What is a wifi extender and how should you use it?
Those who are proficient in the Internet and computers may not be curious about these contents themselves.
For those of you who, like me, have had difficulties just changing the Wi-Fi password, you may be wondering about today’s subject.
There are many ways to use a wireless router at home and use it as a Wi-Fi extender.
It’s rare like me, but some of you may be wondering if a Wi-Fi extender can be used as a wireless router.
A Wi-Fi extender is a device that takes a Wi-Fi signal and sends it out with the same network name and frequency. The basic function is the same as a wireless repeater.
It’s a relatively easy and inexpensive way to extend networks from home to hard-to-reach locations and is much less expensive than full mesh systems. However, installation is not always easy. In this article, you’ll learn the basics of getting the most out of your Wi-Fi extender.
Find a location to install the wifi extender
The location of the Wi-Fi extender is important. For the most reliable connection, the source should be close enough to the Wi-Fi router, but far enough away to provide a wider range than the router.
For example, if you live in a two-story house and your router is in the living room on the first floor, it would be ideal to connect the extender to an outlet at the top of the stairs. Then it connects to the router fairly reliably and quickly and can deliver a wireless signal to the second floor.
When using a Wi-Fi extender for only one user, such as to enhance the signal of a home office PC, it is better to place it between the user and the Wi-Fi router. Connecting the extender via Ethernet can be a bit more complicated.
By installing a Wi-Fi extender, you can move around the house as needed. Get the strongest and most reliable signal from location to location.
How to install wifi extender?
Every network hardware product is a little different, and we cannot cover all of them here. According to the instructions that usually come with the extender, you should be fine. However, there are generally two methods.
Installing with PC
This is a more technical way to install the extender. First, write down the SSID (name) and password of your existing Wi-Fi network if you do not remember it. If the 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks are different, note both.
You will need an Ethernet cable for a wired connection with your desktop or laptop (it will come with the extender). If your computer doesn’t have an Ethernet port, you’ll first need to connect it to the default Wi-Fi network provided by an extender other than the one in your home. In general, if asked for a password, check the manual.
Plug the extender into an electrical outlet and an Ethernet cable into the extender and the computer. Alternatively, disconnect from your home Wi-Fi network and connect directly to the extender. In both cases, the web connection is temporarily lost. If there is a switch on the side of the extender, it must be set to ‘Extender’ mode, not ‘AP’ or ‘Access Point’ (AP is for connecting directly to the modem, but already has a Wi-Fi router or all-in-one modem /Not required if you have a router).
Open a web browser such as Edge or Chrome on your computer. Use a browser to enter the extender’s web-based interface. The address of this interface is usually a simple numeric address on the local network, such as 192.168.0.254. If you type both into the URL bar, a login window will appear.
If neither works, see the instructions that came with the extender or the sticker printed on the side. Some brands use different addresses. My Re Rockspace Local login extender uses re.rockspace.local. If you can’t find it, just google it on your smartphone and search for the repeater brand with ‘login’ and you’ll be able to find it soon.