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Extending range of wifi using BT discs

bratman91 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 20:08:55 GMT

I have a BT SH2 with a single BT mesh disc. However, my garden office still gets a very weak wifi signal. The configuration is this:

Router > Mesh disc (signal OK) > garden office (signal very poor).

If I used a second disc to give the following configuration, would that give me a better wifi signal in the garden office:

Router > Mesh disc (signal OK) > Mesh disc > garden office. The router and mesh discs would be more or less in a line.

I need a good signal in the office because Apple, in their infinite wisdom, have discontinued having an ethernet port on new iMacs, so I cant use powerline adapters.

Re: Extending range of wifi using BT discs

licquorice — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 20:57:35 GMT

Of course you can use powerline adapters. Just use ones with WiFi capability. Have a look at the TP link range.

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/home-networking/powerline/

Re: Extending range of wifi using BT discs

bratman91 — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 22:57:26 GMT

Thank you for your prompt response, Liquorice, but I don’t think that that will work for me without a large expense. I already have a network of BT powerline adapters for a couple of TV’s and a recorder without Wifi - they work well and it would be costly to replace them with the ones you linked to. My garden office has one of the BT powerline adapters but I can’t use it as the new iMac doesn’t have an ethernet port. Hence my interest in improving the wifi signal to the garden office. I have BT Fibre Halo 3 with Complete wifi so I believe that I can request another disc at no additional cost but I don’t want to do this if it won’t help.

Re: Extending range of wifi using BT discs

Hildener — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 00:50:19 GMT

Yes another of the black discs should work fine. I have one disc upstairs in the house and the other disc in the Summerhouse at the bottom of the garden and it works well. You can request up to 3 Discs .

Re: Extending range of wifi using BT discs

licquorice — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 07:36:00 GMT

@bratman91 If you have a powerline adapter in the garden office with an Ethernet port, you can connect the disc to that if it struggles to get WiFi connectivity to the other disc.

Re: Extending range of wifi using BT discs

bratman91 — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 12:09:41 GMT

@licquorice

I have just tried that. There’s a blue light on the disc and the wifi signal strength on the computer has 4 bars but the computer can’t get any internet. I’ve tried this in a different location and the same thing happens using an iPhone and iPad ie. a strong signal but no internet.

Re: Extending range of wifi using BT discs

licquorice — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 15:29:54 GMT

Hmm, I've just tried it and it works ok for me. However, to be fair I can't site my disc anywhere that doesn't connect to the hub by wifi but when moving it to a location that only gives an orange light, connecting via Ethernet powerline turns it to blue.

Re: Extending range of wifi using BT discs

bratman91 — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 18:55:58 GMT

@licquorice thanks for that advice. I’ll give it another go and see what the result is.