Start counting the number of WiFi gadgets in the technical realm and eons will pass. But, don’t worry! This blog will not discuss all of them. Here, we will particularly shed light on two prominent networking gadgets that are ruling the digital world i.e. WiFi extender and repeater. For your ease, we have differentiated both products with the help of various parameters so that you can understand their functionality and usefulness in a better way. And yes, you will be able to pick the best one for your home network. So, let’s start our post focusing on WiFi extender vs repeater.
What You Should Know About Repeater and Extender?
This is to inform you that no matter whether you are looking to install a WiFi repeater in your house or have planned to perform WiFi extender setup, a host networking device, particularly a router will be needed.
A WiFi extender as well as a WiFi repeater is known to convert internet dead zones in the house to a fully functional WiFi zone. Of course, they will provide internet access to wired client devices too.
Wifi Repeater
Wifi Extender
We are hopeful that you have learned the basics of WiFi extender and repeater. Let us now focus on the key point in the discussion i.e. WiFi extender vs repeater. Walking through the below-mentioned points will help you conclude better.
Difference Between WiFi Extender and Repeater
| S. No. | Parameter | WiFi Extender | Repeater |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Functionality | It connects to the existing network through a wired or wireless connection and then broadcasts the signal into a wider space. | The repeater is known to share a wired or wireless connection with an access point in the house and REPEAT its signals. |
| 2 | Connection source utilized | The user is supposed to connect a WiFi extender to the router through an Ethernet cable only. | One is free to use a wired or wireless source of connection between a repeater and router. |
| 3 | Impact on WiFi speed | WiFi extenders extend the network range. The signals go through various operations. Hence, there is little impact on the final WiFi speeds received on client devices. | As the name suggests, the repeater only repeats the signal fed by the main router. There is less impact on the concluding WiFi speeds. No complications involved! |
| 4 | Installation | A user can install a WiFi extender by connecting it to his/her router using an RJ45 cable and then by accessing its web panel through the default IP address. | To install a WiFi repeater, the user generally needs to press the WPS button on the repeater + router. The user can also proceed using the browser-based technique. |
We are assuming that you’ve carefully walked through the basic differences that helped you to understand the concept of WiFi extender vs repeater. In light of the same point, we are now shifting our attention to the steps involved in the installation process and usage of both devices.
How to Set Up and Use a WiFi Extender?
The steps mentioned below will help understand the basics of setting up a Netgear WiFi extender through its default IP address 192.168.1.250. However, you can use this information to set up WiFi extender brought in by any brand using its respective IP address:
- Start by creating an Ethernet connection between the LAN1 port of the router and the WAN port of the extender.
- Once done, switch on the extender followed by the router, and let the LEDs stabilize.
- Join the extender’s WiFi network on a computer and access the default IP address through the address bar of an updated web browser.
- Complete the login process and follow the instructions that show up on the screen.
How to Set Up a WiFi Repeater?
The repeater can be easily installed using a wireless connection with the router. You can use the following steps for the same:
- Power up the router (access point) and the repeater.
- Now, you need to push the WPS button on both devices.
- Let the connection get established.
- Join the repeated WiFi network on your wireless client devices.
Quick Tip: You can also use the WPS method for the installation process of a WiFi extender. But, it will assign a random SSID and password to the network. Therefore, it will be better if you do it manually via the IP address.
WiFi Extender vs Booster – The Verdict
If you have walked through the post carefully, then you can understand that a WiFi extender and repeater are two sides of a single coin. They perform the same task but through different connection sources. We suggest you pick the one that suits your connection requirements.
With that said, we are now putting a full stop to the blog aimed to help you understand the concept of WiFi extender vs repeater. Choose the one according to your home network requirements!