My Legacy base and remote have trouble talking to each other from certain places in my basement. It is below an office and I have metal filing cabinets and other things necessary to the business that block the signal. Can I use two cab bases to overcome this issue?
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No. Two bases plugged in at the same time will "fight" and possibly/probably work worse than what you have now.
When you say they have trouble communicating in certain places in the basement, the remote and the base are both in the basement, right?
I'm struggling with how (what should be) passive filing cabinets above the layout/remote/base could affect your signal.
(Unless it's just a coincidence - are you sure your basement where you have the base plugged in has a good ground at the outlet? That problem has been documented in other threads)
-Dave
Thanks for the reply. It’s just in certain spots when the filing cabinets are between me and the base. These are metal cabinets filled with files. It’s a huge row of them.
Ah. Got it now. I thought they were in the office above the layout.
Assuming they are standard height file cabinets, can you try to mount the base up closer to the ceiling? That might help the line of sight from remote to base.
It would make sense that if you are right next to the cabinet with the remote, it could block the signal.
-Dave
The metal will reflect/block the wireless signal, hence the issues.
As for the OP's issue, you can try mounting the base above the top of the cabinets (Yes, hang it from the ceiling.), move the antenna of the base higher (Just mount it to the ceiling.), or try a better antenna (Sorry, I don't know without searching what a replacement would be, but it has been posted a couple times here on the forums.).
Do a forum search for 2.4 GHz antennas. Gunrunnerjohn recommended an antenna a while back to help signal issues, but the link is no longer any good.
Is it always the same function? I believe the "Big Red Knob" needs better batteries than some of the other functions.
Also we have two remotes and it turned out on 1 of them the direction button had issues.
Are the red lights on the base illuminating when remote commands are given?
I use a +9dBi high gain omni directional antenna. It screws on the base in place of the standard antenna. Got it from Monoprice, very inexpensive.
It’s all functions. I will have to try mounting higher and a new antenna
A 9db antenna and a 2 watt WiFi booster will make short work of the issue. 
You can also position the larger antenna in a better location to cover the whole layout.
gunrunnerjohn posted:A 9db antenna and a 2 watt WiFi booster will make short work of the issue.
Source?
Here's a couple choices. You can try just the antennas, or the boosters and antenna together.
https://www.amazon.com/Sunhans...s=gateway&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.com/Extende...s=gateway&sr=8-4
And higher gain antennas...
https://www.amazon.com/Extende...s=gateway&sr=8-4
Here's an antenna with a base so you can locate it higher in the room.
gunrunnerjohn posted:Here's a couple choices. You can try just the antennas, or the boosters and antenna together.
Thank you John!
Which booster improves the signal the most or are they about the same ?
Very similar, I just posted the first two I ran across. I have one of these that I used in my old and large house to improve my WiFi. If I need it, I'll put it on my Legacy system.
GRJ, thanks, as always, for providing answers to all our quesitons...
I am expanding my layout to the next and last room left in the basement and am noticing that at the far end I am about 35 feet from the base unit, and not all Legacy commands are detected and executed consistently !!
A real problem when your testing newly laid track that terminates waiting for the track gang crew to get it in gear !!!!
If you see the red light on the CAB2 on a lot, that indicates it's not communicating with the command base.
Ok thanks very much John for the heads up.... I figured before I buy anything, I need to do some analysis.... ie. see if I am getting the red light on the CAB 2, take both my CAB2's and see if the symptom is identical on both from the same locale, and also try moving the Legacy base about 4 to 5 feet from it's current location to see if that helps at all.
Higher is normally better for the Legacy base.
I bought one of these
https://www.amazon.com/TECHTOO...ectronics&sr=1-2
I have a higher gain antenna on a yard long coax, but I got to thinking that I don't know the loss of that coax at 2.6GHz. So a 9dbi screwed right to the base might be better...which it is. It's pretty much fixed the comm of the base that has the weak comm I emailed Lionel about (which they haven't answered for almost 2 weeks). It's in a better position as well being on the base rather than under the layout on coax. Just an option to consider.
If you order an antenna, be sure you order one with the female center connection on the antenna. Most of the Amazon offerings picture the connector so as not to make a mistake. The base has a male center connector.
I bought this antenna. Very little improvement. I tried in in all kinds of locations. High on the ceiling. Low down. All over the room. No real improvement. I guess a repeater is next.
You're probably losing gain in that 5 foot long coax. Is the antenna SMA itself a female connection? If so, did you try screwing it directly to the base and sit the base at least at table height?
The antenna will not screw right in. Wrong size connector
Today a booster arrived in the mail. I tried it, and it appears the issue is solved.
Which booster?
Brendan
We love success stories.
Brendan posted:Which booster?
Brendan
I posted a couple in this post, either should do the job.
I was hoping he'd close the loop so it is all in one thread.
Brendan
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