How to set up an access point

[#1]

Hi PlusNetters,

We have a garden studio (thick walls, so no wifi or data signal at all), so have had an ethernet cable installed to bring in the internet.

The line goes from the Hub 2 router (in the house) to an ethernet socket on the wall, then to the new ethernet cable (wired from back of the house socket to a socket in the studio).

So, now we have an ethernet socket in the studio... what do I plug into it in order to get wifi in there?!

(The studio is small, so we don't need a big range, and there won't be more than a laptop and 1-2 phones connected. Also, and this might be standard, I don't know, but it needs to be shielded, so none of the mics pick it up.)

I can see a million devices online, but have no idea which would be most cost-effective for us.

Any help appreciated!

[#2]

@Leigh 

You've done the hard work by running an ethernet cable to the location. Can't help with recomendations for a Wireless Access Point (WAP) but have you any old routers lying around. You might just be able to use that without have to buy.

If you do buy, consider getting one with a second ethernet socket so you can plug in anything you might wish.

Brian

[#3]

@Leigh  Welcome to the Plusnet Community Fora.

You won't find a cost effective solution much cheaper than this :https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-WA801N-Wireless-Injector-Ethernet/dp/B085M4ZJ2L/ref=sr_1_4?adgrp.... unless as advised you have an old router kicking about that you can reconfigure. If you have one and need advice then just tell us the make and model.

What do you mean by : it needs to be shielded, so none of the mics pick it up? The whole point of wireless is to spray WiFi around the local area. Transmissions will be way out of the detectable frequency range of microphones.

[#4]

Following on from what @bmc says you might find this link useful   https://www.tp-link.com/uk/support/faq/2655/

I have this et up and it works extremely well. A cheap router can be sourced on eBay if you don't already have a spare.

[#5]

@Leigh 

Quick question - what service are you on? FTTC or Full Fibre

Brian

[#6]

@Leigh 

Just a footnote to @Baldrick1 recommendation, your download speeds will be limited to a maximum speed of 100 Mbps due to hardware limitations of the network card of that TP-Link device, so any Full Fibre product of 145 or above will be less than 100 Mbps download speed.

[#7]

@Baldrick1 
"
What do you mean by

It needs to be shielded, so none of the mics pick it up? The whole point of wireless is to spray WiFi around the local area. Transmissions will be way out of the detectable frequency range of microphones.
"

I assume that @Leigh has a home studio and is concerned that they may get some audio  interference from Wifi
That's not without good reason as some USB microphones have been known to pickup RFI interference.
A way to minimise this is to use fully balanced XLR or TRS well electronically shielded mics and cables in the analogue domain.

In my day WiFi was not allowed anywhere near a broadcast studio !.

[#8]

@Leigh  if you are anywhere near NG10 and are willing to collect, I have some old routers that can be used as access points, albeit only 2.4ghz WiFi. I'll even configure one for you...

[#9]

---

@Protech wrote:

I assume that @Leigh has a home studio and is concerned that they may get some audio  interference from Wifi
That's not without good reason as some USB microphones have been known to pickup RFI interference.
A way to minimise this is to use fully balanced XLR or TRS well electronically shielded mics and cables in the analogue domain.

In my day WiFi was not allowed anywhere near a broadcast studio !.

---

So to my simple brain there are two options:

1. Forget using WiFi, add an Ethernet switch and use hard wired devices. Use screened Ethernet cable if so desired.

2. Accept that there will be HF transmissions invading the space and screen the studio hardware.

[#10]

Our  summerhouse setup has a Cat 6 cable back to the house. A cable connects the end socket to a switch. Connected to the switch is a TV, sound system, IP camera and an access point.  All options, direct and WiFI, are covered...

[#11]

Thanks very much for all your replies.

@Baldrick1 and @Protech Yes, I have a home studio, and so wanted to ask advice about shielding; but my mics are good (not USB), so you've reassured me, thanks. (I want Wifi for convenience. We already have a desktop set up in there on ethernet, but my laptop only has UCB-C, and obviously we have phones, etc.)

@Dan_the_Van I can only dream of being limited to 100Mb/s. We are in rural Sussex here, and have a max of 36Mb/s 😁

@MisterW Thanks very much for the offer, but we are near the south coast. Kind thought though.

@bmc Thanks for the suggestion re. the extra socket.

[#12]

@Leigh 

If you want to use the laptop on Ethernet as well as connecting a WAP you will need at least a couple of Ethernet ports.

You can get an unused Plusnet Hub 1 or BT Home Hub 5 on Ebay for about a tenner. These are very easily configured as a WAP, see https://community.plus.net/t5/My-Router/Using-a-2nd-Plusnet-Hub1-as-a-Wireless-Access-point/m-p/1385.... 

This will give you 3 useable Ethernet ports, you use one for the incoming Ethernet (NOT the WAN socket). You can also select whether to use 2.4 or 5GHz (or both) WiFi frequency bands in your studio.

[#13]

@Leigh 

Never say never, but I very much doubt WiFi will break into a mic channel.

The thing that was (historically) very nasty for interference was 2G mobile phones.

In general I would still keep phones away from mic level signals but that's due to their transmission of mobile signals not WiFi.