Wifi Range extender with Access Point mode

fwor

There are any number of Wifi range extenders on the market, but a lot of them have really vague descriptions when it comes to the detail.

What I'm trying to find is a range extender that will extend the existing dual-band Wifi coverage from the router at one end of my house to the other end of the house, using a wired Ethernet connection between the router and the extender - it's sometimes referred to as Access Point mode.

Plenty of products have an Ethernet port, but generally that's to connect a device at the far end, and not to connect the router to the extender.

Ideally I'd like it to use the same SSID and password to allow seamless movement between router and extender, and I'd prefer a UK-spec product so that (hopefully) it plays nicely with my neighbours' routers and doesn't screw things up for them! I don't really need any fancy mesh system - it's really just to cover one device that's a long way from the router (and which obviously doesn't have an Ethernet port).

Does anyone have any recommended products that they have actually used like this?

The_Fat_Controller

At my Thai property I have two Edimax devices being used as access points connected by ethernet and they are very good.
Amazon UK have this one which is UK spec, the Access Point mode is easily selected and WiFi can be renamed and channels set as your wish.
However, as it's not smart like a mesh system, if you name all the SSIDs the same you may find your device hangs on to the weaker signal depending how that device's priority list is set.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edimax-BR-6208AC-Wireless-Ethernet-Extender/dp/B00LP8PGS2/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=edimax+router&qid=1614064504&s=digital-text&sr=1-6

[Deleted User]

Worth having a look online for the instruction manual for any such repeaters you are researching to see if they have access point mode. I have an ASUS RP86 configured as an access point, it is dual band and quite configurable in terms of Wi-Fi settings. 

This TP link TL-WA1201 one is a bit cheaper as another suggestion.

Most routers can be configured to be used as access points if you have a spare one lying around.

As per the comment above, they don't always behave as expected because the client device needs to decide when to roam to the other access point and they tend to stick to the one they are on until the signal deteriorates to an unusable level. Mesh systems get around this by using a feature on the Wi-Fi access point that tells the device to disconnect when the signal reaches a specific threshold eg -70dbm so it will then find the strongest Wi-Fi when it tries to reconnect.

I chose my RP-86U specifically because it has roam assist in the config so it will suggest a disconnect to a device when the signal drops below -70dbm (or any other value as configured) and I have also set the same on my main Asus router to trigger roaming.

Seamless Wi-Fi roaming isn't perfect and if you are in the middle of a voice / video call on Wi-Fi then expect some disruption to the feed when the roaming occurs with all but the most expensive mesh systems.

I don't recommend the wall plug devices, they tend to end up being situated low down in a corner and behind things so it doesn't make for a good Wi-Fi signal.

Note that for my access point, I use different Wi-Fi channels for the access point to the main router to reduce interference but use the same SSID for all 5 channels (2x 2Ghz + 3x 5Ghz) that I have available in the house.

Mickey666

fwor said:

There are any number of Wifi range extenders on the market, but a lot of them have really vague descriptions when it comes to the detail.

What I'm trying to find is a range extender that will extend the existing dual-band Wifi coverage from the router at one end of my house to the other end of the house, using a wired Ethernet connection between the router and the extender - it's sometimes referred to as Access Point mode.

Plenty of products have an Ethernet port, but generally that's to connect a device at the far end, and not to connect the router to the extender.

Ideally I'd like it to use the same SSID and password to allow seamless movement between router and extender, and I'd prefer a UK-spec product so that (hopefully) it plays nicely with my neighbours' routers and doesn't screw things up for them! I don't really need any fancy mesh system - it's really just to cover one device that's a long way from the router (and which obviously doesn't have an Ethernet port).

Does anyone have any recommended products that they have actually used like this?

You don't really need a fancy device with an "Access Point mode", all you really need is the Access Point itself.  Paying for additional functionality such as an extender/repeater or mesh functionality is just a waste of money for your requirements.

 Have a look at the TP-Link Omada range of Access Points:  https://www.tp-link.com/uk/omada/

My router is tucked away in a comms cabinet so I disable its wifi functionality.   This is not a problem as there's no way it would cover my entire house anyway.   I'm fortunate to have Ethernet cabling throughout my house so I've used the 'wall-plate' access points in various rooms to give me total coverage anywhere in the house.  They blend in with wall sockets so are not noticeable and because they can be powered via PoE there is no need for those ugly black 'wall-wart' PSUs everywhere.  I also use one of their outdoor APs for wifi in the garden.

I have five of these APs in total, all set to the same SSID/password so moving around the house is seamless.  Each AP also supports a 'Guest' function, which allows internet access only, ie no access to anything on your home network.

Don't be put off by them describing Omada as a 'professional business system' because the prices are definitely consumer-level.  The basic 300Mbps wall-plate AP can be found online for around £35.  They are all UK-spec and shouldn't cause any problems with neighbouring wifi routers - not that I have any neighbours within range but the five APs I do have all seem to work together well.   I've been using these products for 2-3 years with no problems.

fwor

Thanks - I'll have a look at those later. I should have guessed that a supposedly simple requirement (just make the existing wifi coverage bigger without having to mess with meshes and SSID changes, etc) was not going to lead to a simple solution of one box that you just plug in!

Mickey666

If you read the Omada link I posted you'll see that's EXACTLY what those AP devices do.   Just run your Ethernet cable to wherever you want the new AP, plug it into the AP (with the other end plugged into your router), then after a bit of configuration (which you will have to do whatever you buy) hey presto, you have a new AP.  One box that you just plug in!

victor2

How big is your house? Maybe one decent router would give usable WiFi all over the house. If you are currently using your ISP provided router for WiFi, it can almost certainly be bettered. I recently switched my VIrgin supplied router to "modem only" and installed a single ASUS AC68U router. Good WiFi all over the house now, including previous "dead" spots. Buy from someone like Amazon and you can return the item for a refund if it doesn't solve your problem.

fwor

victor2 said:

How big is your house? Maybe one decent router would give usable WiFi all over the house.

Ideally that's what I'd like - straight line distance from the router is only about 25m, and the router is a PlusNet Hub One which has a fairly good reputation, but seems it's just too far. Moving the router from where it is would be a pain because it's at the centre of a star Ethernet network, put in years ago.

The annoying thing is that the product (a Move, by Sonos) was bought because I already have components by them (including a Boost, which is a wifi mesh extender), but the product cannot use their own mesh network! So the idea of having to add yet more components just to make it work properly is frustrating.

Thanks for the links - I'll take a look later.