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Extending my wi-fi
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Jun 29, 2022 17:06:58   #
Jack47 Loc: Ontario
 
I would like to extend my wi-fi to my back deck. I can get it there now but it is very weak. My router is about 30 feet away and has to go through three walls…..the last one with an open door. I did buy an extender from Amazon but it did nothing. Appreciate any suggestions from those who have conquered the problem. Thanks.

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Jun 29, 2022 17:18:09   #
fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM
 
Are you running the Wi-Fi at 2.4 or 5G? 5G doesn't go thru walls very well. 2.4 is much better at that.

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Jun 29, 2022 18:40:52   #
Jack47 Loc: Ontario
 
fredpnm wrote:
Are you running the Wi-Fi at 2.4 or 5G? 5G doesn't go thru walls very well. 2.4 is much better at that.


It’s 2.4.

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Jun 29, 2022 20:18:34   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
I got a mesh network. You get a router and you add repeaters to cover the needed area. I have two repeaters and they cover the house and chicken coop, total distance around 150 ft.

They're plug and play devices. You plug in the router to a modem with a Cat5 cable, then you just plug in the power on the repeaters. I did this a couple years ago and I think there are some setup steps but they were simple and even I managed to get the whole thing up and running in about 15 minutes.

It gives you a local network for printers and everything and the one I got has a secondary network which you can use to give guests access to internet but not your printer and maybe network drives.

There are several different brands out there. Costco sells one. Google has one. Amazon has one (or more).

It hangs occasionally, maybe once every 3-6 months. I just turn the router off and wait 10 seconds and turn it on again and the problem is solved.

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Jun 29, 2022 20:19:35   #
therwol Loc: USA
 
Jack47 wrote:
I would like to extend my wi-fi to my back deck. I can get it there now but it is very weak. My router is about 30 feet away and has to go through three walls…..the last one with an open door. I did buy an extender from Amazon but it did nothing. Appreciate any suggestions from those who have conquered the problem. Thanks.


I haven't had to do this recently. I've used wireless and power line repeaters. They both worked when they worked. I had to reset them a lot. The products available now may have improved things.

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Jun 30, 2022 05:39:30   #
bsmith52 Loc: Northeast Alabama
 
I agree with Dirt Farmer, mesh network. Has worked much better for me than extenders. Mesh overlaps the same strong signal throughout. Extenders can only push whatever signal it receives. If it receives weak, it extends weak.

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Jun 30, 2022 06:05:00   #
OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey
 
Try moving the router closer to the deck, higher sometimes helps. At times all it takes is a few feet, if that. I had the same issue, moved mine a couple feet. All is good.

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Jun 30, 2022 09:05:57   #
Daryls Loc: Waco, TX
 
DirtFarmer wrote:
I got a mesh network. You get a router and you add repeaters to cover the needed area. I have two repeaters and they cover the house and chicken coop, total distance around 150 ft.

They're plug and play devices. You plug in the router to a modem with a Cat5 cable, then you just plug in the power on the repeaters. I did this a couple years ago and I think there are some setup steps but they were simple and even I managed to get the whole thing up and running in about 15 minutes.

It gives you a local network for printers and everything and the one I got has a secondary network which you can use to give guests access to internet but not your printer and maybe network drives.

There are several different brands out there. Costco sells one. Google has one. Amazon has one (or more).

It hangs occasionally, maybe once every 3-6 months. I just turn the router off and wait 10 seconds and turn it on again and the problem is solved.
I got a mesh network. You get a router and you add... (show quote)



Another benefit of the mesh network over an extender is that your connection between the different mesh connections is seamless. You do not have to log in again as with the extenders. I have a mesh in my home (3,000 sq ft). It also works out in the back yard, front yard and garage without an issue. The signal is always strong.

Daryl

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Jun 30, 2022 09:08:29   #
Jack47 Loc: Ontario
 
Thanks all for the suggestions. I am checking out the mesh network.

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Jun 30, 2022 09:42:13   #
jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana
 
DirtFarmer wrote:
I got a mesh network. You get a router and you add repeaters to cover the needed area. I have two repeaters and they cover the house and chicken coop, total distance around 150 ft.

They're plug and play devices. You plug in the router to a modem with a Cat5 cable, then you just plug in the power on the repeaters. I did this a couple years ago and I think there are some setup steps but they were simple and even I managed to get the whole thing up and running in about 15 minutes.

It gives you a local network for printers and everything and the one I got has a secondary network which you can use to give guests access to internet but not your printer and maybe network drives.

There are several different brands out there. Costco sells one. Google has one. Amazon has one (or more).

It hangs occasionally, maybe once every 3-6 months. I just turn the router off and wait 10 seconds and turn it on again and the problem is solved.
I got a mesh network. You get a router and you add... (show quote)



Reply
Jun 30, 2022 09:49:40   #
dbjazz Loc: Long Island, NY
 
Consider a mesh system. I had two extenders that made little or no difference. With a mesh system, you will see a vast improvement.

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Jun 30, 2022 11:02:38   #
sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri
 
I've often wondered, "If electronic signals can go through walls, can they go through me too?" Perhaps this is why I lost my hair.😜

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Jun 30, 2022 12:13:31   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
sippyjug104 wrote:
I've often wondered, "If electronic signals can go through walls, can they go through me too?" Perhaps this is why I lost my hair.😜


Yes, they can go through walls and you, too*. Neglecting the fact that there exist naturally based electronic signals, the signals started to appear in the early 1900s with radio and television. They multiplied significantly when they started to be used for control of devices in addition to communication uses.

I have a photo of my 2great grandfather from around the 1870s. He was starting to lose his hair. I do not think it was due to electronic signals. Hair loss can be genetic, inherited from your maternal grandfather. So you have someone to blame.


* What can go through you is dependent on the frequency or wavelength of the electronic signals. Very low frequency signals (long wavelengths) can just go around you when the wavelength is the size of you or longer. Shorter wavelengths go through you until they reach the frequency/wavelength of your microwave oven, which is absorbed by materials containing water. The energy absorbed produces heat (which is why microwave ovens work). Your cell phone generally produces signals that go through you, but are partially absorbed by you. Those signals heat you up, but the heating is negligible, since the power in the signals is milliwatts or less (to preserve battery life). The signal from the local cell phone tower will be microwatts unless you are right next to the antenna. By comparison, your microwave oven will generate several hundred watts. The microwaves do not go through metal, which is why the window on your microwave is a metal screen. That keeps the microwaves inside, where they will heat your leftover pizza.

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Jun 30, 2022 13:36:08   #
bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada
 
Jack47 wrote:
I would like to extend my wi-fi to my back deck. I can get it there now but it is very weak. My router is about 30 feet away and has to go through three walls…..the last one with an open door. I did buy an extender from Amazon but it did nothing. Appreciate any suggestions from those who have conquered the problem. Thanks.

I'm running a D-Link AX1800 Whole Home MESH Wi-Fi 6 System. It nicely covers all 5000 sq.ft. of our house, has no problem with seven outside security cameras and also provides a good link to both a trailer and my observatory. I have absolutely no problem recommending this system!

bwa

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Jun 30, 2022 16:05:01   #
Jack47 Loc: Ontario
 
bwana wrote:
I'm running a D-Link AX1800 Whole Home MESH Wi-Fi 6 System. It nicely covers all 5000 sq.ft. of our house, has no problem with seven outside security cameras and also provides a good link to both a trailer and my observatory. I have absolutely no problem recommending this system!

bwa


Thanks for answering. Does the unit just consist of the base unit? I understood that most mesh routers consisted of multible units.

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