WiFi extender please help

[Phlier]

I was gonna come in this thread and see if I could help out, but then I noticed that @linux-works was the last person to post in this thread, making me realize that there wasn't anything else I could add.

Thanks, @linux-works for all the info/help!

 

[linux-works]

I can't let a good wifi thread go by, lol. (I do automotive wifi/lte/ble and other RF things at my day job)

 

[Fresnel]

2.4ghz is very polluted. microwave ovens, zigbee/xbee, bluetooth, wifi. lots of crowding in 2.4ghz.

but lower freq is 'easier' to get distance on, as a general RF rule. so unless your 5ghz is pretty close by, its still worth trying to connect to a 2.4ghz access point. if its your phone that's being a hotspot, definitely go for 5.8ghz as that is the ideal use-case.

My car is parked about 150 ft (probably a lot less) away from the extender that it's connected to which is connected to the router through an ethernet. Straight line of sight, nothing blocking. I'm not hot spotting from my phone.

 

[linux-works]

if you are able to read the 'rssi' (signal strength) at both 2.4 and 5.8, see if one comes in stronger than the other.

antenna orientation also can matter (matching polarization, try horiz and vertical).

some 5.8 APs with multiple antennas can 'beam form' and if they can get a fix on your car, they might be able to send the data 'that direction' with a bit more gain.

I try to move my main access point (asus ac-grade unit with 3 antennas) close to the balcony and I park near my apartment area I can see both the 5.8 and 2.4 signals my AP puts out but I've had good dependable results with 2.4. if 5.8 gets a connection, then loses it, the download will have to restart (it does checkpoint, thankfully) and the connection setup phase does seem to take some time. I'd prefer to have a solid 2.4 than an iffy 5.8; a steady non-disconnecting session is always best, imho.

 

[whatthe2]

if you are able to read the 'rssi' (signal strength) at both 2.4 and 5.8, see if one comes in stronger than the other.

antenna orientation also can matter (matching polarization, try horiz and vertical).

some 5.8 APs with multiple antennas can 'beam form' and if they can get a fix on your car, they might be able to send the data 'that direction' with a bit more gain.

I try to move my main access point (asus ac-grade unit with 3 antennas) close to the balcony and I park near my apartment area I can see both the 5.8 and 2.4 signals my AP puts out but I've had good dependable results with 2.4. if 5.8 gets a connection, then loses it, the download will have to restart (it does checkpoint, thankfully) and the connection setup phase does seem to take some time. I'd prefer to have a solid 2.4 than an iffy 5.8; a steady non-disconnecting session is always best, imho.

Google WiFi doesn’t allow you to choose the band. It uses one SSID for both 2.4 and 5.8 and connects the device to the best connection based on its algorithms. Just pointing this out since @Snow Drift mentioned they are using Google. I also use Google in my house and have zero issues.

 

[chrisf60526]

My garage is a good distance from my router and i have plenty of bandwidth and a very good router. Counter intuitive, i set up a guest 2.4ghz guest network for my Tesla only. Yes, 2.4 is slower and more congested but the range is much better than 5ghz.

Works fine.

 

[Fresnel]

My garage is a good distance from my router and i have plenty of bandwidth and a very good router. Counter intuitive, i set up a guest 2.4ghz guest network for my Tesla only. Yes, 2.4 is slower and more congested but the range is much better than 5ghz.

Works fine.

When you connect to wifi does your car automatically see the 2.4ghz or do you need to input the name etc and manually add it? For some reason my 2.4ghz is really flaky popping on and off the wifi list.

 

[Kevy Baby]

I was gonna come in this thread and see if I could help out, but then I noticed that @linux-works was the last person to post in this thread, making me realize that there wasn't anything else I could add.

Well, he is a former member of the Radio Shack Battery Club, so he knows what he is talking about. Can't beat that credential!

 

[linux-works]

When you connect to wifi does your car automatically see the 2.4ghz or do you need to input the name etc and manually add it? For some reason my 2.4ghz is really flaky popping on and off the wifi list.

do you name your ssid the same for 2.4 and 5? some APs allow that and I suggest making each of the 2 bands their own name. I just add a -24 or a -58 to the end of the AP name, as ssid's. that way its easy to force a band choice just by name.

 

[Fresnel]

do you name your ssid the same for 2.4 and 5? some APs allow that and I suggest making each of the 2 bands their own name. I just add a -24 or a -58 to the end of the AP name, as ssid's. that way its easy to force a band choice just by name.

Each band has it's own name but I noticed that sometimes the 2.4 band doesn't show up at all when I look at the wifi list of available wifi connections. Then I saw a way to manually add a wifi connection by typing in the name etc.

 

[linux-works]

wifi often keeps results of a previous 'scan' but they are kept different amounts of time depending on whether you are connected or not. there are also partial scans and full scans. all I'm saying is that showing a list of SSIDs is not always stable; entries are aged out and some advertise at different rates, so they can come and go from the 'discovered' list.

adding one manually is the best way, as it does not need a 'scan' to know about that network.

 

[user212_nr]

Check out this Wifi extender with touch screen for $15.

https://www.amazon.com/HomeScreen-TouchScreen-Wireless-Extender-802-11ac/dp/B00PHTQQ3O

I bought three of them for $45, and I'd buy more if there was any use for them. They are so cheap because the model is discontinued.

Touch screen extenders are the way to go! I'm a technical person, but I'm sick of configuring routers and range extenders by carrying around laptops, switching wifi networks, entering IP addresses, pressing secret buttons, reading manuals, etc.

Here's a more up-to date model for $45

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Extender-Touchscreen-Interface-RE590T/dp/B018017S8W/

 

[linux-works]

that range expander is 2.4ghz only, btw.

 

[Snow Drift]

Google WiFi doesn’t allow you to choose the band. It uses one SSID for both 2.4 and 5.8 and connects the device to the best connection based on its algorithms. Just pointing this out since @Snow Drift mentioned they are using Google. I also use Google in my house and have zero issues.

Thanks. I am not sure how to tell on Google which is being used by the device. I assume it’s 5ghz. With FiOS the bands had different names.

 

[whatthe2]

Thanks. I am not sure how to tell on Google which is being used by the device. I assume it’s 5ghz. With FiOS the bands had different names.

Go into the Google WiFi app and find your car in the devices connected. It will show up as the MAC address (you can find that in somewhere in the settings on the car, WiFi settings I believe but I’m not near my car right now). Under details it will show which frequency it’s using.

 

[Snow Drift]

Go into the Google WiFi app and find your car in the devices connected. It will show up as the MAC address (you can find that in somewhere in the settings on the car, WiFi settings I believe but I’m not near my car right now). Under details it will show which frequency it’s using.

So, I can’t see any frequency. It shows MAC address and IP.

 

[linux-works]

there are wifi scanners for android and ios and those will often show the freq band along with ssid and rssi (signal strength).

 

[whatthe2]

So, I can’t see any frequency. It shows MAC address and IP.

 

[Snow Drift]

View attachment 503783

Which app are you using? Goggle Home for iOS doesn’t look like that.

 

[jrweiss98020]

If you need even more range, the Linksys WRT series of routers can be set up as range extenders. I have previously used the WRT54G and WRT1900 for this purpose. If you can find a used one for a good price, they have a lot more power than the dedicated range extenders.

FWIW, my WRT3200AC has enough power that I no longer need an extender in my house.