[GRLUG] Power line network adapters

[Michael Mol]

On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 10:33 AM, L. V. Lammert <lvl at omnitec.net> wrote:
> At 11:26 AM 10/2/2011, you wrote:
>>
>> The office in the basement is on the other side of the house from the
>> cable modem and router.
>
> Ben,
>
> There is always a way to run a cable, .. you can follow heating ducts, for
> example (since there is no AC power in the network cables are low power, you
> could even run them *in* ductwork but be very careful insulating where the
> enter/exit), .. plumbing, .. sometimes even running around the outside of
> the house (though network cables would have to be inside conduit as most are
> not weather rated).
>
> Suggestion - stop by Harbor Freight and for less than $20 (look for a 20%
> off coupon - they are everywhere), get yourself a set of fiberglass 'fishing
> poles' used for pulling wire & cabling. They come in 2' or 3' sections, and
> screw together to make a flexible pole that is easy to run horizontally. A
> fish tape is only useful in a conduit - it is too flexible for other
> applications.
>
> Another option is to get a 2' flexible drill bit, cut a hole in an interior
> wall (use a low-voltage frame to hold the box cover), drill a hole down
> through the bottom of the wall and also through the ceiling downstairs (you
> can 'feel' for anything in the way like an electrical box); from that small
> hole, fish wires to the other end of the basement following the joist bays
> and support beams. Might require a small hole along the way where you
> encounter blockages or corners - check at a home store for 'access panel
> covers' that snap in and can be painted.
>
> I do know where you're coming from - when we purchased this house many years
> ago it came with a finished drywall ceiling on the lower level. It took me a
> few tries to get 'paths' established, but I have pulled many power runs,
> cable, and network since then (from one to the other above the drywall,
> following the ductwork chase). The first time I also pulled in lengths of
> clothsline for pull ropes.
>
>> Wifi(g) is quite weak down there.
>
> The other option is to get larger antennas for your WiFi gear - just be sure
> to get units with external antenna connectors.

Or set up a b/g repeater like the ASUS WL-330ge. (Dang, these things
are versatile.)

>
>> I don't know much about the wireless standards.  I guess I could get an N
>> router then a wireless card for the server. None of my laptops support
>> N, would this work like b/g did where if there is a device on the
>> router using the slower service then the whole router would slow?
>
> N would only be required if you want to stream 1080p video, .. else b/g is
> just fine.

Or RDP, VNC, X11 forwarding, file transfers. b/g is pretty much only
useful for terminal SSH sessions, audio streaming and small-data
asynchronous tasks like web browsing and email.

-- 
:wq

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