How to extend wifi network

[Thurston Garden]

I wonder if you good people can assist...

I am trying to hook into my parents network from my immobile home in their garden. They are with Orange with a Livebox (g) router. Their router is c40m line of sight between their house window and my caravan window. My Mac airport can see the wireless signal and I get 3 bars on the icon on my Mac desktop.

When I try to load any webpage, or dropbox, or any form of connection, I see 'sending request' but it never pings properly. I am surprised as the strength indicator is 3 bars (75%) but appreciate that this has always been a long shot. In the same position, my ipod does get emails etc.

I have my old Dlink n router and wondered if I could use this to boost the signal somehow. I can't replace and reconfigure the Livebox with the Dlink as folks have their landline phone on the Livebox for free calls.

Will my n router receive the livebox signal better? Can I set it up as a bridge at the caravan end? Or, can I hook the n router to the livebox with a network cable to act as a better transmitter?

Ever hopeful! BT are coming today about putting in a new landline to the immobile home which will eventually be moved into my new house but I am not hopeful it will be connected soon...new poles required etc!

Ta.

[John Headstrong]

can I hook the n router to the livebox with a network cable to act as a better transmitter?

yes, you can and I have done something similar with a netgear router and a old belkin wireless router.

get a long network cable and try and get the bridged router has near as you can

[Thurston Garden]

John that's great news. Do I need to do any configuring? My n router was in the old house with AOL. Do I need to dial in and change stuff in it?

[John Headstrong]

yes, you will need to login (at a guess http://192.168.1.1 ) and look for options to bridge connections then connect the wire from router 1 to router 2.

[Thurston Garden]

cheers John, I will have a bash. BT have been on site today about my new line, but it needs a couple of new pole which will take a week. Then I need to order up internet. I can't cope for 2-3 weeks without it!

[Thurston Garden]

Well I am pleased to say I now have internet in the immobile home. After a 22 day wait, I have a proper phone line and interweb via BT. I was worried as my folks next door only get 0.3Mb download speeds. I was getting 5.5 on a good day in the village, half a mile closer to the exchange. I am pleased to say that my speed has topped out at 6.7Mb. I am as pleased as Punch.