What are my options to improve or extend Wi-Fi signal?

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JBMCL22

Commendable
Jun 30, 2016
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I'm currently living in a 2 story house and using a AC2600 router. The Wi-Fi signal upstairs is great and amazing but I'm having signal issues downstairs. The Wi-Fi signal downstairs is either weak or non-existence. This is for both, 2.4ghz and 5ghz.

I've tried re-positioning the router around upstairs but it's been more or less the same. What are my options to increase the Wi-Fi signal downstairs? Would a Wi-Fi Range Extender be a good option? If so, what brand or model do you recommend?

Thanks

 
Solution
B
Range extender/repeater should be your very last option. To work optimally it generally is placed 1/2 way signal level wise. Problem is that likely is inside the floor/ceiling with your situation. Even when they work you are trading performance for coverage it greatly degrades your performance.

So best option is see if there is a way to get a ethernet cable run and place another router/AP at the remote end
Next best is powerline networks, try to get the AV2 based models something like a tplink av2-1200. Again you put a AP at the remote end.
You could consider moca devices if you have coax but they are kinda expensive.
.....then far down the list when nothing else works you choose to use a repeater/range extender.
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bill001g

Titan
Aug 9, 2012
28,283
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Range extender/repeater should be your very last option. To work optimally it generally is placed 1/2 way signal level wise. Problem is that likely is inside the floor/ceiling with your situation. Even when they work you are trading performance for coverage it greatly degrades your performance.

So best option is see if there is a way to get a ethernet cable run and place another router/AP at the remote end
Next best is powerline networks, try to get the AV2 based models something like a tplink av2-1200. Again you put a AP at the remote end.
You could consider moca devices if you have coax but they are kinda expensive.
.....then far down the list when nothing else works you choose to use a repeater/range extender.
 
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Solution
J

JBMCL22

Commendable
Jun 30, 2016
5
0
1,510
What's the difference between a Powerline and Range Extender?

Are any of these options good? I'm just going by # of reviews/stars lol

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/netgear-netgear-universal-wi-fi-range-extender-wn3000rp-100pas-wn3000rp-100pas/10187350.aspx?

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/d-link-d-link-powerline-av500-mini-adapter-starter-kit-dhp-309av-dhp-309av/10227514.aspx?

https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/netgear-netgear-powerline-av2-1200mbps-adapter-kit-with-filtered-power-socket-pass-through-plp1200-100pas/10423508.aspx?
 
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bill001g

Titan
Aug 9, 2012
28,283
2,743
125,640
A range extender is a nasty marketing term they use to confuse people. It should be called a wireless repeater. It takes wireless signals in and retransmits them out again. The one you link just happens to plug directly into a outlet.....pretty much the worst option you can choose since a repeaters placement is critical for it to work.

The other 2 devices are actually powerline units. The av2-1200 is based on the newest standard and should perform much better than the older ones. It will run faster but more important it will run better on houses that have poor electical wires.

Now there is another version of powerline that is similar to the "extender" you linked.. It has a wireless radio built into the remote end. It is the same as if you used a pair of powerline units and plugged a AP into the far end. It will work better than the repeater but it stiff suffers from having the wireless radio placed against a wall.
 
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