[SOLVED] Best Wifi Range extender for Nest Cam + Arris Comcast router combo?

Dec 31, 2018
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I recently got three nest products. Happy with all, but one of the cameras is in the back of the house, and farther from the router and is predictably suffering from slow connection and poor rates.Sometimes it loses the signal entirely.
What would the best gizmo range extender be for comcast wifi modem-Nest Cam combo?
Thanks!

And can someone tell me the difference between a repeater and a range extender? I already have one other router connected to the arris via ethernet, and ot broadcasts another network name. is that a repeater?


 
Solution
They are marketing terms for the consumers who are bad at math and science and don't want to be bothered with details. You forgot the newest one called "mesh".

Primarily there are 2 basic forms of " extenders". The first is the similar to what you have done with your router. These devices are commonly called a AP, access point. They in effect convert ethernet into wifi. Since it copies data back and forth to ethernet and wifi some people try to call this a repeater but then your cable modem be called a repeater. Best to call these devices AP.

The other common form of "extender" take in a wifi signal and retransmits a wifi signal. These are correctly called repeaters. There are a few methods used but the more common...
They are marketing terms for the consumers who are bad at math and science and don't want to be bothered with details. You forgot the newest one called "mesh".

Primarily there are 2 basic forms of " extenders". The first is the similar to what you have done with your router. These devices are commonly called a AP, access point. They in effect convert ethernet into wifi. Since it copies data back and forth to ethernet and wifi some people try to call this a repeater but then your cable modem be called a repeater. Best to call these devices AP.

The other common form of "extender" take in a wifi signal and retransmits a wifi signal. These are correctly called repeaters. There are a few methods used but the more common ones you see suffer from intentionally transmitting the replicated data back into the same radio frequencies it was received. These device exchange distance for throughput. Even in best cases you get 50% less data throughput and most time much less.

Repeater are very hard to get to function well since they must be place in a area of good signal reception but also be able to provide signal to the end device. 1/2 between tends to be the place but if the problem is a wall blocking the signal you are stuck. You put it on one side and it gets good signal but can't transmit it through the wall or you put it on the other side and it can now talk to the end client with high signal levels but can not receive good signal from the router.

My recommendation is to use a variation of a AP. Powerline networks use your electrical wires as a ethernet cable. You would then plug a rotuer/ap into the remote end or if possible plug your end device directly into the powerline and eliminate the wifi completely. They also make powerline units with the AP function built into the remote unit. In effect a AP you plug into the electrical socket. There are mixed results if you are better off using this powerline/ap device or using a normal powerline unit and a AP. In any case you want to always buy av2 based powerline units. They work much better than the older av200 and av500 based units.
 
Solution
Dec 31, 2018
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Can you recommend a brand that will work well with my nest cam?
I also wondered if there was a way to get the camera to work on the signal broadcast by my second router which is hardwired to the first.
It worked when I was using alfred camera, (repurposed smartphone into cameras) but since the second unit it technically another network, I couldn't seem to get mt second camera signed on to the same nest account that way. I think they limit it to only one network.
Thanks for the detailed answer! I didn't know a lot of that stuff!
 
You need to be sure your "router" is being used as a AP. Some devices have this option otherwise any router can be converted to a AP. You search how to use my router as a AP and get thousands of posts and even youtube video.

When the second router is running as AP it is all the same network. In general it does not matter if they SSID are the same or different. That is mostly a personal preference.

If the camera already gets strong signal levels from the second router you have already solved you issue as soon as you convert it to AP mode.
 
Dec 31, 2018
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Hm. I have three devices (fire stick, laptop, and a mobile device) running off that second router because they, like the camera could not get good signal.
If I switch it to AP mode, will it affect the operation of any of the three devices I mentioned?
Thanks!

UPDATE the device IS in AP mode and has been!
I wonder why I couldn't get it to work with the camera? I'll try it again tomorrow.
Thanks again.