What do I need to extend my wireless and add an ethernet?

[kalstrand]

I want to extend the range of my wireless router and add an Ethernet port in another room of my house. What do I need a range extender, repeater, bridge or are they all the same thing? Any suggestions on model my router is a Linksys WRT310Nv1? Do I need to stick with Linksys? Will using a Linksys product make setting it up easier?

 

[remixedcat]

Please specify your budget and region so we can assist further.

However one brand I did use of RE's was an Amped SR20000G and those can be had around 80-120USD and they did provide great coverage. I do not have the unit anymore, however, so I can't fulfill any test requests at this time.
Review URL: http://remixedcat.blogspot.com/2012/12/amped-wireless-sr20000g-wireless.html

Note: Amped Wireless products are not natively available in the EU so you would need to import them.

One note about RE's: They will halve your bandwidth, as they have to send/rec. at the same time. If you have N300 you will see N150 speeds if you have your router configured to 40Mhz channel width. If yours is configured to 20Mhz then you will see half of N150 speeds. I had about 55Mbps speeds over the extender.

If I were you I would go with an access point (won't suffer the above) and then run cat5E/6/6E cable to it. You can also use a homeplug adapter if a long cable run is not permitted (if you rent or room mate with people) and then connect one end to the AP and the other to your router.

Access Points:
I've use Amped Wireless APs and Meraki APs. I have a Meraki MR12 and it has amazing controls and the Amped AP has great coverage. The Meraki MR12 is enterprise level and goes for around 450-500 (250 for hardware+ required cost of 3 year cloud license) and the AP20000G is anywhere from 80-150USD. You can get an Amped 802.11ac one, however I have not tested it yet and it runs around 180USD.

Review URL for AP20000G: http://remixedcat.blogspot.com/2012/11/amped-wireless-ap20000g-full-review.html

Note: I also do NOT have the AP20000G anymore as well.

Review coming soon for MR12!

Homeplugs:
I also have a Netgear Homeplug adapter connected to the MR12 to my router and it works great. Stable link speed of 10-12MBps or 114Mbps. I also have an Amped PLA2 that has a stable link speed of 9MBps or 108Mbps.

Review URL for PLA2:
http://remixedcat.blogspot.com/2013/05/amped-wireless-pla2-review.html

Netgear 2 day PRTG graph:

 

[kalstrand]

I live in the US and am probably looking at around $100 max. I would prefer to stay wireless if possible. I can actually connect to the router anywhere in the house but at the farthest points the signal is fairly weak. Most of the use will be tablets so no serious demand for bandwidth for them. I do however want to add a VOIP phone so I don't know how much bandwidth would be required for that. I am looking for something with at least one Ethernet port for the phone.

Do wireless APs connect to the router wirelessly or are they wireless simply because you can connect to them wirelessly? If they connect to the router wirelessly I think a wireless AP would be my first choice.

 

[Jetster]

Remixedcat. You should seriously get free stuff from Amped, if you don't already.

 

[remixedcat]

IKR?


And OP, the repeaters link wirelessly but the APs need to be connected to the router using ethernet cable.

Question is do you need dual band?

 

[Jetster]

Contact them. Maybe you can open a retail outlet where you live

 

[remixedcat]

I'd love to. mabye you can convince them to hire me or something.... that would be amazing.