why cant I add a second AP to a wireless network?

[Bugs]

Hi All,

 

My neighbor, has very kindly said I can use his internet connection, trouble is the signals pretty weak and if I move anywhere other than my front room I loose it (the signal that is)

 

I thought I have an old wireless AP I can just give that AP the same SSID and security details and in the Gateway if I put my neighbors AP everything should be great. I set it up and it just doesn't work I can join the network and it joins using my AP but I cant get on the net. I have tried my phone and my laptop and I get the same results. I have double checked all my IP settings, DHCP is not enabled so my phone and laptop are on statics which iv set right.

 

If I turn my AP off my laptop works but my phone doesn't (but maybe i`m being impatient)

 

My AP does have a repeater section where I enter in the MAC address of a remote and one of a child but this doesn't seem to work

 

does anyone have any thoughts or pointers?

[cromertech]

Wireless repeaters can be used but the signal you are repeating needs to be set up too. Unless your neighbour minds you looking into his router settings to see if it can accept wireless repeaters then this will not work. Your first option will never work because the wireless signals, although identical, are from different sources. It's kind of like when cars get cloned. They will both have the same number plate but are still different cars.

 

Your only solution I can see is to check your neighbour access point for repeater settings and set your AP up as it's repeater.

[Oaktech]

often repeater functions are proprietary, for instance a belkin router will only work with a belkin ap in repeater mode... you may have some luck if you can find the ones that are designed to work together, but i wouldn't bet on it!

 

You may be able to buy your neighbour a fat antenna for his router or hang your own AP off his router with a fat antenna, or even string a network cable from his house to yours and stick your own AP on it...

 

(can you tell i've been a wi-fi thieving student...?)

[Bugs]

You can tell me i`m talking out my bum but, I set up a wireless infrastructure in a school and that how I set that up, I gave all 7 or so AP's the same SSID same security settings, obviously different IP's but all pointing to the same gateway, with the same subnet.

 

how come that worked?

[cromertech]

You can tell me i`m talking out my bum but, I set up a wireless infrastructure in a school and that how I set that up, I gave all 7 or so AP's the same SSID same security settings, obviously different IP's but all pointing to the same gateway, with the same subnet.

 

how come that worked?

 

Because all of the access points were attached to the same network. Unless you run a network cable from your AP to your neighbours you won't be able to do this.

[soveryapt]

You can tell me i`m talking out my bum but, I set up a wireless infrastructure in a school and that how I set that up, I gave all 7 or so AP's the same SSID same security settings, obviously different IP's but all pointing to the same gateway, with the same subnet.

 

how come that worked?

 

They were all plugged into the wired network? And not connecting to each other for the Wireless? would be my guess ..

 

EDIT: Beaten to it by @cromertech .. lol ..

[Bugs]

Ahhhhhh didnt think of that, thanx guys been bugging me all weekend!