Wi-fi extender

David

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

Recently my Wi-fi connection for my MacBook Pro has fallen off dramatically. Right next to the WiFi router its a whopping 450 Mbps. But move into another room and its 80 Mpbs and many times the connection fails. I've had the same setup for 6 or 7 years but now its changed. I wonder if its because I installed an Epson printer which uses Wi-Fi and sits next to the router. I've moved it but can only move it so far. Besides I'm not sure this is the problem. Obviously, the best solution is to invest in a Wi-fi extender. I'm on Shaw Blue Curve and wondering if anyone has a suggestion for a good quality range extender.

Cheers, David
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
I could do an entire class on this topic, but before you buy any sort of extender, first change your Wi-Fi network to use the 2.4GHz frequency instead of the 5GHz one (and change your devices -- including the printer! -- to use that network). The 5GHz is faster between devices (not between the internet and devices), but its speed drops off dramatically once you pass a relatively short distance. The 2.4GHz reaches farther.

If you do need to go with an extender, your (good) options are expensive: Shaw's own extender, which is great but adds $10/month to the bill, or buying a "mesh extender" for a couple hundred bucks. The cheapie Wi-Fi extenders basically work but are extra trouble and not worth the money IMO.
 
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