WiFi extenders/boosters

[forrestgrump]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 20 January 2021 at 07:35

[Blockbuster]

If you want good wifi throughout the house, you probably want one of the whole home (mesh) wifi systems. They use multiple units placed in strategic places, to provide blanket coverage.

I am pretty impressed with the TP-Link Deco M5 system which is one of the cheaper systems. Tenda Nova also comes up a lot on here, but a lot of reviewers seem to have trouble with Amazon echo devices experiencing dropouts.

[Bullett]

Forget extenders get a Mesh system.
Lots available, I have a cheap Tenda MW3 which works well. More expensive than extenders but much better.

Extenders work by transmitting the signal from a second box, how the signal gets there varies but via your power circuits, ethernet or over the air as all possible.

Mesh has a home unit hardwired into your router. Then other nodes spread around the house, they talk wirelessly. The advantage is that you can roam between transmitters on a mesh system but on an extender system the device will attach to the first node it finds and stick to it even if a stronger signal presents itself. Not so important for a static device like a TV but for tablets and phones it's very handy.

[forrestgrump]

Blockbuster said:

If you want good wifi throughout the house, you probably want one of the whole home (mesh) wifi systems. They use multiple units placed in strategic places, to provide blanket coverage.

I am pretty impressed with the TP-Link Deco M5 system which is one of the cheaper systems. Tenda Nova also comes up a lot on here, but a lot of reviewers seem to have trouble with Amazon echo devices experiencing dropouts.

Thanks. This seems to have decent reviews and isn’t too expensive. Are these likely to be more powerful than a router? My issue is that between the TV and router is a staircase and a landing, there isn’t really a place to put one of these halfway between the two points, or does that not matter?

We have some BT WiFi booster things at the min which are wired but the new TV doesn’t seem to recognise an Ethernet connection. It says connected but no internet. LG GX if anyone knows why that might be.

[forrestgrump]

Bullett said:

Forget extenders get a Mesh system.
Lots available, I have a cheap Tenda MW3 which works well. More expensive than extenders but much better.

Extenders work by transmitting the signal from a second box, how the signal gets there varies but via your power circuits, ethernet or over the air as all possible.

Mesh has a home unit hardwired into your router. Then other nodes spread around the house, they talk wirelessly. The advantage is that you can roam between transmitters on a mesh system but on an extender system the device will attach to the first node it finds and stick to it even if a stronger signal presents itself. Not so important for a static device like a TV but for tablets and phones it's very handy.

Sounds like the way to go, I use 4G on devices unless I’m right next to the room the router is in, kinda annoying,

[Blockbuster]

forrestgrump said:

Thanks. This seems to have decent reviews and isn’t too expensive. Are these likely to be more powerful than a router? My issue is that between the TV and router is a staircase and a landing, there isn’t really a place to put one of these halfway between the two points, or does that not matter?

We have some BT WiFi booster things at the min which are wired but the new TV doesn’t seem to recognise an Ethernet connection. It says connected but no internet. LG GX if anyone knows why that might be.

It might be a case of try it and see. In my case they are definitely more powerful than the router, but it’s going to depend on the router and the construction and layout of the house.

It might be a case of getting the pack of 3 and placing one on the same floor as the router, in the room above the TV. Then another one on the ground floor(remember you need one plugged into the router)

You can get third party wall mounts for the Deco M5’s and they’re not particularly big, so all they really need is power.

[camel_landy]

Mesh...
...but not all mesh systems are equal.

Mesh relies on having a link between each of the satellite units (backhaul). Some systems have a dedicated link but the cheaper systems use the same wifi as the clients, which impacts performance.

Pay the extra and get one with a dedicated backhaul.

M

[TurboTerrific9]

I need to do this too - what mesh system would you recommend? Thanks in advance

[camel_landy]

TurboTerrific9 said:

I need to do this too - what mesh system would you recommend? Thanks in advance

I use the Netgear Orbi (RBK50). I think these are being discontinued, I've installed them on a number of different networks and they've been working well for me.

There are other mesh networks around and I'm sure there will be a few other recommendations along shortly.

M

[Pothole]

camel_landy said:

TurboTerrific9 said:

I need to do this too - what mesh system would you recommend? Thanks in advance

I use the Netgear Orbi (RBK50). I think these are being discontinued, I've installed them on a number of different networks and they've been working well for me.

There are other mesh networks around and I'm sure there will be a few other recommendations along shortly.

M

I've also got the Orbi RBKs. Very good throughout my 3 bed semi, into the garage and down the garden.

[dictys]

I just taken out my tri band velop system, it was just too flaky.

Every other week or so I would need to restart or reset completely one of the nodes.

I have now gone for a netgear WiFi 6 router, with a netgear WiFi 6 extender.

Things are much improved and my WiFi on laptop(not WiFi 6) a steady 1300 Mbs through most of the house.