Extending Sky wireless BB range
Strena
Posts: 50 Forum Member
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Hi all.
My wireless BB range is a bit iffy in a couple of rooms in my house and I want to extend it. I've seen a couple of products on the netgear site - one you plug into the existing router and one into an electrical socket (http://www.netgear.co.uk/home_wireless_network_extenders.php).
Can anyone explain the differences and benefits/cons of these two systems? Has anyone managed to extend the range of the wireless BB successfully?
Thanks!
My wireless BB range is a bit iffy in a couple of rooms in my house and I want to extend it. I've seen a couple of products on the netgear site - one you plug into the existing router and one into an electrical socket (http://www.netgear.co.uk/home_wireless_network_extenders.php).
Can anyone explain the differences and benefits/cons of these two systems? Has anyone managed to extend the range of the wireless BB successfully?
Thanks!
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Comments
As to the other one, unless you actually need WiFi in that room you may want to look at just using Homeplugs with Ethernet rather than WiFi. You will get better performance.
Having said all that, before you go spending money, try using a tool like inSSIDer to ensure that you aren't getting interference from neighbours' WiFi.
The range extender wireless access point requires you to have an ethernet cable from your existing box to the place the range extender is installed. Homeplug works through the electrical wiring of your house, so doesn't require you to run an Ethernet cable.
I've used Homeplug successfully with the Sagem router. The speed isn't as fast as a direct connection, but it's OK for all practical purposes (including, for example, BBC iPlayer). In my case the electrical wiring route is tortuous as the house is the result of a conversion where two houses have been made into one, with completely separate fuseboxes preserved. It copes with that no problem.
The one issue I have had is that sometimes (not always) the router doesn't pick up on the fact that a device has moved from a direct connection to the router to a connection through the Homeplug link. This can be a problem with something like an iPhone where moving it around is kind of the point. But apart from that, it's very successful.