D-Link DHP-W310AV query

Hi...

Looking to improve the wireless signal in the front of my house (big THICK granite wall between front/back of house).

I've tried many different routers over the years and never found one that makes that much of a difference wireless signal wise. I've always gone back to my trusty 585v6 (gets highest sync and holds onto it better than any newer modem/router that I've tried). So was wondering about...

As I already have a pair of D-link DHP-W307AV Powerline adaptors set up for my SKY+ box (simple to install and have worked flawlessly for the past 2 years). Was to add a PowerLine AV 500 Wireless N Extender. Which I'm assuming could be set up to generate a new wireless-N network (for the part of the house the current router struggles to reach).

So I was wondering:

- Does anyone on the forum have any experience with these units, as the reviews on Amazon etc. are "mixed" ?

- Would anyone know if these later Powerline units (500Mbps) are compatible with the older 200Mbps units ?

Thanks in advance....

They should be compatible, another option is an external grade 5e to go around the outside of the property, or place wireless router in the loft space.

Sounds hopeful. I'll order one up and give it a go and report back.

The other options are pretty much a no go. As our loft is full of bats and your not allowed to disturb these little chaps (because of the mess they make... another descriptive word comes to mind... several in fact). And while I have a Cat 5 extension up to my main PC upstairs, the wireless is really just for things like Kindle, Smart phones etc. What a connected world we live in these days. Bring back paper tape and punch cards, that's what I say (the "good" old days).

Thanks for the reply, appreciated.

Is the main PC located in the problem part of the house for your existing wireless deployment? If so, another option would be to site a switch there to which you connect both a wireless access point and the PC. A wireless router with its DHCP server disabled would cover both roles.

Is the main PC located in the problem part of the house for your existing wireless deployment?
Answer... yes

So I'm assuming this is some sort of Ethernet switch which my existing Cat5 cable connects to and then onto the PC (as now) but I include another Router on it as well? I do have a couple of spare modem/routers. So if this is the case, then this could be another solution for me to investigate. Though never tried anything like this before (a voyage of adventure ahead here). But I'm quite happy to try this and have a go if the Powerline extender fails to supply what I want.

Thanks for your input.

Take a spare router, switch it on and wait for it to boot, then plug in a computer into one of its LAN ports using a cable and turn the computer on. Access this router's web interface. Turn the DHCP server off and set the router's LAN IP address to a spare address on your subnet but outside your router's DHCP pool.

For example, if your current router using 192.168.1.1 as its IP address, and its DHCP server hands out addresses in the range 192.168.1.128 to 192.168.1.254, you could choose 192.168.1.2.


You can then turn off the computer and router, then plug the cable from your main router into one of the other LAN ports (so you now have two of the LAN ports in use - leave the WAN port on the 'new' router' disconnected). Once things have booted up, you can access the 'new' router on its new IP address and set its wireless parameters to be identical to those in your main router.

At this point, you have two wireless base stations, and devices should roam seamlessly to the strongest signal. If you need to connect further wired devices, you can use the other LAN ports on the 'new' router.

David_W

Thanks for that.

I'll file this info away for the moment. And if my D-Link Powerline extender does not work as I want (already ordered from Ebuyer), I'll have a go this way.

Thanks again.

After good old YODEL messing me about and delivering my new piece of kit to the wrong address (not sure how really, as there are only cows, sheep and me living round here)...

Installed the D-link Powerline unit and after a bit of messing about (really only because my other Powerline kit is the older standard), it all appears to work. I now have the old wireless G router serving the back of the house and the new wireless N device serving the front of the house. Now instead of a shaky 1 bar reception, I get a solid 3/4 bars and no drop out.

Job done.

PS. If anyone is thinking about one of these. Then ignore the reviews on sites like Amazon that say the later 500Mbps devices don't talk to the earlier 200Mbps ones, as they work just fine.