Wifi extender EX2700 - works for email and browsing but signal not strong enough for Zoom/Teams etc.
Hi - I am new here. I have used the EX2700 for about five years to extend the house wifi to my office in the garden. It works fine for browsing and email etc but fails constantly if I try to use Zoom or Teams etc. Skype is ok (ish) but usually have to turn the cameras off. Like everyone I need these tools much more at the moment. I use the closest socket (to the outside office) in the house but the red light shows indicating it needs to be closer to the office. There is a shed in between but if I plug it in there the other red light shows, indicating the extender needs to be closer to the router. There are no in-between options. Can I get something more powerful - or is there another solution? Thanks David
Re: Wifi extender EX2700 - works for email and browsing but signal not strong enough for Zoom/Teams
How far away is it?
A little fyi about how extender work.
The standard extender has to send and recieve using the same chip. and they can't do both at once. So their speed is automatically 50% of whatever speed they're getting in that spot. so if they're already at a distance from the router and only picking up a 10mbps speed, they're output is only going to be 5mbps. So if you're using a base model N300 extender at a distance from the router you've already got a poor signal being rebroadcast at 50% speed by a basic extender.
The triband extenders and mesh networks mitigate this by dedicating 1 of the 5ghz bands just for router---extender communication.
without knowing distance or obstacles in the way all I can give is general ideas.
1. run a underground ethernet wire to where you need it and connect an extender/router in AP (access point) mode.
2. run powerline to where you are. Not all homes/wiring setups work well with powerline
3. use a moca adapter (ethernet over coax) if you've got coax ran out there.
4. Try one of the triband extenders. That way if its a distance issue where you're only getting 10mbps at that location, you keep that full speed and don't lose half of it.
5. upgrade to a mesh system where you can place multiple satellites as needed. Like netgear Orbi. But i'd go for the tri-band system and not the dual band.
Re: Wifi extender EX2700 - works for email and browsing but signal not strong enough for Zoom/Teams
Thanks Plemans
There is an external brick wall between the extender and the wooden office in my garden. It's a relatively cheap extender. Maybe you get what you pay for! I have followed your sugestion and ordered a tri-band extender. Here's hoping! Thanks again
Re: Wifi extender EX2700 - works for email and browsing but signal not strong enough for Zoom/Teams
Hope it helps. Brick, concrete, and metal are pretty much the bane of wifi as they're excellent at blocking signal. If i'd have known that was there, i'd have pushed for you to run a cable, powerline, moca adapter. Its just challenging to get wifi through t hose.
Re: Wifi extender EX2700 - works for email and browsing but signal not strong enough for Zoom/Teams
No worries - thanks for bothering. I have tried the powerline. It works for an internet phone but not for the computer for some reason. Running a cable would be pretty tricky - it's an awkward route. The tri-band extender seems worth a try. The reviews suggest it has worked in similar situations where a cheaper extender has failed. Thanks again.
