difference between Wifi repeater and range extender?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Can some one explain the difference between a "repeater" (AP in repeater
mode) and a "range extender"?

 

[Jack]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Hi

The Extenders are unites that usually do Repeating only.

When an Access point is set to be a Repeater it is basically similar to an
Extender.

Most Access Points are more elaborate units that can be configured in 3-5
modes which one of them might be a Repeater.

More here: http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Modes.html

Jack (MVP-Networking).







"AdminKen" <some@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:OMrncAtNFHA.1040@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Can some one explain the difference between a "repeater" (AP in repeater
> mode) and a "range extender"?
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Thanks but I was looking for a bit more technical differentiation.

Ken


"Jack" <jack@msnews.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:%23ZxiDktNFHA.3512@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi
>
> The Extenders are unites that usually do Repeating only.
>
> When an Access point is set to be a Repeater it is basically similar to an
> Extender.
>
> Most Access Points are more elaborate units that can be configured in 3-5
> modes which one of them might be a Repeater.
>
> More here: http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Modes.html
>
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "AdminKen" <some@microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:OMrncAtNFHA.1040@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> Can some one explain the difference between a "repeater" (AP in repeater
>> mode) and a "range extender"?
>>
>>
>>
>
>

 

[tedd0]

So if you have a home or office wireless network (lets call it "MyNetwork-1") and you need to wirelessly expand the range you need to be cautious about the equipment you purchase. An "extender" simply captures your WiFi router/switch signal, boost the signal and retransmits it. Unfortunately it transmits under a different network name (lets call it "MyNetwork-2"). So now you can take your laptop 100 feet futher BUT you must connect to "MyNetwork-2". Well if all of your wireless devices such as your printers are connected to "MyNetwork-1" you are just SOL. (Simply Out of Luck)

Repeaters as the name suggests are "suppose" to allow you keep your original network name by acting as an Access Point and boasting the signal. Sadly most of the non-commerical units available at the box stores like Fry's or Best Buy are nothing more than "extenders" with a misleading name. A true repeater they are not.... Let the buyer beware. Also know that most of the clerks at these box stores don't have a clue. You will get the deer in headlight stare or a misleading answer.

If you can live with 2 or more network names, then these units do work. A better option is to hard wire Access Points (WAPS) back to your router, buy a true repeater(expensive) or get a high performance router with maximum range and forget about trying to extend.

teddo

 

[mark090]

Some range extenders (I have a Dlink) allow you to copy the same settings as the wireless router. This gives you one network name (SSID) instead of two. This is done under manual setup through the web interface. If you use the WPS setup with the push button auto-configuration, you will more than likely end up with two SSID names with different wifi passwords.

Mark

 

[djbmodel]

So if you have a home or office wireless network (lets call it "MyNetwork-1") and you need to wirelessly expand the range you need to be cautious about the equipment you purchase. An "extender" simply captures your WiFi router/switch signal, boost the signal and retransmits it. Unfortunately it transmits under a different network name (lets call it "MyNetwork-2"). So now you can take your laptop 100 feet futher BUT you must connect to "MyNetwork-2". Well if all of your wireless devices such as your printers are connected to "MyNetwork-1" you are just SOL. (Simply Out of Luck)

Repeaters as the name suggests are "suppose" to allow you keep your original network name by acting as an Access Point and boasting the signal. Sadly most of the non-commerical units available at the box stores like Fry's or Best Buy are nothing more than "extenders" with a misleading name. A true repeater they are not.... Let the buyer beware. Also know that most of the clerks at these box stores don't have a clue. You will get the deer in headlight stare or a misleading answer.

If you can live with 2 or more network names, then these units do work. A better option is to hard wire Access Points (WAPS) back to your router, buy a true repeater(expensive) or get a high performance router with maximum range and forget about trying to extend.

teddo

TEDDO Great info on the repeater vs extender. Thanks for the tips on fixing the linkage. DJBMODEL

 

[would]

So if you have a home or office wireless network (lets call it "MyNetwork-1") and you need to wirelessly expand the range you need to be cautious about the equipment you purchase. An "extender" simply captures your WiFi router/switch signal, boost the signal and retransmits it. Unfortunately it transmits under a different network name (lets call it "MyNetwork-2"). So now you can take your laptop 100 feet futher BUT you must connect to "MyNetwork-2". Well if all of your wireless devices such as your printers are connected to "MyNetwork-1" you are just SOL. (Simply Out of Luck)

Repeaters as the name suggests are "suppose" to allow you keep your original network name by acting as an Access Point and boasting the signal. Sadly most of the non-commerical units available at the box stores like Fry's or Best Buy are nothing more than "extenders" with a misleading name. A true repeater they are not.... Let the buyer beware. Also know that most of the clerks at these box stores don't have a clue. You will get the deer in headlight stare or a misleading answer.

If you can live with 2 or more network names, then these units do work. A better option is to hard wire Access Points (WAPS) back to your router, buy a true repeater(expensive) or get a high performance router with maximum range and forget about trying to extend.

teddo

very clear, thanks !

 

[jamesshelton]

For anyone stumbling onto this thread, it's also good to note that keeping the same Wi-Fi name isn't always ideal. Using a repeater halves the bandwidth of the wireless network for devices connecting through the repeater, which in many cases is livable but may cause some significant speed loss.

It all depends on what you're trying to do. If you're trying to get wireless in the garden, a repeater is probably your best choice. If you have an office upstairs that doesn't quite get a strong enough signal from the router downstairs, you may be better off setting up an access point instead. This means running an Ethernet cable from the downstairs router to the upstairs office, and connecting an access point (there are lots of multi-mode devices out there, that can operate as repeaters, access points or bridges) to that. The access point will transmit a Wi-Fi signal which will be a separate Wi-Fi from the downstairs. This means that moving a laptop from upstairs to downstairs will mean having to switch the Wi-Fi network you are connected to.

However, the overall quality of the connection will be better upstairs. Also even though there are two distinct wireless networks, you can still share something like a printer between them - that's because they're still part of the overall, wired network, and at the end of the day all connect through the same router to connect to the Internet.

Some more information on repeaters here.

 

[Ying Chun Gee]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windows.networking.wireless (More info?)

Can some one explain the difference between a "repeater" (AP in repeater
mode) and a "range extender"?

Repeater - Is to repeat the source signal. Thus at the repeater, the channel setting and the SSID setting must be exactly same with the source AP config for roaming without interruption. There will be no interference issue for the same channel.

Extender - a device which connected to the root AP, then using a new range of signal for the wifi to cover new area. The channel setting must be different with the root channel or else interference will happen.

Hope this answered your question.

 

[axlrose]

Trying to read a bunch of threads to gather the right information, but I figured I'd just throw my question out here too. My parents just got smart phones and spend a lot of time on their three season porch. They are on a family plan with my sister and sharing data with multiple phones so they want to make sure they are not wasting data because they can't get their wireless from the basement to the porch. They use the wireless on other parts of the house without speed issues but can't get the signal on the porch. What device would it make sense for me to get??? They have a newer d-link router. Thanks guys.

 

[jiq1972]

Some range extenders (I have a Dlink) allow you to copy the same settings as the wireless router. This gives you one network name (SSID) instead of two. This is done under manual setup through the web interface. If you use the WPS setup with the push button auto-configuration, you will more than likely end up with two SSID names with different wifi passwords.

Mark

What model of D-Link you got to use as a repeater (Wireless to router and wireless to clients)? I am trying to find some but all seem to be just standard AP (Wired to router, wireless to clients)