How to take your Wi-Fi out of this spring

For most of us, the Wi-Fi signal usually ends at the back door. If that includes you, yours laptop, projector or Big screen TV It could not be able to connect to the Internet for a big game or a movie night. You can move the router as close to the yard or porch in front, as long as the Ethernet cable will take, but that will not always solve the problem.

With the increasing number of outside smart devices – inclusive lights, Security rooms and Garage door openings -You must be able to expand your Wi-Fi beyond the outer walls of your house. It can be difficult, but with the right hardware, it will not be time before sending videos while enjoying your garden or posting pictures on social networks in the front yard. (For more Wi-Fi tips, see Why your router can be in a wrong place And ours Sheet of cheating of the Internet at home.)

If you want Wi-Fi out, try a weather resistant device

Most of the options that our writers have explored over the years do not need to drill holes or run new outdoor wiring. However, becoming reliable Wi-Fi free air confidence can make an initial investment. The correct configuration can cost more at the beginning, but in the long term, it will require low maintenance and will give you excellent coverage.

The use of a Wi-Fi device meant to be left out can be the best bet. There are not many cheap options, so you will have to decide which configuration will work best for your home.

An exterior Wi-Fi extensor – Sometimes called wireless access point or wireless repeater- it is the simplest option, because it is the only solution that involves installing hardware outside. Many of these devices are of quality for enterprises, but some manufacturers have extended outdoor for consumers. These devices are made to be exposed to elements throughout the year and have hardware capable of communicating with your wireless router to give you an excellent Wi-Fi coverage outside your home.

The first step is to find an extender that is compatible with your current router or you can buy a new router and extensor to update your entire network. There are not a lot of wireless extensors designed for outdoors, but a few notable producers are Netgear, Ubiquiti, Engenius and Hawking.

Then, check the protection rating against the packaging entry and the temperature range that the device can withstand. IP evaluation defines the weather resistance of the device, mainly against dust and water. The biggest evaluation is IP69, which means it is totally protected against dust and can withstand long periods of immersion underwater.

Another option that is a little more of a complicated outdoor access point – as U6 Mesh access point From Ubiquiti – it allows you to set separate modes for 2.4 GHz and 5GHz networks. The configuration is a little more advanced, but you do not have to drill holes or run new cables.

Set your 5 GHz band to Wireless Bridge mode and 2.4 GHz band to access mode. This makes your 5 GHz band a basic bond dedicated to the router and allows your outdoor devices to connect by 2.4 GHz. This configuration limits your speed a little, but you should be able to make the most of the 2.4 GHz bandwidth and the additional range that comes with it.

Wi-Fi inner mesh systems can be lighter but more expensive

Another option is to take advantage of a Wi-Fi inner Wi-Fi system. They usually come with a router and one or two satellite units and can cover up to 5,000 square meters. Most Recent data from US Census Office It shows that 50% of American houses are between 1,800 and 2,999 square meters, and another 27% are 1,799 square meters and below. The conclusion is that most of us do not have houses of up to 5,000 square meters, so with the right placement, you will get a decent outdoor coverage with a mesh system. You can sacrifice a small speed or coverage inside, moving the satellite units but most of The best mesh systems are extensible and can add additional units.

Each satellite unit only needs an electrical outlet to connect the power adapter. An Ethernet cable is not required. The idea for outdoor Wi-Fi expansion is to place the central mesh router in your home and place the satellite or units unit, as close to the outside. There is a limit at how far you can place the units. For example, Asus Support It recommends placing each at 10 to 15 meters (about 33 to 50 meters) in the other units.

Linksys advised one of our writers that his interior, three pieces Velop Mesh System can help with outdoor coverage. Each unit can cover around 2,000 square meters, so if you place one of the units of 5 to 10 meters from an outer concrete wall, your outer coverage can improve. The environment of all is different, so your results may vary. The best bet is to place the satellite unit next to a window or door.

However, there are several potential problems with this configuration.

In general, most of the satellites in the net are directly binding to the router, not the nearest satellite and then back to the router. This means that you will not be able to launch them wirelessly in the sequence to stretch your signal in a direction. This is a part of why it is best to place your central router in your home.

Also, your exterior walls will continue to interfere and weaken your signal, especially on 5 GHz. You may have to play with the location to find out which place will work best for outdoor covering in your environment.

If you are not familiar with Wi-Fi signals, they are measured in decibel-milliwatts. Reading the signal will be negative, so close to zero is better. You want a signal between -60dbm and -30dbm (which is the best). This is your sweet place. Your signal is almost non -existent if you see something around -80dbm or -90dbm or smaller.

The price of the mesh systems has started to decrease, but they can still be quite expensive. However, you should not spend more than several hundred dollars for a decent and updated system. For example, Amazon Eero 6 Plus performed well in our tests, and the three -piece system can cover up to 4,500 square meters For about $ 300. Another of our top choices, the two pieces TP-Link Deco W7200 Mesh Routercover up to 5,500 square meters and cost $ 175 on Amazon. (TP-Link is currently under the investigation by the US government for links with Chinese Cyberattacs and may be banned this year.)

You could be tempted to leave an interior router or satellite in an area covered on the outside or in a weather resistant enclosure. This can work in the short term, but the risk factors are high. The device could overheat or freeze. Humidity is also a factor, as well as foreign objects such as dust and insects, which can block the vent holes of the device. We are not talking about the fact that leaving an interior device on the outside will cancel your guarantee.

Inner range extensions – cheaper but less reliable

You can reproduce the mesh configuration mentioned above with a regular router combined with interior Wi-Fi extensions. This option is a little more accessible, extensions occupying the place of the satellite units. Configuring this approach is a little more complicated, but you should not have too many problems following the quick starting guide included with the extensor. Many newer devices such as well tested D-Link Eaglepro Aiare designed to work with different routers.

Remember, most wireless extensors will cut your Wi-Fi in half, because they receive the wireless signal and then transmit it using the same radio on the same channel. Wait -you will be slower when it is connected to an extender instead of router. One way in this regard is to use a tri-band extensor with an additional 5 GHz network that can act as a dedicated connection to your router.

Remember that many routers also work as an extension, so another option is to buy a new router and use the old one as a wire or wireless extensor. Check your current router to see if it can work as a wireless or extensor access point. A new router will most likely give you better coverage, including outdoor, so the use of the old router as Extender can give you the extra impulse in the Wi-Fi coverage you need.

Between the two configurations, the great advantage of the mesh system compared to the plus extensions is that the mesh devices create a single network, so you do not have to reconnect to the Wi-Fi when you move from room to room or outdoors. In general, mesh systems are designed so that your phone or laptop automatically connects to the nearest net -free net unit. When you have an extender, you have two networks, one for the router and one for the extensor, you may need to switch between when you move. In addition, having two networks could cause interference between them, especially on 2.4 GHz.

Powerline adapters are one last solution for outdoor Wi-Fi

A cheap option is the use of Powerline adapters, which use existing electrical cables to expand your signal. You can connect some to an outdoor electric outlet, but you will be hard to find to find an accessible that is weather resistant. An inner line adapter can also be overheated if you connect it to an outdoor socket.

A temporary solution would be the use of an Indoor Wi-Fi adapter such as Zyxel Powerline serieswhich you connect to an inner outlet next to where you need better coverage. Your outdoor range will not be excellent but should improve your current configuration.

What is the bottom line?

The simplest option to expand Wi-Fi outdoors is with an additional net and satellite units. This should give you several hundred square meters of coverage outside your home. The mesh systems can be expensive, but the configuration is usually easy for beginner users.

In theory, the best option would be the use of an outdoor extensor, but there are not many consumers’ evaluation products beyond the blind. TP-Link also provides an outdoor unit, Deco X50-Outdoorwhich is water and dust -resistant certified. We had no chance to test that unit, but we will update this post as soon as we do it.