TP-Link RE305 Wifi Range Extender

[TurboGlitch]

I am thinking buying a wifi extender for my room, TP-Link RE305. My room is not that far away from the main router, but sometimes I get high ping and lower speeds. Creating a wired access point is not possible for me right now, so is it a good idea to get this wifi extender? And will I get the full speed (20 Mbps) or half the speed? The extender has a LAN port aswell, so I can connect an ethernet cable from the extender to my laptop, will that help?

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Powerline is also a good option/alternative some powerline adapters also have access point functionality although I still think they are limited to wireless N300. I am unaware if there are any powerline adapters with wireless AC or AX functionality. Powerline has kind of been left behind

You could probably pick up some pre-owned powerline adapters for very little money these days

::Edit::

I meant to say Wireless N600. N300 exists and should be cheaper but it depends what you're looking for. N300 is still fine for video streaming at 1080p

 

[TurboGlitch]

Powerline is also a good option

I will check those out as well. Thank you

Can I connect my laptop and the range extender with a LAN cable? The extender has a LAN port so it can be used as an access point, so it should work with a computer right?

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Another way to skin a cat is to set up the RE305 as an access point but you'd need to run a cable from the router to where ever youre going to plug in the RE305.

If you set the 305 up as a repeater/extender. It will normally halve your bandwidth because thats the nature of it.

I've done both of these with my RE450. Im actually using my 450 as an access point right now.

If you're using it as a extender/repeater. You can use the network port on it to physically connect a computer, laptop or gaming console. The 305 will function as a psudo wifi dongle

 

[TurboGlitch]

It will normally halve your bandwidth because thats the nature of it.

My internet speed is 20 Mbps, so the extender will give me like 10? Even if i connect the extender to my laptop using an ethernet cable.

And will the latency be very high or alright for normal gaming?

 

[FreedomEclipse]

My internet speed is 20 Mbps, so the extender will give me like 10? Even if i connect the extender to my laptop using an ethernet cable.

And will the latency be very high or alright for normal gaming?

They'll be some latency but it also depends on how far the signal has to travel and how many walls you have in the way. I can't give you an answer. You have the hardware right in front of you and it will take an hour or less to find out which mode works best for you in your situation.

Unless your gaming at a competitive level where every millisecond or nanosecond matters because big cash prize etc. I wouldn't worry about it but thats just me.

 

[ty_ger]

My internet speed is 20 Mbps, so the extender will give me like 10? Even if i connect the extender to my laptop using an ethernet cable.

I could be wrong, but I think it halves the wifi bandwidth, not internet bandwidth. If I'm not wrong, that would mean wifi5's 200 Mbps would be halved to a 100Mpbs connection between you and your router, which is still more than your ISP's 20 Mbps, so you would still have a 20 Mbps connection to your ISP, but just with a little more minimum ping. The minimum ping would go up a little because the delay of 'repeating' the signal, but the ping spikes should decrease if the ping spikes were indeed caused by signal strength.

 

[Bill_Bright]

My room is not that far away from the main router

How far? And how many barriers (walls, floors, ceilings) in between? And what is the composition of those barriers? That is, are they standard interior walls made of wallboard and wood 2 x 4s? Or concrete blocks? And are they full of metal pipes and wires? Or use metal studs?

Before buying anything, take your laptop into the same room as the router and check your performance there. If you still see performance issues, an extender will not help.

What is the model number of the router? It may be better, and much easier, to just upgrade the router.

Are there any nearby, large metal objects like refrigerators or metal file cabinets? You don't want the router or your laptop near such surfaces, or have any of those devices blocking the "line of sight" of the radio signal.

Are there any other nearby electronic devices, like TV, microwave oven, or refrigerator that may be causing EMI/RFI?

Do you live in a crowded wifi neighborhood, like in or near a large apartment complex where there maybe many wifi networks?

What band are you using? The 5GHz band provides significantly better performance HOWEVER it is greatly limited by distance and barriers. Beyond 30 feet and more than 1 barrier and performance degrades significantly. Then you must use the 2.4GHz band. If a crowded neighborhood, changing to a different 2.4GHz channel may help. Check the router user guide for that.

Can you relocate the router, perhaps move it (or its antennas) higher up in the room? If it has moveable antennas, try reorienting them. If it has internal antennas, turn the router 90°.

If none of that helps, I would consider getting a new wifi adapter for your laptop (one with external antenna) before getting any extender. Extenders are designed to do just that, "extend" the range. They don't really improve performance unless you are already located out near the fringes of the router's range.

This one has received some good reviews, including one from a friend who really likes that it comes with a cable, giving the option to place the antenna up on a shelf, away from possible sources of EMI/RFI. His router is on one end of his house on the 2nd floor and he is able to stream videos with no problems to his laptop in a room in the basement on the other end of his house. He was not able to do this with the laptop's integrated wifi adapter.

And with an adapter, you can take it with you. Good if you visit someplace with lousy wifi.

 

[TurboGlitch]

How far?

Around 4.5-5.5 meters, with 2 concrete walls.

The wifi works great in the room where the router is.

What band are you using?

2.4GHz

Can you relocate the router, perhaps move it (or its antennas) higher up in the room?

Currently not possible

I would consider getting a new wifi adapter for your laptop

Oh i'll check it out.

I get around 18Mbps on average in my room, on my laptop, with latency around 10-15, and sometimes it goes to like 50 or 100 and the speed drops down to like 12-15. Will an extender fix this or is it better to get an adapter?

Thank you

so you would still have a 20 Mbps connection to your ISP, but just with a little more minimum ping.

That makes sense, thank you

 

[Bill_Bright]

with 2 concrete walls.

The wifi works great in the room where the router is.

2 concrete walls sure is not making things easy.

Will an extender fix this or is it better to get an adapter?

If me, I would still go for the adapter (unless other people are having problems too).

 

[TurboGlitch]

I would still go for the adapter

With either, an adapter or an extender, both will give me full speed (20mbps) when close to the router right?

Also, can I connect the extender to my laptop with a LAN cable? It has a LAN port.

 

[Bill_Bright]

With either, an adapter or an extender, both will give me full speed (20mbps) when close to the router right?

There's no way to know that. One would hope, but until either is actually put into place, you don't know. The problem is, where would you put the extender? It would be on the away side (from the router) - that is, on the other side of the 2 concrete walls. That means the repeater might (is likely) to get the same poor connection back to the router as you currently have. In other words, no better. This is why my first suggestion above was a new and better router.

Also, can I connect the extender to my laptop with a LAN cable? It has a LAN port.

I doubt it. I suggest you download and read the user guide of any extender BEFORE buying to see how it connects. I suspect the Ethernet port is so you can connect the extender to a router via Ethernet to then extend your network out further with the extender's wifi support.