AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender Round-Up

[Guest]

Today we take four prominent 802.11ac-based range extenders for a test drive to determine the best option for expanding your wireless network.

AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender Round-Up : Read more

 

[SurfingDude]

The test results didn't disclose many of the factors affecting WiFi range and performance, I'd like to know more about these. I think the key factors are:
* Nearest other WiFi unit. Interferance from nearby networks can hurt the signal-to-noise ratio.
* Proximity to walls and ground, as reflected signals may affect signal strength up or down.
* Polarization and coverage pattern, as lobes and nulls are inevitable.

The quantities I am really looking for are:
* Maximum usable range in free air and best conditions.
* Data rate in those conditions.
* Attinuation due to each intervening wall or ceiling on both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.

With this information I might better evaluate which solution is best for a particular situation.

 

[littleleo]

I think it would have been good to add a price/performance metric to the review. I also would have liked to seen the TP-Link ARCHER C5 AC1200 and Asus RT-AC56U 802.11ac included.

 

[dmitche3]

I'm sure that I'm not the o only one who has questions. So let me ask:

1. From a distance of n feet means that the distance from the router and device is only n feet? Why put an extender 5 feet from the router?

2. I don't know if the link to how you tested is meaningful. How far away from the extender were your wireless devices? If your extender is only 5 feet away from your router who is to say that the PC 's wireless device won't differ and add a variable to the equation that is not accounted for?

3. Line of site, walls? If y your office is 50 feet as you described how did you test 75 feet?

 

[zodiacfml]

pricey. better off with a real wifi router.

 

[Jeff_64]

LOL zodiacfml!! man that was a good one hly shit. haha fuck, thats actually a really mean troll when i think about it though because the people that are beginners might take you seriously and actually buy a wifi router and will be really confused when they have to run an ethernet cable to it... but pretty good joke nonetheless i guess