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Question

Unexpected wireless networking issue

Aug 3, 2019 9:31AM PDT

I have a detached garage at my apartment (non line of sight) that I want to connect to my network. The signal quality is poor, however I have successfully connected a raspberry pi with a TP-link N150 USB wireless adapter to my wifi network. I can communicate with the device, although the connection is slow. I have been trying to connect a TP-Link AC1750 wifi range extender, but despite repeated attempts and moving the extender as close as possible, I can't get a connection. A wired network connection is not possible. My question is, why would a small low power USB wifi adapter be able to connect to my wifi network when an AC1750 range extender can't?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Extenders are hit and miss.
Aug 3, 2019 9:45AM PDT
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Other options?
Aug 3, 2019 9:58AM PDT

Thanks for the reply. By "as close as possible" I mean still physically within the detached garage, which is about 100 feet away. A powerline connection is also not possible. I'll look into a USB adapter with an antenna. Still curious why the current USB adapter connects to my network but the higher power range extender won't. Are there other options out there for creating a wireless access point in my garage that I can connect several devices to and have them on my home network?

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That's two questions.
Aug 3, 2019 10:06AM PDT

1. Extenders are very hit and miss. Our office does not work, support or sell them since it's so bad a product. If they work, fine but when they don't we use other solutions.

2. Why isn't a powerline link possible? We've used then on detached garages at even longer distances. I worry here you don't want to try but are looking for the other solutions. OK then, get a cellular phone with a wifi hotspot for the remote location then a VPN server and well, this goes far beyond forum support.

Powerline or such is a clean and often used solution.

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Still wondering about USB adapter
Aug 3, 2019 10:48AM PDT

This still doesn't answer my question of why a small usb adapter can successfully connect when the extender cannot. I use a powerline network inside my apartment and am aware of the benefits. I have already tried to use my units to connect to my garage but it is not possible to connect to my garage via powerline because the garage runs on a separate power connection.

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To figure that out.
Aug 3, 2019 10:59AM PDT

And being the small world it is, one of my jobs long ago was writing software for an antenna test range. The antenna could be better, the radio better in some way and so on. To figure it out is far too costly. When I was working the antenna range the setup was in the 10+ million dollar price range.

As to separate power connection, I can't see what you have there but time and time again the powerline works since the other building is on the same side of the transformer. I decline to write at length since all that is on the web but successes even when it's on its own meter do happen.

-> At this distance you are at the edge of WiFi. Extenders are known for such annoyances to the point that our office just won't go near them. Let others sink in the tar.

As to your trial with the powerline connection, you may have to try both sides of the AC feed. Slightly technical but we have to try that. If not you look into another solution which is....

1. Relocate the home WiFi to be in the area best suited for the link to the garage.
2. Install a WiFi to Ethernet client at the garage site. This shall be located at the edge closest to the home WiFi. This may be best installed outside the garage in a plastic service box wired to the internal power allowing the Ethernet cable to feed inside to...

3. The WiFi to Ethernet client's cable is then run to a router configured as a WAP. Now you could go get a WAP but we use a router as a WAP because it's cheaper and offers more configuration options.

100 Feet is pushing it. So no 5GHz links, just 2.4GHz 802.11g. This will upset clients that want gigabit links but if they want that, they have the ISP install a connection there.

Post was last edited on August 3, 2019 11:00 AM PDT

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More about close as possible.
Aug 3, 2019 10:09AM PDT

Inside the garage and the range extender is not where it is supposed to be. You can try improving its situation by moving it just outside the garage between the house and garage as well as placing the home router in the corner or side closest to the garage.

You are dealing with the edge of where WiFi reaches at 100 feet so either you try the usual or not. Some folk won't try so there's little more you can do for them.