Wifi networks are essential today in many homes. They let us connect to the Internet when we are at home without using the data of our mobile operator or wired connections. However, in some homes it may be necessary to incorporate devices to improve WiFi coverage.
In the areas furthest from the router the WiF signal performancei is not always good and it may be interesting to purchase some additional equipment to optimize it. We are not talking about installing a second router but about betting on a signal extender or amplifier. Today, there are many that we can find in the market, the most popular being the three we are talking about today.
Signal extender
The simplest and cheapest way to improve the coverage of our network within the home is to install an extender or amplifier of the WiFi signal. It is enough to connect these small devices directly to an outlet in the house to amplify the signal of an existing WiFi network.
These devices work as a signal repeater. They detect the signal from our router and they amplify it to go further, thus expanding the coverage radius. It works like a bridge, capturing the Wi-Fi signal from the router and re-emitting it to areas where the signal is weak or directly non-existent.
The coverage range of the WiFi network can be extended through one or more wireless signal extenders, to cover remote areas of the router. It is a simple system whose performance, however, may vary depending on the electrical installation and interference. And whose maximum speed will be the one that the router's wireless interface is capable of managing, depending on the quality of the device, up to 50 percent of the original bandwidth may be lost.
PLC adapters
PLC adapters with WiFi are also very simple systems to install. They use the electricity grid from home to take the connection to other places away from the router, avoiding that we have to place long Ethernet cables, as well as speed and quality losses.
They consist of a first PLC adapter that connects to the operator's router via Ethernet and different nodes or satellite adapters scattered around the rooms. The main adapter sends the data signal through the electrical cables of the house to the different rooms of the house. Once there, the satellite PLC adapter with WiFi capabilities, connected to the power outlet, collects the data signal and establishes a wireless access point to which our devices such as mobiles, computers will connect ... In addition, they also offer integrated Ethernet ports for connect equipment by cable.
They have certain advantages over extenders: they hardly lose speed and they are more stable; but they are more expensive than these.
WiFi Mesh network systems
They are the evolution of WiFi extenders. More complex equipment with multiple nodes capable of communicating with each other that automatically manage the Wi-Fi network and connect you to the most suitable or faster network at all times.
The system consists of a main node that is connected by cable Ethernet to the router and that communicates wirelessly with the rest of the satellite nodes, creating a uniform WiFi network between all of them with the same parameters and passwords.
Wifi mesh networks calculate which node / satellite it is best to connect to at any given time based on the status of other nodes, connected devices, signal strength and many other factors, in a completely transparent way to the user. It thus becomes a system much more stable and faster than extenders or PLCs, but also more expensive.
Did you know these systems for improve WiFi coverage of your home? They are especially useful in long and narrow houses, as well as in those with more than one floor. Take a look at each of them, compare different options and choose the most suitable for your home.