Ask Engadget: how can I bring WiFi to my shed?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Jonathan, who has the age-old problem of how to bring the internet to his outbuilding. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.
"Hi Engadget, I'm more of a DIY-er than a technophile, so I need your help with a project of mine. I live out in the middle of nowhere and have just finished fixing up my shed as a place where I can work and write. Alas, it's too far away from my house to be within my router's WiFi signal and, as I understand it, ethernet cables don't work if they're longer than 20 meters. I could buy a repeater, but there's no power or waterproof areas between the home and the shed -- so would I just have to hang it from a tree and hope? Please help me!"
We're not sure where you heard about the 20 meter limit, but we can assure you that it's not true. In fact, the rule-of-thumb is that you can work up to 100 meters of cable without worrying about the signal degrading. That said, we'd recommend snapping up some Cat 6 cable rather than anything cheaper to ensure that you're getting the best level of signal there. All you need now is a long pipe to run the wire down without getting it exposed to the elements. At least, that's our opinion. Now it's over to the Engadget community for their opinion, so, what say you?
