits trip out if a lightbulb goes pop or for instance when the dishwasher went on the blink. How come the RCD didn't stop me getting a belt?

Or does the RCD only cover the downstairs sockets??

Actually, thinking about it, I think the RCD covers only half the circuits. I understand the individual MCBs do nothing to guard against shocks

orraloon

I use BT Home Hotspot adaptors. Barn is on its own electrical 50m spur from main house box through a separate dedicated box in the house and a 2nd set of RCDs in the barn, and that works fine, both with wifi and RJ45 (?, the ethernet plugs) connection. So definitely work on different circuits.

andyrr

Thanks all - will do a bit of investigating at the weekend. At present, as soon as am outside hte house the signal disappears. The garage is attached to the house, at the same side as the router position but not right beside it. The metal garage door will sometimes be shut which won't help in getting the signal through. Garage has it's own fuse box - not sure if it is on a separate circuit but a range extender or mains plugs might be the thing, else it looks like a cable to an old hub would be the more assured method but running a cable out of the house is probably my last choice if another option is suitable.

smoggysteve

You can get a wifi repeater/extender for about a tenner. Problem solved.

As has been mentioned, look for interference. For wifi signals one of the biggest is fluorescent lights. They emit signals that can cut right through wifi signals mainly those in the 2.4ghz range. If you have one in your garage it can reduce the signal alot. If you do use an extender, try to put it close to an upstairs window. The elevation will help increase its range.

drlodge

keef66 wrote:

drlodge wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

electrocution is a major hazzard - best way to check you're not about to get shocked is to turn the power off completely ...

Its not that much of a hazard as long as you have RCD protection. Until recently my house had a 6 way fuse box from 1958 (no RCD) and the earth to the Consumer Unit was attached to the incoming mains water pipe and nothing else!

That's a point. The consumer unit was new in 1989, and individual circuits trip out if a lightbulb goes pop or for instance when the dishwasher went on the blink. How come the RCD didn't stop me getting a belt?

Or does the RCD only cover the downstairs sockets??

Actually, thinking about it, I think the RCD covers only half the circuits. I understand the individual MCBs do nothing to guard against shocks

Yes probably only certain circuits are RCD protected since its quite old. Lights, oven etc are unlikely to be protected. With the new regs, all circuits need to be RCD protected. My CU has 2 independent RCD protected circuits and I added an RCBO off the main switch circuit for the fridge/freezer in due course so if something pops an RCD, it won't turn off the fridge.

smoggysteve

drlodge wrote:

keef66 wrote:

drlodge wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

electrocution is a major hazzard - best way to check you're not about to get shocked is to turn the power off completely ...

Its not that much of a hazard as long as you have RCD protection. Until recently my house had a 6 way fuse box from 1958 (no RCD) and the earth to the Consumer Unit was attached to the incoming mains water pipe and nothing else!

That's a point. The consumer unit was new in 1989, and individual circuits trip out if a lightbulb goes pop or for instance when the dishwasher went on the blink. How come the RCD didn't stop me getting a belt?

Or does the RCD only cover the downstairs sockets??

Actually, thinking about it, I think the RCD covers only half the circuits. I understand the individual MCBs do nothing to guard against shocks

Yes probably only certain circuits are RCD protected since its quite old. Lights, oven etc are unlikely to be protected. With the new regs, all circuits need to be RCD protected. My CU has 2 independent RCD protected circuits and I added an RCBO off the main switch circuit for the fridge/freezer in due course so if something pops an RCD, it won't turn off the fridge.

RCDs sit on the live wire. The mains internet plugs use the earth and neutral legs so don't even come into touch with any RCD you may have. The problem with using the plugs is they lose too much signal down them so I wouldn't bother anyway.

izza

If you can use Apple express extenders then added advantage is you only need a few N10 2BG speakers linked off the jack to give you sound/music whilst you train.

tlw1

SmoggySteve wrote:

You can get a wifi repeater/extender for about a tenner. Problem solved.

As has been mentioned, look for interference. For wifi signals one of the biggest is fluorescent lights. They emit signals that can cut right through wifi signals mainly those in the 2.4ghz range. If you have one in your garage it can reduce the signal alot. If you do use an extender, try to put it close to an upstairs window. The elevation will help increase its range.

I've just bought one of these and it works a treat

andyrr

Any recommendations for particular repeater/extender ?
Is the device located in the house to broadcast outside - my setup has the router in the house and my 'target' as the garage which is attached to the house but it is set back from the room where the router is, straight line distance only maybe 5 - 8 metres or so, through the house wall and the garage wall/door.

smoggysteve

andyrr wrote:

Any recommendations for particular repeater/extender ?
Is the device located in the house to broadcast outside - my setup has the router in the house and my 'target' as the garage which is attached to the house but it is set back from the room where the router is, straight line distance only maybe 5 - 8 metres or so, through the house wall and the garage wall/door.

Can't go wrong with netgear. I would put it in or close to a window that overlooks the garage if possible. All it does is rebroadcast the wifi signal you tell it to.

Zendog1

I use this one. Easy to setup and it doesn't cause iPad crashes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

andyrr

Zendog1 wrote:

I use this one. Easy to setup and it doesn't cause iPad crashes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

Brilliant - thanks.
Hope this will work - there are no windows giving direct sight to the garage - I could out this upstairs, directly above the router, where there is a decent signal but it would need to broadcast through the external wall of that room across into the garage that ajoins it, think it will do the trick, pretty cheap and if it doesn't then I can send back.

tlw1

Zendog1 wrote:

I use this one. Easy to setup and it doesn't cause iPad crashes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

That's the one I use, it's an L shaped house with thick sandstone walls and it works ok