[Shop-talk] OT: Wireless router (again)?

[Trevor Boicey]

> Boost the signal range... Really?
>
> I've got a wrt54g and the location its in doesn't cover the whole house
> very well.  I've heard about the different firmware's available, but never
> heard that you could boost the signal with them...
>
> Can you tell me/us some more info on where to find the firewall firmware?

  There is also the accessory signal booster that attaches to the WRT54G.

  It looks like another WRT54G but with only a power light. You move the
antennas to the new unit and bridge the two with two small coax cables.

  I actually have the range extender but to be honest I have only
circumstantial evidence that it helps. I upgraded an old B router to
this G router, which came with the booster.

  Reception in my house did indeed improve and I don't have any more "dead
spots" above steel beams, but that might have been improved just by
going to the new router even without the signal booster.

  I never bothered experimenting with before and after...

  The main "problem" with the WRT54G is the high failure rate of power
supplies. I have had one fail which knocked me offline at a bad time
when I wasn't home to repair...