WebsiteCompass 9 Thinking About Extending Your Wi-Fi Outside? When the weather is nice, you probably spend more time in your home’s outdoor spaces—such as the porch, patio, and deck—not to mention the garage. Wouldn’t it be nice to have Wi-Fi signals in those areas that are as strong as the ones inside? You could enjoy the sunshine as you work on your laptop or stream a movie while relaxing on the hammock. To expand your home’s Wi-Fi network, you may be able to add aWi-Fi extender, which takes your Wi-Fi signal and broadcasts it to a wider area. Another option is a mesh Wi-Fi system. By plugging “nodes” into multiple points around your home, mesh network systems provide whole-home Wi-Fi coverage with a strong signal. They typically have a range of coverage around 3,000 square feet, enough to cover an average home as well as the yard and garage. If you’d rather not deal withWi-Fi equipment yourself, ask your internet service provider about Managed Wi-Fi. They may be able to set up a Wi-Fi system that provides the coverage you want both inside and outside your home. Which Band Is Best for You? In general, the 2.4 GHz band is best suited for larger homes or settings where Wi-Fi needs to travel through multiple walls or floors. The 5 GHz band is recommended for smaller spaces or for activities requiring high bandwidth, such as online gaming and HD video streaming. To determine which Wi-Fi band to use, and when, consider these factors: Your Home’s Size – The size of your home plays a big role in determining what band you should use. If it’s large, the 2.4 GHz band may be a better choice to provide your entire home with coverage. However, if you want to take advantage of the 5 GHz band in a larger home, consider investing in a Wi-Fi network extender, which will give you greater coverage while reaping all the benefits of the 5 GHz band. For smaller living spaces such as a condo or apartment, 5 GHz is great for fast internet speeds. It will also prevent interference from the many networks around you. PossibleWi-Fi Interference – If interference from everyday devices such as microwaves and garage door openers is a recurring problem, using the 5 GHz band may be best. Number of Devices – If you have several devices already utilizing the 2.4 GHz band, your internet speed can slow down to an annoying pace. In this case, the 5 GHz band may be a better option. As long as the devices are close to the router, this should give you faster performance. The 5 GHz band also offers more channels, which means there is less chance of running into interference. Type of Online Activities and Devices – Basic activities like emailing and checking the latest YouTube videos will work just fine on the 2.4 GHz band. However, if you’re a serious online gamer or plan to stream HD movies, you may want to choose the 5 GHz band, as it has a higher bandwidth. It’s also important to note that some smart home devices may only be able to connect to the 2.4 GHz band, which is older and more prevalent than 5 GHz. Don’t want to think too much about your Wi-Fi network? With a dual-band Wi-Fi router, devices can be configured to automatically switch between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, often by using band steering or Smart Connect technology.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTMzNDE=