# Getting wireless internet throughout the whole house **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-wireless-internet-throughout-the-whole-house/599233 "2011-10-10T23:24:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-wireless-internet-throughout-the-whole-house/599233/1 "2011-10-10T23:24:33Z")
My border wants to share my wireless internet. We live in opposite corners of the house with me upstairs and she in the basement. I have a Bell Sympatico wireless router and she has a PC desktop with a Belarc USB (antenna?). Right now, I can go down there with my iPad and get a signal no problem. She gets are weak signal that seems to cut in and out. Is there anything either of us can do to make this work? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-wireless-internet-throughout-the-whole-house/599233/2 "2011-10-10T23:31:44Z")
Get a wireless repeater. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-wireless-internet-throughout-the-whole-house/599233/3 "2011-10-10T23:35:47Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > Get a wireless repeater. Could you say that again? I couldn’t hear you-- I was in the basement. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-wireless-internet-throughout-the-whole-house/599233/4 "2011-10-10T23:44:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Could you say that again? I couldn’t hear you-- I was in the basement. [GET A WIRELESS REPEATER](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=wireless+repeater&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Of5&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvnsr&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1600&bih=714&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17557078155875801584&sa=X&ei=eICTTtekI5LUiALi9pjmBA&ved=0CJABEPMCMAE) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-wireless-internet-throughout-the-whole-house/599233/5 "2011-10-10T23:47:25Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > [GET A WIRELESS REPEATER](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=wireless+repeater&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Of5&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvnsr&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1600&bih=714&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17557078155875801584&sa=X&ei=eICTTtekI5LUiALi9pjmBA&ved=0CJABEPMCMAE) Thanks! I can hear you now. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-wireless-internet-throughout-the-whole-house/599233/6 "2011-10-10T23:54:14Z")
Since you are in corners of the house, a directional antenna for the existing wireless router would probably work and would be a lot cheaper. A directional antenna will give you a “boost” in one direction at a cost of being less sensitive in other directions. So if you aim it at the opposite corner of the house it will boost the signal in that direction and will reduce the signal going to your neighbor’s house.