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Wi-Fi and network installation in Orinda
Wooded hillside homes from cabins to custom builds. Contra Costa County, California.
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Homes in Orinda
Orinda started as ranch land and summer cabins, and the oldest neighborhoods still follow winding roads through oak-covered hills. E.I. de Laveaga laid out Orinda Village and the country club area in the 1920s, with Spanish street names like El Toyonal and Camino Pablo. Lots in these hills are often steep and irregular, and older houses have often been added onto.
After the Caldecott Tunnel opened in 1937, Orinda grew as a year-round place to live, and building spread across the hills. Homes on these slopes are often built on two or three levels, with the garage at the top or bottom. Where additions were made at different times, expect mixed wall types, split crawl spaces and attics that do not connect.
E.I. de Laveaga established the town site in 1920 and started the country club in 1921. The Caldecott Tunnel opened in 1937 and made Orinda a year-round commuter suburb. It incorporated in 1985.
What that means for your Wi-Fi
Houses built in stages have disconnected attics
An addition from another decade often has its own attic and crawl space. We map each section before we pull cable, so every wing gets a wired access point.
Steep lots put rooms above and below the street
With the garage at road level and bedrooms a floor or two down, signal has to pass through floors. We wire an access point on every level instead of relying on one router.
Trees and terrain around decks and guest units
Dense oaks and slopes block wireless links between buildings. We prefer a buried or overhead cable to a guest unit, and use a point-to-point bridge only where there is a clear path.
Around Orinda
- Orinda Theatre: The Art Deco theater designed by Alexander Cantin opened in 1941, and its marquee is the most recognized landmark in town.
- Orinda Country Club: The clubhouse overlooking San Pablo Creek was built in 1924 as part of de Laveaga's development.
- Moraga Adobe: Built in 1841 and located in Orinda, the adobe is described as the oldest building in the East Bay.
Questions about Wi-Fi in Orinda
Can you run cable in an Orinda house that was built in stages?
Yes, but it takes planning. An addition from another decade often has its own attic and crawl space, and they may not connect to the original house. We map each section before pulling cable, so every wing ends up with its own wired access point.
Why doesn't one router work in a hillside home on three levels?
Because the signal has to pass through floors. With the garage at road level and bedrooms a floor or two down, a single router covers one level well and the others poorly. We wire an access point on every level instead.
Will a wireless bridge reach my Orinda guest unit through the trees?
Only where there is a clear path. Dense oaks and slopes block wireless links between buildings, which matters on steep, irregular lots. We prefer a buried or overhead cable to a guest unit, and use a point-to-point bridge as the fallback.