This isn’t ideal for large-scale operations, such as when you need access to your network in a neighboring building but can’t run wiring to it. For example, a lot of routers have “bridge mode,” and even your Windows PC can be used as a network bridge. While dedicated network bridges are available for sale, you probably already have a device in your home that can be turned into a network bridge. The Philips Hue Bridge that connects that ecosystem’s smart lighting network-which is based on Zigbee technology-to a Wi-Fi network. The $17 axGear Network LAN Bridge is an inexpensive way to connect an out-of-range smart device to your home Wi-Fi network. One of the most common bridges you’ll encounter in a smart home is axGear This is ideal when you have multiple devices on different networks that need to be on the same network. “Bridging” is also a networking term used to describe connecting two different networks together, creating a “bridge” between them, making them work as a single network. If you have the option to set up a wired access point with a wired extender, you should definitely go that route (or invest in a mesh network).

That’s better than being stuck with a wireless dead zone in any area of your home, but you will experience noticeably slow data-transfer speeds and higher latency. Because the repeater must use the same radio to receive data from your wireless router and send data to your wireless router, it effectively cuts your Wi-Fi network’s bandwidth in half. Unlike a Wi-Fi extender, a Wi-Fi repeater works by connecting to the base station (your router) wirelessly and it then rebroadcasts and amplifies that signal.

The Hawking Hi-Gain Outdoor 2.4GHz Wireless-300N Dual Radio Smart Repeater is built for outdoors, so you can extend your Wi-Fi network to your yard as well as other parts of your home.Ī Wi-Fi repeater, as with a Wi-Fi extender, aims to bring Wi-Fi coverage to areas of your home that otherwise wouldn’t have any, but it does so in a different way. Michael Crider/IDGĪ Netgear Wi-Fi extender. There are wireless extenders available, but those are essentially just repeaters, which I’ll explain next. At that point, you might want to reconsider and buy a mesh Wi-Fi sytem instead. And depending on the size of your home, you might need to add several Wi-Fi extenders around your house to completely blanket your home with Wi-Fi. The part of the extender system that plugs into your router needs to be relatively close to the router. With a wireless extender setup, location matters.

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