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would changing setting to another router help?

12 years ago

My neighbor has offered to share his internet with me. He gave me his password and I can get online. I only surf and get email- I don't do any buying/banking/use any personal info online. Sometimes the signal is strong (4 bars) and sometimes it is weak (2 bars). His router is a Netgear, and I do have a Lynksys in a drawer. We were trying to figure out if plugging in my router and/or changing my settings on my computer would help. Neither of us is a wiz with computers.

Would using my router somehow make a stronger signal?

Also, even though I don't do anything interesting online, I think (thought) I was 'encrypted', but don't know where to look. Should I be, and if so, how do I do it, please. Thx.

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Comments (7)

mike_kaiser_gw
12 years ago
Wireless performance is influenced by many things including distance, walls and other structures, and other wireless networks. Switching routers may help and it's certainly worth shot.

Regardless of what you do online, you should enable encryption. You'll need access to the router to turn it on.
fruitjarfla
12 years ago
Does the internet company allow this?
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kudzu9
12 years ago
fruitjarfla-
People share Internet connections all the time, sometimes intentionally, sometimes accidentally. And, even if the ISP cared, they really can't differentiate whether two computers sharing the same router are in one house or two. The router in my house provides a signal to 3 computers, any laptops belonging to guests in my house, to my Netflix/Roku box, and sometimes to my smartphone.
albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
12 years ago
ilmbg, I have some problems that may be related to Netgear. I've started a thread nearby but haven't got back to it because of other things happening elsewhere [Wireless often slow to connect]. I invite you to try the other hardware and report. What you find out may be relevant to other's problems too.
mikie_gw
12 years ago
What is the model and revision number of your Lynksys?
Maybe it has settings to make it an adapter, it won't work too well in a drawer but maybe you could set in your window closest the neighbor if it has proper settings ... or possible make it a repeating relay.
ilmbg
Original Author
12 years ago
albert- I will look at your posts- thanks.
mikie- while the Lynksys was in the drawer it changed over to a 'Belkin'......it is model # F5D7230-4. Now, what exactly do I do???? Thanks
mikie_gw
12 years ago
You need to hook up your router to a port/port & look in your belkin configurations for a Repeater setting/page, or Extender settings or page or WDS settings. I'm not sure exactly what Belkin might call it.
To see if it will repeat your neighbors signal. Then set it maybe by your window or closer to neighbor. = no wires required. Not all versions of that model belkin do the repeater function. But some do.

Seems some are wired access points, some are wireless WDS access points/repeaters/extenders. Mixed bag of tricks depending on version and firmware too.

Most can be used a wired access point, that way - maybe you neighbor could run a network cable to his window or somehow closer to you & use your belkin in AP mode. Then he would have extended network too!

Reading at belkin....
What is WDS (Wireless Distribution System)?....etc...
Supported Products - F5D7630-4. F5D7230-4 v1 v2, v4, v6, v8, v9.

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