Wifi booster/extender

[Rhodrig27]

Hi,

I'm looking at been able to boost my home WiFi signal to the garage at the end of the garden. It's about 15 metres.

I've done some quick Google research but it seems a bit of a minefield. Any suggestions?

Virgin os the Internet provider if that makes any difference.

Cheers

[Timothy Bucktu]

WiFi boosters are popular because you need zero skill to install them. The problem with them is you're boosting an already (presumably) weak signal. So a broadband speed of say 50mbps, may drop to 10mbps over 50 feet where your booster is located, so 10mbps is the maximum speed you could get with the boosters signal. I mean it'll work, but don't expect miracles. Better options are mesh networks...but they're quite involved and require cable connections.
To be honest, any old booster will do the job. They all have similar flaws.

[Baldchap]

Building to building bridge would do it at full network speed, but is costly.

An extender may meet OP's needs.

[Captain_Morgan]

Really it depends on what kind of throughput you need in the remote location.

If the garage has power then you could look at a powerline wifi extender, these use the mains to provide the data interconnect between the isp hub to the area needing wifi.

They depend on the quality of the electrical wiring & generally top out around 200-300Mbs (though some folk see much higher speeds), take a look at devolo, tp-link or netgear offerings.

As ever buy from Amazon so if they don’t work for you then it’s a easy return process.

[Carguy44]

We've got sky boosters around the house and they have made a massive difference, including getting signal out to a garage. It was a couple of quid a month extra for guaranteed higher speeds and unlimited call outs with free (sort of) boosters that they fitted.

[Griffith4ever]

Do a search here for garage WiFi. There is a massive recent thread with every option in it you could conceive.

[OutInTheShed]

1) Know what you want.
In my case I just want e.g. youtube for some music in the shed. So about 5Mb/s is adequate. Ifyou want to look up stuff on the web then less will do but more is better.
2) Measure the problem.

Take a tablet or something and see what wifi speed you get in the house, by the window nearest the garage, outdoors on the way to the garage etc.

Also look at how strong other peoples networks are.

You may find that a £15 WiFi extender close to a window on the garage side of the house works fine.

If it's not hard to run some ethernet cable, a second wifi router is an option. This could be in your loft or eaves or something if you don't want to take cable to the garage. Lots of people have an old router on the shelf.

[AndrewCrown]

Normally a bunch of flowers and some champagne boosts mine!

Seriously though, if your garage is on the same electrical circuit as the house consider Develo
devolo 8627 Magic 2 WiFi 5 Powerline 2400 Network Kit w/ Pass-Through (1267Mbps AC) https://amzn.eu/d/ckWp9il

As a side effect you’ll get some good Wi-Fi in the garden too.

[Steve_H80]

As a few others have said provided you've got mains power in the garage just use a couple of the plug in extenders.
I've a triple one (the master plugs in near the router with the network cable from router to plug, then one extender in the garage and another in the garden cabin) and it works brilliantly. No messing about, just plug in and go. I think mine is a BT one, but it will have been made by the same little fella in China as everything else.

[Turn7]

We have 4 Deco M5's spread around the house and can get a good signal in the fraden and at the end of our drive, as well as throughout the house.