NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Extender for Nighthawk RS300
I am trying to connect to a smart lock in a building nearby, but the signal isnʻt strong enough to properly operate the locks. Just barely the bottom level of the wifi arcs. Is there an extender might reach 50ft?
Or should I ask this in the RS300 chat?
8 Replies
Might try any EX or EAX series extender.
The space between the Wi-Fi router and the lock is mostly outdoors. They are in separate buildings. Should I put the extender closer to the router or closer to the lock?
Its only 50ft? Thats not that far. Its probably more an issue of the wifi being blocked by exterior walls. They tend to be made from materials that block wifi to a better degree like cement board, metal siding, etc.
Whats the exteior of the home and the nearby building made from?
lock is on wooden door. House is single wall wood construction. Then the building with the router is across open lawn in another building with wood wall and also some concrete block wall. I asked Chatgpt about CMU walls, it said "
- Frequency — 2.4 GHz penetrates better than 5 GHz (longer wavelength → less interaction with small features).
- Nevertheless that CMU were a factor, so Iʻll check on that.
That’s helpful I will return to the site next week and see. How far should the signal be able to reach ?
As plemans pointed out, this is not a question of distance. It is one of balance and practicality. WiFi signals must pass through open spaces (i.e. rooms, yard, etc.) and also through structures (interior wall, exterior walls) The general strategy is to locate a WiFi extender "half way" between the WiFi access point and the WiFi user device. In most cases, that allows for about the same amount of "open air" and the same number of interior walls on each "hop". But wait! There is 50' of open space with no electrical outlet! oops. half-way is probably not going to be practical. What if the exterior walls are not constructed the same? What if the WiFi router is on the far side of the building from the nearby building? What if the remote building is metal clad (and thus practically a Faraday Cage)?
It might be useful to open the Nighthawk app to the WiFi Analytics page and scroll right to Network Status and then document the router WiFi signal strength at various locations between the RS300 router and the smart lock. i.e. inside the building wall in a path toward the other building. Outside the exterior wall. Outside the wall of the remote building. Inside that wall. Next to the smart lock. and some places in between.
CrimpOn Thanks for the info about the WiFi Analytics page. Fortunately, thereʻs not much between them, but two wooden walls, although potentially concrete masonry unit wall as well, the rest is open uncovered lawn space, with no outlet. The roof is metal, but I donʻt know why the signal would travel up when it can travel out. Iʻll be there Tuesday and can investigate with the Analytics.
WiFi signals travel (literally) in a straight line from one device to the other. I once discovered that the reason WiFi performance was horrible at an upstairs desk in a house built in the 1920's was because there was a brick chimney hidden in the walls (from the original boiler in the basement to the roof). Move the desk 4 feet, and the signal was fine. Concrete walls present problems for WiFi.
It might be useful for you to make a rough drawing of the physical layout, showing where the RS300 is located, where the smart lock is, and what the signal strength is at various places in the path between them.
