You wifi repeaters they are a good option for expanding a home wireless network if your Internet connection leaves a lot to be desired. However, to get the best results, you need to keep a few factors in mind.
In this sense, the German manufacturer devolo presents the “bê-á-bá” of Wi-Fi repeater optimization to increase Wi-Fi performance at home. We thus have a total of four good tips to know how to install and take proper advantage of Wi-Fi repeaters.
1. Choose the correct distance in each house
First of all, when choosing a position for the repeater, we must take into account the following: the closest location is not automatically the best.
What does this mean?
Imagine a house where the home office is far from the router. Therefore, you have a poor Wi-Fi connection. Now, it’s easy to think that you should install the repeater in your home office.
However, there is a problem: if a WiFi repeater receives a weak signal, it can only resend a weak signal. In this home office example, the weak connection between the router and the repeater would speed up the online connection. Therefore, the repeater would hardly have any practical effect.
Instead, the general rule is simple.
A repeater should be placed midway between the router and the devices that will use Wi-Fi.. This means that it normally receives a sufficiently strong signal, capable of spreading.
Also, the repeater should be placed in the center if possible and should not be hidden, for example, in a corner of a room. Also, walls and furniture decrease the transmission capacity and thus weaken the Wi-Fi signal.
2. Unexpected interference factors in the Wi-Fi network
The fact that walls and ceilings slow down Wi-Fi is probably not a surprise to most people. However, it is often surprising to learn that other everyday objects are also among the natural enemies of stable Wi-Fi connections.
For example, microwaves, wireless computer accessories, and baby monitors are some examples of things that can interfere with Wi-Fi due to radio waves.
In fact, even water softens signals, and it doesn’t have to be water in a large home aquarium. In addition, the pipes, the central heating and even the pots and clotheslines with wet clothes. Everyone can prevent rooms from having good Wi-Fi reception.
3. Find the correct position for the Wi-Fi repeater
Therefore, due to these external factors, finding the ideal repeater location may take some time. In general, it is advisable to test different sites and evaluate the quality of the link.
For example, through speed test measurements at certain points. Here, with the latest generation repeaters from devolo, we are already quite comfortable in this regard.
In fact, on the front of the devices there is an LED screen that indicates the quality of the received signal, so that we can directly see the strength of the connection.
However, more technologically savvy users who want to know exactly this can also search the Internet and find various software solutions to generate Wi-Fi heatmaps.
Note that these are installed, for example, in a laptop to check the signal quality in various areas of the house and to mark wireless gaps in a plant.
4. The long distance alternative for better Internet
Finally, when placed correctly, Wi-Fi repeaters, such as the new devolo Wi-Fi 6 Repeater models, improve home Wi-Fi range and ensure significantly more stable and faster Wi-Fi coverage.
However, even these can reach their limits, especially if Wi-Fi is required on multiple floors. In these cases, devolo recommends using Powerline technology.
These adapters also work very easily from wall outlets. The difference with a repeater is that these adapters use the electrical network as a long data cable to communicate with each other.
In this way, the network signal can travel from floor to floor without being slowed down by ceilings or pipes. Then, at the destination, you can connect end devices as needed, either via cable or Wi-Fi.
This is how Powerline repeaters or Wi-Fi enabled adapters create the perfect custom home network.
After all, how does a repeater really work?
Installs easily with the push of a button
New Wi-Fi 6 standard
Wi-Fi mesh for seamless home networks
WPA3 and WPA2 encryption
Wi-Fi repeater for 2.4 and 5 GHz at speeds up to 5400 Mbps, 2×2 + 4×4 MIMO antenna configuration
Two gigabit ports for connecting network-enabled devices via Ethernet cable
Four-level signal indicator for optimal placement
Free devolo Home Network app with installation wizard and for setting up your devolo home network
desk box
Compatible with all Wi-Fi routers and Wi-Fi devices
We can briefly explain how a Wi-Fi repeater works.
First, the repeater receives the Wi-Fi broadcast by the router. This wireless signal is then returned by the repeater after being amplified.
This is the reason why repeaters are also often called wifi amplifiers. This extends the effective range of the router. A critical factor in the wireless speed and stability of this “Wi-Fi extension” is the quality of the connection between the router and the repeater.
This means that the best possible positioning is of fundamental importance in order to optimally expand the Wi-Fi router with a repeater.
