Hello, I recently bought a new computer, but it does not have a wireless card and cannot connect to our wireless network (a Linksys WRT54G wireless broadband router). Currently the router is in the living room, in a central location of our home. What I want to do is move the router upstairs to my bedroom, which is farther to the left side of the house, and plug the computer into the router. Would moving the router out of a central location of our house affect wireless coverage or signal strength?

Signal propogation is a subject of much study and concern to any wireless user and provider. There is not a sure way to tell without very specialized tools. A general rule is distance and objects in path are causes for signal loss. You have to move them and try it most likely. I say that unless you need wireless then don't use it. A simple cable works fine still. I read it wrong and answer it wrong too. So get off my case you goober.

Look at it like this... A wireless router is a very weak radio transmitter...in free air it has a distance of about 300 ft or so... Walls, floors, anything that gets in the way of that radio signal will reduce the strength of the signal... I find setting up wireless routers in homes, 3 walls, one floor and 50' is about it for "normal" signal strength... There are repeaters and higain antennas you can install to make up for the differance... But there are a number of times I placed the router on the 2ed floor at one end of the house, and had a comptuer in the basement at the other end of the house and could not get a signal strong enuf to work reliably...

Have you looked into BPL? Broadband Over Powerline. Its isnt wireless, but you can simply plug into it from any electrical outlet in the house and NO WIRES to run.

It depends on your needs. I would suggest Placing it between your router and where you plan on using the system the most. If you are going from your office to the living room not very much since worrying about the signal strength on the back porch if you never go out there. Unfortunatly this is just something you will have to play with until you like the signal you have.

"A wireless router is a very weak radio transmitter...in free air it has a distance of about 300 ft or so.." What I can't figure is how mobile phoes work at such distances. Can't be much power, given the battery size. ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

Mechanix2go... I could be wrong...but most home use wireless routers transmitt at about 70 milliwatts...the normal flip cell phone runs about 1/2 watt power, thats about 500 milliwatts...or about 8 times more power than say a WRT54G router...