In these days when, to contain the spread of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), our work, social and entertainment activities have moved above all online, having fast and constant WiFi at home has become for many a matter of first necessity. To get an idea of how much our use of the internet has increased in recent weeks, just think that, to lighten the entire infrastructure, the European Union had to ask the most popular streaming platforms, such as Netflix, to reduce the quality of the own videos.
Who, for reasons independent of the measures taken by the European Union but only for the characteristics of their home, would like to improve the speed and reliability of the home network – to be able to work and at the same time allow the people they live with to work their turn or to follow their own video lessons at the same time – they may be able to do this by purchasing a WiFi extender or a WiFi mesh system.
WiFi extenders are the simplest and cheapest solution, but also less fast and not very comfortable; they cost about thirty euros. For those who have a large and multi-story house, the most recommended solution is a mesh WiFi system, which is more efficient and comfortable to use, but also quite expensive. The better halfway between the two, according to the reputable New York Times Wirecutter review site, is a cheaper mesh system than the others, but very efficient: it's called Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX770o and costs 127 euros. Yet another solution is that of Powerline devices, which plug into the electrical sockets of the house and are not excessively expensive but risk occupying too many sockets. And then there are always the old cables, which are a little awkward, but come in handy in more than one situation.
Extender
The WiFi extender is a simple and economical solution, but which does not cover long distances: let's say that it is especially suitable for those who do not live in large houses, but it just has to “get around” some structural obstacles that block the signal, such as reinforced walls or columns. However, be aware that the extender's WiFi speed will always be a little slower than the main WiFi speed.
The WiFi extender works by connecting to the WiFi of the router present in the house and relaying the signal from its position. This way the WiFi range will be increased and it will reach a larger area. For best results, the ideal is to place the extender roughly halfway between where the router is and the farthest point where you want the connection to arrive. If you place the extender too far from the router, in fact, you risk receiving little signal, but if you place it too far from the “blind spot” you risk that its signal will also arrive too weak.
According to Wirecutter, the best extenders are those of the TP-Link brand and specifically TP-Link RE220 and TP-Link RE300. The first is not on the market in Italy: you can buy it on eBay for 29 euros but, arriving from abroad, the shipping costs compensate for the price difference compared to the second model, which instead costs 33 euros both on Amazon and on ePrice. . The TP-Link RE300 was more reliable in Wirecutter's tests, but it lacks the Ethernet cable input that the RE220 has. On Amazon, shipping times are a few days.
Extenders have a limitation that can be annoying for some: in fact, even if what they do is simply duplicate a signal they receive, in reality the signal they relay becomes in fact another WiFi network with its own name and password. This means that when you move a device from one part of the house to another it becomes necessary from time to time to manually set the strongest WiFi in that particular room. This limit is overcome with WiFi mesh systems, which instead create a signal that is perceived as unique.
Mesh systems
If you have a large house and an older router, you might consider purchasing a mesh WiFi system, which however, being a more sophisticated solution than the extender, costs even a little more. In short, the mesh network works with several network devices that all contribute in the same way to distribute the signal in the environment: unlike the extender, which is subordinate to the main router whose signal it repeats a little weakened, here there is no 'is a centralization of resources in the router, but a homogeneous distribution.
One of the devices will be attached to the modem, which will lose the functionality of a router, and the others will be distributed around the house. When we connect a device to the mesh network and move it around the house, the various devices will automatically “hook” it without the need (as happens with the extender) to manually set the most powerful network at each move.
The best mesh system according to Wirecutter is Amazon's Eero Pro: the three-device package costs 500 euros. It is a very good solution if you live in a house with several floors or spread over several rooms. For larger but more compact houses, however, the D-Link two-device kit that costs 198 euros might be enough.
To spend a little less, but have more than an extender, Wirecutter suggests a middle ground between the two: the Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700. It is a mesh system in one device, which costs 127 euros on Amazon and 125 euros on ePrice, more than the extenders recommended so far. As a mesh system it allows you to extend the range of WiFi without losing speed, but it is not good for very large or multi-storey homes. It is a good investment if you have multiple areas of your home that are not receiving the signal or if you don't want to have to switch between networks every time, but prefer a mesh network with only one name. In short, it is recommended for those who want the functionality of a mesh network but do not need to replace their router, because it is new and well functioning.
The cable
Although the fact of being able to connect devices to the network without the need for cables always seems the most convenient thing, there are cases in which the possibility using an Ethernet cable should be considered. When we use a cable to connect a device to the network, in fact, the speed and reliability of the connection for that device increases: it is as if the connected device no longer has to compete with others for the signal, but can enjoy its own preferential lane.
It is a suitable solution for stationary devices such as computers or game consoles, such as PlayStation and Xbox, which can be attached to a cable because they have an Ethernet input and because they are not expected to be moved often. In addition, they are devices that often need a constant and fast signal: for example to watch a movie in 4K, or to upload and download very large files. Or in online multiplayer games, where a weak signal is enough to lose the game.
Furthermore, using cables for these fixed devices will also improve the performance of wireless devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, because interference will be limited: in a sense the competition for the wireless connection is reduced to a few competitors who will therefore have less to wait.
You can also buy cables online, some very long: for example this goes from 4 to 15 meters. If you don't have enough Ethernet inputs in your router, you can purchase a network switch, a device that connects to the router and to which other cables and therefore other devices can be attached. There is one from TP-Link that costs 18 euros on both Amazon and ePrice, is recommended by Wirecutter and has one cable entry to connect to the router and four cable entries to connect to devices.
Powerline devices
These are gadgets that connect to the home's electrical network and, like the other devices we have seen, spread the signal by widening the coverage. They are usually bought in pairs, but if the house is large, more than two can be used. To work they must be attached to electrical sockets: one must be connected to the router with an Ethernet cable, while the others can be distributed in strategic areas of the house. When they are turned on, they connect to each other by enlarging the area reached by the signal. If you have a fairly new router (a couple of years ago at the latest), Powerline devices can be a fairly inexpensive solution to reach areas of the house where the signal is normally weak, but if your router is starting to get old, it's worth it. however a mesh system.
The limitation of Powerline devices is that they may malfunction with not brand new electrical systems and which, by attaching themselves to electrical sockets, can be quite bulky. In fact, due to the shape they have, they could occupy not only the socket to which they are attached, but also the one next to them, and attaching them to multi-socket power strips is not recommended. Before making purchases, check that the devices have, in addition to the Ethernet cable inputs, also WiFi: the cheapest ones may not have it.
According to Wirecutter's tests, the best product is TP-Link TL-WPA8630, which includes two devices and costs 116 euros on Amazon. It has three inputs for Ethernet cables and WiFi.
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