Wifi Extenders for Sky Broadband

LouiseAH

I was thinking about subscribing to Sky Broadband Boost Service but after reading about the 3mb guarantee I think I would be better to buy a Wifi Extender. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced one that's easy to set up with a Sky Router as I am not a techie.

[Deleted User]

I'd love to just paste a link and say buy this one but unfortunately I wouldn't be doing you any favours without knowing more about your current setup to narrow down a product that will help - so a few questions:

1. What are the problems you are having with WiFi - eg which devices, where in the house? Give a feel for the layout of the house and where the Wi-Fi problems are occurring - you might need more than one extender so this is all useful info.

2. What do you use the internet for?

3. Is your current router located in a good position to give best coverage - eg in an open space, away from solid objects, high up, central in the house?

4. Do you have any data such as speed tests to help articulate the problem you are having?

5. What is your budget for improving your home network?

LouiseAH

[Deleted User] said:

I'd love to just paste a link and say buy this one but unfortunately I wouldn't be doing you any favours without knowing more about your current setup to narrow down a product that will help - so a few questions:

1. What are the problems you are having with WiFi - eg which devices, where in the house? Give a feel for the layout of the house and where the Wi-Fi problems are occurring - you might need more than one extender so this is all useful info.

2. What do you use the internet for?

3. Is your current router located in a good position to give best coverage - eg in an open space, away from solid objects, high up, central in the house?

4. Do you have any data such as speed tests to help articulate the problem you are having?

5. What is your budget for improving your home network?

1) The only problem is one bedroom in the house which is furthest away from the router.
2) Its used for Netflicks and online gaming but the problem bedroom is only used for netflicks.
3)Router is in best position I can have it.
4) No speedtests but speed is okay except for problem bedroom.
5) Budget max £150.00.

JJ_Egan

First try moving the router around , the higher the better .

Second change the wifi channels to 1 6 or 11 see if it helps ,

[Deleted User]

So there are a few options for you.

1. Ethernet wire to the bedroom - I always put this as number one option as it is the most solid way of distributing the internet around the house but depends on whether the device in the bedroom has an ethernet connection and whether you want to install a cable but it will be the cheapest and most reliable.

2. A wifi extender that is placed about halfway between the bedroom and the main router, something like the following is easy to set up and I've used the same model so can vouch for it in terms of performance. £60 ish
https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing-accessories/networking/wifi-range-extenders/tp-link-re450-wifi-range-extender-ac-1750-dual-band-10136364-pdt.html

There are a whole range of devices similar to above ranging from £15 - £150 so you can have a look at reviews of similar products or somebody else on the forum might be able to recommend an alternative.

The reason I say place halfway between main router and the bedroom is because if you plug the above into a socket in the bedroom it will still only receive a weak wifi signal. Even though the new signal from the extender will be strong, it will still be limited in speed by the weakest part of the link, so the idea is that you place the extender where it can still get a good signal from the main router and is close enough to the bedroom to extend the range of the wifi - so maybe place it in a socket on the upstairs landing for example.

3. Powerline ethernet adaptors - if the device in the bedroom can use a wired ethernet connection, you have the option of using such a device but they can be hit an miss as to whether they work with the electrical system in your house so I'm not recommending one but putting it out there as an option.

4. If you had problems in many rooms around the house I would have suggested an upgrade to a mesh wifi system but it sound like only one device is having an issue so probably not worth the spend on such a system.

I'm guessing it is a TV that is having issues? Another similar thread on the Techie forum about a bedroom based TV. In my experience TV's are not so good with Wifi connectivity even when placed where other devices are working ok.