# WiFi extending



## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

I know there's a few similar threads but would like up to date recommendations.
Wife works from home now delivering online learning a lot of the time so Internet is important. 
Lately she's been moaning the WiFi is dropping out in the bedroom/office she uses. I had noticed it seems to be an issue in that room(bit of a black spot) but now the good lady has mentioned it I best do something!

Current set up is sky WiFi, main router in living room, 2mini boxes that I believe act as repeaters,1in conservatory(under office window) other in our bedroom(across landing from office). House is standard 70s 3bed so no fancy 3ft thick lead walls.

Options I have, I think:

Call Sky-get new router
-plug in extenders-ideally from argos or supermarket so I can return if rubbish. 
-cable from main box to office-would need advice on what sort. Doable but a right faff to hide cable etc due to just decorating but would run it up stairs temporarily to see if it works.


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

Got one of these at beginning of lockdown, works well.

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/compu...VxbTtCh2Bbw8BEAUYBSABEgKgc_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## Mikesphotaes (Jul 24, 2016)

Mesh system is the way to go. I got TPlink Deco's a few months ago and am very pleased.


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## GeeWhizRS (Nov 1, 2019)

I have the RE450 version of that extender MDC250 posted to extend wifi to the garden and it works well. :thumb:
If you want to cable it then just look for an RJ45 LAN patch cable in the appropriate length - they're only cheap. Something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ethernet-L...tch+cable+20m+cat6&qid=1603815750&sr=8-5&th=1


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## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

Mikesphotaes said:


> Mesh system is the way to go. I got TPlink Deco's a few months ago and am very pleased.


Yep me to, got the deco S4 3 pack and it's been spot on. Originally bought a tenda nova system and had to send it back as every time I turned the virgin tv box on the WiFi stopped working. Got zero support from tenda so wouldn't buy from them.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## shl-kelso (Dec 27, 2012)

If she is working from a laptop or PC with wired ethernet ports then go for the ethernet cable, it will give you a high speed gigabit-capable link that is unaffected by wifi congestion/interference. It may be a pain to install permanently, but you may have options to run cables discretely outside rather than having to open up internal walls/ceilings/floors.

For anything else then stick with your idea to buy kit from retailers with no-quibble returns policies as your home environment will uniquely affect the performance of mesh or powerline solutions, so what works well for others is not necessarily a guide to what will work well for you.


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## grunty-motor (Aug 11, 2016)

Another DECO user here - M9.

It has an ethernet port that you can plug laptop into which can help a little - my sone swears it has helped his XBox with glitching.

Super easy to set up and we now have the same speed throughout our 3 storey granite house as we do at the BT router.


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

shl-kelso said:


> If she is working from a laptop or PC with wired ethernet ports then go for the ethernet cable, it will give you a high speed gigabit-capable link that is unaffected by wifi congestion/interference. It may be a pain to install permanently, but you may have options to run cables discretely outside rather than having to open up internal walls/ceilings/floors.
> 
> For anything else then stick with your idea to buy kit from retailers with no-quibble returns policies as your home environment will uniquely affect the performance of mesh or powerline solutions, so what works well for others is not necessarily a guide to what will work well for you.


Thinking the cable route. Annoyingly had all the ceilings etc down for over 2yrs while renovating, all back and plastered earlier in the year!

Kitchen has no ceiling so I'm thinking of trying to push a cable up channel in wall I made behind TV for cables etc. Looking along from kitchen I might be lucky and able to fish it along with cable rods I have.

Thanks for all replies though.


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## Chamment (Mar 2, 2017)

Have you thought about using the sky in modem only mode and buying a third party router? I have just done this with my virgin hub and it’s made a massive difference to wifi speeds


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## Deathstar (Jan 13, 2013)

Cable is get best way, can you run the cable on the outside wall if the house? 
Fit a couple of surface mount single gang box, and use the euro modules to terminate. 

Keep it hardwired, but you can also plug in an old router to become a bridge to extend the network on a wifi basis too.


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## P2K (Jun 17, 2020)

I'm a network engineer so easy for me to say this, but go the wired route.

For my lads bedroom I went RJ45 out to the front of the house, down to the opposite of where my Sky router is then into the house with another RJ45 outlet. Bit of a pain but looks great.
Then a network cable/ethernet cable from the outlet to the Playstation and another from the router to the opposite outlet.

The Cat 6 External cable on the outside of the house is hidden with trunking.

You'll have to terminate the outlets to the cat-6 cable in-between but it is simple enough, the eight wires inside the cable are colour coded and the back of the outlets are colour coded. 

You really should use a krone tool to terminate but can easily get away with a small flat screwdriver, just push the wire down into the module and the metal edges pinch the wire, no need to remove the plastic sheathing around the wire.

Hardest thing is routing the cable between the outlets and making it look pretty. Mine goes under the floor boards in the bedroom before going straight outside.

Once complete you have a point to point network connection giving you the option to connect any device, TV/Console/PC/Laptop or even a wireless access point to provide better wireless around that area.

To summarise, Laptop > Network Cable > RJ45 Data Outlet > Cat 6 External Cable > RJ45 Data Outlet > Network Cable > Sky Router.

Sorry if this sounds a little complicated but it really isn't. 
I've knocked together a quick image to show the idea, please excuse the dodgey paint skills 


Hope this helps and good luck.


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## shl-kelso (Dec 27, 2012)

Darlofan said:


> Thinking the cable route. Annoyingly had all the ceilings etc down for over 2yrs while renovating, all back and plastered earlier in the year!
> 
> Kitchen has no ceiling so I'm thinking of trying to push a cable up channel in wall I made behind TV for cables etc. Looking along from kitchen I might be lucky and able to fish it along with cable rods I have.
> 
> Thanks for all replies though.


Sounds like you've got half a chance to fish the cable internally, so fingers crossed it all goes well.


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## GeeWhizRS (Nov 1, 2019)

If the cable run is measured properly there should be no real need to terminate to a socket and over complicate the matter for those not familiar with a krone tool, although I agree this ideal and neater P2K. (It's over 25 years since I used my krone tool but I still have mine somewhere along with the RJ45 crimper.) Add a few metres to your expected cable length and coil up the excess somewhere not obvious. This also allows for flexibility if you want to move your computer a bit. (My office iMac is connected to the modem by ethernet which runs outside the house to my first floor office.)
WiFi is fine but even the best system is not as solid as wired. When you require an internet connection for business use it's always good to be on a wired connection. Definitely a neater solution with a socket though but that would put some off if unfamiliar with the terminating, but simple when you know how.


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## AnthonyUK (Jul 25, 2018)

Another option to avoid running cables is a Homeplug to wifi extender.
I picked up a Devolo set on Amazon of a base that connects to the router via cable and two extenders for under £50.

The Devolo software shows the two extenders connected to the base at 220mbit and 350mbit one of which is in the shed at the end of the garden.
These speeds are more than my internet speed so fine for me.


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## shl-kelso (Dec 27, 2012)

Powerline are fine when they work, and they do for many, but I’ve had lots of installs where they have proved problematic, either from the outset, or some time later. There’s no way of knowing how much (if any) high frequency noise exists in your mains wiring, and how well the filters in the homeplug will cope to allow them to establish a “fast” and reliable connection. You also have the problem that you can then find later that performance drops or even stops due to new sources of interference (switch mode power supplies can be problematic and often difficult to identify). For every install I had with reasonable performance I’d have another where it presented issues. Hence the recommendation to buy from retailers that will give a no quibble refund if they do not perform as expected.


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