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Wireless Access Point Question

oldgeezer
Grafter
Posts: 219
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎02-02-2010

Wireless Access Point Question

I apologise if the answer to this question is a bit noddy but it's something I haven't come across before.
I have a small NAS  for backup purposes in a nearby outbuilding.
I am presently using a AV200 Homeplug solution to connect it to my home network.
Unfortunately due to the presence of RCD's and an armoured cable in the mains feed to the outbuilding,  the transfer speed is down to about  15 Mb/s which means backups take many hours. Apparently AV500 Homeplugs will be no better in this setup.
I realise that a cable Ethernet connection is the answer but it would be very difficult to arrange.
As an experiment I set up my laptop in the window of the outbuilding and backed up over wireless to it. This gave me an average transfer speed of more than 40 Mb/s ( the wireless path is though windows).
I therefore thought about using wireless for the link. Could I use a WAP at the outbuilding end and connect it's ethernet port to my NAS ?
I realise I would need to set the WAP SSID with my laptop.
Any thoughts if this would work ?
Oldgeezer.

9 REPLIES 9
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
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Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Wireless Access Point Question

If I want an ethernet connection to a device that it's difficult or inconvenient to run a cable to I use TP-Link nano routers.
I've got 2 of them, preconfigured to join to my wireless network and they have one ethernet port and USB power.
(there's a mains plug for the USB lead if the device has no spare USB ports to take power from)
So typically I'll be working on a PC, plug the nano in to it using a short ethernet cable and USB (just for power) and you have instant internet!  Cool
Less than £20 each, TP-Link TL-WR702N - thay have many uses and about 5 different types of basic configurations.
oldgeezer
Grafter
Posts: 219
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Registered: ‎02-02-2010

Re: Wireless Access Point Question

Those look great little devices and an even better price but according to reviews at the range I'm using they wouldn't be any better than the homeplugs.
Thanks for your help.
Oldgeezer
VileReynard
Hero
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Wireless Access Point Question

Quote from: oldgeezer
I therefore thought about using wireless for the link. Could I use a WAP at the outbuilding end and connect it's ethernet port to my NAS ?
Any thoughts if this would work ?
Oldgeezer.

It would work - but slowly
Make sure you only backup changes to files.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

oldgeezer
Grafter
Posts: 219
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎02-02-2010

Re: Wireless Access Point Question

I've just tried a full wireless backup to my laptop in the outbuilding and the time was down to 2 hrs 35 mins as opposed to 8 hrs plus over AV200 Homeplugs.
Unfortunately my (free) backup software doesn't support incremental backups.
If the wireless in a WAP or ethernet adapter is as good as my laptop wireless (nothing special n150) then I may be on to something.
I think it's the inductors (differential current transformers) in the RCD's that does for the poor Homeplug performance as well as the armoured cable with a high capacitance of the cores to the earthed armour.
Anyway I've tried two different brands in a number of different sockets at the house end and can't get above about 15 Mb/s.
oldgeezer
picbits
Rising Star
Posts: 3,432
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Registered: ‎18-01-2013

Re: Wireless Access Point Question

Have a check on directional antennas for wifi - one of these at each site (even if it's only 30-40 meters away) and an access point feeding each antenna can seriously speed things up as the signal is concentrated in one direction rather than scattered everywhere.
We had a similar discussion on an electronics forum and and some people with homemade "cantennas" were getting miles of transmission range with reasonable speeds.
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
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Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: Wireless Access Point Question

Does your OS support rsync?
This will handle incremental backups, including backups where only part of a file has changed.
I use it to backup (incrementally) 100+GBytes - it takes about 3 hours.  Cheesy
That's over homeplugs though.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

7up
Community Veteran
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Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Wireless Access Point Question

Quote from: HPsauce
Less than £20 each, TP-Link TL-WR702N - thay have many uses and about 5 different types of basic configurations.

HP can those work as repeaters? I need to install a wireless IP camera in a remote location away from our house and need something in the middle to repeat / extent the wifi range between the camera and my router and I'm just wondering if this would do the job?
Also what voltage does it run off any any idea about its current consumption? - If it works well as a repeater I'll need to use a rechargeable battery you see so it would be handy to know in advance so I can find a good battery for it.
I need a new signature... i'm bored of the old one!
HPsauce
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Re: Wireless Access Point Question

Quote from: Sprite
HP can those work as repeaters?
Also what voltage does it run off any any idea about its current consumption?

I'm pretty sure repeater is one of the config options, the manual is on the TP-Link web site.
No idea on power consumption but it presumably runs on 5v or thereabouts.
7up
Community Veteran
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Re: Wireless Access Point Question

Hmm you're right. 5V supply and apparently it draws 185mA approx so I could (with the right battery) get a couple of weeks out of it before recharging. Oh and I've found out that yes it can act as a repeater or bridge so thats also good news  Smiley
Thanks for posting that HP, you've solved a rather large problem for me by posting about that!
I need a new signature... i'm bored of the old one!