WiFi Range Extenders?

[Hawkmoon]

Anybody use one or know anything about them?

My DSL modem is in a room (office converted from bedroom) at one end of the house. It's a Netgear modem provided by the telephone company. It has wireless networking, but the signal is poor at the other end of the house, and I sometimes want (if not need) to use a notebook computer at the far end of the house. And I would like to be able to use one in the basement, which currently doesn't get a usable signal.

Netgear has a couple of range extenders in the $40 ballpark. I'm interested.

• If the range extender is used wireless, does it still use the security code for the DSL modem, or is the extender coded to the DSL modem and then devices use a separate code to connect to the range extender
• The ones I'm looking at each include a LAN port. If a notebook computer is connected to the extender through the physical port, do I need to enter a security code?

[HeroHog]

I use a NETGEAR WN2000RPTV2 WiFi extender that doubles as a hardwire hub. It is in my office room and used to run my printers and scanner without needing wires or to buy wireless devices.



It will probably have it's own unique ID and PW like mine does. Newer versions, who knows?

Like I said, Mine does what you want very well. I love it!

[RevDisk]

Bit offtopic, but I highly recommend completely ignoring consumer WiFi gear these days. Enterprise grade APs are getting pretty cheap these days, and the difference is night and day. Open Mesh used to be a lot cheaper, but even at $80 (half that for obsolete models on eBay), it's hilarious to compare them to any consumer off the shelf device. Unless you have a very large house or walls made out of concrete/brick/steel, a single Ubiquiti access point will cover your entire house.

Also, generally do not recommend using any WiFi built into your modem. Separate hardware is better. Keep it up to date with the latest firmware. One reason for my annoyance at consumer hardware is that they tend to be the majority of botnets these days and get infected all the bloody time. When your WiFi is no longer supported by the manufacturer, toss it and get another.

End of rant. To answer your questions:

1) Depends on model, but either is possible. With consumer gear, you're better off coding the extender to your DSL Modem's SSID (fancy term for wifi network) and then having a separate SSID for your new wireless network.
2) Depends on model, but yes, it is possible to do so. No code is necessary because ethernet doesn't typically come with passwords.

Remember, your speed drops in half for every hop you make.

[lee n. field]

a single Ubiquiti access point will cover your entire house.

Last time I messed with an Ubiquiti Picostation, there was a setting on one of the config pages where you could crank the power. That may not still be the case.  I have a vague recollection that they were now enofrcing US legal power levels.

Routers with DDWRT firmware also have adjustable power level.

[Ben]

If it were me, I'd get a router instead (it sounds like you only have the modem?) and use that to, as Rev said, separate your hardware, and also bypass having to set up APs. Personally, unless you really have the need for them, I avoid the hassle of APs.

I can pick my current router up on my phone nearly 1/4 mile away (through one wall). There's a herd of modern routers out there with strong WiFi.

[roo_ster]

Think hard on a directional antenna.  I have two directionals and one omni on my router.  I get signal all through the house and on all my (admittedly small) property.

Also, what Rev wrote.

[HeroHog]

Google directional antennas for WiFi. Ridiculously easy to rig up VERY effective ones for peanuts!

[Hawkmoon]

If it were me, I'd get a router instead (it sounds like you only have the modem?) and use that to, as Rev said, separate your hardware, and also bypass having to set up APs. Personally, unless you really have the need for them, I avoid the hassle of APs.

I can pick my current router up on my phone nearly 1/4 mile away (through one wall). There's a herd of modern routers out there with strong WiFi.

No, I have an AT&T-supplied Netgear modem/router with four LAN ports plus WiFi. Three of the physical ports are in use in my "office" but the wireless signal is so weak at the far end of the house that things are verrrrrrrrry sloooooooow.

[Ben]

No, I have an AT&T-supplied Netgear modem/router with four LAN ports plus WiFi. Three of the physical ports are in use in my "office" but the wireless signal is so weak at the far end of the house that things are verrrrrrrrry sloooooooow.

I'm not familiar with AT&T equipment, but it may actually just be a wireless modem with some RJ45 ports (essentially a switch rather than a router) and they're calling it a "modem/router". In which case you can can still plug an actual router into it and bypass those ports. One way to check is can you log into the modem and get a router admin login page?

[Hawkmoon]

It's a Netgear 7550. Yes, you can log into an admin page, although I've forgotten the address to do so.

https://www.amazon.com/Netgear-DSL-Gateway-Modem-7550/dp/B00A29EVQ8%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-ffnt-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00A29EVQ8

https://www.att.com/accessories/specialty-items/netgear-dsl-gateway-model-7550.html

[Ben]

After a quick check of your link and reviews, I change my recommendation. Give that thing back to the phone company and buy your own. Spending money on an AP now will only be a stopgap before the inevitable failure of the outmoded tech they gave you.

Alternately, call AT&T and see if they'll swap you for a newer model if you prefer to lease. Though I generally think leasing is a bad deal. When I had cable, I always bought my own modem.

Also, getting to the admin page is usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 . Usually. A few routers use other addresses.

[roo_ster]

Yep, discrete cable routers and ethernet/wifi routers is almost always preferable. 

For instance, I have gone through a grand total of TWO cable routers in 14 years. The Motorolas are just that reliable.  I have gone though maybe four wifi/ethernet routers.  Not as reliable.

The hardware you linked has no provision for external antennas, in any case.  That would be a deal-breaker for me. 

[HeroHog]

My multifunction HP has WiFi built in but the LaserJet doesn't and I had issues with the built in stuff in the multifunction InkJet so the extender was a natural solution and has been rock solid for 3 or 4 years now.