Getting WiFi to rear of property

[CoolHands]

Righto people what’s the skinny? My WiFi router / internet point is right at the front of the property and I want to put telly in the rear of the property with Netflix etc. currently the WiFi doesn’t manage it well, can occasionally reach but is very patchy.

What’s the solution these days? I’ve had a netgear wifi extender in the past (it plugs into a socket and has little aerials) but to be honest it’s highly irritating- you have to choose to join it’s wifi not your router. Then sometimes your device forgets etc anyway it’s st I’m hoping these days there something better?

[Richard-D]

I use a couple of powerline adaptors. Some people find they are fussy with which circuit they are used on but I've used them with no issues to link across separate consumer units. You can set them up to clone the information of your router so your kit doesn't know the difference.

[Mr MXT]

I use a bt router and 3 bt Wi-Fi discs to extend to my garden office.

[malks222]

used power line adapters previously, they were ‘ok’, sometimes the wifi signal wasn’t a bit dodgy if you were in an overlap between sockets/ adapters.

moved into a new house over a year ago, internet cable was brought through the wall in the back corner of the property, so decided to buy a ‘mesh wifi’ system. now with increased working from home, bigger property footprint, wanting a proper solution, we got the ‘eero 5’ router and extenders. it’s been absolutely brilliant, solid wifi throughout the house, even up into the attic conversion, and down to the front door ring doorbell (we’re an upper maisonette). felt pricey when buying it (maybe £150?!) but zero regrets! would highly recommend a proper ‘mesh wifi’ system, and so far thumbs up for the eero system too

[CoolHands]

Hmm thanks all,

Re: mesh anyone know if I can just get the single eero 6 extender, (140m2) and that works with my current router?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/eero-6-extender/dp/B0B82Y...

£100
Don’t like reading all this junk :/ eg I don’t know if I need the router + extender or not.

Edit it seems they recommend replacing your router with theirs too, for better compatibility so that is £180 total which is quite pricey! Maybe I’ll run a cable (£15) from the entry point and try and place my router in the middle of the property!

Edited by CoolHands on Saturday 7th December 19:33

[danb79]

We use a Deco Mesh system for our house (VM router is in my office (back of house downstairs); wife's office is front of house upstairs, so needed to get it extended to the whole of the house

Zero issues; wifi is strong everywhere now and never drops

VM router set to modem mode etc

This looks like the latest version:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Deco-S4-3-pack-Be...

[Magnum 475]

Are you able to run a Cat 5 / Cat 6 cable? Wired will always be better than WiFi, and if you’re connecting something that doesn’t move, cable is the best option. I’ve done this in my last 3 houses- cable to devices that don’t move, and cabled ceiling mounted access points for WiFi. It does mean lifting floorboards (but I was doing that anyway to install new mains cables), but the outcome is totally reliable networking throughout the house.

[skeeterm5]

Who is your broadband supplier?

I am with EE and when I told them I had a dead spot in the house they sent me an additional Wi-Fi extender. It uses the same SSID as the router so no need to change as I walk around the place.

[OutInTheShed]

In my old house I found a TPLink Range Extender did the job for about £15.
I plugged it into my PC via ethernet and plugged into the mains a bit nearer the router.
As well as connecting my PC, it relayed to other devices.

You can also ethernet them to the router an create an Acess Point neaer the back of the house.
Or just plug them in halfway down the house, to relay the signal.

We now have ethernet from the router to the TV, which 'just works'.


I used to use an old router as an access point, wired to the router/modem, but it seems my latest 'old router' doesn't allow that config.
Ebay is awash with used Sky routers which are no good as APs, which is a shame because that would have been a cheap solution.

[NaePasaran]

Magnum 475 said:

Are you able to run a Cat 5 / Cat 6 cable? Wired will always be better than WiFi, and if you’re connecting something that doesn’t move, cable is the best option. I’ve done this in my last 3 houses- cable to devices that don’t move, and cabled ceiling mounted access points for WiFi. It does mean lifting floorboards (but I was doing that anyway to install new mains cables), but the outcome is totally reliable networking throughout the house.

I went with TP Link Deco and partial cable.

Router to Deco A cat6, Deco A to Deco B cat 6 (length of cable, rj45 connectors and crimps from eBay, run outside the house utilising existing holes that were in place for aerials etc). Wireless bridge between Deco B and Deco C trying to get them as close as possible. Cat 6 from Deco C to PC.

Adding the cable increased performance by over 100% so definitely worth doing.

[Paul Drawmer]

Magnum 475 said:

Are you able to run a Cat 5 / Cat 6 cable? Wired will always be better than WiFi, and if you’re connecting something that doesn’t move, cable is the best option. I’ve done this in my last 3 houses- cable to devices that don’t move, and cabled ceiling mounted access points for WiFi. It does mean lifting floorboards (but I was doing that anyway to install new mains cables), but the outcome is totally reliable networking throughout the house.

As above.
Cable for fixed. WiFi for stuff that gets moved.

[AB]

danb79 said:

We use a Deco Mesh system for our house (VM router is in my office (back of house downstairs); wife's office is front of house upstairs, so needed to get it extended to the whole of the house

Zero issues; wifi is strong everywhere now and never drops

VM router set to modem mode etc

This looks like the latest version:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Deco-S4-3-pack-Be...

My recommendation too.

[bazza white]

AB said:

danb79 said:

We use a Deco Mesh system for our house (VM router is in my office (back of house downstairs); wife's office is front of house upstairs, so needed to get it extended to the whole of the house

Zero issues; wifi is strong everywhere now and never drops

VM router set to modem mode etc

This looks like the latest version:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Deco-S4-3-pack-Be...

My recommendation too.

3rded, actually only use 2 in our house still have a spare in the box

[Some Gump]

I used to use a tplink with the aerials, but also had fun with computer / tablet not picking the rogjt one, or changing mid stream and whatnot.

have just got an eero5, which uses our echo dot and echo as further nodes, whole house and garden coverage.

Missed black friday now, but an echo dot at 22.50 makes for a very cheap range extender! (You need an eero mesh, they don 't support rival brands).