need help understanding wifi extender

24MARK24 · 12 May 2015 at 19:50

Hi all,

I could do with some clarification on how a wifi extender works?

I understand that it picks up a wireless signal, then boosts it further to parts of the house that don't get a good signal. What I need it to do is boost the signal from a wired router if that makes sense.

I have an Asus N66u router in my living room, form this I have a cat 6 cable going to a ground floor extension (man cave) which plugs in to a gigabit ethernet switch. This enables some devices is this room to have access to the internet.

Some devices arent wired in the man cave such as my xbox & harmony ultimate, which is why I need the extension kit.

I know some extenders have an ethernet port but is this just for eg old dvd players which dont have wifi built in, or can I plug my cat 6 cable straight into this port?

Clear as mud?!!

edit: looking at something like this https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=NW-258-NG&groupid=46&catid=1837&subcat=2866

bremen1874 · 12 May 2015 at 22:58

If you're wanting to add wireless to a location that already has a wired connection then you'd usually be looking at wireless access points rather than extenders.

You can either use a dedicated access point, or a wireless router configured as one. You could for example use another RT-N66U in AP mode.

24MARK24 · 13 May 2015 at 07:45

ahhh, ok great, thanks for your help bremen. Yes it sounds like I need an access point!

The only one which I can see that says access point in the title is http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=NW-030-TP&groupid=46&catid=1837

Is TP link a good make for these, I just googled some reviews and a couple say it needs rebooting regularly? The "Ubiquiti UniFi UAP WiFi Managed PoE Access Point" seems to get good reviews but I dont want to over complicate things, Im not networks savy by any means!!

thanks

hp7909 · 13 May 2015 at 08:28

As above, get another router & use as a AP instead. That's what I did. Got a cheapish Linksys one & even threw in a custom firmware.

A router has the added advantage of extra LAN ports. If you can get one with Gigabit ports it would even be better (doing away with the switch)

24MARK24 · 13 May 2015 at 19:12

ok, getting a router and using it as an access point sounds like a good idea which would then remove the need for the switch.... bonus!!!

thanks for all your help!