WiFi boosters, extenders and repeaters allow internet within the household to travel further and remain strong even if you’re attempting to use your broadband several rooms away from where your router is situated.
If you notice that your broadband is underperforming during video streaming, online gaming or file uploading, you may benefit from using one of these devices. By introducing a WiFi booster where your internet is weak or inconsistent, you should be able to improve the signal to such a point that it could feel like you’re using the internet directly next to your router.
How do WiFi boosters work?
If you’re suffering from issues with your broadband, a WiFi booster, extender or repeater could help improve the strength or speed of your internet. WiFi boosters are the most popular of the three, and it’s easy to see why when considering exactly how they function.
The main objective of a WiFi booster is to improve the speed and strength of the incoming WiFi signal to your broadband router. By operating closely to your original router, the WiFi booster pulls in the existing WiFi signal and amplifies it so it’s stronger and travels further than your router could by itself.
How to install a WiFi booster
Setting up a WiFi booster is quick and easy. In fact, it’s such a simple task that you could have it up and running within a matter of minutes. The ASUS PL-N12 is a strong example of this, both for how easy it is to set up and the proven boosted internet performance from using it.
All you need to do to get started is plug the smaller adapter into a power outlet and connect it directly to your WiFi router using a network cable. By pressing the ‘clone’ button on the smaller adapter, the booster will automatically find out your current WiFi network name and password.
Finally, plug the larger adapter into a power socket close to the device you’re trying to improve the broadband connection on, linking the device with the adapter via WiFi or a network cable.
Can you use your phone as a WiFi booster?
Mobile phones are capable of receiving and supplying WiFi and mobile data, so it’s become increasingly easier to use these devices as a makeshift WiFi booster. Samsung was the first company to try this after introducing its dedicated WiFi sharing application, which is set to be a frequently included feature on upcoming Android phones. It’s also possible to do this on iPhones and other Apple devices, but developers are said to be working on a dedicated iOS app to make the process easier.
Similar to a Personal Hotspot, where it’s possible to use your mobile phone data as a WiFi connection for local devices, you can allow any chosen mobile phones to benefit from your phone signal with the added incentive that your phone will be boosting the active WiFi rather than dipping into your allotted data.
How well do WiFi boosters work?
There are various studies which suggest that WiFi boosters are effective, especially in cases where the signal is struggling significantly within the household, leading to a need for additional broadband coverage in more secluded areas of the home.
Experts who have trialled the use of a WiFi booster and compared their results to how their broadband connection was before saw poor signal strength being notably improved to be far more sustainable for most typical internet uses.
Implementing a WiFi booster won’t guarantee that your internet signal will be perfect without fail, but they have been known to get the best out of your router and offer the best possible signal to elsewhere in your house.
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