What's the best way to extend a wireless network using a powerline solution?

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woodbeam

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Apr 18, 2010
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My primary computer is away from my router, and I use powerline ethernet adapters to connect them. The router does have wireless functionality, but I'd like to have better wireless connectivity in the room my primary computer is in while keeping ethernet connectivity as well. My living situation prevents me from simply moving the router or my computer around, so it seems I have a few options: I could buy a wireless repeater, I could buy a powerline adapter that has both ethernet and wireless output or I could buy another wireless router and use it as an access point.

The repeater option doesn't seem ideal, so I'd like to know which of the latter two options is best (and of course if there are options I don't know about that could be better, please suggest them!). This seems like it should be fairly simple, so forgive my lack of knowledge. Thanks in advance.
 
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Consumer/Residential grade repeaters are a joke. First and foremost the single-radio design means it has to split your bandwidth in half as it first has to talk to the router, before it can talk to the client device. Then they just have bad hardware and firmware in them that makes for a very unstable experience. Not to mention most people don't use them effectively; you cant place them where you already have bad signal, you have to put them on the edge of the "good" signal to then rebroadcast.

Here is your best option.
Powelrine network adapter from router to your room, then get a second router and configure it as an access point, and then connect PC via etherent to it.
I would recommend this for something that has support multiple...
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woodbeam

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I neglected to mention that I can't replace the router either. Sorry. There are also 2 floors between the router and where I want better wireless connectivity, so the router's range is rather good already. Some kind of extension would work best in this situation, no?
 
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boosted1g

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Consumer/Residential grade repeaters are a joke. First and foremost the single-radio design means it has to split your bandwidth in half as it first has to talk to the router, before it can talk to the client device. Then they just have bad hardware and firmware in them that makes for a very unstable experience. Not to mention most people don't use them effectively; you cant place them where you already have bad signal, you have to put them on the edge of the "good" signal to then rebroadcast.

Here is your best option.
Powelrine network adapter from router to your room, then get a second router and configure it as an access point, and then connect PC via etherent to it.
I would recommend this for something that has support multiple devices: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-PA6010KIT-Powerline-Adapter-Starter/dp/B00IBPLI48
Then for the router that at all depends on budget. For the $50 range I would go for a TP-Link WDR3600 (or 4300 if on sale for cheaper) and then flash it to DD-WRT.
 
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woodbeam

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Apr 18, 2010
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Thanks for the further recommendations, and sorry for taking a while to reply. I went ahead and bought another router, a Netgear N300 (cheapo, but it'll work for my purposes). I struggled with setting it up as an access point manually, but it has an automatic access point setup function which seems to have worked well. Wireless quality is now excellent. Thanks again.
 
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