How to get WiFi in a detached building / venue?

Do you have an outbuilding that’s too far to connect your WiFi to? Or maybe you’ve built an extension to a building and you’re looking to have WiFi connection extended into it. 

Either way, you’re probably wondering how to get your WiFi to reach that space and cover your connectivity needs. 

To understand how to extend WiFi to your building successfully, this blog will take you through what you need to consider, what options you have and what kind of system will work best for you.

When do I need to extend my WiFi?

When you have an outbuilding of any sorts (garage, shed, pool-house, studio, barn, etc.) in which you would like an internet connection, making sure you’re 100% covered can be tricky. 

The building materials, building layout and placement of your wireless system can all affect the connectivity you can expect in the outbuilding. 

Fortunately, there are several ways in which you can ensure good WiFi connectivity, and in this blog, we’ll be going over your options and what way best suits your needs.

How can I extend my WiFi?

Your first instinct might be to immediately get a second telephone line or subscription installed to your outbuilding, or even to install a separate internet connection.

If you already have a broadband connection in your main building with a decent internet speed, you could connect this so that it shares its internet connection with your outbuilding. Here are a few options that make that possible:

1- Ethernet cable

A highly recommended method would be to install a physical Ethernet cable between your main building and outbuilding. To do this, a cable will need to connect into one of your Ethernet ports on the rear of your router and then out to your outbuilding. 

This is a good option if your outbuilding is near your main building.

Once the cable is installed between the two buildings, you can install a network switch for wired internet connections for multiple devices and/or a wireless access point for WIFI coverage.

Pro-tip: If the cable is going to be surface run outside like a cable clipped along a fence or a wall, you’re going to need a data cable or Ethernet cable that is for external use and is UV stable.

2- Fiber Optic Cabling

This type of installation needs expensive fusion splice equipment, but pre-terminated cables can be purchased and deployed. Fiber optic cables are capable of serving distances in the kilometers if your outbuilding is very far away, and can support the fastest speeds. This option is also a long-term option, as these cables are very resistant to damage.

3- Wireless & WIFI Out To Shed/ Outbuilding

If routing a cable isn’t for you, or is not worth it because the outbuilding is very near the main building, there are other ways that you can extend WiFi to another building using wireless technology. 

To clarify, wireless doesn’t always mean no wires need to be installed. It just means that the link between your house/ main building and your external building will be provided via radio-waves (wireless).

 4- WIFI – WIFI Range Extender/ Access Point

You may find that your WiFi already reaches your outbuilding so that you can just login into that through an extender. This may be the case if your external building is very close to your main building where the internet is. 

If it isn’t, you could relocate your router so that it’s nearer to your outbuilding.

5- Point To Point Connection

A point-to-point connection is two separate antennas installed outside, usually within line of sight and angled towards each other. When using a point-to-point connection, you would install a cable between your internet hub or LAN, one antenna installed externally on your main building, and one installed on the exterior of your secondary building with a cable data cable entering that building.

H2 – What’s the best option for me?

That question can only be answered after your specific needs have been assessed. Depending on your existing Wifi installation, the distance between the buildings and the nature of the environment, different options could be suggested.

That is why we recommend leaving it to professionals who can offer you options that suit your needs. Get in touch with us to have an assessment made.