WiFi extenders

[Relentless81]

Hi,

Never bought before so looking for advice please.

I want to buy two WiFi extenders that are secure but not complicated that plug into wall socket to extend virgin media WiFi signal to the back of the house where it's a bit patchy.

I don't mind paying for decent ones if you can recommend something with first hand experience and they could do with being as discreet as possible like a plug in air freshener type size please

Is there such a thing?

Thanks

 

[Hawk Tuah]

I've used a few different types. But, by far the easiest to use I've found are Edimax N300 Minis.

 

[Relentless81]

I've used a few different types. But, by far the easiest to use I've found are Edimax N300 Minis.

Thanks, what makes them difficult to use? I've no idea how they pair with the router!

 

[alexakasloth]

The smallest of the two I've used is the netgear ex3700 (AC 750) and connects as an extender via wifi using WPS. It can also act in access point mode if connected via ethernet.
There is a website for further control/ monitoring too (mywifiext.net), so you can set the SSID, password, wifi band.

 

[Hawk Tuah]

Thanks, what makes them difficult to use? I've no idea how they pair with the router!

Setup. IE - connecting it to the existing router.

You can do it all from your phone. You don't need to connect your laptop to it via a cat5 cable and configure different modes etc.

 

[Relentless81]

Ok thanks, I'm not after anything fancy and definitely don't need ethernet, just something that will extend the signal of the WiFi

 

[Heisenberg]

I would highly recommend a mesh WiFi system rather than extenders.

 

[Relentless81]

I would highly recommend a mesh WiFi system rather than extenders.

How come? Not really sure of the difference tbh, just need to extend the signal a bit

 

[Beans on toast Dave]

Mesh sorted my virgin wireless issues. Tried WiFi extenders they were no where near a good. I used a tenda branded set about £60 for a 3 node system
Then turned the WiFi off on the superhub

 

[Heisenberg]

How come? Not really sure of the difference tbh, just need to extend the signal a bit

Mesh just basically makes a large area under one SSID. An extender requires you to connect to each extender as it is under a separate SSID. Mesh also retains better speed than a simple extender. It's night and day from using an extender from my experience

 

[Relentless81]

Mesh just basically makes a large area under one SSID. An extender requires you to connect to each extender as it is under a separate SSID. Mesh also retains better speed than a simple extender. It's night and day from using an extender from my experience

Thanks, I'll have a read into it but its just for the kitchen and mainly the dining room with dining room backing out to the garden patio so hoping to extend the signal into the patio because there is a power socket right next to the patio door on the inside wall. This why I'm after a cheap solution that can just plug into that socket its not really for full house coverage just those areas.

Upstairs the bedrooms are cabled so there isn't a need for it upstairs

 

[Janesy B]

The main benefit of mesh is just being able to walk around and be pushed onto the best access point without having to reconnect or mess about with roaming aggressiveness settings on your laptop.

I've used TP-Link powerline wifi adaptors, but they never seem to last more than 18 months before giving out.

 

[Daaaavvveee]

The main benefit of mesh is just being able to walk around and be pushed onto the best access point without having to reconnect or mess about with roaming aggressiveness settings on your laptop.

I've used TP-Link powerline wifi adaptors, but they never seem to last more than 18 months before giving out.

I got the Tenda MW3 x3 and 1 MW6 for £60.
Using a BT Openreach modem, plugged straight into the Tenda MW6 (Main node) then have a Time Capsule in Bridge mode plugged into that.
Sorted all of our wifi issues.