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Thread: Help and advice on wifi boosters

  1. #1

    Help and advice on wifi boosters

    I am going round the bend. I have tried a repeater and now an extender (both from Amazon) to get the wifi range out to my outside office.

    We have sky and since they changed the router, the old repeater did not work. I just tried a wi fi extender that you just press the WPS button on the router and the extender and it clones the router and no joy. I have done it 5 times as per instructions and it is not working, I have even connected the router with the extender and still no joy.

    Whilst we have a Victorian house, the distance from the router to my outside office is no more than 10 meters and no solid walls.

    I was wondering what other people use to boost they wifi that actually works, I can not be bothered keep ordering different ones from Amazon. Maybe the solution is to get a super duper router?

    Any advice on whats is best to buy based on experience would really help.

    Rich

  2. #2
    Buy a mesh Wi-fi solution works much better, loads of options. Linksys, Orbi, BT Wholehome all good will remove your pain

  3. #3
    Master
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    Hi,

    We’ve a fairly modern 25yr old house, but was unable to get Wi-Fi out the back into the garden or conservatory, almost as though the walls were foil & lead lined.

    Like you, I went through a purchasing and returning unsuitable products with increasing frustration. I stopped looking for a while & just tethered the iPad to my phone.

    However a couple of years ago I purchased one of these, or very similar as I am not home presently.

    https://www.tp-link.com/uk/products/...A8730-KIT.html

    This seemed to make a huge difference to us & can now get Wi-Fi in the dead spots within the house and garden. Was very easy to set up and I’m not overly technical.






    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Master Skier's Avatar
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    I would suggest that the simplest solution COULD be a pair of Powerline Adapters with one having Wifi - for installation in the outside office. I say could be as it will depend on how the outside office is wired; is it through your main household distribution/RCD box? There are lots of them available and I'd suggest THESE.
    Last edited by Skier; 9th March 2019 at 14:06.

  5. #5
    Craftsman
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    All the extenders are hit and miss.

    Install a hard wired access point and never have trouble again.
    Basically a cat5 from the spare port of you're main router to your office then buy a WiFi enabled access point.
    Can even use an old spare router if you know how to set it up.

  6. #6
    Master
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    That’s what I did. House and office are about 10m apart (detached) but the WiFi signal was always poor and dropping out despite trying numerous boosters and extenders. In the end I ran a network cable which took a while drilling holes in walls etc but well worth the effort.

    I put my poor signal down to the foil backed insulation in the office and lead roof on the house.
    Last edited by benny.c; 8th March 2019 at 22:25.

  7. #7

  8. #8
    Master blackal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Skier View Post
    I would suggest that the simplest solution COULD be a pair of Powerline Adapters with one being having Wifi - for installation in the outside office. I say could be as it will depend on how the outside office is wired; is it through your main household distribution/RCD box? There are lots of them available and I'd suggest THESE.
    That would be my suggestion also.

  9. #9
    Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackal View Post
    That would be my suggestion also.
    +1

    I use power line adapters to connect from the router upstairs to the living room, then WiFi around the ground floor. WiFi on its own just didn’t cut it.

  10. #10
    Have you tried the sky WiFi extender? I have one I can post out if you want to give it a go. Drop me a pm.

  11. #11
    Master
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    After trying wi-fi extenders the BT Wholehome system works for us

  12. #12
    Master Pitch3110's Avatar
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    BT Wholehome, it’s life changing.

  13. #13
    Grand Master Seamaster73's Avatar
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    ...and free if you're on BT Plus.

  14. #14
    Grand Master Griswold's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seamaster73 View Post
    ...and free if you're on BT Plus.
    Is that BT Superfast Broadband Plus? Or something else?
    Best Regards - Peter

    I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.

  15. #15
    Grand Master Seamaster73's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Griswold View Post
    Is that BT Superfast Broadband Plus? Or something else?
    https://www.bt.com/broadband/plus/

  16. #16
    Grand Master Griswold's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seamaster73 View Post
    Thank you SM, that looks to be exactly what I've got so will contact them tomorrow - it isn't on the list of my benefits/options when I log into my account.
    Best Regards - Peter

    I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.

  17. #17
    Thanks for the recommendations chaps. Well I went for the BT Whole Home mesh system.

    Never thought I would spend that much but it’s amazing. Set up was so easy with the app and the light system to inform you of the signal strength made it easy.

    The office is perfect, wish I had not wasted my time with the cheap repeaters.

    Rich


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  18. #18
    Grand Master Griswold's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seamaster73 View Post
    I contacted BT and they tell me I can have a new smart hub and one disc - but they want to charge me £5/month for something they call 'Complete Wi-Fi' as opposed to Broadband Plus!
    Best Regards - Peter

    I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.

  19. #19
    Grand Master Seamaster73's Avatar
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    That means you're not on BT Plus, you're on bog standard BT Broadband. It's free with BT Plus. You need to work out which is cheaper: upgrading to a Plus contract, or just paying a fiver extra for it on your current one (or indeed just buying their whole home wifi yourself from the BT Shop). If you don't/can't benefit from the other Plus benefits like double data on all your family BT Mobile SIMs, it might not cost in.
    Last edited by Seamaster73; 12th March 2019 at 19:18.

  20. #20
    Grand Master Griswold's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Seamaster73 View Post
    That means you're not on BT Plus, you're on bog standard BT Broadband. It's free with BT Plus. You need to work out which is cheaper: upgrading to a Plus contract, or just paying a fiver extra for it on your current one (or indeed just buying their whole home wifi yourself from the BT Shop). If you don't/can't benefit from the other Plus benefits like double data on all your family BT Mobile SIMs, it might not cost in.
    Thanks again SM. I'm definitely on BT Superfast Fibre Plus. BT don't seem to be marketing Wholehome - the girl I spoke to had never heard of it, the option they're quoting me is: -

    Superfast Fibre Plus with Complete Wi-Fi

    The only difference being a home hub 2, (which, looking at the pics on their site is what I already have with Superfast Fibre Plus), and a single Wi-Fi Disc for an additional fiver a month. I already get their guaranteed mobile/wireless recovery system if my router or line fail; and double mobile phone data.

    Price for purchase looks rather expensive.
    Best Regards - Peter

    I'd hate to be with you when you're on your own.

  21. #21
    Master yumma's Avatar
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    +1 for Devolo plug in WLAN allowing you mains distribution to take WiFi signal. We have a Pilates Studio at the bottom of the garden and thanks to a Devolo device now get perfect WiFi down there.

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