Thanks to this guide you will be able to know everything you need to use and get the most out of a WiFi repeater, a device especially indicated to improve the Internet signal in places where the router cannot reach, such as in our home, offices, commercial premises... And it is a very common element for improve WiFi signal, especially in houses and flats to offer a greater coverage of a WiFi network. And beyond choosing a model that adapts to the needs of the user, it is important to know how they work and their best tricks to make the most of them. Therefore, below we offer you a practical guide to know how WiFi repeaters work and their best tricks.
What is a WiFi repeater
The wifi repeaters, also known as WiFi amplifiers or adapters, are small devices designed to amplify the WiFi signal of a router in places where the original coverage is not sufficient, thus guaranteeing greater intensity of the WiFi signal in areas where the original signal of the router does not reach. And although cable connections are always the fastest, safest and most efficient, today their application is very difficult due to the great mobility of our people. wireless connected devices. Furthermore, the WiFi coverage range of a router Standard also has its limits.
Therefore, the use of this type of WiFi signal amplification devices is recommended in those cases where the signal does not have sufficient power, either due to distance from original source (for example, the home router) or the little coverage Of the same. What these WiFi repeaters do is capture the WiFi signal from our router and expand it so that the coverage is greater through their own antennas; It is important to know that the new signal generated and expanded is the same signal from the router, with the same name and password.
In short, it is a bridging device between router and devices that you want to connect located outside the range of the original WiFi signal. In addition, WiFi repeaters work in both directions, that is, they amplify the original signal while collecting data from the connected devices to the repeater to send them with the highest possible quality to the router.
On the other hand, some models of WiFi amplifiers are also capable of create your own WiFi networks from the original signal, with its own name and password, which will force us to reconfigure the connection of the devices that we connect through the amplifier.
How a WiFi repeater works
The operation of WiFi repeaters is very simple; These types of devices feature two wireless routers, one for pick up WiFi signal from the router and the other for amplify the same signal to areas where the original coverage does not reach.
One of the basic examples of how it works is if we have the original router at one end of our apartment (for example, the dining room or living room) and we see that the signal does not reach the other end of the apartment with sufficient strength (for example , In the rooms). The solution is to install one of these repeaters in an intermediate area between both places in order to amplify the original signal in home areas where router coverage is insufficient.
It is best to connect the WiFi repeater to a middle zone of the home (ideally, free of obstacles) where it still receives enough WiFi signal from the router, since if we connect it too far away, it is likely that it will not finish working because it does not receive enough signal. We must also take into account that the repeater is plugged into the mains, so we must have at our disposal a free plug in the indicated place.
Best tricks for WiFi repeaters
Below we offer you the best tips and tricks To get the most out of WiFi repeaters or amplifiers:
- Appearance: The most common and economically accessible repeaters are usually a small block or plastic box that connects directly to an outlet. They usually have a pair of small antennas, many others do not have them, although they do have a pair of LED lights to report their status, to know if they are on or not and the strength of the signal. More expensive repeaters usually have a larger size, as well as extra ports and options, with a greater resemblance to standard routers.
- Connection: To start using a WiFi repeater we just have to connect it to the electrical current through a plug, in addition to knowing both the network name as their password. We can also speed up the process through WPS protected configuration that will connect the WiFi repeater to the home network by pressing the specific button on both devices.
- Network security: Current WiFi repeaters incorporate the most advanced security standard WPA2-PSK (AES), the most current encryption method so that no one outside your home can access your WiFi network and thus avoid intruders on your internet connection wireless.
Remember that the current security standards are as follows, ordered from best security to worst:
- WPA2 (AES)
- WPA (AES)
- WPA (TKIP/AES)
- WPA (TKIP)
- W.E.P.
- open network