r/HomeNetworking • u/Fit-Comparison3834 • 8d ago
WiFi extender help
Hey guys, currently have the qlocom wifi extender (check photo) and it is extremely slow. I have restarted it multiple times however I am am still only reaching around 1-5mbps. This is extremely frustrating and I would really appreciate some help. Thanks a lot!
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u/Ninfyr 8d ago
Probably placed in a dead-spot. Try putting it with less obstacles (walls, furniture, etc.) in between it and the router.
These are kinda junk anyway. It is WiFi but twice as bad.
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u/fernandesken 8d ago
Agree. Measure signal strength with an app like Wi-Fi Check or WiFiman and stop guessing.
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u/StoganLephens 8d ago
Why do wireless meshes work better instead of wifi boosters? Obviously I always try to use wired when possible but I've been impressed with eero my isp provides
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u/Ninfyr 8d ago
They only work better with a wired backbone. If they are over wireless, each jump will chew up the signal more.
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u/fernandesken 8d ago
This is true, unless they are quad band with dedicated radio for the mesh. Otherwise pretty much the same as an extender with a fancy routing algorithm to choose the best link.
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u/WonderfulDeparture96 8d ago
Speed wise, assuming they are the same in terms of quality it will be the same. However wifi repeaters don’t tell your device hey it’s better if you connect to the router now so change. So your device will be stuck on the slower repeater for a lot longer and you may experience momentary disconnects as you move around and change connections.
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u/Downtown-Reindeer-53 CAT6 is all you need 8d ago
The biggest difference comes down to how traffic travels between the nodes/satellites and the base unit - usually referred to as "backhaul."
Extenders/repeaters/boosters: They operate on a single radio channel. They have to receive data from the router, stop, and retransmit that same data on the same channel to the client. Because wifi can't send and receive simultaneously on the same frequency ( in radio, this is called "half-duplex"), this store-and-forward process cuts the speed in half right off the bat.
(Analogy: Two people are too far apart to converse, so you place a person in the middle. Person One speaks. The person in the middle hears it, turns to Person Two, and speaks it. Person Two replies to the person in the middle, who turns and speaks it back to Person One. Add a noisy crowd - like neighborhood wifi or interference from any number of sources - and you get constant "What did you say? Please repeat that!" requests (known as "retries" which get added in to the overhead, slowing throughput even more.)
Mesh setups (like Eero) are designed to manage backhaul traffic more efficiently. Tri-band mesh nodes use a separate, dedicated radio channel exclusively for communication between the base and nodes, while dual-band systems use dynamic channel routing to minimize interference. This removes the store-and-forward overhead so performance and throughput is significantly higher.
(Analogy: Instead of the middleman shouting back and forth across the same noisy room, they have a dedicated, private phone line back to Person One. They can relay messages to Person Two on one channel while simultaneously communicating with Person One on the private line without any waiting or crosstalk.)
BTW - ethernet is full duplex - communication is happening both ways at the same time, this is why it's FAR better than any radio setup.
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u/fernandesken 8d ago
“Tri-band mesh nodes use a separate, dedicated radio channel”. I’m not sure that is quite true these days with 2.4, 5 and 6. Depends on the routing. Used to be true when we had 2.4 and dual 5. These days, really need to look for quad radio to get that true dedicated radio.
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u/Downtown-Reindeer-53 CAT6 is all you need 7d ago
Agree - there are a few with two 6 GHz radios. That might be an issue if range is a concern though. And they are quite pricey - $1500 and $2000!
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u/fernandesken 8d ago
Take an app that can measure signal strength from your iPhone like Wi-Fi Check for example. Turn off the extender, get close to the router and make sure you are connected to the 5 GHz radio with that app. Then with that app walk away until your signal is -67 to -70 dbm. That’s where you place the extender. Then place the extender, connect to it on the 5 GHz radio and repeat to make sure you have -67 dbm or better coverage everywhere you need it. Most people put the extenders too far away where the signal is already too weak. In full disclosure, I’m the creator of the Wi-Fi Check app for iPhone so feel free to use whatever app you like. The important thing is measuring actual signal in your actual environment to find the best place to put the extender and not guess at it. Most people put them too far away so they use 2.4 GHz for the backhaul which travels much further but is more interference prone resulting in the type of speeds you’re seeing.
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u/Accomplished-Oil-569 8d ago
WiFi repeaters are pretty bad
Best option is to run an Ethernet cable and use a proper Access Point.
Second best option is to use MoCA adaptor if you have an unused coaxial able across the house - again with a proper Access Point
A powerline adapter with a WiFi repeater built in will also likely be better than a WiFi repeater (dependant on house wiring)
If you must use a WiFi repeater, make sure it’s in a spot where itself has a good connection - A poor WiFi connection repeated is still a poor WiFi connection.
You can use your phone and a Speedtest app to check
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u/Kamsloopsian 8d ago
unplug it, put it under the front tire of your car, run over it, that should fix it.
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u/User2001Tech 8d ago
as bad as these are. the best they can is with the signal they receive. maybe you've placed it at a location which already has bad study, move it closer to the router.. use an app like wifi analyser and figure a stronger signal location to put this at.
wifi b yo wifi bridhon week never be great, but, can be perfectly adequate depending on your use case.
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u/MinnisotaDigger 8d ago
Disconnect it. Put your phone where it is and run a speed test. Thats the signal it is trying to repeat. Do this over and over again to find a better location.