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Wireless extenders

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jtr63
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Wireless extenders

#408551

Postby jtr63 » May 1st, 2021, 11:48 am

I am looking at some hifi, Bluesound vault, that requires a wired Ethernet connection. I cannot do this from the existing router. I am looking at a wireless extender that can be connected to an rj45 lead. Does anyone have any advice or good or bad experiences with wireless extenders or recommendations on brands or specifications.
TIA
John

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Re: Wireless extenders

#408572

Postby pochisoldi » May 1st, 2021, 1:27 pm

If I were in the same position, I'd look at a WiFi and ethernet interface equipped raspberry pi, and then Google "raspberry pi bridge wifi to ethernet" to learn how to get it working.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#408585

Postby Infrasonic » May 1st, 2021, 2:22 pm

jtr63 wrote:I am looking at some hifi, Bluesound vault, that requires a wired Ethernet connection. I cannot do this from the existing router. I am looking at a wireless extender that can be connected to an rj45 lead. Does anyone have any advice or good or bad experiences with wireless extenders or recommendations on brands or specifications.
TIA
John


Can you clarify, does your modem/router have no ethernet outputs at all or is it limited?
If limited you can use a cheap ethernet switch in conjunction with say powerline adapters at either end (router/bluesound room) to get ethernet to the destination.

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/the-b ... e-adaptors
Best powerline adapters in 2021: top picks for expanding your home network


It's also possible to run USB to RJ45 adapters from laptops/phones etc. - and so use those as the Wi-Fi bridge if wanted.
Last edited by Infrasonic on May 1st, 2021, 2:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

GrahamPlatt
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Re: Wireless extenders

#408588

Postby GrahamPlatt » May 1st, 2021, 2:27 pm

jtr63 wrote:I am looking at some hifi, Bluesound vault, that requires a wired Ethernet connection. I cannot do this from the existing router. I am looking at a wireless extender that can be connected to an rj45 lead. Does anyone have any advice or good or bad experiences with wireless extenders or recommendations on brands or specifications.
TIA
John


If you are going to use a WiFi extender, have a read of this thread viewtopic.php?f=39&t=26019&p=353536 and focus on “mesh” systems.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#408623

Postby bungeejumper » May 1st, 2021, 6:10 pm

ReallyVeryFoolish wrote:Very highly recommend Devolo mains wiring network adapters. The set I have each have WiFi and 2x ethernet ports. Very reliable and just work straight from the box.

What RVF said. My Devolo set-up (wifi and ethernet sockets) has worked flawlessly since I bought it last year. Unlike the cheaper TP-Link stuff, which I had to write off because there were channel conflicts which I couldn't resolve even by switching channels. (Don't ask, don't ask.... :( )

Tip: For a really clear signal, make sure that the extender socket is on the same household wiring circuit as your router. In other words, if your router is on the first floor circuit, then that's where the extender socket for your hi-fi should also be. It'll sort-of work with the extender on a different floor, but interference might happen. As mentioned on other threads, fridges etc are capable of sending disruptive jolts and noise through the mains wiring, but that shouldn't be an issue if your kitchen is on a separate dedicated circuit.

Suck it and see. Most probs are fixable. Devolo gear is worth the modest extra.

BJ

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Re: Wireless extenders

#408627

Postby AF62 » May 1st, 2021, 6:21 pm

ReallyVeryFoolish wrote:
bungeejumper wrote:
ReallyVeryFoolish wrote:Very highly recommend Devolo mains wiring network adapters. The set I have each have WiFi and 2x ethernet ports. Very reliable and just work straight from the box.

What RVF said. My Devolo set-up (wifi and ethernet sockets) has worked flawlessly since I bought it last year. Unlike the cheaper TP-Link stuff, which I had to write off because there were channel conflicts which I couldn't resolve even by switching channels. (Don't ask, don't ask.... :( )

Tip: For a really clear signal, make sure that the extender socket is on the same household wiring circuit as your router. In other words, if your router is on the first floor circuit, then that's where the extender socket for your hi-fi should also be. It'll sort-of work with the extender on a different floor, but interference might happen. As mentioned on other threads, fridges etc are capable of sending disruptive jolts and noise through the mains wiring, but that shouldn't be an issue if your kitchen is on a separate dedicated circuit.

Suck it and see. Most probs are fixable. Devolo gear is worth the modest extra.

BJ

Indeed, I would actively avoid TP Link stuff which is great gear. Until the day it isn't. Just pay a bit extra to avoid buying the Devolo stuff the second time around.

RVF


Although the Devolo powerline adapters I used a while back worked from the box and were fine for some time. Until the day they didn't. Whereas the TP Link stuff I have (not powerline) works fine.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#408634

Postby Midsmartin » May 1st, 2021, 6:50 pm

My experience with powerline/homeplug, although previous generations, is that it is amazing. Until some electrical device in your home decides to spew electromagnetic garbage back into the mains. Then it all stops working completely, or at random intervals, and can be a nightmare to diagnose. In my case it turned out to be the power supply inside my desktop pc that was at fault. I replaced that and powerline worked again. For a while.

The mesh gizmos seem to be the way to go for best WiFi results these days. Though it might be overkill if you only need one Ethernet cable to work.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#408639

Postby Infrasonic » May 1st, 2021, 7:03 pm

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/02 ... mmend%20it.

The Ars Technica semi-scientific guide to Wi-Fi Access Point placement


Discusses Wired AP/Mesh/Powerline (pluses and minuses) as well as many other Wi-Fi topics.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#408645

Postby Infrasonic » May 1st, 2021, 7:19 pm

https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/
Another good site with real world advice and technical reviews.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468156

Postby Albert90 » December 23rd, 2021, 6:33 am

When looking for a wireless extender, there are several factors you need to consider. The first is the type of device you need. There are two types of wireless extenders: single-band and dual-band. A single-band extender can only extend the signal of a single frequency band, while a dual-band extender can extend the signals of both frequency bands. If your router supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, you'll need a dual-band extender to get the most coverage.

The second factor to consider is the location of your current router and where you want to place the wireless extender. The best place for the wireless extender is usually in the middle of your home, where the signal is weakest. If your router is in one corner of your home and you want to extend the signal to the other corner, you'll need to place the extender in between.

The third factor to consider is the type of walls and materials in your home. Thick walls and materials like metal can block or weaken wireless signals. If you have a lot of thick walls or metal in your home, you'll need an extender with higher power output.

The fourth factor to consider is your budget. Wireless extenders range in price from around $10 to $200. The most important factor is usually the type of device, so if you only need a single-band extender, you don't need to spend as much money.

Once you've considered these factors, you can start shopping for a wireless extender that's right for you. You are suggested to read https://10beasts.com/best-outdoor-wifi-extender/ as it may help you in finding the best outdoor wifi extender. Keep in mind that the best extender for your home may not be the best one for someone else's home. So, it's important to do your research and find the one that fits your specific needs.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468259

Postby MaraMan » December 23rd, 2021, 3:44 pm

This maybe off topic and apologies if it is but I have recently fitted a BT dual band wireless extender in our lounge which it says has a max speed of 1200 Mbps. It tells me that the signal from the router is fine. However, we get 950 Mbps download at the router, this reduces to about 70-80 Mbps in the lounge, but the extender only gives about 30 mbps with of course with a stronger signal. Is this to be expected? I am not technical enough to know but it feels disappointing.

Many thanks for any replies

MM

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468264

Postby Infrasonic » December 23rd, 2021, 4:24 pm

MaraMan wrote:This maybe off topic and apologies if it is but I have recently fitted a BT dual band wireless extender in our lounge which it says has a max speed of 1200 Mbps. It tells me that the signal from the router is fine. However, we get 950 Mbps download at the router, this reduces to about 70-80 Mbps in the lounge, but the extender only gives about 30 mbps with of course with a stronger signal. Is this to be expected? I am not technical enough to know but it feels disappointing.

Many thanks for any replies

MM


You'd be better off running an ethernet cable from the router to the lounge and plug that into a WAP (Wireless Access Point) if you want to maximise the WiFi bandwidth and minimise the latency. You can get flat cables that can be run under carpets or along skirting boards to minimise the aesthetic intrusion.
https://www.techradar.com/uk/best/best-wap

Extenders/repeaters rarely give decent results bandwidth wise - law of diminishing returns there.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468267

Postby MaraMan » December 23rd, 2021, 4:48 pm

Many thanks, I will look into that, although it would be a complicated route so may not be feasible.

Cheers

MM

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468274

Postby stewamax » December 23rd, 2021, 5:41 pm

The fastest, most reliable and (if you can do modest DIY) cheapest solution is to run Cat 6a (or better) external-quality Ethernet cable around the outside of the house. When running horizontally, follow the blue-brick mortar if you have a blue brick DPC.
Then buy a couple of RJ45 sockets to attach to the inner walls.
Result: consistent speeds and little or no interference

If you want to buy a wireless repeater with some future-proofing, look for WiFi 6 ones: they won't give you much of a speed increase but will manage several competing WiFi devices better. The Netgear AX1800 4-Extender is one such beast and the AVM's FRITZ!Repeater 6000 is another.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468296

Postby moorfield » December 23rd, 2021, 9:42 pm

If you can put the wireless extender high up, we have one mounted on a beam (which conveniently had a socket on it) in our kitchen which throws the signal another 10-15 metres down to a study where the juniors work. Less signal loss than having it plugged in low down on a wall/behind a door it seems. I've also run a cat cable from main router to that study (pinned along skirting boards, not particularly pretty but not obvious) to an old router reconfigured as an access point. You always need a lot more cable than you think, I ended up using 40 metres!

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468350

Postby MaraMan » December 24th, 2021, 12:14 pm

Many thanks for those suggestions I will look into them, but wires running through or around the house internally or externally are probably not going to work, but I do appreciate that these would be the best solution from a purely wifi speed perspective.

MM

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468359

Postby Infrasonic » December 24th, 2021, 1:18 pm

MaraMan wrote:Many thanks for those suggestions I will look into them, but wires running through or around the house internally or externally are probably not going to work, but I do appreciate that these would be the best solution from a purely wifi speed perspective.

MM


You can get dedicated business grade WiFi bridges which will probably give you better throughput if you can maintain as much line of sight as possible. There was one reviewed in that WAP link I provided.

Or look at Powerline (ethernet over mains wiring) where you plug into the mains socket at each end and go from the router the the Powerline plug with an ethernet cable. The lounge end could be a WiFi and cable PL plug. Throughput is going to be about 25% of the advertised headline rate at best, so make sure it is AV2/3 spec or better to compensate for the drop. It's been covered on here multiple times, have a search.

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468589

Postby stewamax » December 26th, 2021, 6:47 pm

moorfield wrote:If you can put the wireless extender high up, we have one mounted on a beam (which conveniently had a socket on it) in our kitchen which throws the signal another 10-15 metres down to a study where the juniors work. Less signal loss than having it plugged in low down on a wall/behind a door it seems.

Indeed. It is a good reason to look at ceiling- or wall-mounted access points that have power-over-Ethernet power feeds such as the Ubiquiti 'Access Point WiFi 6 Long-Range'

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Re: Wireless extenders

#468613

Postby Newroad » December 26th, 2021, 11:45 pm

Hi JTR63.

I've done the reverse* of what you want to do (your need is actually the easier/default thing to do) with one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/RE220-Universal-Extender-Broadband-Indicator/dp/B07ZWBBPQN/

Assuming you don't have significant other Wifi use in the house** (e.g. kids streaming movies across it) something like this is likely to be a quick and easy solution if it can be placed appropriately. Otherwise, go for some form of ethernet over power (aka Powerline) - else if that isn't viable due to phasing or whatever, run a long ethernet cable as needed.

Regards, Newroad

* I use it to plug into a switch which is at the end of an ethernet cable extension - for 5 GHz wifi to an adjacent TV without messy cables etc

** Even this can often be sorted - let the kids/other users use one of the bandwidths, e.g. the 5 GHz, and reserve the 2.4 GHz (changing the SSID and password) for your use.


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