How do I connect my Pod Point Charger to the internet?

[Frank]

Hi Guys,

I am in the unfortunate position that where I installed my Pod Point Charger it is not able to reach my router as the distance from the Garage where the charger is too far. I estimate the distance to be about 70 mtrs.

I have tried upgrading the router to a model (I am with talk talk) which gives according to them the strongest Wifi Signal but still nothing. My I Phone can't pick up the router from the garage either (signal disappears about 10 mtrs from the Garage on my phone). I also tried a wifi extender where you plug the extender into a wall socket using the internal wiring as cables basically and that didn't work either. The Garage and my house are fed from the same meter but the wiring is spread over four buildings (too hard to explain).

I can't see how I am going to be able to connect my charger to the router, any of you guys got any ideas?

Regards

Frank

PS I know there are MANY routers out there promising the earth but I am reluctant to spend money on the problem unless I can guarantee connectivity will be made after all the Upgraded Talk Talk Router (the best they have) promised much but delivered zilch.

 

[Mark Holmes]

A wifi ra be extender is the best way, but you need to make sure it’s a good one, suggest speak to PC world and ask them for help.

 

[Nibloprice]

Hi Frank,
Extenders will be the way to go. You can daisy chain them too so once you have one working, you can get another to extend it further.
cheers
nick

 

[Kithmo]

I think you'll have difficulty extending the wi-fi 70 metres. You could try the network extenders, that use the 240v mains wiring, to get the network to the garage, then a wi-fi extender from that to the charger. That is if the mains extender doesn't interfere with the charger.

 

[Nibloprice]

Or try laying an ethernet cable as close as you can get it and then use a ranger extender. They can take an ethernet signal and pump out wifi. If you can get the ethernet out of your main building then you can lay it in the ground. it doesn't use any voltage so i perfectly safe to put underground.

n

 

[Frank]

Guys,

Thanks for all the replies, I think I will just have to give up as (I did say it was hard to explain), but my garage or more correctly the garage where is charger is is not connected to my house in any shape or form but part of a row of garages (I live on an Army Camp) and I can't dig up anything.

However thinking about it I could put in an overhead cable run of an ethernet cable direct from my router but the route I would have to take would mean a cable run of nearly 100mtrs. I will need to investigate if the loss over a cable that long would be too much for it too work. Once again thanks for all the replies.

Regards

Frank

 

[Nibloprice]

You don't lose anything for 100m of ethernet. Imagine how much cable runs through offices. And its pretty cheap.

 

[Frank]

You don't lose anything for 100m of ethernet. Imagine how much cable runs through offices. And its pretty cheap.

Yes, I should have thought of that. I will get a "long" cable made up and see how I get on,

Thanks.

Frank

 

[Chrispydoc]

Once you've done all that, the info I get out of my pod point is pretty minimal.....estimate of cost of electricity used etc. Nothing about remote switching on / off charging .....unless I'm missing something.

 

[Kithmo]

Another alternative is use your phone as a hot spot in the garage and link the charger to that. It's probably the easiest option for the number of times you'll need to access it.

 

[Frank]

Hi All,

If as Chris says you get very little off the Pod Point I don't think its worth the hassle as I have had the charger fitted for the last 7 months without connectivity. I suppose my main reason for connectivity was that Pod Point can repair some faults on line sometimes and also as I was having some problems (unit switching off unexexpectlywhich turned out to be a 20amp breaker being fitted initially instead of a 40 amp breaker, now resolved) I was hoping the charger would tell my phone "help charger off" but since new breaker fitted never happened again.

So thanks for the replies but after Chris's input I think I will forget about it.

Regards

Frank

 

[Andrew]

Have a look at Ubiquiti, they do an outside wifi extender, attach to outside wall facing the garage, range of upto 300m, make so if you do buy to get the right one
The UniFi AP-Outdoor+ model operates in the 2.4 GHz radio band, and the UniFi AP-Outdoor5 model operates in the 5 GHz radio band. not sure what radio band the pod charger uses
Look on ebay for second hand one

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