Tips and guide to buy a WiFi signal repeater and improve your connection at home

It is a real nuisance to have a Wi-Fi system that offers many megabytes to navigate, but realize that in one part of the house the signal does not reach or is extremely weak. It is clear that you need a repeater, the problem is knowing which one to buy. Well, that’s what we’re here for, to help you.

It is a common evil that occurs in all homes, since there is always an area where the WiFi arrives with less signal. It may be that the loss is not much and it can work without problems, but on many occasions it loses so much that using the wireless signal is quite an odyssey.

The solution is clear and involves buying a repeater. The problem comes when we find so many models, so many types and so many different systems, that in the end you are not completely sure which one is right for you.

Well, we are going to try to solve all your doubts by showing you the necessary information so that you are able to choose the one that best suits you.

What is a WiFi repeater?

A repeater is the easiest way to extend the coverage of our WiFi router. What it does is repeat the signal that is emitted by Wifi so that it reaches further. That is, it is as if we put a second router broadcasting in the middle of the house, for example.

The vast majority of repeaters create a new network, so the one you had for the original router is no longer valid, having to connect to the new network with its corresponding password.

this repeater must always be in the coverage area of ​​the router, since if it is not, it will not be able to take the network further. This forces having to put more than one if the house is very large.

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Many of them have Ethernet ports, so you can connect a Smart TV or a computer to receive the signal directly, something that favors the speed of the network that reaches the device.

Other systems to expand coverage

There are other systems to achieve greater coverage, which are more advanced and perform better in most cases, but are also more expensive, some of them multiplying the price of a repeater by far.

These systems that also extend coverage are:

  • WiFi extenders: They are similar to WiFi repeaters, but their characteristics make them more powerful. What they really do is enhance the signal they receive, amplifying the coverage and not repeating the signal as is the case with repeaters. It is very easy to confuse them with repeaters, since physically they are practically the same. In addition, today many repeaters also incorporate extenders.
  • WiFi Bridge: This is an advanced wireless network extension system, since it consists of a first device that is the sender (it connects to the router directly by cable) and a second that acts as a receiver. This receiver features Ethernet connections for multiple devices and its own WiFi signal to amplify the one it receives from the receiver.
  • PLC (Power Line Communications): it may be confused with the WiFi Bridge system, but they are not the same, since this system uses the electrical network of the house to carry the signal to every corner of it, having a transmitter connected to the router and a receiver that is synchronized by connecting it to the electrical network.

Do you want to improve the coverage and speed of your home Wi-Fi signal? Here you will find a selection of the best routers of 2021 by price range.

What should I keep in mind when buying a repeater?

There are several factors that can be decisive in deciding on one or another repeater of the amount that is on the market, since someone who is not familiar with this type of device will find a great variety when buying it.

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We must pay attention to several characteristics before acquiring a repeater in order to get the one that best suits us and our needs.

Wi-Fi compatibility

Since WiFi IEEE 802.11 was created in 1997, several standards have been added, such as a, b, g, n, ac and ax.

We must be very clear about what technology of our router to opt for a similar repeater, since spending more money on one that has a standard that the router does not carry may not make sense. Unless you decide to have a last generation repeater because you are thinking of changing the router for a better one.

It should also be borne in mind that as of WiFi 5 it can operate in the 5 GHz frequency band, so if you plan to use it, it is something that your repeater must support. Depending on the band and the standard that we use, we can get one speed or another.

Wi-Fi standard Band Speed
802.11b 2,4 GHz 11 Mbps
802.11g 2,4 GHz 54 Mbos
802.11a 5 GHz 54 Mbps
802.11n 2,4 y 5 GHz 600 Mpbs
WIFI 5 (802.11ac) 5 GHz 1,3 Gbps
WiFI 6 (802.11ax) 2,4 y 5 GHz 10 Gbps

Security

Here it is clear, since any repeater you buy must carry the security standard WPA2-PSK (AES), since having less today is a backwardness.

This type of standard is the type in encrypted that has the password with which we enter the repeater, so it must be the one that gives us the most security and the one that makes things more complicated for those who want to use our network to have Internet.

Connection

There is nothing here that prevents our repeater from connecting to the router, nor are there better connections, since this happens very easily.

Basically, it connects to the electrical network and little else. From there, depending on the repeater, we will achieve it in one way or another, but the normal thing is to use our smartphone or a computer to achieve it.

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Everything is very well indicated and you go step by step, so you won’t have any kind of problem. Anyway, there is a quick setup system called WPS with which by simply pressing a button on the repeater and on the router they will be automatically synchronized.

ports

Another of the characteristics that a repeater can offer us can be that of carry ethernet ports used to connect various devices by cable like computers o Smart TV.

But they may also incorporate a headphone jack that will help us listen to streaming music if we are very fond of it.

Design

This is somewhat more subjective, since it already depends on each one and their personal tastes.

Normally, they are made of plastic, but you know perfectly well that there are different types of this material, with completely different shapes and finishesThere are some with LED lights to give them a more beautiful and technological touch.

Already reaching the most expensive, we can find designs that physically look like a router, but that really are not, with even better finished materials.

These 4G routers are compact and use 4G networks to give you WiFi connection to various devices, they are cheap and perfect for travelers.

Some examples

Now that we know what they are and how we can choose the best one for us and our needs, we can see some examples that may be perfect for our situation and thus not have to look any further.

The models we have found for you are:

Between the examples and all the information that we have told you, you will already be able to buy the perfect repeater for you and your circumstances.

Now you will be able to have a signal in that part of the house where you did not get coverage or it was not fast enough.

Tell us what you thought and which repeater you finally bought on our social networks. We want to hear from you.

Reference-computerhoy.com