"Doc, the Wifi AP doesn't work very well when I put it in a metal box" ... "Have you tried not putting it in a metal box?" It feels like the author has a self-

"Doc, the Wifi AP doesn't work very well when I put it in a metal box" ... "Have you tried not putting it in a metal box?" It feels like the author has a self-induced problem where she indeed knows better. But she's trying to emulate what she thinks a non-techie would do, and getting that quite wrong by limiting herself to fewer pieces rather than widely available off the shelf products meant to solve the problem properly. Obviously the metal box is meant for modem+router+switch, and then you hang wireless APs off of where the ethernet cables run to. When I was in an apartment that had a similar setup, I found it a bit limiting and still ran various ethernet lines under rugs and whatnot, but it was much better foundation than draping cables in hallways and stairways.