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Forum Discussion
Wi-Fi extender upgrade query
Currently my Netgear router has 802.11n Wifi, as does my Netgear Extender. I am about to upgrade to a router with 802.11ac, so I was thinking of replacing my Extender by a EX3700 model in order to in...
an upgrade to a dual band extender might help a little if you're using fastlane. Otherwise if you're not, the 2.4ghz will still use the same chip/link as the prior extender since its based on 2.4ghz.
A slight change of tack neow, as the broadband has been upgraded and the Smart Hub 2 is now in use.
Normally the laptop is the only item used on WiFi, but for testing purposes I have also used my desktop. Both only have 'N' capacity. The Smart Hub 2 has 'ac' capacity and is supposed to be backward-compatible with 'n'.
Both my laptop and desktop will talk 300/150Mbps to my Netgear DG2200 when within a reasonable range. For reasons which I fail to understand they will talk only 144/72 to the Smart Hub 2 even when placed right next to it.
I have attached the DG2200 to the SH2 by Ethernet and used it simply as a WiFi access point (with a separate SSID for each) and both desktop and laptop still talk 300/150 to the DG2200. Unfortunately I,m not able to put the DG2200 anywhere where it will be within range of the laptop in normal use (hence the current use of an Extender).
I am purchasing a Netgear AC1200 USB adapter (model A6150-100PES as I want a 'nano' type) to see if I can get the laptop to talk to the SH2 on the 5Ghz band and hopefully get a faster speed. However as even the SH2 only gives a 3/4 strength signal at the laptop's location on the 2.4Ghz, I suspect the 5GHz may be even worse - but until I've bought the adapter I have no other way of testing the 5GHz signal. So that is why I'm looking at what might be best to buy as a WiFi Extender that can handle 'ac', hence probably the Netgear EX6120.