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Wi-Fi Mesh and Access Points

Tue 7 Jul 2020

By James Vincent

A lot of people call JMV asking how they can solve their slow internet and poor Wi-Fi and they ask about range extenders and powerline Wi-Fi adapters. Are they any good?

There is no simple answer to this question as there are so many things that could be causing the slow internet:

-          Poor incoming signal

-          Poor router

-           Interference from other Wi-Fi routers, microwaves etc…

-          Poor devices

-          Distance

-           Walls

And the list goes on.

So the question is, Can a range extender, Access Point or Mesh System help?

It's important to note that range extenders and mesh systems aren’t a magic bullet that improve speeds in every situation. If your problem is caused by congestion from your neighbors, a poorly placed router, or a cheap internet package with slow speeds, a mesh system isn’t going to solve your problem, and in fact could make the internet worse.

The first step is to walk around your home or business and make a note of dead spots (places where the Wi-Fi is not working). Then walk around and complete various speed test where the Wi-Fi is working and note down the results. If there is varying speeds and dead spots around the property then it would indicate that your Wi-Fi needs boosting.

If you don’t have any dead spots, then the problem is with your internet package, rather than your Wi-Fi network.

If you do find dead spots, make sure your router is optimally placed out in the open, in a central location. If it’s stuffed inside a cupboard on one end of the house, you might be able to solve your problem by moving the router instead of buying new hardware.

Wi-Fi extenders are basic repeaters of the Wi-Fi signal and by their very design do not do a great job as they have to process the information twice, receiving it and then sending it.

Mesh units however are all interlinked with several antennas and process the information in a very different way and are inherently much faster and provide better coverage. Mesh Wi-Fi is more expensive than repeaters, but as long as they are setup correctly, they work very well.

So if you have Wi-Fi dead spots look at Mesh Wi-Fi upgrades or give us a call and we can install them for you and give you whole house Wi-Fi.

JMV Solutions – 01626 821160 - jmvcomputers.co.uk



Other columns by James Vincent

Wi-Fi Mesh and Access Points - Mon 2 Aug 2021
Laptops - Mon 14 Jun 2021
Home Working - Mon 1 Mar 2021
How to pick a secure password - Tue 29 Sep 2020
New Laptop - Tue 11 Feb 2020
6 Reasons Why You Need an MSP for Your Business - Mon 2 Dec 2019
Laptop or Tablet? - Thu 1 Aug 2019
How can Office 365 benefit your Business? - Fri 3 May 2019
How can Office 365 benefit your Business? - Thu 24 Jan 2019
How to keep your PC or Laptop healthy - Thu 8 Nov 2018
I'm experiencing disconnections / dropouts with my broadband, what can I do? - Tue 22 Jan 2013


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