Advice on selecting WiFi extender

[jpadeutsch]

I need to increase the WiFi signal strength in part of my house. BT sell several different extenders. Some connect to the router by WiFi. Others connect to the router using powerline adapters. Can anyone advise on the pros and cons of the two types?

The powerline adapter type all seem to come as a kit, consisting of a simple power line adapter at the router end, and a combined power line adapter and WiFi access point at the WiFi end. I already have power line adapters to connect my router to my BT YouView box. So presumably to connect WiFi this way I only need the WiFi end adapter. Can I buy this alone, or do I need to buy the complete kit?

[licquorice]

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@jpadeutsch wrote:

I need to increase the WiFi signal strength in part of my house. BT sell several different extenders. Some connect to the router by WiFi. Others connect to the router using powerline adapters. Can anyone advise on the pros and cons of the two types?

Forget the ones that connect via wifi, you will obviously need to place it at a compromise position, i.e close enough to the router to receive the wifi therefore further away than optimal to where the wifi extension is needed. It also halves the wireless speed.

The powerline adapter type all seem to come as a kit, consisting of a simple power line adapter at the router end, and a combined power line adapter and WiFi access point at the WiFi end. I already have power line adapters to connect my router to my BT YouView box. So presumably to connect WiFi this way I only need the WiFi end adapter. Can I buy this alone, or do I need to buy the complete kit?

If the existing extender has more that one Ethernet port, just buy a simple wireless access point and connect it to the spare Ethernet socket. Or get a combined WAP and Ethernet switch to connect to a single port adaptor.

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[jpadeutsch]

Thanks for the reply. My setup is as follows. Two storey house. Infinity 2 with master socket in upper floor study. HH5. Ethernet connection to two computers and a printer in the study. WiFi connection used for laptop, desktop and a printer downstairs, for my mobile phone and for visiting laptops, tablets, phones, etc. Powerline adapter from HH5 to two YouView boxes downstairs. The WiFi signal is reasonable throughout the downstairs.

I have just installed a WiFi connected front door bell. It does not work reliably, so it looks as though I need to boost the WiFi signal outside the front door, so I want to place a WiFi booster or access point in the hall near to the front door. There is no ethernet access in the hall. So I  need either a WiFi booster or an access point which I can connect to my existing powerline network. Hence my interest in the WiFi/powerline adapter half of the kit.

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

If its just for the doorbell, something like this should work. It doesn't use powerline technology so shouldn't interfere with your current setup.

http://www.shop.bt.com/products/bt-wi-fi-extender-300-083183-BHJ4.html

[jpadeutsch]

Thanks, yes, that is the one I thought about before asking my question. I've ordered one.

[Interceptor121]

Netgear produces a combined powerline access point set made of two parts on one side ethernet to router and the other has one ethernet port and an integrated access point wirless ac. However tour doorbell is likely to be at beat a wireless N operating with a single antenna in the 2.4 GHz space so it will work at 72 mbps or less anyway

[gspearson]

Is the doorbell really wifi - ie password protected and manageable from the hub (and 2.4GHz) or wireless, different frequencies (433MHz) and locked between the bell and the bell-push?

[jpadeutsch]

Yes it really uses WiFi through the hub. Look at ring.com to learn more. It would be great apart from unreliable WiFi. I hope that boosting the WiFi signal will help. Ring tell me that it will, but I suspect that there might be other problems too.

[gspearson]

Gosh!  I'm not sure my butler would approve of that. He charges the doorbell accummulator regularly. And if he forgets, the bell on a curly spring in his pantry reminds him.

[Interceptor121]

I have the same doorbell and works just fine but it may have delayes and needs solid non interleaved upstream

Once this is in place all is fine