Choosing a repeater (Broadband extender)

[#1]

Hello,

We have PlusNet Broadband and the PlusNet One router. Our download speed is between 25Mbps and 30 Mbps. Our upload speed is around 6.5Mbps.

I'm looking to put wireless extenders around the house, and although I'm quite technical, I'm getting confused.  This is a screengrab for the Netgear extenders on Amazon:

What I'm confused about is the 'Best for Internet Speeds' rows. Is the 'Best for Internet Speeds' the speed the router provides (So my 25-30) or is it the maximum speed possible with with the maximum number of devices attached.

I do have a NAS (WD EX2 Ultra) in the house which is connected to our network, so not all my streamed content will be coming from the internet.

I may have some more questions, after that first one is answered if that is OK?

[#2]

The first issue is where is your router in relation to where you want to extend the wifi to?

I bought the cheapest of the Netgear ones on the spur of the moment while walking past Argos  just to see it if worked. Placed it on the upstairs landing in the middle of the house and now get wifi in my greenhouse too.  Knowing what I know now I would probably go for a slightly better model with the 5Mhz option but the specs you have printed should help you home in on a good one.

I also have a powerline one hard wired to the TV via the electricity main but it also has wifi and worth considering too.

You will get lots of differing opinions on this subject!

[#3]

@jonesypeter 

What I'm confused about is the 'Best for Internet Speeds' rows. Is the 'Best for Internet Speeds' the speed the router provides (So my 25-30) or is it the maximum speed possible with with the maximum number of devices attached.

They are assuming that the limiting factor is the speed of your internet connection and that there is no point in any device being able to transfer faster than that, since all traffic from any device is asuumed to be to/from the internet.

In your case that is not true

I do have a NAS (WD EX2 Ultra) in the house which is connected to our network, so not all my streamed content will be coming from the internet.

So ideally you need wireless capable of faster speeds than your internet connection, since some traffic will be local between your NAS and devices.

[#4]

Thank you @MisterW for the explanations.

I'm afraid I'm still a little confused. If we take for example the first device which is the EX2700. The ratings are as follows:

Bandwidth 300Mbps

Best for Internet Speeds 10-20Mbps

So the maximum bandwidth is 15 (300/20) or 30 (300/10) times the Best for Internet Speeds figure.

Peter

[#5]

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@jonesypeter wrote:

Thank you @MisterW for the explanations.

So the maximum bandwidth is 15 (300/20) or 30 (300/10) times the Best for Internet Speeds figure.

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The quoted bandwidth refers to the maximum that is shared over the connected devices.  You might have ten connected devices but even then they may not all be taking data at the same time. In any event as @MisterW says you will always be limited by the speed of your input source.

[#6]

Thank you @TeeGee, but I still don't think that is explaining the 'Best for Internet Speeds figure' figure.  

Cheers

[#7 · Accepted solution]

@jonesypeter you're reading too much into the 'Best for internet' figure. It's not a real figure at all, its a 'guess' at what that extender MIGHT be useful for under optimum conditions.

So take the EX2700 with a SUPPOSED bandwidth of 300mbps, its saying that under typical usage with MAYBE up to 10 devices it would PROBABLY be suitable where the internet speed was 10-20Mb.

Actual WIFI performance is so dependant on all sorts of things that, in reality, all those figures are pie in the sky

[#8]

I should have added my suspicions about the wifi coverage figure too!  Is it a circle, a square, a rectangle? With the extender at the centre? In a straight line my 2700 will nearly treble the total distance of the hub one so that the extender is the default wifi setting.

If I was doing it again I would settle for the 3700 but - if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!

P S If you go into settings you can tone down that annoying blue light on the router too!

Good luck!

[#9]

Thank you @TeeGee and @MisterW for your perseverance. Its appreciated. Have a good weekend. 

For information, the coverage map shows the extender in the middle of the house.  Of course that does not take into accounts 1930s houses with solid brick walls between each room!