Wifi problem

Ok folk now I may have found one solution but one that I really only want to be temporary for the time being.

Last week I changed my providers phone plan it included an upgrade to a Google Pixel phone and the bundle came with a Samsung Tab 4 plus a few other goodies that beat my current plan by $3 a month. Now the Tab 4 came with a sim card and can be used as a mobile modem. it is sitting next to the machine as I type connected via wifi

The only thing that I need to find out is how much data I can use through the Tab 4 without overdoing it - the mobile broadband modem I already had does cost a lot of money and I have an idea they told me it would be cheaper to use the Tab 4 than the small (and very slow) modem I said I have already.

The young bloke did run me through the bundle and mentioned something along those lines but as always one gets bombarded with so much info I have forgotten exactly what data allowances are etc etc So I shall find out tomorrow just what is what but at least the speed of the connection now is blazingly fast:)


By the by the Google Pixel is in my mind much faster than the Samsung S5 I had and the battery life is phenomenal - plus it is bloat free - you only have on it what you want. But if you are thinking of the Google Pixel then best go for the XL model because mine (the straight Pixel) is limited to 32GB internal storage - no SD card access and the XL is slightly larger and has more internal storage.

In my house I would drill a hole in the floor next to the wall and run the cable in the basement to what ever room I wanted it to go. Then another hole in that room. The hole only has to be big enough to get the cable connector through.



Jack

John,

Be very careful about trying to use a mobile plan for general internet use at home - the amount of data you use at home is often immense in comparison to mobile usage. Just think that one auto-starting video on a web page can use up a month's mobile allowance in a few minutes - I would suggest that a mobile plan for day to day use is only practical with a totally unlimited Data Plan.

With the other options,

If you have each room's electrical supply fed from different distribution boxes or isolator's then the sockets will not be connected to enable the use of a MainsPlug based system, ( these are designed to work on the standard Electrical Ring Main system where the wiring is daisy-chained to each socket in turn, so all are directly connected ).

The best option would be to run an Ethernet cable between the rooms, the cable could be run inside or outside the property, and could include a Switch in the room you will be using if you intend to use Ethernet connections or an Ethernet/Wireless repeater if you need wireless access - Both will allow use of more than one device.

If adding wiring is a no-no then you will need to use a Wireless /Wireless Extender, with this you place this extender midway, ( or a suitable position to "see" both the original router and the laptop), between the existing wireless router and the Laptop - the Extender is set up to link to the existing router and re-broadcast to the laptop. This can also be achieved using a wired Wireless extender if you can manage to run the cable to a point that allows the laptop to "see" the extender.

One other thought that I have is How old is the laptop?. It may be that a modern USB wireless dongle may be able to "see" the existing Router due to the improvements in technology over the last year or two

Now to answer you both - Jack houses out here - well at least the ones I have owned don't generally have basements it would be the cure all in my mind but not an option.

Nigel yes mate I have been trying to find out how much data I am paying for on that Tab 4 I think it was around 20GB per month which is more than I would use as I don't stream TV or films etc I just email and Google stuff and get about in here of course which is my main hobby. I do watch a few YouTubes from time to time but only for some musical stuff that interests me and any computing how to's.

To give you a rough idea the pre paid modem I have which is $140 for 16GB and two years in days whatever ends first that is. My usual 16GB on that machine - my travel /work one usually lasts me around five months as a rule but it is real slow even though it is 4G networking.

Now as I said I have to find out exactly how much data is included in this new bundle the old one my landline ADSL2 usage was capped off at 12GB per month - I think it is more now though and I never have run over that previous 12GB cap.

I do know what you are saying and if and when the new modem/router ( TP-Link Archer D7 AC1750 ADSL2+ Modem Router) gets here hopefully the signal strength will be greater than the old TP-Link. Oh the machine it is only about 18 months old an Asus G750JM ROG and it has the up to date network specs on it's card

Update - have the new modem router but it is refusing to run. Have followed the instructions and tried running the small software disk that come with it but it is just returning an autorun error 001 so will have to wait until tomorrow and check it out with TP Link support.

Jeez I really am not a fan of networking stuff why it just cannot be plug and play is a mystery.

In case you are woindering I hooked the old modem back up to send this any ideas but - will help.

I use TP-link these days, almost exclusively I never bother with the disk.

Currently using a C7 which is the same as yours but no modem (I have a separate Fibre Modem)

Locate the router and connect all the required cables.

Log into the router from a laptop connected by Ethernet lead (address http//:192.168.0.1), user admin Password (noted in documentation or affixed to router)

If you go to the Quick setup page and follow the prompts the router will set up all the connections for you, you will need the actual ISP log-on information and password but everything else is automatic

Once you have the router basic set-up completed make sure you save the settings before you do any further changes and also save a separate settings file at each stage

Note the Admin Password is normally admin but may be different in Australia

Ok Nigel I shall try that in the morning as I just hooked up this modem/router as per the quick set up guide and as there is no net connection I could not get that ip address you quoted - it is the same out here by the by.

This is the link for the one I have N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit ADSL2+ Modem Router - TP-Link as I cannot see if it is a D7 or what right now. I am getting some reception on the old modem using one of the new modem/router aerials in addition to the large one I bought for it - at least it is something.

Oh by the way I found out today that the data usage for that Tab A is 20GB per month shared with my phone. At least if I go over that 20GB which is highly unlikely it isn't going to be as expensive as the pre paid modem I mentioned before.:)

Ok I have the modem set up via just the laptop plugged and right now it seems to be working - in the computer room or very close it is really fast.

Now I have to see how it holds up down in the room where I want the machine as I type there seems to be an intermittent service and hopefully if the system stays like that it is better than nothing my only other option is that Samsung Tab A or my prepaid mobile modem.

The problem I am sure is not the distance but the fact that the room I am in is constructed of solid brick walls with just a set of french doors opening into it from the direction of the modem.

I have had another look at routing an Ethernet cable but it would be a difficult thing to do because of a) where I could run it and b) the length of the cable.

The other little thing to mention is that this machine - Asus P2520LA is running 10 and I cannot find a network driver for the machine - I can for 7 but not 10.