[SOLVED] Extend WiFi across to Pole Barn?

[rkwright]

I have split-level house on a gentle hillside. My router (ATT) is in the northernmost corner of the house. That covers MOST of the house, but the signal is weak in the master bedroom (up one floor and opposite end of the house – approx. 60 feet away horizontally). So I have an extender in the BR and that works great. Have to manually switch networks on my iPhone but I can live with that.

My problem is that I also have a pole barn which is about 60 feet from the house. A pole barn is a wooden frame with corrugated steel sides and roof. I have converted half of my pole barn into an excellent woodworking shop – new power, insulation, lights, etc. It’s great. The one flaw is that I can’t get a decent wifi signal. I put an extender in the kitchen (which is nearest to the shop) and it didn’t really help. I suspect that the pole barn, being a metal shell, acts as a Faraday cage. Or maybe 60 feet is too far? Or a combination of the two?

In theory, I could run a cable out to the shop but there are no lines running to the barn now and I’d rather not start stringing cables if I can avoid it. Needless to say, I’d like to keep the cost down. Rather spend money on wood and tools… 😊

Suggestions? Comments? TIA

 

[kanewolf]

I have split-level house on a gentle hillside. My router (ATT) is in the northernmost corner of the house. That covers MOST of the house, but the signal is weak in the master bedroom (up one floor and opposite end of the house – approx. 60 feet away horizontally). So I have an extender in the BR and that works great. Have to manually switch networks on my iPhone but I can live with that.

My problem is that I also have a pole barn which is about 60 feet from the house. A pole barn is a wooden frame with corrugated steel sides and roof. I have converted half of my pole barn into an excellent woodworking shop – new power, insulation, lights, etc. It’s great. The one flaw is that I can’t get a decent wifi signal. I put an extender in the kitchen (which is nearest to the shop) and it didn’t really help. I suspect that the pole barn, being a metal shell, acts as a Faraday cage. Or maybe 60 feet is too far? Or a combination of the two?

In theory, I could run a cable out to the shop but there are no lines running to the barn now and I’d rather not start stringing cables if I can avoid it. Needless to say, I’d like to keep the cost down. Rather spend money on wood and tools… 😊

Suggestions? Comments? TIA

I guess you didn't bury extra conduit when you put in the power.
You really should pull some ethernet cable and stop using extenders.
You could put an outdoor AP on your house and another on the outside of the polebarn. You then bring the network inside via cable.