Wifi extenders

[pewternhrata]

Do they work, any recommendations? I'm trying to get a better signal to my ring doorbell, about 30' from the router and my area is loaded with 2.4 signals, terrible 2.4 signal, 5 works flawless but my ring is not compatible.
My speed with 5ghz at the door is 110, 2.4 is barely 3. I'm currently running channel 6, have tried 1, 11, and a few in between and it just drops once I'm 10' away.

 

[panteragstk]

What wifi AP or router do you have?

It might be better to just upgrade to a mesh system if you're using an aging AP/Router.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

@pewternhrata Never had good luck with Wifi extenders. They will show full signal, but actual connection quality/speed would not be great

What wifi AP or router do you have?

It might be better to just upgrade to a mesh system if you're using an aging AP/Router.

Agreed. if you're not very techie, Google Home WiFi is one of the best out there.

 

[Irvrobinson]

@pewternhrata Never had good luck with Wifi extenders. They will show full signal, but actual connection quality/speed would not be great

Agreed. if you're not very techie, Google Home WiFi is one of the best out there.

Absolutely. The mesh architecture is a superior strategy to just trying to increase transmitter signal strength and using MIMO. Our primary home is a quite long single-story thing with a three-car garage between the primary living space and my wife's music studio. Google's mesh WIFI is the only solution I've tried that really works end-to-end at 5GHz.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Google's mesh WIFI is the only solution I've tried that really works end-to-end at 5GHz.

Google home is dual radio so it's 2.5 and 5gh.

Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz / 5GHz) supporting IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac

Ring would have strong connection with 2.4ghz

Also I'd try first to fix wifi by selecting less busy wifi channel like 7 ( i generally don't trust auto) and move the wifi to be more central location of home in respect to 3 dimensions

 

[pewternhrata]

Arris dg2470, provided by my ISP. It's been replaced 3 times, not because it was damaged but just in case. All 3 guys that came out complained and joked about the mass amount of interference at the 2.4 signal.
I have 5ghz set to auto with no issues, depending on time of day I've been switching 2.4 to 6 or 11.
The ISP runs moca. I'm going to try a more central location once I grab a long enogh cat cable for the tv box.

Currently I have the main cable box upstairs, the modem and 2nd cable box on the main floor. The modem and cable box downstairs are connected via cat5e, so if I move the modem, I need about a 35' car cable.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Google home is dual radio so it's 2.5 and 5gh.

Of course it is, because all modern 802.11 routers are like that, but 5GHz signals are more susceptible to interference from physical obstructions (like walls), so I've had to use 2.4GHz (which has substantially lower throughput) to get adequate signal strength at the edges of the home. With Google I get excellent 5GHz connections everywhere.

 

[everettT]

Did I miss who the ISP is? Comcast has some newish tech for extended coverage; I'd have to find the review. Other than mobile type devices, all my distribution has been upgraded to 10g hardwired, waiting for new products to implement.

 

[Cos]

I have a Linksys EA9500 Router, which (except for the missing VPN) is a Tank and has excellent Coverage.

That being said the 2nd floor of my home (3k square feet not counting basement) is a little spotty. I have whole home Ethernet and my router sits in in the basement

I added 1 Linksys RE7000 and my whole home and outside in my backyard has very good coverage.

My suggestion, if you have an older router (non MIMO), upgrade to a mesh system as suggested above. If you have a router like mine that is designed to work with an extender, then just add an extender.

I just use an IP VPN (IPVanish)

 

[Bryce_H]

I bought and installed an Orbi system today and my speeds doubled. I'll continue to test range and strength, but first impressions are good.

 

[sholling]

I am not a fan of wifi extenders. My solution for a poor ring connection was to run a cable to my garage and then use a refurbished Asus/T-Mobile AC1900 router ($50-60) as an access point. I'm getting a -40 signal to both my Ring II doorbell and my Ring Floodlight both through stucco walls about 10 feet from the AP. Unfortunately even with a 150/150Mb fiber optic internet connection and a strong wifi signal my experience with Ring products has been so-so. Most of the time I'm notified instantly and get a picture on my Echo show in 30-60 seconds or so, sometimes motion sensor notification have been delayed a minute or five with one delayed 12 hours. Tech support has been friendly but they always seem to blame the wifi signal. I have the same range problem with their chimes which seem to disconnect regularly only 20 feet from my Asus AC3200 router. I'm beginning to wonder about the quality of their hardware and their server and/or network capacity.

 

[DigitalDawn]

Extenders and Mesh systems can work, but the best solution is a commercial-grade access point. We have a single Ruckus access point that covers our entire 3000 sq ft home plus patio. It's certainly not an inexpensive solution, but every one that we've installed has been bullet-proof.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Extenders and Mesh systems can work, but the best solution is a commercial-grade access point. We have a single Ruckus access point that covers our entire 3000 sq ft home plus patio. It's certainly not an inexpensive solution, but every one that we've installed has been bullet-proof.

Agreed. I'm fixin' to get a few Ubiquity APs, just needing to wire new ethernet points. Commercial APs needs to be hardwired. Typically these things besides being not cheapest around, they are harder to install/configure. This is why I said mesh solution if doing IT is not easy for end user.

 

[afterlife2]

Got one of these. Basically a copy of the Netgear version only cheaper. IMHO does a good job: https://www.ebay.com/itm/300Mbps-Wireless-N-Range-Extender-WiFi-Repeater-Signal-Booster-Network-Router/253600188829?epid=1579944958&hash=item3b0bbfc99d:g:sjUAAOSw~e5ZSHsx

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Got one of these. Basically a copy of the Netgear version only cheaper. IMHO does a good job: https://www.ebay.com/itm/300Mbps-Wireless-N-Range-Extender-WiFi-Repeater-Signal-Booster-Network-Router/253600188829?epid=1579944958&hash=item3b0bbfc99d:g:sjUAAOSw~e5ZSHsx

300N? What is it 2008? It doesn't even support 5ghz. hard pass

 

[panteragstk]

Agreed. I'm fixin' to get a few Ubiquity APs, just needing to wire new ethernet points. Commercial APs needs to be hardwired. Typically these things besides being not cheapest around, they are harder to install/configure. This is why I said mesh solution if doing IT is not easy for end user.

I love my Ubiquity AP. It's not mesh, but one of them in the middle of my top floor covers my house and front yard. I'm going to add a second in my pantry (already wired), but haven't really had a need to yet.

To the OP, if you are using the wifi router that came from your ISP you are not ever going to get as good a signal as you would with an aftermarket router or AP. Not sure why, but they don't exactly spend good money on those things.

You could add one of the APs that I have for about $100 and be done. Here is a link. They also have mesh, but it's a bit more.

 

[afterlife2]

300N? What is it 2008? It doesn't even support 5ghz. hard pass

Yep but works fast. I was shocked. Could try these they has 2 bands: https://www.ebay.com/itm/750Mbps-Dual-Band-2-4-5GHz-Wireless-Range-Extender-WiFi-Repeater-Router-Antennas/152971325227?epid=594902523&hash=item239dcd2f2b:g:5-AAAOSwPqRavJW0
or
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wavlink-Wireless-AC-750Mbps-Wifi-Repeater-Dual-Band-2-4G-5G-WiFi-Signal-Booster/232304576354?hash=item36166e8762:g:YBQAAOSw3ZRY9Fep

 

[afterlife2]

Made an offer for 14 and won it. Now for the two week wait. Wanna try the 5g version:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wavlink-Wireless-AC-750Mbps-Wifi-Repeater-Dual-Band-2-4G-5G-WiFi-Signal-Booster/232304576354?hash=item36166e8762:g:YBQAAOSw3ZRY9Fep

 

[pewternhrata]

Was able to move the router to a better location, got a better signal to the front of my house, but better still isn't great. The range is just terrible on 2.4
I could move it upstairs but it would be at the back of the house, I'm guessing it would make things worse. Next plan is to move it up towards the ceiling, hopefully that gets me close enogh to better range.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Was able to move the router to a better location, got a better signal to the front of my house, but better still isn't great. The range is just terrible on 2.4
I could move it upstairs but it would be at the back of the house, I'm guessing it would make things worse. Next plan is to move it up towards the ceiling, hopefully that gets me close enogh to better range.

Why not get the Google solution and solve this? Price?