Extending my wifi network

[Freddyfruitba...]

Having had trouble for years with dead wifi zones in my house (it's quite big, and has really thick stone walls) I added a couple of those gizmos which transmit internet over the power cables. I bought a TP-Link wifi extender (model TL-WPA4220) and after months of grief finally got it working well (it seems the main issue was faulty firmware, and worked OK once I updated that).

So for several months I've had things set up with two completely separate wifi networks in the house, and my devices choose the strongest signal to log in to. That works OK, but is a bit clunky, and would be much better if it was configured to use the same wifi network throughout the house, which I'm sure should be possible?

Can anyone advise what I need to do to achieve that, without screwing up my current system again. Concerned about interference between the two transmitters, and isn'tt there something about reducing the wifi speed if you double them up? In case it's relevant, my main wifi router is a VirginMedia Superhub 2

Thanks
____________________
KC100->CB100N->CB250RS--------->DL650AL2->R1200RS->R1250RS

[Hawkeye1250FA]

SKY Q uses each mini box as a wifi hotspot for your main wifi - so it is possible.

Have you tried a wifi extender rather than the Dlan ones?

[UncleFester]

I found the Superhub2 hopelessly unreliable unless i ran it in Modem mode and used my own cable router with WIFI running on that.

Been using 4 x TPlink WA855RE for WIFI extending and it works well as one seamless network.
____________________
Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[UncleFester]

You have to make sure you use the correct passwords and select the right Mac address to get it working but it's reasonably self explanatory. Argos were doing them in pairs for a good price.
____________________
Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[Pjay]

TP-LINK TL-WA850RE and similar are great.

[Freddyfruitba...]

[trevoriv]

I use the ASUS RP-AC52.

Speeds arent amazing (fast enough to stream media though) and 5GHz is kind of pointless unless you place it really close to the main router which kind of defeats the object but using the 2.4GHz signal the distance it reaches is great.

I've got one in my utility room which is 3 walls and 20ft away from my router and it's practically full signal and using my kindle fire (which has pretty weak wifi as it is) in the garage which is another 20ft away and another 3 walls I get 2 out of 3 bars on the old wifi indicator and can stream iplayer / plex etc no problem. Speedtest is pulling 20-25 or so mbps of my 40mbps connection.

So my kindle is 6 brick walls and at least 10 metres away from my router and I can stream homes under the hammer instantly. Winner!
____________________
Past: '96 Thundercat, '02 ZX636R (A1P), '58 KTM 690 SM LC4 Current: '06 ZX636R (C6F)
Mudskipper wrote: Someone just has to sig that...

[UncleFester]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[UncleFester]

Dunno .... all I use Wi-Fi for is web n facebook. Everything that needs bandwidth is wired.

Signal strength is superb through the whole house and garages / front and rear garden
____________________
Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.

[trevoriv]

An extender will half the speed as it's got to receive signal, send it on, receive from client and then hand it back - double the traffic = half the speed.
____________________
Past: '96 Thundercat, '02 ZX636R (A1P), '58 KTM 690 SM LC4 Current: '06 ZX636R (C6F)
Mudskipper wrote: Someone just has to sig that...

[UncleFester]

Given that without it ... there is no signal and therefore no speed - it's a moot point for me.
____________________
Module 1 and 2 passed - October 2014. Happy owner of a 2017 Z1000SX, ex owner of a YBR125 / CB500 / VFR800.