In U.K I get Wifi in a cottage with thick chalk walls how can I overcome this? Someone mentioned putting the wireless modem on a windowsill.

Bob, November 2012

I said "UNLESS you use strong encryption".
As WPA2 IS a strong encryption protocol, you are safe on that point!

Anyway, wherever you put your modem, it must be protected from the elements, and it normaly don't like to be in the sun...

I have some friend who put his router in the basement with excellent coverage. In fact, it's placing the router in the basement that gives him the best coverage in his house.

Electro, November 2012

I am afraid that I have to disagree with electro again. With the tools I have to hand I do not need to see the physical router to know that one exists in premises.

Second most modem/routers in the UK are supplied by the ISP and come pre-configured with WPA2. No other security is needed, unless you are expecting attacks from GCHQ or NSA.

So place the modem/router where you like for best signal coverage.

If that still doe not offer good enough coverage take a search on the use of HomePlugs.

T, November 2012

Unless you set the modem or router to use strong encryption and strict user autentification, putting those on the window still is an open invitation to anyone wanting to highjack your connection and invade your local network.
The only case when this may be of use is IF you connect whirelessly to your service provider. In this case, you need to put the modem out of sight from anyone outside, well protected fromthe elements and somewho shielded from the street. It would be beter to find a window facing your ISP relay and place the modem accordingly, then use some whired connection to your computer if it's not in the same room.

Your wall are thick, and that's your problem... But, what about your floors? They may be MUCH thinner and more transparent to the radio waves. Just place your whireless modem/router in the basement. This is particularly appropriate if you have a WiFi LAN and a whired connection to your ISP. That way, most of the time, you only have to count the floor AND the signal is almost zero a few feet from your house as the basement's outer walls and ground will provide a very strong shielding.

Electro, November 2012