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range extender with ethernet cable vs as an access point
I've been using a EX7300 as a range extender to a single access point, but have had some dropouts. I was planning to set up a second access point. As I read it, it looks like the EX7300 can be u...
As an access point the EX7300 needs to be hardwired in. So there isn't a "hardwired extender mode".
Its simply access point mode.
If you have it hardwired in and running as an access point, it'll actually function faster than it would in extender mode. In extender mode, the wireless chip has to send/recieve from router---->extender and then extender---->devices. And they can't do both at once. So they take a 50% speed hit. They don't take that same speed hit when its hardwired in.
As an access point the EX7300 needs to be hardwired in. So there isn't a "hardwired extender mode".
Its simply access point mode.
If you have it hardwired in and running as an access point, it'll actually function faster than it would in extender mode. In extender mode, the wireless chip has to send/recieve from router---->extender and then extender---->devices. And they can't do both at once. So they take a 50% speed hit. They don't take that same speed hit when its hardwired in.
Thanks. I had had a good understanding of access points ans range extenders, then I read some Netgear documentation which seemed to mean you could connect a range extender using ethernet, and I didn't understand. It turns out that documentation was only talking about the CONFIGURATION process! All is good. Using it now as an access point.
Related question: When used as a range extender, Google Speedtest indicated ~ 190MBPS download. When I changed it to an access point, that dropped in half, in virtually the same location. Does MU-MIMO slowly train itself to improve? (either way, I've plenty of BW for anything I need.)
are you using the smart connect?
2.4ghz is much much slower than 5ghz. so it matters which band you're connecting to for speedtesting.
And in access point mode, its actually should have faster speeds than extender mode.
I am using Smart Connect BUT before realizing the EX7300 could be used as a AP, I had purchaced a TP-Link AP and set it up (I'm going to return it). On the 5GHz band, it was giving me about the same results as does the 7300 now.
I have 1 laptop, a streaming TV, and several home digital assistants where they would be served by the AP. On Smart COnnect, will they all tap into the 5GHz band? If I were manually setting it up, I would put the low bandwidth devices on the 2.4GHz. WIll this make any difference to my percieved speed? ( separate from the 180GBPS/90GBPS speedtests - I know they won't affect that.)