Repeater or access point?

[NoLoMo]

Ok so my friend's roommate is sharing internet with my friend who lives on another floor of the same apartment building (2 floors between them). So the speed that they are paying for is about 110 down, but my friend is only seeing 3.12 down. I know this will be due to the fact that the signal has to go through many floors before it gets to him and the channels must be flooded with other people. I've told him to try to get that sorted at least. The only part which I don't know to recommend him is whether to get a wifi repeater or a wireless access point. I need to find him the cheapest option available, which I believe is the repeater -correct me if I'm wrong- but I'm not sure if the building shares wiring to the specific room where the router is at. So I turn to you guys for help, and thanks for any option. 

[Canada EH]

Put the device close to the window and see, then put it close tot he door and see.

I know you can get antenna boosters, but for your needs I have no clue.

Oh and another thing is the frequency. 2.4GHz and 5Ghz has different wave lengths, one is for longer distances.

I just forget which is which.

 

Repeater would be midway wouldnt it. Access point would be extending the signal I think. Like a cell tower.

[Mr.Meerkat]

How many floors in between them? A repeater still might not make the signal strong enough (plus you lose some speeds with a repeater anyway) with the access point kinda requiring you to drag a Ethernet cable to the other floor...

[NoLoMo]

1 minute ago, Mr.Meerkat said:

How many floors in between them? A repeater still might not make the signal strong enough (plus you lose some speeds with a repeater anyway) with the access point kinda requiring you to drag a Ethernet cable to the other floor...

Sorry if I didn't clarify, it's two floors between them. Yea that's why I wanted to stray clear from an access point. 

[NoLoMo]

5 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Put the device close to the window and see, then put it close tot he door and see.

I know you can get antenna boosters, but for your needs I have no clue.

Oh and another thing is the frequency. 2.4GHz and 5Ghz has different wave lengths, one is for longer distances.

I just forget which is which.

 

Repeater would be midway wouldnt it. Access point would be extending the signal I think. Like a cell tower.

He's using it for school work and gaming like MOBAS. 5 Ghz is the faster connection but it doesn't reach him so he's connecting to the 2.4 Ghz. 

[Mr.Meerkat]

Just now, NoLoMo said:

Sorry if I didn't clarify, it's two floors between them. Yea that's why I wanted to stray clear from an access point. 

What is he currently using as the router and feq band? A router with a very strong 2.4GHz signal may be ideal here (as 2.4GHz can travel further than 5GHz before being scattered) or even a 5GHz if it's strong enough for the 50mbps+ speeds  

[NoLoMo]

Just now, Mr.Meerkat said:

What is he currently using as the router and feq band? A router with a very strong 2.4GHz signal may be ideal here (as 2.4GHz can travel further than 5GHz before being scattered) or even a 5GHz if it's strong enough for the 50mbps+ speeds  

I told him to connect to 5GHz if he could but he says the signal doesn't reach him. The 2.4 GHz is what he is connected to right now. As for what router he's using, I'm not sure I would need to ask. 

[Mr.Meerkat]

5 minutes ago, NoLoMo said:

I told him to connect to 5GHz if he could but he says the signal doesn't reach him.

5GHz has a smaller range than 2.4GHz does so that's not surprising.

My talktalk router is able to keep a 34mbps~ down speed throughout the whole flat on the 2.4GHz band but it goes from 75mbps (when I used to have those speeds) down to 10mbps on the other side of the flat with the 5GHz band.

[NoLoMo]

1 minute ago, Mr.Meerkat said:

5GHz has a smaller range than 2.4GHz does so that's not surprising.

My talktalk router is able to keep a 34mbps~ down speed throughout the whole flat on the 2.4GHz band but it goes from 75mbps (when I used to have those speeds) down to 10mbps on the other side of the flat with the 5GHz band.

I asked as to what router they are using but he says he doesnt know, which if I'm guessing correctly is that they are probably jjust using the modem that came with the service.

[Mr.Meerkat]

Just now, NoLoMo said:

I asked as to what router they are using but he says he doesnt know, which if I'm guessing correctly is that they are probably jjust using the modem that came with the service.

So an access point is out of the equation and a repeater might not work well...ermmmm maybe they can move the modem/router to a better location so it's closer to the guy 2 floors up? 

[NoLoMo]

1 minute ago, Mr.Meerkat said:

So an access point is out of the equation and a repeater might not work well...ermmmm maybe they can move the modem/router to a better location so it's closer to the guy 2 floors up? 

I thought there was wireless variants though for the access point though.

[Canada EH]

Are the floors concrete?

Maybe the router is not good enough. I know you can buy stronger antenna's.

[Mr.Meerkat]

3 minutes ago, NoLoMo said:

I thought there was wireless variants though for the access point though.

??

Anyway, any kinda modern router should be able to change channels so maybe get your friend to download wifi analyser (or some app that shows the utilised channels) and find out which one isn't being utilised? 

[NoLoMo]

Just now, Mr.Meerkat said:

??

Anyway, any kinda modern router should be able to change channels so maybe get your friend to download wifi analyser (or some app that shows the utilised channels) and find out which one isn't being utilised? 

Yup I've already recommended that to him

[NoLoMo]

2 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Are the floors concrete?

Maybe the router is not good enough. I know you can buy stronger antenna's.

Well they are solid enough to be considered a floor, as to the chemical composition of them im not sure.

[Mr.Meerkat]

6 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

 

Are the floors concrete?

 

Doesn't have to be concrete but it could have insulation and shizzle that just acts like jammers as it would just reflect the signal back into the lower floor apartment  

[Canada EH]

Glass insulation, yes good point.

6 minutes ago, Mr.Meerkat said:

Doesn't have to be concrete but it could have insulation and shizzle that just acts like jammers as it would just reflect the signal back into the lower floor apartment  

Maybe there are directional antenna's available. Bounce off a neighbor building or something, or point it straight up just outside the window or just in, and towards the other apartment. Hopefully you guys are on the same side of the building.

[NoLoMo]

8 minutes ago, Canada EH said:

Glass insulation, yes good point.

Maybe there are directional antenna's available. Bounce off a neighbor building or something, or point it straight up just outside the window or just in, and towards the other apartment. Hopefully you guys are on the same side of the building.

They are in the same side of the building, so from what I am gathering their only hope is to point it in the right direction?

[spellmanuk]

If your in the same appartment could you not use power line adapters and put a new ap upstairs? 

[NoLoMo]

Just now, peej said:

If your in the same appartment could you not use power line adapters and put a new ap upstairs? 

Thats what I was wondering.

 

[spellmanuk]

Just now, NoLoMo said:

Thats what I was wondering.

 

are you in the same apartment or the same apartment building? If your in the same apartment it should almost certainly work if it's the same building but not the same apartment then it might work but depends on how the apartment block is wired as a lot of flats have individual breakers for each apartment. 

[NoLoMo]

Just now, peej said:

are you in the same apartment or the same apartment building? If your in the same apartment it should almost certainly work if it's the same building but not the same apartment then it might work but depends on how the apartment block is wired as a lot of flats have individual breakers for each apartment. 

Yea we are in the same building

[spellmanuk]

Just now, NoLoMo said:

Yea we are in the same building

But different apartments?

[NoLoMo]

Just now, peej said:

But different apartments?

yup

[spellmanuk]

Just now, NoLoMo said:

yup

Hmm I mean it's about £20-£40 for powerline adapters so it might be worth a try as it might work if not I'm sure you might find a use for them I certainly find them useful.