Working from home has become an important aspect of many people’s lives in the last year.
And, as a result of this change in working structure, there is a high need for all-around, flexible Wi-Fi access at home.
The ideal distance between a Wi-Fi Extender and a Wi-Fi router is determined by the location of your workstation as well as the router’s capability.
Most of the time, placing the extender midway between the router and the device will enough.
Few individuals are aware of how to properly install a Wi-Fi extender.
This is particularly true for people who have never used a gadget like this before.
This chore becomes considerably more difficult if you reside in a home with uneven spacing or if you share your Wi-Fi with other people.
How far away from your router should the Wi-Fi Extender be? In this post, we’ll learn more about Wi-Fi extenders and how to install them.
What Is The Maximum Distance A Wi-fi Extender May Be From A Router?
Internet connections are routinely established in homes for schoolwork and other purposes.
In most families, a good modem and an adequate internet connection would suffice.
A basic contemporary router might enough for your everyday internet requirements if you just need to cover a few rooms including the living area.
Expanding your LAN is a more steady and successful technique of extending your internet for many people with a more unconventional house setup.
However, this procedure may be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming.
The number of connected devices is likewise restricted, making it unsuitable for customers who want to share Wi-Fi with their family or coworkers.
Using an external device to “expand” Wi-Fi coverage is one of the most prevalent solutions for this issue.
Wi-Fi Extenders accept a signal from an existing router and magnify it, allowing users to share enhanced connections.
Users may utilize this technology to expand their Wi-Fi coverage without having to build additional wired infrastructure.
Wi-Fi extenders, according to Satellite Internet, may expand your Wi-Fi coverage up to 2,500 feet.
This outcome is only feasible if you use the greatest extenders available.
Extenders may expand the range by up to 2,000 feet at a reasonable price.
Meanwhile, less expensive items may be useful only in situations when the area is smaller than 1,000 feet.
What Is The Wi-Fi Router’s Maximum Range?
Modern routers, in terms of signal ranges and coverage, are rather competitive.
When utilizing a 2.4 GHz frequency in an interior environment, modern routers can reach up to 150 feet (46 meters).
It would cover a larger area outside, around 300 feet (92 meters).
Unfortunately, folks with larger houses may not be able to benefit from this simplicity.
Dealing with Wi-Fi dead areas and workplace constraints is the greatest issue.
Users may relocate their workstations closer to their router.
It’s a popular approach to this issue, and in most circumstances, it’s the simplest answer.
This is not the case, however, for those who have specialized components that need certain ambient conditions in order to work.
This is also not an option for those who have components and equipment installed as permanent fixtures in their workspaces.
Wi-Fi extenders come in handy in this situation.
How Can I Determine My Wi-Fi Extender’s Range?
Wi-Fi extenders are only one of the alternatives for spreading Wi-Fi signals.
Other options, such as Wi-Fi boosters and repeaters, are available to users.
Before we get into the technical details of a Wi-Fi extender, let’s have a look at how it works and how to improve its performance.
What Is A Wi-Fi Extender And How Does It Work?
Wi-Fi extenders collect signals from your network, amplifies them, and rebroadcasts them in the surrounding region.
It bridges the space between the router and the location where a stronger signal is desired.
For a better and more consistent connection, most extenders connect directly to the router through a wired connection via an ethernet dock.
In truth, ethernet connection from the router is supported by the majority of top-tier Wi-Fi extender solutions.
Wireless alternatives are also available, which you may utilize simply connecting the gadget into a power outlet.
Finding an accessible and adequate outlet to put your extension is a regular issue with this configuration.
In most circumstances, a wireless extender will slow down a network’s performance.
Is It Possible To Extend One Wi-Fi Extender Using Another Wi-Fi Extender?
Yes, you may increase the range of your current Wi-Fi extender by using another Wi-Fi extender.
The performance, on the other hand, would be drastically lowered, to the point of inefficiency.
Although two range extenders may be connected to a single router, it is not suggested to use them in that order.
However, as previously stated, this achievement is attainable.
Simply ensure that the SSIDs on both extenders are distinct and that they are linked over a wired connection.
Because each extension needs a direct connection to the router, this is the case.
Although a physical connection is necessary, the advantage of this arrangement is that the number of devices that may join to your extended wireless network is no longer limited.
What About Wi-Fi Range Extenders?
The range of a Wi-Fi Extender will be determined by the product’s capability.
This information is typically included in product promotion and may be found on the product’s box, product labels, or manual.
This information is displayed in the product description when purchasing online.
The Netgear EX7300 range extender, for example, can reach up to 2,000 square feet at a speed of 2,200 megabits per second.
The TP-Link AC1750 extender, on the other hand, can stretch your Wi-Fi network in the same region (2,000 sq. ft.) but only supports 1,750 Mbps.
With the distance expanded and covered, cheaper items tend to forfeit speed.
Keep in mind that the Wi-Fi range extender’s speed will effect the speed of your internet.
Instead, you may want to investigate a mesh network if you want the fastest speed for the longest reach.
Wi-Fi Extenders: Can They Be Used Through Walls?
To answer the query, you must first determine which kind of Wi-Fi Extender is being used in your configuration.
Outdoors, wireless Wi-Fi extenders are a preferable solution since they can disseminate the boosted signal without being obstructed by obstacles like walls.
If you wish to expand your signal in a compact location, such as a living room, it can be a better solution.
Using a Wireless Extender to extend your Wi-Fi to many rooms and levels is still doable.
However, due to the physical limitations, the performance will most certainly be mediocre.
Extenders do nothing more than enhance and “rebroadcast” Wi-Fi signals.
Walls and other physical impediments would still have an impact.
This does not apply to Wi-Fi extenders that use an ethernet dock to connect directly to the router.
Users who utilize Powerline Wi-Fi extenders will also be unaffected.
This is due to the dependability of wired networks while traversing from one end of the home to the other.
When it comes to wired networks, no physical obstacles block the flow of internet connections.
How To Setup Your Wi-Fi Extender: 7 Steps
At first, setting up your Wi-Fi Extender may seem intimidating.
However, once you understand how the gadget works, the subsequent installs should be simple and painless.
If you’re experiencing trouble connecting to the internet, you should look into the following options.
These are often overlooked variables that might cause your internet to slow down after attaching a Wi-Fi Extender.
Step 1. Check Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) First.
The signal from your router is merely amplified and rebroadcast by a Wi-Fi extender.
In accordance with this, even if you use a top-tier extender, a sluggish internet connection will remain slow.
Before you go out and purchase yet another router or extension, check with your Internet Service Provider to see if you can increase your monthly plan if you need more speed or data.
Step 2. Think About Upgrading Your Router.
If your ISP offers the greatest plans or bandwidth possibilities, the next culprit to investigate is your router.
Users would often remain with one router for a few years on average.
This may not be the best solution, since router manufacturers, like the internet itself, update their equipment often.
Modern routers, for example, support the 5 GHz frequency, which is far quicker than the old 2.4 GHz.
It would be a wonderful approach to troubleshoot if you could borrow a router and test it with your setup.
If you’ve observed a significant change in performance, it’s time to upgrade your router.
Step 3. Take A “Middle-Of-The-Road” Approach.
The Wi-Fi extension should be placed in the centre of the router and in the dead region, according to Netgear (or the place where you want to extend the internet connection.) If you’re too near to the router, your extender’s range will be limited.
If your extension is too far away from the router, it will catch up weaker signals, resulting in limited capacity.
As a result, it’s critical to position your extender in close proximity to your router and PC (or the Wi-Fi Deadspot.)
Step 4. Check the Frequency Supported by Your Router
This step is a follow-up to step #2: your router may not be capable of supporting high-speed internet access.
In wireless networks, two frequencies are supported: 2.4GHz (ideal for basic browsing) and 5GHz (best for streaming, gaming, or watching the video.) If your router only supports 2.4GHz, don’t anticipate lightning-fast speeds.
Step 5. Keep An Eye Out For Physical Impediments
The router should, ideally, have a direct connection to each extender connected to it.
This ensures that the flow is not impeded and that the best possible speed is received.
For more stability, you may choose a wired alternative instead.
Step 6. Use Quality-of-Bandwidth-Control Apps
Wi-Fi leechers have been the scourge of any wireless communication network since its beginnings.
Users that have unlawful access to your network will consume the resources, making them sluggish and in some cases useless.
Use Wi-Fi Quality Control programs to monitor your bandwidth and block MAC addresses that aren’t yours to combat this.
Remember to use a strong password or conceal your SSID.
Conclusion
Wi-Fi extenders are unquestionably life-saving gadgets for those who need them.
These gadgets allow users to easily increase their Wi-Fi coverage without having to drill holes in their walls or purchase additional routers.
However, there are a number of factors to consider in order for things to operate as planned.
You should exercise patience while addressing any issues that arise throughout the setup.
