BT extension - any alternatives ?

Hi Guys ,

Firstly , i`m new to routers and i`m a new 02 customer using their mk2 wireless albino box , on their ADSL2+ 8megs package. Also , sorry if this falls partly into the other forum.

Basically , i`m getting my BB using a wired in BT extension , as the pc is set up a long way from the master socket. I`m getting a difference in synch speed of at least 1.5 megs higher when the router is plugged into the master socket ( 5.1 vs 6.7 megs ).
I`m getting a few errors on router log but the connection so far is stable using the extension.

Now , the house is very old made of thick brick and the pc is upstairs and the master socket downstairs. Should I go wiresless using the 02 box , or if so , should I buy say a Netgear instead , or is perhaps a Netgear HomeHub a better solution ?

I know the HomeHub is more expensive , but any advise on this would be appreciated.

Many thanks ,

Dave

Advice

Does the O2 router have the wireless range?
If it does, and can give at least 20Mbps wi-fi speed (what you'll probably need to make use of your full DSL connection speed), why change?

Do you get any extra speed if you try in the test socket (inside the BT master socket)?

Have you disconnected the ring wire (wire 3 in the phone sockets)?
This may give you a speed boost at the current location.

If wireless doesn't work, you could always try home-plugs and send the ethernet over mains wiring.

Edited by adebov (Sat 24-May-08 07:10:21)

Thanks Ade ,

According to the specs for the 02 box on Thomson`s own website , the max download is 24mbps with a wide enough range. Some of the posts i`ve read haven`t given the 02 box a good rep using wireless so I was a bit concerned due to the thick walls etc. Since my max speed isn`t going to exceed 8 megs though , hopefully I should have better luck.

Also , like I said , i`m a bit new to some of the new tech stuff , routers and wireless being one of them , and i`m not quite sure if the pc i`m using is wireless enabled , or if I need to be buy a usb adapter.

I`m not at home at the moment as I type this , but i`ll plug the router into the main socket , put the 02 cd into the pc and set a new connection with the wireless setting and see what happens.
( fingers crossed )

BTW , i`m only 2km from the exchange , but my line atten is 46 - 49 down , which is terrible , but I guess there`s not much I can do about that. Maybe the line goes round and round the houses , and round again for good measure using chicken wire or something

Dave

BTW , i`m only 2km from the exchange , but my line atten is 46 - 49 down , which is terrible , but I guess there`s not much I can do about that. Maybe the line goes round and round the houses , and round again for good measure using chicken wire or something

Similar here - 2.5km, 56-57dB line attenuation, indicating a line length around 5-5.5km (line tests at 5.23km, but the LLU checker data provided by BT shows an incorrect figure of 6.94km, so I can't get O2 or BE ).

No 02 at all then eh Ade , that`s too bad

My Parents wanted to get 02 as well , but BE haven`t installed their equipment in their exchange yet.

Like I said , i`ll have a bash at the wireless option and see how I get on. Otherwise , it`s a homehub , or , methinks there may be a cheaper option. Perhaps a really , really , really long ethernet cable might do the trick.

Or maybe i`ll try chicken wire , ya never know

Dave

No 02 at all then eh Ade

They're in our exchange, and it works fine over lines the same length as mine, but because BT have entered into the LLU checker a line length 33% longer than it actually is, BE/O2 won't provision my line.

You should be OK up to about 100m on ethernet (I think I've got a cable of about 80m somewhere) so that should be well within reach. You could get a friend with a wireless laptop (if you don't have one) to come round and see how far the wireless signal stretches before committing to purchase wireless adapters for the PC.

You should be OK up to about 100m on ethernet

Thanks a lot for that Caffn8me , I didn`t know just how far you could reliably go with that.

That might not be a bad idea actually. It`s certainly cheaper , and in my case I could prob get away with a 20 - 30 m length of cable , which only costs about 5 - 10 quid. But it`s all those trailing wires everywhere up and down the stairs , ya know ( unless someone does some serious drilling ) , hence the HomeHub idea.

I`ll see if I can get the pc to work with the router on wireless. I can always buy a plug in usb wireless adapter if not. Then i`ll consider my options. Niether me or any of my friends have a wireless laptop.

Dave

Edited by deleted (Sun 25-May-08 14:33:25)

If you do try the wireless the router aerial should be at right angles to the direction you want the wireless signal to travel. eg to get a strong signal to go vertical the antenna on the router should be horizontal.

The signal radiates outwards from then antenna like a big doughnut, so you want to tilt the antenna so the big doughnut is trying to go through the ceiling and towards your PC, if that makes sense.

like a big doughnut

See.....Now I want to drive to Tesco, to see if they've got any Krispy-Kremes left