Does Wifi Extender Improve Speed?

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RylieDetchon

RylieDetchon

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Nov 21, 2016
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I'm running on a 100mbps internet speed (which I get on my phone speedtests in the same room as the router), however in my room (far from the router), I'm getting 4mbps on speedtests, with 3/4 bars. If I got a wifi extender in my room, I would get 4/4 bars, but would I also get up to 100mbps as opposed to 4 (wifi extender can support up to 300mbps)?

Note: Ethernet is not an option unless the cable is going from the extender to my PC.
 
Solution
Solandri
If you use a pure wireless WiFi extender (no cables), then it will cut your bandwidth in half (it needs to re-transmit anything it receives). But if your slow speeds are caused by your device being too far from the router's hotspot, then yes it will help.

If you can run a cable (ethernet, powerline, etc) from your router to the extender, then yes it should definitely help your speeds as your device should be getting a much stronger signal.

However, there's a chance your problem is actually wireless interference, not poor signal strength. In that case the WiFi extender could help, or it might not. It depends on the cause of the interference and how strong it is. 3/4 and 4/4 bars is useless because every manufacturer uses a...
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Solandri

Solandri

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Jan 4, 2012
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If you use a pure wireless WiFi extender (no cables), then it will cut your bandwidth in half (it needs to re-transmit anything it receives). But if your slow speeds are caused by your device being too far from the router's hotspot, then yes it will help.

If you can run a cable (ethernet, powerline, etc) from your router to the extender, then yes it should definitely help your speeds as your device should be getting a much stronger signal.

However, there's a chance your problem is actually wireless interference, not poor signal strength. In that case the WiFi extender could help, or it might not. It depends on the cause of the interference and how strong it is. 3/4 and 4/4 bars is useless because every manufacturer uses a different definition of "bars" (Apple assigned 3 bars to a ridiculously low signal strength, to create the false impression that the iPhone was better at pulling in a signal than other phones). To truly measure signal strength you need the signal to noise ratio, or the dB of signal and the dB of noise.
 
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bill001g

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Aug 9, 2012
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A wireless repeater does not magically fix bad signals. If you were to place it in your room where your end device currently gets a poor signal the repeater will now get a poor signal and then retranmit it making it even worse. It maybe stronger but the quality ...ie the amount of usable data.. will be worse. It can not fix damaged data.

A repeater even when it is working well cuts your overall speed as mentioned above. It optimum placement needs to be in a location that it gets good signal and can deliver good signal to the end device. This mean not in your room but 1/2 between in most cases. It may not be possible if the cause of lost signal is a wall and you would have to place the device inside the wall itself.

You should consider powerline networks with a AP connected that form of "extender" should improve the speed.
 
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