Son Moved to Apt (For school) Need Wireless Network Help/Advice

Well, my understanding is that there is no access to the AP/original router, just to the wireless signal.  So, options are rather limited.
 
 
The user is utilizing laptop to connect to the original AP.  So he has the password and SSID.
 
You would use a mentioned combo router with directional antennas as a wireless bridge to the whole apartment AP using the broadcast SSID.  The user is already logging in to the apartment SSID with a password.  You would just configure the router bridge with same said SSID and password.
 
You could turn the directional antennas for the best signal.
 
 
I have done this a few times using OpenWRT / DDWRT combo routers.  
 
Thanks for all the replies and help!
 
I'm not sure what is going on but it may be that people in the evening are heavily using the wireless connection.  Reason I say this is I was over there today and we had three laptops and my phone connected to the WiFi without issues.  Signal strength was decent, 25 MBPS download speeds, no drop outs.  This was not the case last night around 8:00 PM (Friday Night) when there was just one laptop and it dropped out.  If this is indeed the case there isn't much that can be done on his end.
 
I setup a new laptop with him today and we had my laptop watching NetFlix, an Alexa playing music, and his new laptop downloading a bucket load of Windows updates...again, all without issue.  I think we will just monitor the situation for the short term (to get a better handle on the problem).
 
Thanks again for the replies as I truly appreciate them!
 
pete_c said:
Well, my understanding is that there is no access to the AP/original router, just to the wireless signal.  So, options are rather limited.
 
 
The user is utilizing laptop to connect to the original AP.  So he has the password and SSID.
 
You would use a mentioned combo router with directional antennas as a wireless bridge to the whole apartment AP using the broadcast SSID.  The user is already logging in to the apartment SSID with a password.  You would just configure the router bridge with same said SSID and password.
 
You could turn the directional antennas for the best signal.
 
 
I have done this a few times using OpenWRT / DDWRT combo routers.  
Click to expand...
A simple better antenna than an internal laptop antenna would likely solve the weak signal problem. This could be repeated with two routers or hard connecting via wired Ethernet into the router. You would need a router than can be a client to another router though. Not all routers can do this. The cheap Cisco routers you can pick up in the junk shops for $5 can.
 
pete_c said:
Well, my understanding is that there is no access to the AP/original router, just to the wireless signal.  So, options are rather limited.
 
 
The user is utilizing laptop to connect to the original AP.  So he has the password and SSID.
 
You would use a mentioned combo router with directional antennas as a wireless bridge to the whole apartment AP using the broadcast SSID.  The user is already logging in to the apartment SSID with a password.  You would just configure the router bridge with same said SSID and password.
 
You could turn the directional antennas for the best signal.
 
 
I have done this a few times using OpenWRT / DDWRT combo routers.  
Click to expand...
There are two problems with this solution:

1. Apparently, no access to the original AP, so no way to modify the antenna.

2. The bridge idea assumes that clients have wired Ethernet connection.
 
Yes never modded the antenna on the other side of the bridge.  It was my combo router that I installed in their living room.
 
The neighbors used a new SSID that I configured for them on second combo.
 
The could have used the ethernet ports on the combo router but preferred to use the new SSID
 
Worked fine.  I have used same solution using a micro travel router with Hotel wireless internet access for years now.
 
BraveSirRobbin said:
Thanks for all the replies and help!
 
I'm not sure what is going on but it may be that people in the evening are heavily using the wireless connection.  Reason I say this is I was over there today and we had three laptops and my phone connected to the WiFi without issues.  Signal strength was decent, 25 MBPS download speeds, no drop outs.  This was not the case last night around 8:00 PM (Friday Night) when there was just one laptop and it dropped out.  If this is indeed the case there isn't much that can be done on his end.
 
I setup a new laptop with him today and we had my laptop watching NetFlix, an Alexa playing music, and his new laptop downloading a bucket load of Windows updates...again, all without issue.  I think we will just monitor the situation for the short term (to get a better handle on the problem).
 
Thanks again for the replies as I truly appreciate them!
Click to expand...
 
RF interference could cause the same sporadic performance.
 
Mike.

EDIT - The next time you have a problem look at the wifi signal bars to tell if the problem is the signal or a traffic jam.
 
If he is getting wireless signals from the apartment complex then they hold all of the keys and would also say that there are some security issues involved.   now if the apartment complex is supplying a wireless router to his apartment then like what others have indicated it is merely finding the location for that router and moving it to a better location within the apartment.   if he cannot find the router then go down to the office and tell them to correct the issue.
 
Hi BSR - I may be late to the game here, but I've been through this exact scenario many times.  I equipped an apartment complex with wifi that they provided to residents - but once in a while people would wish to connect multiple devices (like wifi printers, streaming devices, etc) and have them see each other (with public wifi, they should have client isolation turned on so no two devices see each other); and also to increase range.
 
My go-to solution was typically to get a traditional wifi router - nothing too fancy since the range doesn't have to be too crazy - a little netgear, asus, etc.  But then I'd also add in a wifi bridge (sometimes called a gaming bridge or similar) - there's a particular TP-Link model that's served me well, or I've picked up a netgear unit from BestBuy before.  The bridge converts wifi to wired without changing any routing or doing anything special.
 
I get the wifi bridge all set up so it's working and providing a wired connection - then I plug that into the WAN port on the above-mentioned router.  I often use a longer cable to create some separation between the two and stick the bridge near a window where the signal is better.
 
This will give him a private wifi network that'll be stronger in the apartment, and more importantly for many, it'll allow all his devices to see each other so he can print, stream to his TV, etc.  Feel free to message me or email me directly if you need more info.
 
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