A broadband/home networking question.

[Con]

Lads/Lasses, not sure what happened to the infamous networking forum .

I set up my eclipse ADSL connection on my Efficient Networks 5861 Router last night (which I think someone on here is familiar with ).

Just incase anyone's had similar experiences...

my master BT socket is downstairs in the lounge, and the router will work fine from here.

as soon as I add a 10m phone extension onto the line, and put the router into it (i.e. up the stairs) the router won't get any ADSL signal

So I'm pretty hacked off tbh, because it's rented accomodation I can't go drilling holes in the ceiling to deploy cat 5 cabling!

I need the router upstairs really, because that's where the 2 servers and my workstation is. so at the moment I'm limited to a laptop on the sofa in the lounge!

Not bad if you want to get mashed and download tunes, but I have work to do!

[Áedán]

Go wireless instead. Unfortunately it sounds like your ten metre extension cable is seriously attentuating the signal, so there's not enough signal left by the time it gets to your router.

What type of extension wiring are you using? If it's one of those flat ribbonlike telephone extension cables, they're known to have problems with signal integrety over any great length. Ideally it should be twisted pair cabling (Cat 3 telephone or Cat 5), to help preserve the signal integrety.

One last thought - what other devices (IE telephones) are connected to the line? Have you tried testing with *just* the ADSL device connected to the line and nothing else?

[Con]

Yes that's the conclusion I came to buddy . Yes i've unplugged all other devices on the line, and taken all reasonable trouble shooting steps.

The extension isn't the flat stuff, but i don't know if it's twisted pair or not, it was in the house and i cant alter it.

Wireless is the only option. I'm thinking Belkin 802.11g AP, and some wireless cards?

[danrok]

Try to use wireless kit of the same make, i.e. access point and NIC's.

[Con]

Yes to some extent, but not when your laptop has an inbuilt card.

[Áedán]

I've not had a problem with the linksys kit personally. The Belkin 54G AP is linux based from what I remember.

[Con]

Would you reccomend linksys over Belkin? I want the PCI card to be linux compatible ideally.

[Lazgoat]

Is 10m really too long? I have my main BT box downstairs with an extension to room upstairs, with another extension to a third socket through to another room with my ADSL router. I'm using the cheapo Argos flat cable and it works ok.
Try plugging your extension cable into an ADSL filter at your main BT box and see what happens.

[danrok]

Similar set-up to Lazgoat's, here. My filter is downstairs in the main socket.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by Lazgoat

Is 10m really too long?

In and of itself, no. But in his particular case, another 10M might have been enough to push him over the ragged edge of disaster.

[Áedán]

Originally Posted by Con

Would you reccomend linksys over Belkin? I want the PCI card to be linux compatible ideally.

I've not used the Belkin, so I can't comment on it! In terms of Linux compatibility, the Atheros cards have drivers for PCMCIA, miniPCI and PCI cards if you want a 54G card. The drivers are called "MADWIFI", and they seem to work.

[Kaitain]

Check what the card's chipset is on http://www.linux-wlan.org/docs/wlan_adapters.html.gz

Currently the best-supported cards are those with either Prism or Atheros chipsets.

Other information is available from http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_.../Wireless.html - the people that wrote the Wireless Tools extensions for Linux.

[DimViesel]

Excuse my ignorance but why must the router be anywhere near the machines?
Would not a very long Cat5 (20-25m +) cable from router downstairs up to a switch solve your immediate problems?
You can trap it along door frames with tacks which will be undetectable to all but the most fantastically thorough landlords.

Originally Posted by Con

Lads/Lasses, not sure what happened to the infamous networking forum .

The, 'Lads/Lasses', disconnected it.

[GrahamGarside]

good point dim
you'd think a landlord would be grateful to have networking installed, are these student accomodations? surely them being internet and network ready would be a plus if they are, you could try and strike a deal with the land lord

[Con]

To answer a few questions.

I bought a belkin PCI card, and a Belkin AP, which will arrive tomorrow.

No I can't go running cable all over the place. I am not a a student, it is not my house, and I am aware i could run cat 5 all over the place but it is not my house as i said, its just rented accomodation.

The problem with the phone extensions, i believe, is they are cheap and nasty, and not made of the right sort of cable.

I cant change them, its rented accomodation and im not ripping the carpets and ceiling up.

Wireless was my only option, and that's what I've bought.

And why the hell did the networking forum get taken down?

[Kaitain]

Originally Posted by Con

And why the hell did the networking forum get taken down?

Lack of use

[Con]

damn it.

[Áedán]

Actually, it was merged with the mobile devices, as there's a fair bit of crossover.

[Con]

it doesn't say that on it tho, just says mobile doesnt it? so not very obvious to my stoned mind

[Áedán]

It doesn't? I thought it did... Áedán wanders off to check..