WiFi Range Extender

1492 wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
We looked into getting a Netgear WIFI extender for the house. We went to Best Buy and talked to the folks there. The guy who helped us explained, that even though the range of WIFI is extended, the upload and download speed was considerably reduced ... like 50%. Thats no problem if you are using static web pages, but for streaming video or gaming, it could cause too much of a slow down.

Well, the guy is painting some broad strokes and leaving out some details? The speed reduction is the result of the "single-radio" having to do double duty by receiving and re-transmitting the signal. In fact, it will likely be even more than a 50% reduction in data thoughtput? It's very device dependent. Though claimed WiFi device bandwidth speeds tend to be already exaggerated.

Just note that the reduction is WiFi bandwidth. Not necessarily in internet access speeds. If your connection speed to the internet is already low, what you'll likely experience using a campground connection, then you may not experience any appreciable downgrade by using a repeater.

My internet bandwidth connection was so low at one point, about 4.8Mbps down connecting directly to my WiFi router, that when I connected to my WiFi repeater, my speed was still 4.5Mbps. Not a 50% reduction so many claim? My old repeater WiFi speeds was about 24Mbps max, so well above my internet connection speeds even if you take the 50%+ reduction in WiFi bandwidth into account.

BTW, they do make dual-radio repeaters that should result in minimal WiFi bandwidth loss. It all depends whether you would benefit from it as it is dependent on your internet connection speeds in the first place?

Thank you for the sane response!

The irony is that I don't see the OP has returned to this thread at all. :)


We really need to know what the OP wants to extend. Odds are they want to increase their ability to pull in distant WiFi signals.

We don't know for sure - as their post is ambiguous.

DutchmenSport wrote:
We looked into getting a Netgear WIFI extender for the house. We went to Best Buy and talked to the folks there. The guy who helped us explained, that even though the range of WIFI is extended, the upload and download speed was considerably reduced ... like 50%. Thats no problem if you are using static web pages, but for streaming video or gaming, it could cause too much of a slow down.

Well, the guy is painting some broad strokes and leaving out some details? The speed reduction is the result of the "single-radio" having to do double duty by receiving and re-transmitting the signal. In fact, it will likely be even more than a 50% reduction in data thoughtput? It's very device dependent. Though claimed WiFi device bandwidth speeds tend to be already exaggerated.

Just note that the reduction is WiFi bandwidth. Not necessarily in internet access speeds. If your connection speed to the internet is already low, what you'll likely experience using a campground connection, then you may not experience any appreciable downgrade by using a repeater.

My internet bandwidth connection was so low at one point, about 4.8Mbps down connecting directly to my WiFi router, that when I connected to my WiFi repeater, my speed was still 4.5Mbps. Not a 50% reduction so many claim? My old repeater WiFi speeds was about 24Mbps max, so well above my internet connection speeds even if you take the 50%+ reduction in WiFi bandwidth into account.

BTW, they do make dual-radio repeaters that should result in minimal WiFi bandwidth loss. It all depends whether you would benefit from it as it is dependent on your internet connection speeds in the first place?

Frankly, for that price, the unit seems to offer few features. There's no wifi-as-wan options, no options to tether a mobile hotspot and have the unit select the best (fastest throughput) signal. All manual connectivity...... There are much better options out there, for similar pricing. e.g. WifiRanger.com

usersmanual wrote:
http://www.winegard.com/connect?q=internet&inf_contact_key=f0127d682f0f896753592b86d6d325511065ebdfb32729249d49ddb029557832

brand new out;; I wonder if its as good as advertised?

http://www.winegard.com/connect?q=internet&inf_contact_key=f0127d682f0f896753592b86d6d325511065ebdfb32729249d49ddb029557832

brand new out;; I wonder if its as good as advertised?

winnehonda wrote:
What seems to work the best, for a reasonable price, to extend wifi reception in my Class A?

extend it from what ? and where to where?

APT wrote:
The OP needs to clarify what the goals are and what the current network topology is.

Absolutely!!! Without that information solutions may be being posted that are not appropriate to the problem.

APT wrote:
The OP needs to clarify what the goals are and what the current network topology is.

Access points provide better wireless network bandwidth than range extenders, but an AP needs a wired connection to a router/switch.

I agree with this post versus the other crapola being posted in this thread. And as I said, WiFi Extension devices are not perfect but do the deed so to speak for some people.

The OP needs to clarify what the goals are and what the current network topology is.

Access points provide better wireless network bandwidth than range extenders, but an AP needs a wired connection to a router/switch.

sherlock62 wrote:
Like many forum threads here, this thread has gone a muck so to speak. Regardless, do know that a WiFi Extender is a way to go if you need to extend a network. No, not a perfect solution, but it will more often then not, get very usable WiFi to an area where without the WiFi Extender, you would not have WiFi. I know quite a few people thrilled with their WiFi Extender. Sure worth a try for those with WiFi dead spots in a dwelling.

To "usermanual" you would do far better posting a link to the source of the crapola you post here. This way thread readers can read for themselves.

see DutchmenSport post ;;he posted the ""crapola"" I posted here with the actual ""crapola link""

hope thats more helpfull

sherlock62 wrote:
...To "usermanual" you would do far better posting a link to the source of the crapola you post here. This way thread readers can read for themselves.

I'll bite!

When to Use Your Range Extender
NETGEAR recommends that you connect to the range extender only when your home network connection is poor. Because data traffic routed through the range extender is inherently slower than traffic routed directly from the network, the computer should stay on the network if the connection is good enough. NETGEAR recommends that you connect
through the range extender network only when the computer is in a “dead zone” where connection from the network is very poor or non-existent.

Chapter 1, page 5, "Getting Started" ... click here.