Wifi extenders and internet routers look a lot similar in many ways. But there are some key differences that most people aren’t aware of. Because of this, most people ask, can you use wifi extender without a router.
In general, wireless wifi extenders can not be used without an internet router. They are devices that can only be used to increase the range of your wireless network. Wifi extenders do not act as routers themselves but simply receive and rebroadcast the wireless signal.
Wifi extenders are designed to be connected to an existing router wirelessly to extend the range of your existing wireless internet in your home or a new area.
What is a WiFi extender?
A WiFi extender is a device that boosts the wifi signal in a particular area. This is useful for people who live in bigger houses and therefore struggle with poor wifi coverage, or people who live in an apartment and struggle to get a good wifi signal because of other buildings nearby. WiFi extenders work by amplifying the wifi signal.
Why do I need a WiFi extender?
You need a wifi extender in your home if internet coverage inside and outside your home is not evenly distributed, leaving several areas of your home with no wireless wifi. Internet wifi extender helps to bring wifi into all dark spots where you couldn’t get wifi or the signal was too weak.
In American metropolitan cities, nearly two-thirds of home buyers are looking for homes with WiFi access to their broadband network, but only about 15% have access to the internet. The problem is that the WiFi signal is typically too weak at the edges of your house (particularly near exterior walls), meaning that no matter how fast your internet connection is, you’ll only get mediocre internet service.
A good wifi signal is essential for a good connection. If your wifi is weak your connection will be weak.
How to find the wifi signal and analyze where you need an extender
- The wifi signal has an impact on how fast your internet connection speeds are. If the signal is bad, your devices may not be able to communicate with the router. Extenders can amplify your wifi signal and provide a steady, fast connection.
- The best way to find out if you need an extender is by testing the wifi strength of your home or office. If you are using an Android phone, you can download the WiFi Test app that will show you the wifi signal strength in your home or office.
- Only when you know whether you have the best wifi signal or not, you n now go and find the best extender to meet your internet needs.
- You need to find a wifi extender that will provide the best signal strength and will work with your router. A good wifi extender can provide 30 or 40% of the wifi signal strength without a problem.
- Choosing what kind of extender you need is the tricky one. You can buy any type of wireless extender and they all serve the purpose. It is only that you need to find the best one.
Top-rated wifi extenders in the market: Increased working distance Wi-Fi wireless extender
- Belkin Extender
- Z-Wave Extender
- D-Link Extender
1. The Belkin Wifi extender.
The Belkin Extender is ideal for your home or office and a very good wifi extender. It supports up to 5 ports with the dual-band which adds up to a total of 8 ports. It provides up to 8x the signal strength of your router. But you need to make sure that you are not going to overload the router with the wifi extender.
2. The D-Link Wifi Extender
The D-Link Extender is for planning a small business and a small office. It can be used to add wireless access points or hotspots to your network. It supports up to 5 ports with dual-band which adds up to a total of 8 ports.
3. The Z-Wave Extender
The Z-Wave Extender is perfect for a small home and small business. It supports up to 10 devices with 2. The Z-Wave Extender is a great wifi extender that you can use to extend the coverage of your router. It works extremely well in a home environment with 10 devices or more.
Overall, the Best Wifi Extender is the one that is compatible with your router and provides you with the most efficient coverage.
Installing the extender
Up an extender is using it as an access point extension from your current router, which can be accomplished by plugging one end into the USB port on the router and the other end into a power outlet to create a wireless home network mesh.
A WiFi extender is also known as a range extender is a device that is used to increase the signal of a wireless network. The first thing you need to know about WiFi Extenders is that they do not work without a router.
What you should consider
One of the most essential pieces of technology for our daily lives is the internet. Whether it’s checking social media, bingeing on Netflix, or doing some research for school, we need to be connected to the web. However, there are times when our internet connection isn’t strong enough and we can’t get online. When this happens, a wifi extender will help you regain access to the internet.
Do wifi extenders work with any router
WiFi extenders allow you to extend the range of your wireless network. Does your wifi extender work with any router?
Generally, wifi extenders work with any brand of router. They work efficiently when paired with certain brands than others, so as you purchase a wifi extender, think of it as if it will only work with the same brand of router. However, there are some wifi extenders that are compatible with other brands of routers.
How do router extenders work
Every home has a router, but it’s not always enough for a house with a large living space. The easiest solution is to connect a Wi-Fi extender to the router. Users can usually do this by plugging the device into an existing outlet and connecting it to the router with an Ethernet cable.
Without a router, Wi-Fi extenders won’t be able to work as they need a signal from the Internet or another wireless connection. Plug in an ethernet cable from your router to the device.
Do wifi router boosters work.
WiFi router boosters are devices that use a special antenna to help strengthen the signals of wireless routers.
In general, Wifi boosters actually work well in boosting an existing wireless internet connection. They are not actually boosting the signal, but rather amplifying the existing signal in order to ensure better wireless connectivity for users. They can also act as a wifi extender by strengthening the range of your wireless network so that it reaches further than before. With so many options out there, it can be confusing to figure it out which one is the best choice for your needs.
How far can a wifi extender be from the router?
With the use of a wifi extender in your home, you can extend your wireless network’s range. The closer you are to the router, the stronger your connection will be without having to add an extra router. However, when you put a wifi extender in between rooms or in another part of your house, it will weaken the signal and less power it has because it has to travel further.
As a general guide, wifi extenders should be 3-4 hoops from the main connection. Multiple wifi extenders mesh in-network with one plugged directly to the main internet access router.
Conclusion
Overall, wife extenders are only useful when connected to a router. They do not work independently from routers. Generally, wifi extenders are designed to help homeowners get more of a signal in certain rooms. So, it is not possible to use the wifi extender without a router.
Some people state that you can do this by sharing your internet connection with the extender, but others say that this is not possible. These two theories are conflicting and more research is needed in order to provide more evidence on which one of these theories is correct.