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amm274's avatar
amm274
Follower
May 20, 2026

Wifi Extender in Metal Shop

Hi. I'm not very good with technology, so I'm hoping someone can help me out.

I have a metal building that is ~4800 sq ft. We ran cable from my house to the shop and connected it to a router. Wifi is good in the first section of the shop. Once you past the first metal cladded wall the Wifi decreases by 50% and then the last room (another metal cladded wall) has 0 wifi. I tried connecting a AC1200 Dual Band Wifi Range Extender and it won't connect. Is this wifi extender too weak? Is there another one someone could recommend? Or is there a better solution that someone could provide.

Thanks

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5 Replies

  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    May 20, 2026

    WiFi cannot penetrate metal walls.  Install Ethernet cable from the router to the other two rooms and place WiFi access points in them.

    • amm274's avatar
      amm274
      Follower
      May 20, 2026

      Thanks for the info. Can you connect one access point to the other or do they have to have separate ethernet cables that connect to the router?

      • StephenB's avatar
        StephenB
        Guru - Experienced User
        May 21, 2026
        amm274 wrote:

        Thanks for the info. Can you connect one access point to the other or do they have to have separate ethernet cables that connect to the router?

        I'd just run two cables.  It's about the same amount of work and gives you more flexibility later on.

  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru - Experienced User
    May 20, 2026

    Depends on the model.  TP-Link makes several Archer WiFi access points that can be "daisy chained".  Look at the Archer Ax21, for example.

     

    Since the metal wall is what blocks WiFi signals, it might be possible to make a hole between rooms 2 & 3 and place one WiFi access point (literally) "in the hole" where it has an unobstructed view of both rooms.

     

     

  • plemans's avatar
    plemans
    Guru - Experienced User
    May 22, 2026

    I'd agree with the guys on here. Just run the cable. You can daisy chain if you'd like if you have the right devices. If it was me? And I wasn't needing the "fastest" speeds? I'd just pickup a used RBK53/43 kit off the marketplace and use that in AP mode. It'd allow seamless roaming/be plenty fast for pretty much anything you can throw at it, and is mature technology. I know of quite a few people still using those systems