Wifi range extender help please

TrevL · July 18, 2022, 01:16:48 PM

My Router (fibre) is at the front of the house, and wifi in the house is great. However but my Ring cameras in the back garden and shed have either poor signal or drop out intermittantly. So looking for a recommendation for wifi range extender please. Looking for something that a relative technology numpty can set up without pulling the remains of my hair out. Ta muchly.

Bigmac · July 18, 2022, 01:54:22 PM

Quote from: TrevL on July 18, 2022, 01:16:48 PM
My Router (fibre) is at the front of the house, and wifi in the house is great. However but my Ring cameras in the back garden and shed have either poor signal or drop out intermittantly. So looking for a recommendation for wifi range extender please. Looking for something that a relative technology numpty can set up without pulling the remains of my hair out. Ta muchly.

you might find you need an extender supplied by your fibre supplier. I dont know if the sort avaiable on ebay will work.

ntpntpntp · July 18, 2022, 02:34:15 PM

Maybe one of these, or a similar device? Says it'll work with any router etc. I guess this one picks up your existing WiFi and re-transmits?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-Wi-Fi-Range-Extender-EX3700/dp/B00XYEPLXU/ref=asc_df_B00XYEPLXU

I tend to use ethernet-over-mains plugs to extend right to the far corners of our house, so I might go for this type of solution which provides an Access Point (though for me it would need to work with my existing homeplugs).

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/5585575

Southerngooner · July 18, 2022, 05:18:03 PM

I bought a Netgear Wi-Fi extender late last year and it's been wonderful. I now have full strength Wi-Fi half way up the garden, and in my model room. It was really easy to set up, and has been very reliable. I can only recommend them

Dave

TrevL · July 18, 2022, 05:21:47 PM

Thanks Dave, @Southerngooner
Which model did you choose please?
Cheers, Trev.

Southerngooner · July 18, 2022, 05:50:02 PM

I can't tell you exactly as I'm on holiday but I think it was the NETGEAR WiFi Booster Range Extender AC1900 (EX6410 from Amazon at £59.99

Dave

devonjames · July 18, 2022, 06:42:29 PM

I use one of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BT-Essentials-Wi-Fi-Extender-N300/dp/B01LYZZ682
which is cheap, basic, simple to set up and does the job.

I bought mine in Lidl three years ago for less than a tenner but even at Amazon price it's still reasonable. Doesn't need any wires. Just plug in the first unit somewhere in your house that you get a decent wifi signal and plug the other one in closer to where you want a better signal. It tells you, using green, amber or red lights if it can connect ok with the other unit (amber is fine).

Bigmac · July 18, 2022, 07:29:41 PM

Quote from: Bigmac on July 18, 2022, 01:54:22 PM
Quote from: TrevL on July 18, 2022, 01:16:48 PM
My Router (fibre) is at the front of the house, and wifi in the house is great. However but my Ring cameras in the back garden and shed have either poor signal or drop out intermittantly. So looking for a recommendation for wifi range extender please. Looking for something that a relative technology numpty can set up without pulling the remains of my hair out. Ta muchly.

you might find you need an extender supplied by your fibre supplier. I dont know if the sort avaiable on ebay will work.

the reason i mentioned this--is i had full fibre right into the house installed in april ( NO BT line ). After a while i realised the signal in one part of the house was not up to the 100mps as stated by the company--and as i had a cheap extender already i phoned the company-- (Wightfibre--NOT an Indian call center )--and the very helpful lady said my extender might not work with their gizmo--so had another delivered next day--all no charge--as i wasnt getting the 100mps as i should. Happy days.

lil chris · July 19, 2022, 09:16:21 AM

I am on cable with Virgin Media, there router is rubbish, I was getting a very weak signal in my loft/railway room. I have bought the TP Link Deco system (3x repeater units) which is a mesh system, and it is brilliant, good signal now all over the house.

Tank · July 19, 2022, 11:22:44 AM

Another Virgin user here. I have the TP-Link Archer C6 AC1200, which gives me wifi through the house and gardens. Best one I've ever had, as I could never get decent speeds with the plug in powerlines or other wifi extenders.

Calnefoxile · July 19, 2022, 11:38:22 AM

I have a TP-Link Wifi Exender and it's not great, I also have the BT Network over Mains plugs and they're ok, but only if they're on the same Ring Main.

I'm having a Cabin built at the bottom of my garden, which will house my railway stuff & workbench, as the mains cable is being run in to it I've asked for some Cat 6 Shielded Cable to be run as well and then connected to a Netgear Wireless Access Point which will ultimately connect to my BT Router.

As for Wifi around the house I'll probably by a Mesh Setup which should solve all my issues of drop outs via the TP-Link adaptor.

Regards

Neal.

ntpntpntp · July 19, 2022, 01:09:40 PM

Quote from: Calnefoxile on July 19, 2022, 11:38:22 AM

... I also have the BT Network over Mains plugs and they're ok, but only if they're on the same Ring Main.

That is the commonly accepted advice. I have to say my Solwise gigabit homeplugs work fine across the downstairs, upstairs and garage rings in my house.

I've never really managed to get the full advertised speed through homeplugs even when close to each other on the same ring, so whilst I still use the homeplugs for some things (eg. my old music players) I use a Netgear D7000 router and Ex7000 WiFi bridge at AC1900 speed to reach my home office. I've always found Netgear stuff reliable.

Railwaygun · July 19, 2022, 04:08:49 PM

I have 4 BT Mesh discs and a virgin router . The discs provide a great signal across a 4 bed Semi.

https://shop.bt.com/brands/bt/whole-home-wi-fi

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BT-seamless-connection-everywhere-complete/dp/B01NBMMVG7

TrevL · July 19, 2022, 04:14:45 PM

Thanks for all the replies folks. Have ended up with a Netgear AC1200 from Currys. All set up with my ring cameras, and very happy with the result. Thanks again

njee20 · July 19, 2022, 10:07:47 PM

Glad you're sorted. I had a BT Wifi Extender which worked well in our old house (~100mbps in the house and ~30 in the garage), but when we moved house it was useless (<0.5mbps in the garage), I rather assumed becuase it was a separate ring main, contrary to Nick's experience.

Replaced with TP Link Deco mesh network and they've totally revolutionised it. Now get ~350mbps right beside the router and ~200 in the far reaches of the house/garage/garden.