I'd like to extend the range of my laptop so that it can connect to my wireless router about 50 yards away. My workshop is in a metal shed away from the house and there are times that it would be nice to connect to the internet from there. I bought a D-Link N300 RangeBooster N USB Adapter at a garage sale and thought that might do the trick but the instructions say to delete all other wireless adapter software before installing which doesn't seem like a good idea to me since my machine, a Toshiba Satellite C75DB7230 is less than a year old. Is there a way to install this gadget and only activate it when I need it without fouling up the rest of the machine. I'm running Windows 10.
Thanks.
Hi Wolfie!
Open Network and Sharing Center. On the left, click change adapter settings. Right click on your built-in WiFi adapter and disable it. Then you should be good to go to install the USB WiFi adapter. That is how you can switch between the two.
Honestly, though, I doubt you get much better results from just another adapter with an internal antenna. I would suggest something like this:
Linksys RE6500 AC1200 Dual-Band Wireless Range Extender
(cheaper from ebay and Amazon)
If your workshop has a window, set it in the window to get a better "view" to the main router. My main router with WiFi is in the basement of my house. On the second floor I have the RE6500 unit in my daughter's bedroom. It not only repeats the WiFi signal from the basement, but also gives me gigabit wired ethernet ports that her TV and XBOX plug into. I get perfect signal and speed from it despite that the router it repeats from is two floors down and my 55" flat screen TV is exactly right between them on the first floor.
I have both the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz channels set with the same SSID and password on both the main router and repeater. All my WiFi devices just connect to the same WiFi network and roaming throughout the house they just pick up the strongest signal and attach to it. I have fantastic full speed connection all the way from my hot tub in the back yard to the farthest room on the second floor.
You really need a way to send the signal from the house to the shop, instead of trying to make the laptop do the work.
All that these range booster adapters do is increase the noise overhead and cause CRC packet errors.
Personally I would put a Wifi Bridge in, using external antennas on the house and shop.
It is very common because every day I have customers seeking wifi extender.
The only difference is that wifi extender has latency, just several micro seconds delayed comparing to direct line.
The best way is using LAN which it does not have any micro seconds latency or delay.
hope it help you.
You do not notice Micro seconds when trying to seek a band-aid with an adapter that uses higher dbm antennas. You will notice long delays or pages not loading.It is very common because every day I have customers seeking wifi extender.
The only difference is that wifi extender has latency, just several micro seconds delayed comparing to direct line.
The best way is using LAN which it does not have any micro seconds latency or delay.
hope it help you.
You are dealing with the same theory that TV and radio works on. You have a carrier band and a side band. It is all about physics and a real PITA to learn when you go through school and have only six weeks to learn what you would normally learn in four years.
With what the OP needs to do, is put up an antenna on the house to send the signal from there to the antenna on the out building. A monopole would work better if there are a lot of trees. If there is a clean line of sight, they can use a flat antenna that attaches to the side of the structures. They would need POE injectors and also Lightning protection, but in the long run, it would be the best option.
