How to Connect Wi-Fi Extender to Verizon Router – Overview
Verizon is one of the most reliable Wi-Fi providers that focus on offering their clients the best speeds.
Even when using the best Wi-Fi service, sometimes the signal is not strong enough to cover every area of your home or office. This is where a Wi-Fi extender comes into play.
A WiFi extender is a device used to boost Wi-Fi signals in areas that are not getting the best coverage.
The best Wi-Fi extender should be able to cover every area in your home or office without leaving any dead spots.
With so many options in the market, choosing the perfect one can prove to be a challenge.
Here is how to connect the best WiFi extender for your Verizon router.
Get the right Wi-Fi extender for a Verizon router.
You need to consider some basic features when choosing the best Wi-Fi extender for a Verizon router.
The profile
When it comes to the extender’s profile, you need to look at whether the extender is a plug-and-play or desktop version, the type of antennas, and other physical factors.
Wall plug extenders are the most convenient and take up the least amount of space. All you have to do is fix it on a free socket on the wall for it to work.
Advanced Wi-Fi extenders are designed as desktop options. These resembled routers with built-in antennas or external antennas.
These require a bit more room since they need to be placed on a flat surface.
Frequency
Wi-Fi extenders come in either single 2.4GHz, Dual-Band 2.4GHz, or 5GHz frequency support, with a majority of the extenders in the market in the single 2.4GHz frequency range.
While a dual-band extender may work best for your needs, you need to ensure that your router supports dual-band frequency.
Generally, the best option is the Dual Band 2.4GHz or the 5GHz frequency extenders.
Performance
Besides the range, you need to check the performance of the Wi-Fi extender, measured in bandwidth.
However, how well the extender performs is dependent on the limitations of your router. This will tell you the maximum throughput and bandwidth the extender can support.
Performance can be labeled as:
- N300
- AC1200
- AC750
- AC1900
- AC1750
- AC2200
Standards Capability
To know your router’s standards capability, you need to read the router’s specifications to check the supported standards.
When in doubt, always go for a universal extender that can work with all 802.11 a/b/n/ac routers.
Ensuring compatibility is essential for better integration of your extender to your router’s network. In some cases, getting a router that is capable of covering larger areas is a good idea.
Security
Most modern Wi-Fi extenders are WPA2-PSK security support, an ideal Wi-Fi connection security level for home use.
Even so, always check to ensure that the extender is capable of protecting your network and the devices connected to your network.
Ports
The best Wi-Fi extender should come with an Ethernet port for wired connections. Plug-in extenders come with one or two Ethernet ports, while the desktop port comes with as many as five ports for different machines.
Compatibility
It is always ideal to use an extender from the same manufacturer as the router. However, the essential aspects to consider are the frequency of the extender and compliance.
Generally, if your router has a 2.4GHz frequency, the right extender should support the same frequency range.
When the specifications on the extender and router match, you can be sure that they can be integrated.
How to connect Wi-Fi extender to Verizon router using an Ethernet cable
- Unbox the extender, Ethernet Cable, and AC adapter and plug the adapter into an electrical outlet. Then, plug the power jack into the Wi-Fi extender.
- Connect an Ethernet cable in the LAN ports on the Wi-Fi extender and connect the other end of the cable to the Verizon router. The LED light will blink for a few seconds to establish a secure connection.
- The extender is now activated.
How to connect the Wi-Fi extender to the Verizon router wirelessly.
- Remove the Ethernet cable, extender, and adaptor from the box and connect the extender to the power source using the AC adaptor.
- Establish a WPS connection between your Verizon router and the extender by pressing the pairing buttons. When pairing, ensure the devices are less than a meter apart for pairing to take place in the shortest time possible.
- Once the connection is successful, the LED light will turn blue.
- Move the extender to the desired locations and check the light for a Wi-Fi signal and strength.
Once you have established a connection, you can connect your devices to the Wi-Fi extender.