Do Wi-Fi extenders reduce internet speeds?
As technology continues to improve and the internet spreads its coverage, more people rely on it to accomplish various tasks from work to shopping and browsing social media.
Wi-Fi is an increasing fixture in many people’s lives, thanks to the mediums you can use. However, problems are common when you want to get stronger signals, and Wi-Fi extenders/repeaters are an increasingly common option when you want to bypass the issue.
Do they slow down your Wi-Fi speeds? No, they do not, and neither do they increase the speed. Wi-Fi extenders are meant to improve the strength of Wi-Fi signals coming from the modem and spread them around the house or wherever you use the modem.With this in mind, it is good to know the best methods of optimizing the extender, which we will delve into in this article.
Table of Contents
Do the extenders slow down Wi-Fi speeds?
To answer this question, you need to know how Wi-Fi works and the role Wi-Fi extenders play.
What is Wi-Fi, and how does it work?
Many people assume that Wi-Fi and the internet are the same, but the truth is that they are different concepts. Wi-Fi is a wireless connector of devices to the internet. A router emits the initial Wi-Fi signals, allowing connections to work and your devices to access the internet. As long as you are within the router’s wireless range, you can access the signals.
However, before the connection can work, you need to wire a modem to the location you intend to use it. In many instances, a cable employee comes to set up the system, and part of this work involves connecting the modem to the router through a coax cable. The modem will provide the internet connection, while the router allows your devices to join the network wirelessly.
On the other hand, what is a Wi-Fi extender?
The Wi-Fi extender is a special device that boosts the Wi-Fi signal, and you connect it to the router through a wireless or wired setup. This works to improve the signal range in areas you may find hard to access the connection, such as a basement or back yard.
Do you need a Wi-Fi extender?
If you live in a tall building, multi-story home, work outdoors, use multiple computers in a large work or office setting, or own more than one smart TV, then you may consider buying a Wi-Fi extender. The usual instance that someone uses an extender is when the signal cannot reach where they operate (like if they work 100 feet away from the router) but they want to extend it to where they are.
A common misconception is that extenders can speed or slow down internet connections, but they do not.You should know where you will place the extenders, as the signal speed can suffer when the extender is too far from the router.
Factors to consider when installing Wi-Fi extenders
Know where you will place them
Knowing whether the extenders are boosting the signal speed or not involves knowing its positioning. If the distance between the repeaters and your device is very long, the device may not detect the network accurately and quickly.
Consequently, to increase the benefits they provide, you will need to reduce the distance between the extender and Wi-Fi portal.
Rebroadcasting
A Wi-Fi extender works by capturing the signal from the router and rebroadcasting it – but it may lose some of the original signal speed in the process. Knowing this allows you to know how many extenders you need and their positioning to avoid affecting the speed as much as possible.
Frequency
When installing extenders, you should always know that they will operate on the same frequencies as the original Wi-Fi signal, and this is why you cannot increase your speed when using them.
Your bandwidth access
When you attempt to use the extender to boost the Wi-Fi signals, you will only get half of the original bandwidth. This ultimately limits the speeds and connectivity, especially if you require many extenders to expand the signal reach.
Is a Wi-Fi extender the same as a Wi-Fi repeater?
They are mostly the same in functionality (they both improve the signal range), though they do not work in the same way. In the following table, we outline some of these differences.
Extender |
Repeater |
Grabs the Wi-Fi signal and rebroadcasts it on different channels to reduce interference |
Does the same task as an extender, but will only broadcast half the bandwidth (hence slower speed). |
Can connect to the router wirelessly and wired (through an Ethernet cable) |
Can only connect wirelessly |
Conclusion
If you decide to choose an extender, it will likely not slow your internet connection – instead, it spreads out the signal to allow for more connections. However, it is still good to connect it in optimal places to maximize the signal.
FAQs
What are some methods I can use to extend my Wi-Fi network without losing the speed?
You can move the router to better positioning, buy a new router, switch to a 5GHz connection from 2.4GHz, or buy a Wi-Fi extender/mesh kit.
Will a Wi-Fi extender improve my internet speeds?
No, as it only improves the coverage of the initial Wi-Fi signal.