wi-fi signal enhancement

[NikGr]

Hi guys
I have a problem with my wi-fi.
I have a router (Baudtec without ditachable antenna) connected to a PC with wire on the appartment of the first floor of my building. On the third floor i have a laptop, but the signal of the wi-fi is very weak and the laptop can't connect to the internet.
Do you know any method to enhance the signal of the wi-fi?
Thanks

[David M]

There are numerous directional wifi antennas out there. What they essentially do is focus the power in one direction.

[glc]

Dave:

I have a router (Baudtec without ditachable antenna)

Not without buying a different router that has a detachable antenna and/or the ability to load 3rd party firmware that can increase the transmitter power. You could run a CAT 5 cable upstairs and connect a wireless access point to it, but if you are going to do that you might as well just connect the cable to the laptop.

[David M]

Woops! Put it at the focus point of a parabolic dish? I actually saw a home made wifi antenna where someone did something similar. It was ugly but I guess it worked. That's the best idea I have other than replacing it.

[NikGr]

Guys i have read about repeaters and access points, but I don' t know the defference between them and wich of the two to use. Someone else told me to move the router to the third floor in order for the laptop to have access, and then put a "wireless stick" (I don't remember the exact name) to the PC.

[mbossman2]

a couple of thingsd to try:

1) are the antennae movable? if so, reorient the antennae so that they are parallel with the ground. that will shift the shape of the coverage pattern and might give you sufficient strength to cover the 3rd floor laptop.

2) move the router around a bit and you might find a less obstructed path for the wireless signal.

if both of those don't work, what you need is a wireless repeater. It basically receives and re-transmits the wireless signal. My only concern (and glc might have the answer to this one) is: do you need to use a repeater from the same company as the wireless router?

[glc]

I've never heard of Baudtec - I don't think that's a brand sold in the US.

When it comes to bridges, repeaters, and client access points, it's hard to tell what brands will interoperate. The only thing that I know will definitely work is a wired access point connected to your router.

[NikGr]

We have Baudtec in Greece. I tried to place the router somewhere else but nothing happend. I have also made a homemade antenna but also nothing happens. So I believe that I must add something to the equipment.
Can someone explain the differnce between a repeater and an access point? When do I have to use a repeater, and when an access point?

[mbossman2]

a repeater is a device that receives and retransmits the wireless signal. It has no other connection to the network.

an access point (or AP) OTOH is a separate radio unit that is connected, via a wire, back to the wired network.

make sense?

[NikGr]

ok guys, i found a site that explains everything about networks (http://www.home-network-help.com)

@mbossman2
you're right about the repeater.
from what I read from the site, i think that Access Point is used because routers give the potential to a spefiic number of PC's or Laptops to connect to internet. So if we want more wireless connections we use an Access Point. It works like switchers.

So, in order to enhance my signal, I need a repeater.

[glc]

You CAN use an access point *IF* you can run a cable from it to the router.