Wi-Fi Range Extender: Why Choose Them and How to Install Them

 

From TP-Link Italy

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Nowadays we are more connected than ever: at work, outdoors, on the road, at home ... it is above all here within the home walls that we make full use of the spaces - perhaps by creating a workplace or study - Enjoying a stable wireless connection in every room can present difficulties. In this guide, we will see how to overcome them with the help of a versatile and intuitive tool: the Wi-Fi Range Extender.

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Let's consider the case of a small house / apartment in which the Wi-Fi signal of the router or modem router cannot reach a well-defined area of ​​the house, perhaps the one where we want to place our work station! A quick solution to strengthen the signal emitted by the source device is the Wi-Fi Range Extender .

 

 

What is a Wi-Fi Range Extender and how does it work?

The Wi-Fi Range Extender is a signal repeater that placed halfway between the area to be covered and the source router extends its wireless coverage. It can be plugged into any power outlet, but in order for it to work properly, you need to place it where the signal of the source device is of good quality. If we position the device where the router signal is weak, we will have the result of repeating a weak and unstable signal.

 

How to install a Wi-Fi Range Extender?

Installing a Wi-Fi Range Extender is very simple:

1. plug your Range Extender into an outlet near the router 
2. if the router is equipped with a WPS button, you can replicate the network encryption settings on the Range Extender by simply pressing the router's WPS button and the extender's WPS / RE button in succession. If the router does not have a WPS button, you can synchronize the two devices via the web interface or the TP-Link Tether app for Android and iOS.
3. once the two devices are synchronized, you can move the Range Extender where you need it, checking that the signal from the router is of good quality. All Range Extender models are equipped with a bright LED that detects the signal strength to help you find the point where you can get the best results ( Blue - Good signal / Red - Weak signal).

 

 

What devices can I connect to a Wi-Fi Range Extender?
Any type of wireless device can be connected: up to 8 clients for Range Extenders that support 2.4Ghzband only, up to 32 clients (16 in 2.4GHz + 16 in 5GHz) for Dual Band models. Extenders with a LAN port also allow the connection of wired devices such as smart TVs and desktop PCs. Where it is necessary to connect multiple wired devices simultaneously (no more than 3/4), it is possible to multiply the available LAN ports by connecting a 5-port Ethernet Switch.

 

 

Can I add multiple Wi-Fi Range Extenders to my network?
It is not recommended to install more than one Range Extender in conjunction with the Router, in fact, they are stand-alone devices which, although connected to each other, generate two distinct networks. Take for example a smartphone: walking from one room to another in your home, the first covered by the router signal and the second covered by that of the extender, you may experience disconnections due to the fact that the smartphone, disconnecting from the router network, it takes a few seconds before hanging up on the extender and vice versa.

In the presence of numerous Range Extenders, devices connected to the network may be in difficulty recognizing which extender to connect to, causing delays and disconnections. That's why we recommend the use of a single Range Extender in small/medium-sized homes or in open space environments with few physical obstacles to the propagation of the signal. If you need an extended wireless network in multiple environments, it is better to aim for a Wi-Fi Mesh Deco System.

 

Discover the full range of TP-Link Range Extenders.