Good day

I have ADSL broadband (802.11g ADSL2+ Firewall Router, channel 1, 2.412 GHz) from Telkom, using a modem given by them, a Billion 400G. The link to the modem appears below.
http://www.arxvaldex.com/pb/files/manuals/Billion400g.pdf
I have a desktop computer, so I never used the wireless component of the modem.
However, my 3 children have recently acquired laptops for their studies and are now using the wireless component.
Two of the children are having problems connecting to the internet from inside their rooms (a bathroom is in the way), but have no problem outside of their rooms. The third one is fine.
The cheapest and simplest option would be to relocate the detachable antenna.
Relocate the antenna
The antenna uses RP-SMA connectors the distance is about 12m. I intend to install the antenna in the ceiling so that all rooms are covered.
1. I think that they are RP because the antenna’s screwthread is on the inside and is the female connector and the modem’s screwthread is on the outside and contains the male pin. Is this correct?
2. Is this a good option because I have read that wireless connection is slower and inferior to a cable connection?
3. Will this negatively affect the performance to any computer?
4. What type of cable should I use? If coaxial cable, what is the impedance?
Thank you so much for your assistance.
Thanks and kind regards

Max

 

I'm surprised no one has answered this.

So, the children have trouble connecting over wi-fi because the signal is too weak in their rooms?

Don't try to re-locate the router antenna.

The best way is to buy a wireless access point and connect that to your ADSL router with CAT5 ethernet cable to one of the spare ports on the back of your router. Position the access point in or near your children's rooms.

The access point will need a power supply. So a wall socket is needed. If this is a problem then some wireless access points will function using power-over-ethernet (POE) where the power is fed down the ethernet cable. These usually come with a "power injector" that can be used to feed power into the ethernet cable at the router end.

Hope that helps!

Edit: Just looked at your photos and noticed the large brass plate behind the router antenna. Is this some kind of dish aerial (only joking)? Is it blocking the signal in the direction of your children's rooms? What happens if you take it away?

 

Hi JDT
Thanks for the reply.
I will definitely look into the wireless access point. Seems like a good idea.
If I may know, why shouldn't I relocate the antenna?
Having searched the net, I came across various antenna "boosters", such as the "cantenna" which I tried and didn't work. We had this old copper dish which I then used in an attempt to make my signal more directional - not working either, lol. With the dish, the signal is facing their rooms.
Thanks again, JDT
Max

 

I bought one of these at Tuesday Morning for $20 as a stopgap to just your sort of problem. Works so well that I've lost interest in relocating the wireless router.

 

I bought one of these at Tuesday Morning for $20 as a stopgap to just your sort of problem. Works so well that I've lost interest in relocating the wireless router.

Looks like a *very cool* gadget but the technical detail does not give any specification about the extension range???

 

I wouldn't say its exactly an RF flamethrower. The original AP got a bit fuzzy in the back rooms (about 60feet away, through several walls). Plugging this into an outlet roughly halfway gets plenty of signal throughout those rooms and outdoors in the yard as well.

Using a phone app on the Crystalview AP, the signal dropped from -45dbm inside about 10feet away to -70dbm (middle of the yellow range) when about 40 feet away outside.

YMMV

 

I bought one of these at Tuesday Morning for $20 as a stopgap to just your sort of problem. Works so well that I've lost interest in relocating the wireless router.

Ok, JohnInTX, so that seems to be an even simpler, and ,maybe cheaper, option. I'll look for one here in South Africa, though.
Thanks\Max

 

Ok, JohnInTX, so that seems to be an even simpler, and ,maybe cheaper, option. I'll look for one here in South Africa, though.
Thanks\Max

As you can see from the Amazon link, there are lots of these kinds of things.. I just grabbed that one and it worked.

I would imagine it would be pretty easy to find one in SA.

 

I bought one of these at Tuesday Morning for $20 as a stopgap to just your sort of problem. Works so well that I've lost interest in relocating the wireless router.

I note that the only reviewed 'one of these' failed after 4 months service.

I find that many of my customers have bought a cheap range extender of some sort, plugged it in and forgot about it, until it failed prematurely.

I can then supply a more established make, they should have bought in the first place.

Many are not rated for continuous service.

 

I note that the only reviewed 'one of these' failed after 4 months service.

I find that many of my customers have bought a cheap range extender of some sort, plugged it in and forgot about it, until it failed prematurely.

I can then supply a more established make, they should have bought in the first place.

Many are not rated for continuous service.

What do I have to look for in a "better" quality extender?