WiFi Question

[EricU]

we got our yard looking better, but the dogs decided the dirt tasted good and now the yard has some bare patches where it had previously looked the best.  Really annoying.

[vernonls]

Try the new Netgear Orbi router system.  It has a main and satellite(s).  I have used them very effectively, but they are a bit pricier than low cost models with a base and satellite pair going for about $400 on Amazon.  Performance is excellent and setup is EZ. vern

[rudedan60]

The Best Solution is the cable run and another Router.  Next best is do you have an electrical connection between the two places. If so, then use one of the electrical WiFi extenders.  Most work fairly well, but do need a physical connection. Dan

[Chris S]

couple of options:

1. Move your wifi access point out of the basement to somewhere higher in the house.  This might involve moving the cable modem / DSL equipment.  You will get much better signal through the house.
   
2. If #1 doesn't work, or you have issues with wifi elsewhere in the house, then it's probably time for a new wifi router.
   
3. If #1 doesn't work and #2 isn't an issue then you can try a powerline adapter, similar to something like these.  They will encode ethernet signals onto the electric lines in the house.  This should work out to a separate barn as well as long as the barn is on the same power meter as the house.  Supposedly these devices are good for upwards of 300m of power line length.
   

[sleepy hollow]

FWIW, I bought a TP-LINK 500mbps extender that uses the AC power lines to extend the wifi.  In my case the router is in a terrible spot, as FIOS comes into my wiring closet in the basement under the main air duct.  I have all my low voltage wiring there including Home Theater, speaker wiring, Cat 6, etc.  Unfortunately there is no available cat 6 on the main level or upstairs where the real problems were in our BR.  

This device requires you to plug in near the router and then to an outlet wherever you want to extend the wifi.

It allows you to set up separate logins for two additional networks off of the extender.  This comes in very handy when you move around the house as the laptop will tend to drop the bad signal and grab the better one.  Not always, but it takes seconds to do it manually on my mac.  

Not very expensive either.  The downside is that it will not be rip roaring fast, but it is plenty good for regular browsing and youtube videos.  Another con is that it hogs the electrical receptacle, but in your shop, I would think you can find one that you don't use that much.  Or, pay more for a pass-thru receptacle version.  I found mine on sale and can live without the receptacle.  (or move it and it reconnects in a few seconds)

[Robert Adams]

Will give one of the electric ones a try for my shop. Not going to bury a line unless its along with sprinkler pipe. Brick house and metal shop is not a good combo for rf transmissions.

Hopefully it will work but we have allot of noise on our powerlines. Have had issues with flickering led lights etc and verified it with the oscilloscope. And double checked at the neighbors house. Very dirty power.

[EricU]

I've had horrible luck with the electric line/homelink devices.  I'm using wireless in my office right now, because I went through 2 systems.  I am going  to run cable this summer sometime.

[MichaelS]

802.11N, 5Ghz Router + companion bridge. I use the Netgear units, Asus, Linksys, and others make good ones also. I can get 60-100Mbps at the edge of my property on my laptop (it's a dock, by the lake, roughly 120-150yds from house through trees and down an embankment.)

That would be my recommendation. These are 3x3 or more radio models, so they have a ton of antenna on them (6 on my router, 4 on my bridge) and do a great job.

Best,
Michael