I hope someone here can help me out. I have two computers, one is a HP laptop, running Windows Vista and has a wireless card, the other is a four year old Dell Desktop, running Windows XP and no wireless card. I have one cable connection in the downstairs of my house and had the desktop hooked up via the cable companies wired modem. I had bought a NetGear Wireless Router to run the laptop on, but the connection for it upstairs would drop to 2 bars the further I got from the modem and NetGear router. My upstairs is 1300 sq. ft and the downstairs is the same, with the router on the far wall (cannot center it in the house).
At any rate, I bought a Belkin Repeater, hoping that I could put that upstairs and boost my signal. When this didn't seem to help, I called the cable company and they came out and installed a NetGear wirelss router/modem. It works great downstairs, but not upstairs. I also do not understand how to connect the Belkin to it...so I am completely lost.
What I now want to do is move the Dell Desktop upstairs and have purchased a Belkin 54 mps wirelss router in place of an internal wireless card. (No Internet connection upstairs). I have the repeater in the living room, but it is not picking up anything. Any signal upstairs for the desktop is low to poor and to my laptop, it is still only 2 bars so I don't think the laptop is picking up anything.
These are the materials I have to set something up, just need some guidance on how to do it, and make it secure...1 NetGear Wireless Modem (must be hooked in downstairs), 1 NetGear wireless router, 1 Linksys wireless router (leftover from a previous failed attempt), 1 Belkin repeater and 1 Belkin 54mps wireless router. Can anyone help out and let me know how I can cover 1300 sq. ft of area upstairs as well as downstairs?
How strong a signal do you get upstairs when your standing right above the downstairs connection (router)? When I used to use Linksys B wireless router I had problems with signal strength. Since I switched to a WRT54GS (wireless g) I have had no problems with signal strength. Right now I'm on a Dell laptop in my house and my router is a 120 feet away in an office over my detached garage. Makes me wonder, and have to ask, is your house a wood frame structure or something else? I do have the antenna upgrade from Linksys on my router (longer omni antenna set with slightly higher gain). But you should get a better signal than you are getting unless there is stone or metal or ?? between the floors I would think. WiFi penetrates wood and glass well.
Hopelessly Wireless?? Help Please! 
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