Extending a wireless network using an already existing CAT5e hardwired system

[tombrooker84]

Hello Guys. I have currently got a client with an existing hard wired network to various rooms in her house, it's a very large town house in Clapham, probably about 5 bedrooms. She currently has all the Cat 5 wires to a single locations, just dangling out of the wall with no connections, but they do terminate into RJ45 sockets throughout her house (the builder left without finishing the job properly), this is also where her current router resides and master telephone point. She has asked if I could look into extending the wireless network and thought her strongest option would be to do it using the existing network and adding routers. I have read a bit into it and was considering using the DDWRT firmware on applicable routers. Is this the best way forward or is there an easier option? Thanks in advance for your replies (sorry for the jumbled message the enter button doesn't seem to work on this thread)

 

[shanky887614]

there are versions based on openwrt e.g. gargoyle and tomato that are easier to use.

using them to create a mesh network is a good idea

 

[Octopus]

Or use powerline adaptors with Wifi such as Devolo - these "pair" to the original router and take the SSID and password from the main router - simples!

 

[shanky887614]

Or use powerline adaptors with Wifi such as Devolo - these "pair" to the original router and take the SSID and password from the main router - simples!

the connection is not as good though and she already has cat5 so it would be easy to set up repeaters

(you can buy dedicated repeaters as well but i have only known people to use wifi routers as one)


why pay a lot of money when all she would need is repeaters and maybe a switch to add more ports for router

 

[amlu]

have setup with dd-wrt at home.
net comes from a virgin cable box, goes into a main router (old linksys running openwrt)
router does cat5 and wireless.
one of cat5 goes into my workshop at the back, over there is a dlink router with dd-wrt, it does wireless too (but as another station, so i have 2 access points)
(set the router as a dhcp forwarder)


picked up the dlink in charity shop for a fiver.
may be tricky flashing and setting up for first time but goes nice and easy later.

 

[shanky887614]

have setup with dd-wrt at home.
net comes from a virgin cable box, goes into a main router (old linksys running openwrt)
router does cat5 and wireless.
one of cat5 goes into my workshop at the back, over there is a dlink router with dd-wrt, it does wireless too (but as another station, so i have 2 access points)
(set the router as a dhcp forwarder)


picked up the dlink in charity shop for a fiver.
may be tricky flashing and setting up for first time but goes nice and easy later.

have a look at this.

gargoyle is an openwrt distribution.

there are a lot of different versions of dd-wrt/open wrt etc

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISRnzGtnt54