Wi-Fi range extender

GreasyDiablo88 · 16 Nov 2013 at 17:33

Can anyone recommend a decent wi-fi range extender please? My PC is in my attic and the router is on the bottom floor. I'm currently using a TP-Link N600 USB adapter and it works but it only gives me, on average, 3 bars of wi-fi signal.

mikeo · 16 Nov 2013 at 22:41

Have you considered Powerline adaptors? (EG. http://www.dlink.com/uk/en/home-solutions/connect/powerline). These work very well and you can even get ones with a built in WAP. I've used the D-link ones for a couple of years now and the data transfer rate is pretty reasonable.

GreasyDiablo88 · 16 Nov 2013 at 22:51

I have but the plug sockets in my attic are situated in rather unfortunate places to say the least which is why I'm looking into range extenders

mikeo · 16 Nov 2013 at 23:01

OK.

But could not this still be an option?
http://www.dlink.com/uk/en/home-sol...11av-powerline-av-500-wireless-n--starter-kit

You can either configure the wireless extender to broadcast with your existing SSID, or allow it to set up a new wireless network (like I did last week). Works great. Strong signal and no drop outs, or other problems.

PS. I've not had a lot of luck with wireless extenders (IE. devices that just re-broadcast the original wireless signal). Just depends if you can find a position to plug one in that overlaps the existing wireless signal well enough to then be able to re-broadcast it strongly/reliably enough.

GreasyDiablo88 · 16 Nov 2013 at 23:04

The sockets in my attic are right on the floor so because of how the pins on the adapters are set near the top of the device then there's no way I'd be able to plug one in up there unless it was plugged into an extension lead

mikeo · 16 Nov 2013 at 23:16

GreasyDiablo88 said:
The sockets in my attic are right on the floor so because of how the pins on the adapters are set near the top of the device then there's no way I'd be able to plug one in up there unless it was plugged into an extension lead

Fair enough. I can now see your problem.

As to using an extension lead... as far as I'm aware, the "potential" issue / problem/s with this, is if you plug other devices into the extension lead (possible interference!?). There can also "potentially" be a drop in transfer rate.

TBTH. If you just plugged a short extension lead into your socket (with no other devices on it) I can't personally see there should be a problem. Especially if this is just to support Internet access (though depends if you have a Fibre connection I suppose). But even then, I suspect the latest 500Mbps devices will be fine. Though you never achieve anywhere near this data transfer rate anyway.

If it was me... I'd just get a pair of Poweline adaptors and just plug you PC into the Ethernet connection in then (forget wireless). This should give you a much faster and more reliable connection than any wireless signal would.

PS. Even if you had to plug one into the same extension lead as your PC, I'm betting it would work just fine.

GreasyDiablo88 · 16 Nov 2013 at 23:30

The reason I didn't go for the plugs before was because I was told that plugging them into an extension lead would be a bad idea but now you've mentioned a single extension lead purely for the plug we could be onto something... Cheers mate!