Using server as Wifi range extender

Question

I just moved to a bigger apartment and my router signal peaks right before the edge of it, which is were I just installed my home server, an old laptop with ubuntu server I use to store media and as a printer server.

So the idea is to make the server act as a range extender as well, problem is I can't find any documentation on how to do it.

Can it be done?

Solution

I use this script described in this post to create a hotspot in my Ubuntu server:

http://www.webupd8.org/2013/06/how-to-set-up-wireless-hotspot-access.html

Basically, it helps you create a hotspot. You'll need to have two interfaces in the computer you want to use, one connected to the internet, and the serving the hotspot.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ap-hotspot

When it's installed, run:

sudo ap-hotspot configure

It will ask you a few questions (internet interface, wireless interface to create the access point, password) and then the hotspot can be run and stopped with:

sudo ap-hotspot start
sudo ap-hotspot stop

Note than this script automates the process of creating the hotspot, which can be done manually installing and configuring dns-masq and hostapd, but the result is the same.

Comments

[Ghost]

Thanks but wouldn't this create a separate AP? I need to extend the signal of the router

[animaletdesequia]

Yes, it creates an access point, but it would work exactly the same way. What you do is basically make your server act as a wireless router. It's the closest solution I've found.

[nick carraway]

I would like this answer to be unaccepted so we can get an answer for wifi range extending

[Thomas Ward]

@steveantwan only the original poster of the question can unaccept. You can still get answers though even if a question has an accepted answer - accepted does not mean closed.

[rtaft]

@steveantwan just buy another router to extend the range, doesn't have to be something expensive. You need 2 wifi cards to do it with ubuntu.

[nick carraway]

I have routers but they are incompatible with wifi range extension. I have a lot of laptops and multiple wifi cards. I already am using 2 wifi routers for extension but I need a third device for one area of my place.

[AnthonyK]

@Ghost, you did not mention how this laptop server is attached to the network. Is it connected via wifi to the router or is it wired? It makes a difference on the options available to you.

[AnthonyK]

I see that my comment above ought to have gone to @steveantwan. If you can one of those servers you plan to use for extending your wifi have a wired connection to the LAN, then I can detail how I'd do it - but you've got to be someone comfortable working at the CLI.