WiFi Range Extender - WiFi Booster
credit- Netgear
Fig - AX1800 WiFi Mesh Extender (EAX20)
What is a Wi-Fi extender? The focus of our conversation will be on this subject. A Wi-Fi extender, as the name suggests is what extends the range of a wireless signal from a Wi-Fi router. It acts like a bridge between a Wi-Fi router and a Wi-Fi device that is outside the range over the Wi-Fi router's signal. The Wi-Fi extender first connects to an existing Wi-Fi network, once it's connected, it then acts like a wireless access point for Wi-Fi devices to connect to.
So as an example, most people who have internet service in their home will most likely have a Wi-Fi router that will broadcast a wireless signal throughout their home so that their wireless devices can have internet access. But sometimes there might be issues where the wireless signal is not strong enough to cover the entire house. For example, the Wi-Fi router is in the living room. Now if you have a wireless laptop that's connected to the routers, Wi-Fi in the same room as the Wi-Fi router, the signal is obviously going to be very strong, since it's close to the router. But as you move further away from the router, the wireless signal will not be as strong. So in another room, the signal becomes weaker, but you will still be connected and still have internet access. And also in the kitchen is the same result, the signal is not as strong, but you can still access the internet. So reaching the wireless signal in these two areas is not necessarily a problem. However, if you were to try to access the wireless signal from the furthest distance in the house, the wireless signal is going to be very weak or the signal may not reach at all. The main reason for this is obviously the distance because as you get further away from the Wi-Fi router, the signal weakens. Another reason is the building structure because as a wireless signal broadcasts, the signal gets weakened as it goes through walls and floors in a building.
One way to solve this problem could be to reposition the Wi-Fi router to a different location in the house, such as moving it closer to the center. But this could be an issue, especially if you have wire devices that are connected to the router, or if you have a connected modem that can't be moved and needs to stay in its original location. But there is another way to solve this. This is by using a Wi-Fi extender. The Wi-Fi extender will connect to the wireless signal and extend the distance of the wireless signal so it can reach further distances. So the Wi-Fi extender will connect wirelessly to the Wi-Fi router's signal. And then once it's connected, it will broadcast its own wireless signal all throughout this home.
Keep in mind the Wi-Fi extender is not strengthening or amplifying the router signal. It's actually broadcasting its own signal, but it's getting its internet access from the router. So for example, this router broadcasts a wireless signal with a name that's customizable. And this name is called the SSID or service set identifier. So let's say that the owner called the wireless signal 'Magnificent' and the Wi-Fi extender is also going to broadcast a signal with its own SSID or name. Now a lot of times when you're hooking up a Wi-Fi extender, the extenders Setup Assistant may name itself as the same SSID as the routers but with a name added at the end. So for example, as I said before the router's SSID is called Magnificient and then once the extender is configured and hooked up to the router, it may call itself Magnificient ext. So if we open up the laptop, and then scan for wireless networks in the area, we'll see the router's Wi-Fi signal called Magnificient and the Wi-Fi extender signal called Magnificient ext. The router's Wi-Fi signal is very weak, but the Wi-Fi extender signal is very strong. So the laptop will connect to the Wi-Fi extender signal. Then once it's connected, it's able to access the internet. Any device that connects to the Wi-Fi extenders signal will be able to access the internet.