Question: What is a wireless extender, and what benefits does it provide?
NETGEAR Wireless Extenders (sometimes referred to as "boosters") are intended for use in many situations and types of networks. In general, a wireless extender is useful for "extending" the coverage of the main wireless router in the home, and is often used in larger homes or spaces in which there are reduced coverage areas or "dead spots."
There are many additional situations in which a NETGEAR Wireless Extender is ideal, based on the model chosen and its features:
- One wishes to extend wireless coverage to an area outside the home, such as a deck or patio.
- Wireless coverage is desired in the far reaches of a home, such as a loft or potentially a basement (performance may vary depending on distance, wall material, obstacles, etc.)
- A wireless connection is needed to provide an Ethernet connection to a device or multiple devices that do not have Wi-Fi, either within or outside of the main coverage area.
- A business, office, or home in which there is one main wireless connection that needs to cover a wider coverage area than the main router will allow
In any of these situations, a NETGEAR Wireless Extender is an excellent solution. There are several models to fit each individual need, from the WN1000RP for providing "basic" coverage for mobile devices at the edge of the main coverage area, to the EX6200, a best in class range extender employing 802.11ac and a 700mW high power design.
There are several cases in which a NETGEAR Wireless Extender will not provide the desired solution:
- Range extenders cannot amplify a signal from a faraway Internet source to effectively create a wireless hotspot for use in the home; e.g., using Wi-Fi from a nearby business that provides free Internet.
- Range extenders cannot be used to increase Internet throughput from public hotspots (They can be used to increase available signal to Wi-Fi devices, such as with the PR2000 Trek travel router and range extender, but this will not increase speeds.)
- Range extenders cannot increase the native speed provided by an Internet Service Provider; this limit is determined by the ISP and the performance of the main router.
- Range extenders are not designed to be daisy-chained. You can use multiple extenders but their main source of wireless connection must be the same. You cannot connect an extender to another extender's wireless network.
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