This article explains how Wi-fi extenders work. The functionality of Wi-Fi extenders and why they are used in a network setup is explained.
What is the use of Wi-fi extender
A Wi-Fi extender is used to extend the wifi signals in a location where the signal is weak or unavailable. This device amplifies the signal from the main router which is setup in a different location.
It should be noted that the Wi-Fi extender is used to boost the signal coming from a main device like the router. So the device should be placed in an area where the signal is good.
If placed in an area where the signal is unavailable , then the extender would not work and would be useless.
The following scenario explains two practical scenario where a Wi-fi extender is used and how it works.
How Wi-fi extender is used to increase W-Fi signal to a different room
Consider a home network where there is a wireless router which is installed at the main room. It is observed that the signals in the corner room is weak.
In this scenario, a Wi-Fi extender can be used in the corner room. The Wi-Fi extender is connected to the wireless router using the wireless medium. The signal from the wireless router is typically amplified using the extender and coverage provided in the corner room.
How Wi-fi extender is used to fix Wi-Fi dead zone
A Wi-Fi dead zone is an area in a wireless network where there is no wireless network signal. To solve this problem, a Wi-Fi extender can be used.
Lets take a scenario where there is a garden area at home. The garden area is a WI-Fi dead zone and there is no signal. To solve this problem, Wi-Fi extenders can be used.
The extender can be setup in a place where there is W-Fi signal which can then be boosted to the garden area. The ideal location would be an area between the area (where the main router is placed) where the signal is good and just outside the garden.
A WI-FI extender is a good and economical solution to boost wifi signals. But it has its own problems.
These devices use wireless channel for establishing the communication which may not be stable when compared with a wired solution like extending the cable or by using a powerful router.
To mitigate this problem, Wifi extenders with Ethernet Ports can be purchased. These devices have ethernet ports on them.
Instead of connecting the router and extender using wireless medium, you can use an Ethernet cable. This would create a stronger back bone network as compared with wireless communication.
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