Best wireless router

[Yugguy]

I need an extender, are they all just the same off ebay or does anyone have a recommendation?

I'm guessing they simply extend though, where what I really want to do is hide the SID on the router, connect only the extender to that wireless network, then connect all my house devices to the extender network.

I guess for that I would really need a second router?

 

[clk320x]

I need an extender, are they all just the same off ebay or does anyone have a recommendation?

I'm guessing they simply extend though, where what I really want to do is hide the SID on the router, connect only the extender to that wireless network, then connect all my house devices to the extender network.

I guess for that I would really need a second router?

A better solution would be relocating your router to a more central position in the house.

 

[E53AMG]

Power line extenders work well...

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Codger49]

I replaced my BT Home Hub with a TP-Link AC1900 wireless modem router. Oomphier ones are available, but this one is fine for our needs, wifi now covers all of the house and no broadband drop outs.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N2LSLMH/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[PobodY]

I've also got TP-Link access point(s)0. - Virgin modem is in the cellar broadcasting on 2.4GHz and 5GHz, that's connected to a gigabit swtich, which has all the cat6 coming to it. There's then an access point under the stairs.

They're all using the same SSID, so in theory any device can seamlessly switch from one AP to the next. - In practice it seems to take a while to negotiate a connection, but I've got a pretty good spread across the channels so I don't have many conflicts with the neighbours.

 

[Gbrowncls55]

I have two Netgear extenders linked to the BT hub. As long as you initially connect to each ( they all use the hub password ) and remember them on devices they connect automatically. Only issue I have is that it will only switch source once the original signal is lost. So even a weak signal from one extender stops it switching to one with a stronger signal. Just selecting the strongest in settings solves this but it would be nice if devices automatically selected the strongest signal wherever in the house I was.

 

[Chrishazle]

I also gave upon wireless and got BT 1Gb powerline pass through adapters, the first plugged in behind the router and then others close to both PC's and the living room and dining room TV's for the BTTV Youview boxes. Previously the PC's were wireless with BT dual band wireless dongles to the BT Home Hub 5, but now they're much better via the powerline adapters. I got 2 cheap with my BTTV order, but got more cheaply from eBay.

I have 2 BT dual band wireless dongles cheap if you'd like them!!

 

[markjay]

You can also look at solutions based on Ethernet-over-Power, e.g. Divolo or TP-Link etc, and opt for the starter kit where the master is RJ45 and the slave is RJ45 plus WiFi Access Point (AP) - as long as you keep the SSID and password the same on both the original Router's AP and on the Ethernet-over-Power AP, the user experience will be near-seamless.

E.g.:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OZDO8RE/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[Chrishazle]

If you go Powerline, be careful to get 1Gb rather than 500 or 600Mb, and pass-through so you don't loose a power point - which may or may not cause you a problem.

 

[Brian k]

Yep, I’ll second that.
I have around 6 TP links Ethernet over power dotted around the 3 storey house. They run to my Bt home hub 5 and work very well. I’ve got sonos speakers, 4 x pc’s, 4 x smart tv’s, phones, kindles, iPads and all the usual gubbins. They all work well with little interference.
I think three of the tp links have Wi-fi access on them and they don’t seem to drop the signal until you are a way away. If you go that route just read the small print and watch the speeds quoted. Clearly the higher the speed then the more you pay.

 

[Chrishazle]

One minor wrinkle with powerline - they have to be on the same phase / consumer unit. I happen to have 3 phase supply and 3 consumer units in this house (no idea why, first house I've ever had with 3 phase instead of single phase) so had a bit of fun as the router is on one phase and the living room on another! Had to run an ethernet cable from the router through a wall to a power point and powerline adapter one side of the living room to link across to another powerline adapter at the power point behind the TV!

 

[Yugguy]

Thanks everyone for the advice, looks more complex than I first thought.

 

[Chrishazle]

Setting up Powerline is not complex - if I can do it, anyone can! I found that setting up the first adapter on the power point behind the router was easy, but I then had to plug the second (and all subsequent) adapters into the second power point behind the router and following the instructions to pair it before moving it to the power point where I actually wanted it and then connecting the ethernet cable from it to the PC or Youview box, job done.

 

[ShaunB]

I have two of these at home, they seem to work well for me.
BT 11ac WiFi Range Extender - AC 1200, Dual-band

 

[E53AMG]

If you go Powerline, be careful to get 1Gb rather than 500 or 600Mb, and pass-through so you don't loose a power point - which may or may not cause you a problem.

Wouldn't bother with 1Gb adapters, domestic mains cabling and broadband does not reach these speeds, if you need 1gb throughput only use Cat 6 cabling or above and commercial grade end to end Fibre not FTTC.

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[400ixl]

Extenders are yesterdays technology. Look at wireless mesh setups.

Get whole-home Wi-Fi coverage with one of these mesh network kits

 

[PobodY]

Extenders are yesterdays technology. Look at wireless mesh setups.

Get whole-home Wi-Fi coverage with one of these mesh network kits

That's sort of what I was trying to achieve with three access points all with the same SSID... but for less cost.