WiFI Range Extender

[IATM]

Hi All,

Really looking for some advise on the poor wifi signal in my house.
I currently have a BT home hub 5 and the signal across the house is not the best, especially going towards the corner of the house.

We used to have the Home hub 4 (I think) and that was generally much better for wifi signal but was unreliable.

The main I have is my bedroom is in the corner of the house and I have lots of gadgets/tech that needs wifi connectivity.

Tv, Sky, Amazon Fire TV, 2 iPads (thats just off the top of my head)

I have a powerline plug thing that I used for the PC but thats just ethernet.

I need firstly recommendations for an excellent replacement for the BT home Hub 5

AND

A wifi range extender to go into my room. (I have tried to use a TP link one in the past but it was very poor and didnt work very well at all, dropping the signal all the time.

I would be very grateful for any experiences and recommendations for what tech to use.

Thanks

[Tonsko]

First thing to check would be to see if your home hub is 2.4 or 5GHz. If so, try setting it at 2.4GHz - it's slower (but not that bad really) and has better range than the 5GHz signal.

Extending wireless is notoriously tricky, and it often doesn't play nicely. The only way I've got it to work reliably is to cable a second AP to the first AP and set up a network with a different SSID - your device should automatically switch to the stronger signal. I tried 'repeating' the signal with recommended hardware (same make as my main router) but it really didn't work. However, this was with Billion hardware - other makes may play better, but that's a lot of investment for me right now, so cabling it is. YMMV.

But anyway - check if you can force it to 2.4. It's a free test

[clockworks]

I have the same problem with a HomeHub 3. I'm using a couple of Apple Airport Expresses, wired back to the router.

I was advised to use the same SSID and password (set the AE to create a new wireless network, not to extend the existing one), as that means that portable devices will switch automatically between access points as I move around the house.

[IATM]

I was tempted to get something like these two items

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-RT-N66U-Wireless-stre...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Linksys-Universal-Extender...

[IATM]

Tonsko said:

First thing to check would be to see if your home hub is 2.4 or 5GHz. If so, try setting it at 2.4GHz - it's slower (but not that bad really) and has better range than the 5GHz signal.

Extending wireless is notoriously tricky, and it often doesn't play nicely. The only way I've got it to work reliably is to cable a second AP to the first AP and set up a network with a different SSID - your device should automatically switch to the stronger signal. I tried 'repeating' the signal with recommended hardware (same make as my main router) but it really didn't work. However, this was with Billion hardware - other makes may play better, but that's a lot of investment for me right now, so cabling it is. YMMV.

But anyway - check if you can force it to 2.4. It's a free test

If I remember correctly I think I have both set up, but generally have it connected to the 2.4 one becuase as you said it gives a wider area of signal.

[eltawater]

I have tried and failed miserably to use wireless extenders/repeaters in a house which appears to have significant signal deadspots.

For the past few years, I have quite happily employed a combination of powerline adapters and wireless accept points instead.

My arrangement is currently:

Office (NW corner, floor 2):
Old Netgear ADSL wireless router
=> Gigabit switch
==> local pc and NAS
==> Powerline adapter

Main Bedroom (SE corner, floor 2):
Powerline adapter
=> TP link Wireless access point, configured with same SSID on different frequency channel

Lounge (SW corner, floor 1):
Powerline adapter
=> Buffalo wireless router/switch, configured as an access point with same SSID on different frequency channel
==> Sky box
==> Other ethernet devices

Dining room (NE corner, ground floor):
Powerline adapter
=> TP link Wireless access point, configured with same SSID on different frequency channel


So the general principle has been to use a powerline adapter with a wireless access point to avoid transmission issues through walls.

[IATM]

eltawater said:

I have tried and failed miserably to use wireless extenders/repeaters in a house which appears to have significant signal deadspots.

For the past few years, I have quite happily employed a combination of powerline adapters and wireless accept points instead.

My arrangement is currently:

Office (NW corner, floor 2):
Old Netgear ADSL wireless router
=> Gigabit switch
==> local pc and NAS
==> Powerline adapter

Main Bedroom (SE corner, floor 2):
Powerline adapter
=> TP link Wireless access point, configured with same SSID on different frequency channel

Lounge (SW corner, floor 1):
Powerline adapter
=> Buffalo wireless router/switch, configured as an access point with same SSID on different frequency channel
==> Sky box
==> Other ethernet devices

Dining room (NE corner, ground floor):
Powerline adapter
=> TP link Wireless access point, configured with same SSID on different frequency channel


So the general principle has been to use a powerline adapter with a wireless access point to avoid transmission issues through walls.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, It looks like the general view is that these wifi extenders are not that great, or maybe its more of a hit and miss depending on your house/set up/area etc

Just so I understand this correctly are you saying you have a main modem/router and to extend the signal you use the poweline plugs at the main router to take the signal to say two bedrooms and then in the two bedrooms you connect a wireless hub to the powerline plugs via an ethernet cable?

[eltawater]

IATM said:

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, It looks like the general view is that these wifi extenders are not that great, or maybe its more of a hit and miss depending on your house/set up/area etc

Just so I understand this correctly are you saying you have a main modem/router and to extend the signal you use the poweline plugs at the main router to take the signal to say two bedrooms and then in the two bedrooms you connect a wireless hub to the powerline plugs via an ethernet cable?

Correct.

I could achieve a similar result by plugging in really long ethernet cables into the main router, dragging them down the stairs into the other rooms and sticking a wireless access point on the end. The missus wouldn't put up with the resulting mess though

You put the wireless access points on different channels to avoid signal interference.

Repeaters have a few issues due to the nature of their design. They have to handle comms between their base wifi station and your wifi devices at the same time, so throughput is effectively halved.

The core reason why repeaters are used can also be their downfall, i.e. the wireless signal isn't strong enough to that location. If the repeater can't keep a reliable comms signal to the base station, your local wifi devices will just keep seeing drop outs.

Better to avoid that weak link entirely by using physical cable instead (or powerline if that's reliable enough). I've had no issues with powerline adapters used in this way, but obviously YMMV depending on the quality of your wiring.

Edited by eltawater on Friday 24th October 12:52

[IATM]

THink I am going to try this item out to sort out the internet for the TV, Amazon Fire box and sky box.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B007I3G3J...

[Busterbulldog]

I had the same problems,my solution is 2 routers depending on where at home I am ,or/and 3g hotspot on the mobile if the further router is being used whilst I am nearest the other.

[twister]

eltawater said:

The core reason why repeaters are used can also be their downfall, i.e. the wireless signal isn't strong enough to that location. If the repeater can't keep a reliable comms signal to the base station, your local wifi devices will just keep seeing drop outs.

That would be a somewhat numptyish way to install a repeater though, and contrary to the installation instructions provided by at least one popular manufacturer of these devices... If the signal at point A is too weak to maintain a reliable connection from the base station directly, then the repeater needs to go somewhere between the base station and point A, not at point A itself.