Have trouble connecting to the church Wi-Fi while passing through a metal structure.
Have trouble connecting to the church Wi-Fi while passing through a metal structure.
I’ve been chosen as the tech leader in our church after the last member left to pursue further studies. We just received internet, but due to our location we’re stuck with a speed limit of 30mbps. Our central router sits roughly 150 feet away in a metal structure. The building has good reception at the entrance but not inside. I’m considering an outdoor repeater, but I’m unsure which model to pick. Any suggestions would be great. The director prefers Cat6, though our main aim is universal Wi-Fi access—both inside and outside. Since the computer lacks a built-in Wi-Fi card but has Ethernet, we need a setup that supports connecting it to the router. I’m comfortable with hardware and coding, but networking isn’t my expertise. The existing home router works at about two blocks away, so the issue seems to be the metal walls. I’ve tested 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands in the church; neither reaches beyond the entrance. Could you offer some guidance? Thank you for your time. May the Lord guide your efforts.
these units function fine as repeaters, not exceptional or anything special, just decent. you can install them in the entryway and they should extend coverage throughout the building thanks to their durability. the concept is to switch them into repeater mode, input your current router details, connect via one band, and then generate a separate Wi-Fi network on another band—so you can assign any name and adjust security as needed. for the computer, it’s better to purchase a USB Wi-Fi adapter and connect directly. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TTBTMVX
Could the CAT6 cable connect from that outbuilding into the main area and then reach an access point such as a Ubiquiti UniFi U6 lite? With speeds around 30mbps, even a small crowd would quickly strain the link—improving stability is crucial, and using repeaters may not be ideal.
You have two solid options. Option A) As mentioned before, install a cable from the main building to the Church and set up APs inside to offer Wi-Fi. Option B) Implement a site-to-site wireless bridge to extend the connection to the Church, then use APs to spread the signal. The wired setup offers better stability but needs trenching and careful grounding. The wireless option might be simpler but could be pricier. Avoid repeaters since they reduce bandwidth significantly.
Consider any available coaxial cables linking the two structures. Purchase MoCA adapters at each end and set up whatever networking equipment you desire on either side. If the coax connects to an ISP or cable provider, you'll need a MoCA filter to prevent data from leaving your buildings through it.