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It was an interesting email from our editorial director, linking to a video about how to synch a Wi-Fi home network with a WiMax phone when you enter the house for a seamless communication transition.
But I couldn't help thinking, that, in a way, I just transcended the need for Wi-Fi at all.
Let me explain. Several weeks ago, the wireless connection between the cable modem and Wi-Fi router on the first floor at the opposite side of the house from my third floor computer was losing its lock more and more frequently. I also noticed many more networks popping up in the neighborhood when I would scan for the presence of signals, which I figured was causing interference with my system. Changing the router channel did not help the problem.
A back-to-basics discussion with Planet Analog Editor/guru Bill Schweber had me trying reflectors at a quarter-wavelength behind the antennas and repositioning them for higher signal strength. What I found was the signal strength in my office was not only highly variable in space but also over time, and there was no noticeable improvement in maintaining signal lock.
Next I tried a "range extender" or booster—the only problem was that when trying to synch the booster with my encrypted router, I would be bounced off the system.
But wait! Someone must make a commercial reflector or replacement antenna to effectively boost my signal—and I was right. Radio Shack has what it says are 7dB antennas to replace the shorter ones on my router. These nearly doubled my signal strength, but did nothing to cure losing lock at the distance I was from the router.
A call to router tech support was now in order. But because my unit was old enough, I had to be sent to a special technician—a very nice lady in the Philippines. We rebooted the router and cable modem in a proper time sequence (which I should have known), which cured the problem—at least for few days. But as the two-week warranty on the "repair" was about to expire, I called back again since the problem was occurring as frequently as before.
Another nice Philippine lady realized I didn't have the latest firmware update, which we proceeded to install. Again, the problem was only temporarily solved.
Finally, a skull-session with Bill Schweber gave me the cure that worked. Bill had a PVC plastic pipe installed in the wall during a home improvement that allowed passing wires, etc. up to his top floor. I realized that during work on our house many years ago, the back wall of a closet on the second floor with access to plumbing was never permanently closed off. I removed the temporary panel and was able to have access down through the first floor to the basement as well as upwards to the third story.
The bottom line to all this rambling is that for only $25 dollars (100 feet) of Ethernet cable (less than the cost of a router) and a couple of hours of project labor, I was able to get an interference proof connection from my office computer to the Internet world outside.
Plus I'm blazing along at 100 Mbit per second, not 11 Mb as before with the best wireless or even 60 Mb at hot spots!
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