When the Internet coverage at home is not optimal and we need to improve it, it is usual to bet on adding a new antenna that amplifies the connection. This device can be a Wi-Fi repeater or a complementary access point to our router's network. We are going to see how to choose a wireless access point for the home and what aspects must be taken into account..
Index
Preliminary aspects
The Wi-Fi repeater
Complementary or substitute access point for the one provided by the router
. Where are we going to install it?
Preliminary aspects
The first thing we must take into account is the connection standard offered by the new antenna. WiFi AC is the current one, since it allows the connection of dual band in 2.4 and 5 gigahertz (GHz). It is very important to choose an antenna with these characteristics.
wireless wifi repeater
We must be clear about what we are looking for with the new antenna. If what we are looking for is simply a repeater, what it will do is pick up the signal that reaches it at that point and extend it further . This implies that if what we want is to improve the speed as well as the connection, this option will not be appropriate. The big advantage is that the only thing this device needs to work is a plug.
The repeater is used to bring Wi-Fi to a side of the house that now does not have it, but the connection speed will continue to be quite poor. Suppose that the point where we place the device reaches 50 megabits per second: it will extend them in a circular way from that location, increasing coverage in areas of the house that they did not have. However, as you get further away, the speed decreases. It would be useful to have a connection in the kitchen if we put it there, for example, but if what we are looking for is to watch streaming series before going to sleep, it will not work well.
Complementary or substitute access point
If we are looking for a complementary access point to the one we already have, we are going to need a network cable that connects both devices. We have to configure the same SSID of the Wi-Fi network already available, that is to say: the same name of the wireless network that is published, with the same password and the same type of encryption. Thus we will have a single wireless connection but with two antennas that emit the signal. The devices will connect to one or the other depending on which is stronger in each area of the house..
In this case, for it to work optimally, it is important that both access points occupy separate transmission channels . For example, one on channel d2 and another on channel 7. In this way the signals do not overlap. It is much better to set it manually than to leave it automatic on both devices.
Where do we install the wifi repeater or access point?
When installing the device, we must be clear about the necessary infrastructure for its installation . As we mentioned before, a repeater will only need a plug, since it captures the Wi-Fi signal and extends it, while an access point will need an ethernet cable to reach , in addition to power supply, to the point where we want to locate it.
As for the location, since most of the antennas are omnidirectional (they extend the signal in a circular way), the more centered they are in the plane of our house, the better. It may be that in the place where we want to locate the antenna there is no plug available. In these cases, we can use an antenna powered by PoE . With this technology, it is the network cable itself that would carry the electrical current, in addition to the data, for the gadget to work..
If we cannot carry a network cable we can always use PLC devices . With these devices, data is transmitted through electrical current. We would need two: we place one near the router and connect it by cable to it, and the other, at the point of the house that we want.
Lastly, an important aspect should be the ease of configuring these devices, especially if we are not expert network users. It is necessary to investigate a little to find out the management possibilities that they offer us and if we will be able to take care of ourselves following the instructions. Sometimes the difficult thing is to access the router, since sometimes it is the users themselves who have never touched said configuration.
Image | flickr
