Forum Discussion

Cashinone's avatar
Cashinone
On our wavelength
2 years ago
Solved

Extending WiFi to my garden office.

I have Virgin Hub 3 - for years an Ethernet cable serves my Desktop pc. I want to add WiFi to my office there is no signal from the house. What do I need to add to the existing Ethernet cable ?      
I was thinking a dual signal splitter to feed the pc as well as a TP Link.

Any advice please would be helpful both on method and recommendations

Many Thanks

 

  • Connect the Ethernet cable to a gigabit port network switch (see my sig for an example) and connect all devices to the switch (one of which should be a wireless access point to provide WiFi for your iPAD, phone, etc). Can't recommend a WAP as I don't have one, so Google for options.

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person

    Run an external ethernet cable to the office. Get a good electrician if you are not comfortable with DIY. Do not bother trying to get wifi out to the office.  Not too sure what you are referring to about a TP-Link? 

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta

    Connect the Ethernet cable to a gigabit port network switch (see my sig for an example) and connect all devices to the switch (one of which should be a wireless access point to provide WiFi for your iPAD, phone, etc). Can't recommend a WAP as I don't have one, so Google for options.

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta

    I don't recommend using a router as a WAP for the ordinary punter as it requires a setup in a LAN to LAN configuration which they know nothing about, so better to connect a WAP and do any configuration needed, e.g. ensure it's in bridge mode, checking WiFi security (WPA2 encryption is very good), changing SSID to something more to your liking, etc.

    • carl_pearce's avatar
      carl_pearce
      Community elder

      Switching to access point mode is easy assuming you follow the manual.

      • Cashinone's avatar
        Cashinone
        On our wavelength

        Many thanks for your responses - a relatively cheap solution. my only concern is whether it will interfere in any way with the existing WiFi within the house provided by the hub 3. 

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta

    My recommendation is to have a different SSIDs for the WAP (which will happen anyway by default) and your devices will connect to them in the office. Once you have it working you can experiment by changing the SSIDs to what you have in the house, but I don't see why you should.

    • Tudor's avatar
      Tudor
      Very Insightful Person

      One thing to be aware of is that on the 2.4 GHz band you should set the channel differently to the one on the VM hub. You can only use channels 1, 6 or 11.

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta

    Yes, good advice for the 2.4GHz band. For the OP in his office his iPad and mobile phone should connect to the strongest signal which I expect to be 5GHz from the WAP and in his house 5GHz from his hub (at short range but could be 2.4GHz at longer range or through walls and other physical obstructions).

    • Tudor's avatar
      Tudor
      Very Insightful Person

      Yes it would certainly be better to use the 5Ghz band and unless you want to use the 2.4Ghz band outside in the garden (maybe it will stop raining sometime!). I would probably just turn off the 2.4Ghz signal for the moment. The WAPs I use, UniFi AC Pro ones, reach right to the end of my garden even on the 5Ghz band.