Field Guide to Wireless LANs for Administrators and Power Users, A

Wireless LANs at Home

WLANs can extend over a range of 200 to 1000 feet,^[20] but coverage depends on the density of the obstructions between the AP and the STA. Empirical evidence based on experiments at home indicates that every time an IEEE 802.11b signal needs to pass through a wall (e.g., sheetrock a.k.a. drywall), it loses approximately 20 to 30 percent of its power. If there are three or four walls between a STA and their nearest AP, the STA may not be able to hear the AP at all (or vice versa). The easiest solution to this situation in a home is to strategically locate two or three APs throughout the home, so that there will be adequate signal strength in locations from which the user might want to be able to access the WLAN.

^[20] In fact, ...