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Improving the range

Bm
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎13-07-2016

Improving the range

In some areas of my house, the router is too far away and some devices have bad internet connection. How could I fix this?

2 REPLIES 2
jaread83
Community Gaffer
Community Gaffer
Posts: 3,438
Thanks: 2,336
Fixes: 81
Registered: ‎22-02-2016

Re: Improving the range

Hi @Bm, welcome to the Plusnet community.

To improve the wifi range in your home you have a few options.

1. update your router

2. create a powerline network

3. use wireless extenders

None of these options are free though. You can read about each of these options in this PC advisor article:

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/network-wifi/how-improve-wi-fi-in-home-wi-fi-extenders-vs-powerlin...

Personally, I have an 'N' wireless router and the range is massive and can get a signal at the end of my garden almost 50 meters away. I have used a powerline adaptor for devices like a wireless printer. How you set it up and how much you wish to spend is down to your own personal needs though.

Another thing to try if you want the most cost effective method, ensure your wireless router is in a central location in your home. Some of the other members here may have some other ways of extending your wireless signal so maybe they can also chip in Smiley

I hope this helps!

Frontend Web Developer | www.plus.net

If you have an idea to improve the community, create a new topic on our Community Feedback board to start a discussion about your idea.

chasfgr
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎27-11-2016

Re: Improving the range

Finally got VDSL fibre connected.

Found the range snags of the BTHomeHub, as rebadged by Plusnet.

As my old 803.11g MIMO used to cover the whole house @ between 3.8 - 6.4 Mbps my current readings are rubbish:-

Position 1 Ethernet or 803.11ac 52Mb/sec. All the rest are 803.11ac Position 2 (7.2 m away but two walls) 4.3Mb/sec Position 3 (12m and 1 wood floor away) 22.3Mb/sec. Position 5 (40m and 3 walls away) 2.9Mb/sec Position 6 50m and 4 walls away occasional contact up to 1.2Mb/sec.

I've left out upload speeds, all remarkably good @ 0.8 - 2.3Mbps

Suggestions please - the most expensive alternative of hard-wire will be about £290 and be certain - about the same cost as a mid-range VDSL/ADSL router which will be uncertain.

Powerline networking is noisy and unreliable - especially in a house built in 1723. Already have an extender in use for Position 6.

 

Solutions:-

1. Forget wireless - hard-wire ethernet Cat 7

2. Use up to 3 old wireless routers as bridges.

 

Of course Smart Setup doesn't help and there are many other routers which show advances over the HomeHub5