WiFi Connectivity issue

[Draeconis]

I work for a company that did an installation in this guys house recently.

We built him a wooden cabinet, and installed an AV Processor, a Sonos Music control thingy, Wireless Speakers, a DGN3500 RangeMax router and a PC with WiFi built in. The Client also has Baby monitors, and a wireless phone network in the house.

Now I'm sure you all probably know what I'm about to say;

The WiFi signal from the router is unusable.

I've tried changing all the channels, so that the Sonos is on 11 and the WiFi is on 1, (I have no idea if you can change the wireless speakers operating frequency, they're made by KEF if that helps anyone?), and obviously I've gone around turning off Baby Monitors to prove that's an issue. The phones running at 2.4Ghz is kind of a given, but seeing as I have similar phones at my house, and a less powerful DGN2000, and my WiFi works fine, I can't attribute much of an effect from that.

But I can't seem to make it much better. I tried improving the reception by providing 2 Netgear Access Points (WN802T RangeMax) but I can't even get them to bridge properly; they don't find the DGN3500, and then whatever device connects via an Access Point gets an APNA because DHCP isn't linked with the DGN3500.

I imagine that because of the router's proximity to at least 3 other WiFi devices, that that's not helping, so my current idea is to move the router out of the cabinet it's been put in, and mount it on the wall, behind this guys TV, about 1.5-2m up. Would that make much of a difference? Would entirely relocating the router be a better option? Your help is much appreciated

 

[Draeconis]

I've since sorted the issues out, but have since come across some very irritating issues I cannot resolve.

Basically, the DGN3500 we'd bought isn't functioning properly, so I replaced it with a DGN2000, and the WiFi was much more reliable and the range was much better, but it still wouldn't bridge to the access points, and here is where issue one strikes;

You cannot wirelessly bridge networking gear in anything else other than Open System (WEP).

Having established I needed to create a WiFi network using WEP (which was the last thing I wanted to do), I then noticed that the Access Points (Netgear WN802T) didn't seem to be broadcasting any WiFi, but did let you connect via the ethernet port on the back, which leads me to my second issue;

The WN802T can only do 'Repeater' mode with 'Wireless Client Association' disabled.

So, how useless is that? I want a repeater, I buy a repeater, it only repeats on a single ethernet port. Thanks, Netgear.

I happened to have another DGN2000 with me, so I thought I could cut one Access Point out, but I couldn't seem to get the two DGN2000's to bridge. So, I resorted to a 'it'll work but not idealistically' workaround; the Access Point goes into the DGN2000, and that creates another WiFi network, which through the access point is connected to the other DGN2000 which has an active internet connection. It works, but it's far from what I hoped for :/

 

[frustin]

I've since sorted the issues out, but have since come across some very irritating issues I cannot resolve.

what did you do to resolve?

Basically, the DGN3500 we'd bought isn't functioning properly, so I replaced it with a DGN2000, and the WiFi was much more reliable and the range was much better

i've read on t'internet about the 3500's range being pants, which is why i bought a linksys.

You cannot wirelessly bridge networking gear in anything else other than Open System (WEP).

i have the same issue with my olde worlde speedtouch 180's, they wont bridge in anything other than WEP (which will limit you to wireless G only if you didnt know already), however, i thought to myself, who's really going to try and have ago around here? turn off SSID, limit to mac addresses to only those on your network. granted it could all be snooped if anyone could be arsed. i'm taking the bet they wont.