Extend Wifi Signal?

[Matt26]

Hello All,

Have a question to see the best way to increase range on an AP or if there are other ways to extend the signal. Pretty much we have a security office outside of our building and we're looking to get wifi out there, we put an AP as close as we can but the signal is still not the greatest (we see the SSIDs but the connection is hit or miss).

So my question is can we extended the range on the AP or is there an extender we can buy (like a TP-link/netgear off amazon) that we can plug into a power outlet? The APs we currently run are AIR-AP1815I-B-K9 and we use the 5520 WLC.

Thank you all!

-Matt

[Arshad Safrulla]

In an enterprise network, using SOHO devices may bring in lot of complications, most importantly security. I would not recommend doing it.

I would love to advise you to get an RF survey done as the first step before adding additional access points or increasing the power levels. May be RF survey will allow you to relocate some existing AP's to provide coverage for new location, so my suggestions are as below

1. Get an RF study done.

2. If required add additional AP's or AP's with high gain antenna

3. Check the possibility of increasing the TPC, and follow it up with another RF survey to validate the changes and cleint beaviur

4. If the survey findings allows you; relocate some AP's to get preferred coverage.

[Leo Laohoo]

Is there a line-of-sight to this "outpost"? 

There are two options to play with: 

1.  Wireless point-to-multipoint bridge

2.  Install fibre optic to the outpost