Expanding WiFi (Residential)

[crunkie]

Hi everyone,

I share a flat and we have wireless internet, the router being in the living room. Two rooms from there (in a row) is my bedroom and unfortunately it doesn't reach that far (zero signal).
I have no clue what the walls are made of, however the previous tenant used a booster that you plug into the (electricity) wall socket in the living room (that I guess would also have a cable connecting to the router?). The router is a standard virgin media router i think (tv/internet package).

I don't have a clue about these type of things, nor does my house mate but we've tried doing a bit of research and think we've come up with a solution (that isn't going to cost a small fortune - we're on a budget) but I was hoping y'all could tell me if this is going to work:

(I'm not naming any brands as I'm not sure I'm allowed to)
Product we plan to use: Two "Home-Plugs" (I understand from the seller's website that you need two HomePlug devices to make it work...)
-In the living room, plug in Product A "HomePlug 85Mbps WiFi and Ethernet Adapter" into the wall socket and the router
-In the bedroom, plug in Product B "85Mbps Ethernet HomePlug Adapter for wired devices" and then I'll be able to pick up the wireless on my laptop

Does this sound right? I was wondering - would two of the Product B suffice?
I'm quite confused and don't want to order the wrong things!

Any help would be greaaaaatly appreciated!

:)

Crunkie

[rubberman]

You can set up the second AP as either a separate AP, but as a bridge, not a router, that way. That would be a separate SSID, though you can use the same passphrases. Alternatively, you can set it up as a wireless bridge that uses the same SSID. Myself, I use the first method. We can connect to either device if we are in range of them both, or one or the other if not. My router and AP is in the basement office near the front of the house, and the bridged AP is upstairs in my wife's office near the back of the house. So, if we are in the front part of the house, we use the AP in the basement, and if in the back (where the bedroom is) we use the bridge AP in her office. We use the power plug ethernet devices, similar to your "HomePlug" device to connect the bridge and router together. Works a treat.

[crunkie]

Hi rubberman,
Thanks for the reply...I couldn't quite follow but think I get the gist of it. We've just ordered two of these homeplugs, so the internet will somehow go through the electricity instead I think (really not sure how all this works!).
Will post back here once it's done and let you know if it works!

[rubberman]

Actually, it doesn't run "over the electricity". It just uses your house wiring as a carrier, just like any network cable, but it shares the cable with the electric power. So, just consider your house wiring as a "built in" ethernet cable that goes everywhere in the house. Just a thing to consider, is that neighbors will also have access to the signal, so when you set up the plugs, change the encryption key and the IP address(es) of the plugs (if that capability is available). You do that by connecting the plug to your network and communicating with it via your web browser. Instructions on how to do all of that should be in the documentation that comes with the plugs.

[crunkie]

Actually, it doesn't run "over the electricity". It just uses your house wiring as a carrier, just like any network cable, but it shares the cable with the electric power. So, just consider your house wiring as a "built in" ethernet cable that goes everywhere in the house. Just a thing to consider, is that neighbors will also have access to the signal, so when you set up the plugs, change the encryption key and the IP address(es) of the plugs (if that capability is available). You do that by connecting the plug to your network and communicating with it via your web browser. Instructions on how to do all of that should be in the documentation that comes with the plugs.

I have finally received the plug. So it's not wireless,but it works. One plug goes into the wall and a wire connects it to the modem. The second plug is in my room and again, connects to my laptop through a wire. (I don't know why I thought it was going to be wireless...). Anywho it all works and was easy as 1-2-3 to 'install' (Didn't have to install any software on my mac to get it working, though it does come with a CD).
:)