Wall Socket Wifi Extender?

[Kenai]

Is that socket actually proper mesh or just repeating though? The instruction PDF reads like it's not mesh, just broadcasting a separate but identically named network.

The issue I had with repeaters like that is mobile stuff (phones, tablets, laptops etc) was very clumsy dropping off of one network and onto the other - either being slow to do it causing drop outs, hang ups, or not doing it automatically because it would hold onto the original 1bar signal network crawling along and not swap to the stronger one without manual intervention.

Changing to a mesh setup that is genuinely one network with multiple access points resulted in a vastly more seamless experience.

That was my biggest original frustration with trying an extender/repeater - I had wrongly assumed it would work the way mesh does.

 

[WJA96]

It has no cabled backhaul so it's a mesh. What are you wanting for £30 given it's a 2-gang socket as well?

 

[Kenai]

It has no cabled backhaul so it's a mesh. What are you wanting for £30 given it's a 2-gang socket as well?

My point is that the description of how it operates doesn't sound like mesh, only repeating. They operate differently and if it's just repeating, they have much bigger limitations for mobile devices than proper mesh setups.

Mesh seems unlikely at £30 too.

Taken from DLinks site:

What is a Wi‑Fi extender?
A Wi-Fi extender is one simple device that extends your Wi-Fi signal by rebroadcasting it further into your home. Wi-Fi extenders are also sometimes called Wi-Fi ‘boosters’, or ‘repeaters’, but they mean the same thing - they extend your Wi-Fi signal coverage. You have to manually switch from your home router’s Wi-Fi network to the extender’s Wi-Fi network.

Wi-Fi extenders usually connect to your home router via Wi-Fi, but certain models also allow Ethernet or Powerline connections. Extenders are good for:

Bringing Wi-Fi to rooms out of reach of your router’s signal.
Removing signal dead zones.
Having two separate networks, one for your router, one for the extender.


What is mesh Wi‑Fi?
Mesh Wi-Fi uses multiple devices around your home to create one seamless network. Each of these is called a ‘node’ and they all work together to extend your Wi-Fi signal to your whole home. One node usually connects to your home router via Ethernet cable, and the rest of the nodes are placed around your home to where you need Wi-Fi. You don’t have to manually switch to another network, the nodes automatically keep you connected to whichever node has the strongest signal, giving you seamless coverage everywhere.

Mesh Wi-Fi networks are very easy to set up, and are good for:

Extending your Wi-Fi to your whole home or bigger offices.
Moving around at home and always staying connected to your Wi-Fi.
Removing all signal dead zones.

I've highlighted what I consider to be the key difference from a user experience point of view.

Your posts seem to be conflating repeaters/extenders and mesh as identical.

 

[WJA96]

It's a 2x2 access point and it's using 1 of the channels to talk to the original transmitter and one to talk to the client. it can also use the second channel to talk to a second access point so it's a mesh. You do not have to manually switch the wifi because it's using the same SSID and password as the original transmission access point. That D-link website quote is wrong as most repeaters can also clone the SSID and password. But what D-link don't want you to dig into too deeply is how they handle the backhaul. In a PROPER mesh system there is a dedicated backhaul channel (or two in a 4x4 system) but there are very few 'mesh' systems that have dedicated wireless channels for backhaul.

It's £30 because it's only 2.4GHz so it will be VERY slow but the OP said they weren't that bothered about speed.

 

[cheesyboy]

It's £30 because it's only 2.4GHz so it will be VERY slow but the OP said they weren't

What's your perspective of "very slow"?

I'm connected to my mesh system at 2.4ghz and getting 60Mbps, which is my full broadband speed.

 

[Kenai]

It's a 2x2 access point and it's using 1 of the channels to talk to the original transmitter and one to talk to the client. it can also use the second channel to talk to a second access point so it's a mesh. You do not have to manually switch the wifi because it's using the same SSID and password as the original transmission access point. That D-link website quote is wrong as most repeaters can also clone the SSID and password. But what D-link don't want you to dig into too deeply is how they handle the backhaul. In a PROPER mesh system there is a dedicated backhaul channel (or two in a 4x4 system) but there are very few 'mesh' systems that have dedicated wireless channels for backhaul.

It's £30 because it's only 2.4GHz so it will be VERY slow but the OP said they weren't that bothered about speed.

The netgear repeater I had did that too (cloned ssid) but it was still two separate networks being broadcast and devices had to disconnect from one to connect to the other, often not doing so automatically unless it completely lost signal from the one it was already connected to. Completely different experience to my current mesh setup.

This socket extender doesn't sound like it will operate as one seamless network as I would expect from a mesh WiFi product.

Maybe there's some discrepancy between proper networking terminology and how consumer grade stuff is marketed but I don't think this product will work as 'mesh' as its generally described in consumer terms.

From Netgear:

In some situations, users may desire to have the same wireless network name (SSID) on the extender and their main wireless router. Performance may vary when setting up the extender in this way. It is up to the individual wireless client device (PC, Ipad etc.) used to connect to the proper SSID, and it is possible that the wireless device may stay connected to the main router unless moving entirely out of its coverage area. In an ideal situation, each individual wireless device would connect automatically to the strongest signal, and to accomplish this, advanced setup may be needed for each individual device. Consult your operation manual to determine the best way to set up each device.

 

[TheVoice]

Really? British General is a trading name of Schneider Electric. They have copper and fibre networking and IoT subsidiaries and are very much a networking company. Just not a brand name that sells in the UK.

Let’s be frank here, it’s a 2.4GHz WiFi N repeater/mesh unit that clones the SSID from a source SSID. It’s never going to need a driver update and it’s only being used in the home so security isn’t a massive issue either. So if it works, what’s the beef? You and I both know the OP should just run a cable and add an access point, but they’re clearly happier spending £30 on this, so where’s the issue apart from brand snobbery?

You got shares in them or something?

I've read and heard too many stories of cheap wi-fi devices and "smart" home devices having terrible or generic components that cause more issues than they solve, or are simply not secure by default and by no means am I saying that's what this is, but that I'd sooner put the same sort of money towards a device made by a company with a name in networking rather than one who makes lightswitches.

 

[RexAlba]

Ive used a Belkin one for getting interweb to my TV for many years, plugged it in and forgot about it... just works but not sure how it would be for gaming etc.

Edit - scratch that sorry, didnt read original post properly... the one I use is wired using the buildings electrical cables to transmit the signal from one plugged in to my router and another plugged in near my TV.

 

[WJA96]

You got shares in them or something?

I've read and heard too many stories of cheap wi-fi devices and "smart" home devices having terrible or generic components that cause more issues than they solve, or are simply not secure by default and by no means am I saying that's what this is, but that I'd sooner put the same sort of money towards a device made by a company with a name in networking rather than one who makes lightswitches.

Again, I think you need to read up on who these guys are. They make the stuff that companies with names in networking sell under their “brands”.