While most people are familiar with the term ‘WiFi’, not many know much about what is Wi-Fi extender for.
A Wi-Fi extender is a device that can amplify or extend the Wi-Fi coverage of your existing Wi-Fi router.
How does a wifi extender work?
The Wi-Fi extender receives the signals from your Wi-Fi router, amplifies them, and then transmits it back to the surroundings.
It is majorly used to extend or amplify the wifi signals over a specified area.
This device is also known as a Wifi repeater, and it can double up the Wi-Fi coverage in your vicinity.
Wi-Fi extender vs Booster
No matter if you are using a Wi-Fi extender, Wi-Fi booster or a Wi-Fi repeater, the work done by all of these devices is quite similar i.e to enhance the wifi coverage.
Their functionality is quite identical to a stereo amplifier used to enhance any given music system’s sound effect.
You just need to plug them into a power source, and they are all set to transmit the amplified signal in the air in collaboration with your Wi-Fi router.
You may call these devices by various names-a Wi-Fi booster, a Wi-Fi extender or a Wi-Fi repeater, but the purpose achieved by all of them is quite similar.
A Wifi extender can certainly be deemed as a useful device that can boost your wireless connection speed at home or office.
So make an educated choice when picking the best portable wifi extender by considering the following factors before getting one.
Factors to consider before buying a wifi extender
Frequency
Most of the wifi extenders support single 2.4ghz, dual-band 2.4ghz, and 5ghz frequency spectrums, and you can pick the one best suited to your requirements and budget.
Wifi extenders with single 2.4ghz frequency spectrums are cheaper and widely available.
On the other side, if the respective router supports dual-band and is ready to spend some extra money for the same, going with the dual-band wifi extender is highly recommended.
Size
Wifi extenders come in different sizes and profiles, but you must pick the one that doesn’t cover much space within your surroundings.
You can easily make your pick from the list of wall plug-based wifi extenders, wifi extenders with no external antenna, or wifi extenders with dual antenna features.
Standard compatibility
Compatibility plays a crucial role in connecting your existing router with the best portable wifi extender. Moreover, this aspect majorly depends on the frequency and age of your existing router.
Currently, most of the wifi extenders comes as IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n or IEEE 802.11 b/g/n orIEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac compliant.
Hence, you must check the given specifications of your router and the standards that it supports before purchasing the best portable wifi extender.
Security
Besides all the other aspects, you also need to ensure the safety and security of the portable wifi extender you are buying.
Currently, most wifi extenders support WPA2-PSK security protocol, which is deemed the highest security level.
Still, people come up with many questions and doubts regarding the usage of wifi extenders, boosters, and adaptors in their respective devices. Hereby, we are covering some of the major questions in the same respect.
Do I need a wifi adapter for my pc?
Yes, to connect your PC to the wireless network, you require a wifi adaptor. Most PCs and Laptops come with an inbuilt wifi adaptor, so you may not need to purchase one separately.
Now, if you want to check whether your PC has the required wifi adaptor, follow the below process.
- Opt for the WINDOWS START button and type DEVICE MANAGER in the search box.
- Select the DEVICE MANAGER option, and there you will find NETWORK ADAPTORS
- Check out for a network adaptor in the list with ‘wifi’ prefixed in its name
How to connect the desktop to wifi without an adaptor?
Connecting the desktop to wifi without an adaptor is quite simple and easy. You just need a smartphone, a high-quality USB cable, and a wifi connection within the vicinity.
Afterward, follow the below process.
- Establish the connection between the Smartphone and the wifi.
- Now connect the Smartphone to the PC via USB cable.
- Go to the general settings of your Smartphone and turn ON the “USB tethering” (This option is available adjacent to the wifi hotspot).
- The PC is now connected to the WIFI
Bottom-line for what is wifi extender
A Wifi extender comes quite useful in areas with weak or low wifi coverage. Still, you must check all the factors mentioned above before making your purchase.
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