Extending WiFi To Garden Outhouse

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by jsaipe, Jan 16, 2015.

  1. jsaipe

    jsaipe New Member

    Hi, I've just moved house and am trying to extend my home WiFi to our garden outhouse. It's a solid brick building, so I'm not expending a consumer wireless extender to work well.

    In my old house, I used TP-Link powerline extenders (using the ring main) to extend the WiFi coverage and this worked very well. However, in my new house, my BT router (located in the main house) doesn't appear to be on the same ring main as the outhouse, so the powerline extenders can "see" each other.

    Excuse my ignorance as I'm no expert at house electrics, but how do I know if the outhouse is on the same ring main as the main house? They both share the same meter, but the outhouse has its own fuse box. Does that mean it's on a different ring main? And if so, is it easy to "access" the outhouse ring main from the main house?

    Thanks for any advice
     
  2. gpierce

    gpierce Active Member

    I can't advise too much on the scope of the power line extenders, but I know a fair bit about wireless networking. There are a couple of factors and options to consider. First option - try with wireless. The screw in antennas in the back of a router or range extender are replaceable, and you can add either bigger ones, or directional ones. Not all wireless modems are equal, some use something called 'beam forming' where the power output to the wireless signal is manipulated to focus the wireless signal in the direction of the devices connected to it. Secondly, it will depend on what wireless devices will be connecting to this network. Some older devices still use what it known as wireless G - an older standard with less range, then there is wireless N, pretty much the current standard, and we are just moving into wireless AC - some newer laptops and mobiles have wireless AC on them now, which again gives higher range.

    Your other option would be to run a network cable which could be plugged into a wireless bridge, a device similar to a router that takes the network input from a cable and broadcasts it over wireless.

    Final option - some specialist aerials (look more like a TV aerial) can transmit wireless signal in a straight line up to 2 miles away, designed for outbuildings on farms etc. Not cheap, but not as expensive as you might imagine from what I remember.

    It depends on how far away the outbuilding is, where about it's positioned in relation to your current router, and what construction the main house is as well. Brick isn't always an issue, so wireless may well work for you.
     
    Welshdragon1 likes this.
  3. Terrific info from Mr Pierce :).

    To try and answer your main Qs - I've used these powerline adaptors (Netgear, but the same) very successfully before deciding to go for 'wired' as I wanted a few different outlets and didn't want to pepper my mains sockets with more adaptors. My router was on a different floor, opposite ends of the hoosie and very much on a different 'ring' - the upstairs was completely new.

    It worked perfectly - full performance.

    So, first thing - are you sure the two adaptors aren't 'seeing' eachother? Could it be you aren't getting to the 'slave' in time to press the 'find' button?

    Ok, it is certainly true that there is a distance limit to these adaptors - how far away is your summer house?

    It's also possible that the outhouse's CU (fuse box) has an RCD and other stuff which might interfere with the signal, although I am surprised it didn't work to some extent - you can expect performance to fall off, but I think it would take a fair distance before it simply doesn't work at all.

    As to whether the SH's supply is on a different 'ring' to the house, I would have thought it would be - check the house's CU and find the 'fuse' (MCB) that says 'Summer House' on it :rolleyes:

    Ok, if there isn't a dedicated MCB for the SH, then simply turn off each MCB in turn until your SH is plunged into darkness. Guess what? That'll be the 'ring' that supplies it.

    If the powerline adaptors just won't work at all, is there any chance of running an ethernet cable to the SH? If so, I always think 'wired' is better than 'wireless', so that would be my preferred option. However, if 'wiring' is a hassle, then Mr Pierce is your guy.

    First, tho' - triple check that your adaptors really don't work.
     
    Welshdragon1 likes this.
  4. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    Have a look at wifi bridging. Ubiquiti unifi picostations work well for bridging fair distances! 4gon are local dealers. I have pairs of these setup, and the config pages show uptime of over a year on one pair! UPS powered. They are very robust.
     
  5. jsaipe

    jsaipe New Member

    Wow thanks for the advice. Some “war and peace” responses….

    FYI the outhouse is around 10-15 metres from the house.

    @gpierce - Thanks. The router is a standard BT one, and I am not aware that I can add antennas. On your other points, I’ve tried various WiFi devices in the outhouse, including an iPhone 4, MacBook Pro (4 years old) and a PC with a 3 year old WiFi card. No luck. Indeed I’ve considered a wired option and a specialist aerial as an option.

    I’ve also considered a Netgear R7000 extender, but I guess there’s still no guarantee it’ll penetrate a brick building 10-15 meters away?

    @devils advocate - interesting that your powerline adaptors can “see” each other on different rings. Mine see each other across different floors of the house, but alas not when one is in the outhouse. Will try pairing again. The labelling of my electrical system is pretty poor :( so will try the “switch off each fuse” option next :)

    @Lectrician - thanks will look into the Ubiquiti picostations. I guess the issue is whether I can return them if the WiFi still doesn't extend to the outhouse.

    If it comes to it, I’m not terribly confident laying a network cable outside, but I’m guessing a good networking guy will do it? Don’t know many companies/people who do residential work (in London). Do you?
     
  6. Bazza

    Bazza Screwfix Select

    The Powerline adaptors that I have used (D-Link) do not need to be on the same "ring". They do just need to be on the same consumer unit. I agree probably not synced properly. The best method is to put them next to each other in a double socket, get them synced up so they chat to each other. Then move one to the outhouse.
     
  7. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    I'm by no means a computer expert but when I was unhappy with my wireless performance I bought cat 5 ethernet cable very cheaply off eBay with RJ45 connectors and ran it through the house. When I bought new laptops I didn't need it any more.
    You can buy 30M of ethernet cable for £5.51 now.
     
  8. jsaipe

    jsaipe New Member

    Good shout @Bazza - will try that tomorrow.

    Thanks @chippie244 - I'd be happy to give it a go in the house, but would prefer to leave it to a professional if outside the house.
     
  9. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    What's to lose?
     
  10. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

  11. That's just what I did very recently, Chippie - I wanted extra links and didn't want to add any more powerline adaptors, so had a crawl through the eaves with a roll of Cat6 cable. As you say, it is really cheap - as are the sockets, etc.

    Jsaipe - go wired if you can. Is there trunking feeding the leccy to the outhouse at the mo'?

    Cheap and works the best.
     
  12. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    Ubiquiti stuff is very good, and a good price point. 15m is NOTHING to them! You need some networking knowledge to setup, they are not plug and play. You may find one Picostation mounted on your rear wall outside is enough to cover the whole area and out building. I have one outside and can use my phone over 100m away. Having the second as a bridge increases the distance, and gives you a cabled network port to use for a standard AP or PC etc.

    The picostation on your outside wall needs a cat5e cable from your BT router to the picostation, no power outside required. Power is picked up from an injector plugged in aduacent your router.
     
  13. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Ubiquiti what is it? LoL. Thought for a minute you were teachin' Latin.
     
  14. Lectrician

    Lectrician Screwfix Select

    Ubiquit is a manufacturer of some very good WiFi access points and bridges! Used extensively in TCP/IP routing over long distances. Used around here to provide high speed broadband to remote locations on the moors.
     
  15. jsaipe

    jsaipe New Member

    Thanks all. I've given up the powerline option as the ring circuit appears to be completely separate from the house.

    Am tempted to try the Ubiquiti option, but it seems hardwiring offers the best guarantee. The outhouse is a very solid brick building (was originally built to be sound proofed) so hardwiring seems a better bet.

    Anyone know of a good cabling guy who works around N London?
     
  16. Jeepers, man - if you need to pay someone to do the job, you're better off going wireless and DIYing it - I bet it'll be cheaper.

    Wired is always more reliable, and the materials are dead cheap. However, if it's a complex route, needing trenches dug, etc., then that might add so much to the installation cost that wireless could well be a better option for you.

    I was kinda hoping you'd be able to run the cable yersel. How does the current power supply run - underground, overhead, what?
     
  17. jsaipe

    jsaipe New Member

    Power is underground and I would imagine a bit of 'light' digging will be required to lay a cable. Annoyingly there's a BT box in the outhouse which goes out of the building into some trunking never to be seen again. If only I could locate the darn thing at the other end wherever it emerges.
     
  18. I presume it's a 'dead' BT box? An extension slave?

    If you can find t'other end, you've got it sorted :).

    Where is the power supply coming from the house? Isn't the BT line in the same place?

    Ooooh - wouldn't that be chust cool...?
     
  19. jsaipe

    jsaipe New Member

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