WiFi Extender?

Other discussions not related to the Permanent Portfolio

Moderator: Global Moderator

Post Reply
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Thu Jan 05, 2023 3:19 pm

Anyone successfully using a WiFi extender in your home?

I have a device installed in my electrical service panel which monitors each circuit so that I can see what is going electricity-wise on each circuit.

It needs to have a Wi-Fi connection so that it can send its information to the cloud and then I can see what is there.

Unfortunately, that electrical service panel is located at the furthest possible location in my house from where my router is located. That means sometimes that device gets WiFi service and sometimes it does not.

I bought three separate NetGear mesh WiFi-extenders. I spent a total of 8 hours with support and they were unable to get any of them working.

Today I was on support for the device in my electrical panel and that person recommended this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WMLPSRL/?r ... l_huc_item

However, it is another mesh system and my revered computer person has this to say about mesh systems: "Those mesh network things are typically pretty bad."

So back to the original question: "Anyone successfully using a WiFi extender in your home?"
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
Smith1776
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 3501
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by Smith1776 » Thu Jan 05, 2023 3:31 pm

My experience with wifi extenders has been exactly like yours: they're bad. So bad. Worse than having no wifi, because the extender consistently gives you this false hope that it will solve your problem. So you futz with it, get frustrated, then eventually drive back to Walmart to exchange it for a different brand. You get home to try the new one only to find that the technology in general just sucks and it's not brand specific. In the end you throw your hands up in the air and lament the fact that you just wasted 2 or 3 days of your life trying to figure it all out. Instead you move from your concrete townhouse in Vancouver to a wood frame house in Edmonton and smile at how better wifi alone made the move worth it.

This may or may not be a true story.
I still find the James Rickards portfolio fascinating.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Thu Jan 05, 2023 4:36 pm

I left out this part of it.

Last week I bought this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBG1RNGW/?r ... _item&th=1.

After I wrote my last post I discovered that it had been delivered.

My plan is to connect it to my current router via a long, long, long cable that will go through this bedroom floor and get the unit fairly close to that electrical panel.

Seem like it should be an inexpensive, effective solution?

I connected it and am now attempting to get it set up.

By the way I also asked the same question on BogleHeads as there had been a similar discussion about a year ago.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
Xan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4392
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:51 pm

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by Xan » Thu Jan 05, 2023 4:55 pm

Are you sure the electrical monitor doesn't have a wired connector, since you're running a wire anyway?
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:39 pm

Xan wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 4:55 pm

Are you sure the electrical monitor doesn't have a wired connector, since you're running a wire anyway?


It definitely does not as it is inside my electrical panel box and I had an electrician install it. The device would have been a lot more complicated if it had to have some kind of internet connection outside of the electrical panel.


But here is the rest of my story for tonight.....



At first I thought I had hit another dead-end. Could not even connect to the router from this computer. Then I FINALLY realized that this computer had to be disconnected from my main router and connected to that router. After that the rest of the setup went smoothly.

I even quickly found my long wire, ran it through the floor, and got it and the new router to within 3 feet of the device in my electrical panel in the basement.

My phone easily connected to its network. Expected that the electrical panel device would similarly jump right on it. No! After 20 minutes of fruitlessly trying to get the device to connect to the network I gave up. Back to contacting that device's support tomorrow.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
Tyler
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 2066
Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2011 3:23 pm
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by Tyler » Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:06 pm

I got a set of TP-Link Deco units to set up a wifi mesh and it's awesome. Super easy to set up. Highly recommended.
User avatar
dualstow
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 14225
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:18 am
Location: synagogue of Satan
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by dualstow » Thu Jan 05, 2023 8:48 pm

Tyler wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 7:06 pm
I got a set of TP-Link Deco units to set up a wifi mesh and it's awesome. Super easy to set up. Highly recommended.
Looks promising! I miss my google onHub router. It worked so well until we switched from Comcast to Fios. Then we had to ditch the router, which I gave to my Dad, and it now collects dust. I need something like this.
RIP Marcello Gandini
PrimalToker
Full Member
Full Member
Posts: 55
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2020 12:18 pm

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by PrimalToker » Thu Jan 05, 2023 8:53 pm

Metal interferes with wifi. If the device is in a closed panel, presumably metal, it will probably never work. Try it with the door open? Or try a directional antenna and aim it directly at the device.
boglerdude
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 1313
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2016 1:40 am
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by boglerdude » Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:51 am

Pay a guy to run ethernet cables. Even theoretically perfect wifi has all kinds of interference and latency.

https://www.gnswireless.com/info/full-d ... alf-duplex

Or use the google Nest extenders
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:26 am

PrimalToker wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 8:53 pm

Metal interferes with wifi. If the device is in a closed panel, presumably metal, it will probably never work. Try it with the door open? Or try a directional antenna and aim it directly at the device.


This is the actual device:

https://www.amazon.com/Emporia-Monitor- ... to_dp&th=1

It is made to be set up inside the electrical panel. He does, though, have an antenna that sticks out of the electrical panel box.

The router I set up last night has four antennas. That router is less than three feet from the device's antenna.

I have now had this device for 2 years. It works and does not work, meaning sometimes it is able to communicate via WiFi with the router in this room and other times it does not.

I was shocked when it would not connect last night with the router that was only three feet away from it.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:28 am

boglerdude wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:51 am

Pay a guy to run ethernet cables. Even theoretically perfect wifi has all kinds of interference and latency.

https://www.gnswireless.com/info/full-d ... alf-duplex

Or use the google Nest extenders


I did run an ethernet cable connected to the back of this main router in this room, put it through the floor to the basement, and then connected it to the new auxiliary router (with its own network name).

My cell phone was immediately able to connect to it. It seemed like the device was seeing it but just could not connect to it. Later this morning I will again be chatting with support to attempt to finally resolve this two year old issue.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
Xan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4392
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:51 pm

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by Xan » Fri Jan 06, 2023 8:19 am

vnatale wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:28 am
boglerdude wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:51 am
Pay a guy to run ethernet cables. Even theoretically perfect wifi has all kinds of interference and latency.

https://www.gnswireless.com/info/full-d ... alf-duplex

Or use the google Nest extenders
I did run an ethernet cable connected to the back of this main router in this room, put it through the floor to the basement, and then connected it to the new auxiliary router (with its own network name).

My cell phone was immediately able to connect to it. It seemed like the device was seeing it but just could not connect to it. Later this morning I will again be chatting with support to attempt to finally resolve this two year old issue.
Your phone already knows how to get onto your network. What was the mechanism used to tell the electrical device what WiFi network to connect to, and what the password is?
User avatar
Xan
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 4392
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:51 pm

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by Xan » Fri Jan 06, 2023 8:19 am

boglerdude wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:51 am
Pay a guy to run ethernet cables. Even theoretically perfect wifi has all kinds of interference and latency.

https://www.gnswireless.com/info/full-d ... alf-duplex

Or use the google Nest extenders
Hear, hear. A wire is always the best answer if it's possible. I'm a big wired believer myself. WiFi is for when there's no other option.
welderwannabe
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 104
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:53 pm

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by welderwannabe » Fri Jan 06, 2023 10:01 am

vnatale wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 5:39 pm
At first I thought I had hit another dead-end. Could not even connect to the router from this computer. Then I FINALLY realized that this computer had to be disconnected from my main router and connected to that router. After that the rest of the setup went smoothly.

I even quickly found my long wire, ran it through the floor, and got it and the new router to within 3 feet of the device in my electrical panel in the basement.

My phone easily connected to its network. Expected that the electrical panel device would similarly jump right on it. No! After 20 minutes of fruitlessly trying to get the device to connect to the network I gave up. Back to contacting that device's support tomorrow.
I'd check your WPA version as well as encryption. Some older devices (and even newer devices using old cheap chipsets) Won't do WPA-3 or WPA-2, so you might just need to set it to plain WPA. In addition, for Cipher support, you may need to ensure AES+TKIP is enabled. TKIP is the older encryption used by Wifi and sometimes its off by default in new routers.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Fri Jan 06, 2023 5:51 pm

Xan wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 8:19 am

vnatale wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 7:28 am

boglerdude wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:51 am

Pay a guy to run ethernet cables. Even theoretically perfect wifi has all kinds of interference and latency.

https://www.gnswireless.com/info/full-d ... alf-duplex

Or use the google Nest extenders


I did run an ethernet cable connected to the back of this main router in this room, put it through the floor to the basement, and then connected it to the new auxiliary router (with its own network name).

My cell phone was immediately able to connect to it. It seemed like the device was seeing it but just could not connect to it. Later this morning I will again be chatting with support to attempt to finally resolve this two year old issue.


Your phone already knows how to get onto your network. What was the mechanism used to tell the electrical device what WiFi network to connect to, and what the password is?


An app on the phone that works with the device. Doing things like what you ask above.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Fri Jan 06, 2023 5:53 pm

Xan wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 8:19 am

boglerdude wrote:
Fri Jan 06, 2023 2:51 am

Pay a guy to run ethernet cables. Even theoretically perfect wifi has all kinds of interference and latency.

https://www.gnswireless.com/info/full-d ... alf-duplex

Or use the google Nest extenders


Hear, hear. A wire is always the best answer if it's possible. I'm a big wired believer myself. WiFi is for when there's no other option.


As am I. But in this case wired is not a possibility and I can understand why the manufacturers of the device made it WiFi only. The device is to be inside a sealed electrical service panel. To design it so that somehow a wire was able to get through that panel would vastly complicate their installation instructions.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Fri Jan 06, 2023 6:06 pm

The update.

My need for this WiFi extension was not the normal need -- normal being wanting to expand WiFi coverage for a variety of devices that might want to connect to one's router / internet.

Instead my need was strictly focused upon only one device getting better access to WiFi.

This afternoon I tried to connect to my existing main network. Could not even get it to connect to my main network. But it did connect readily to the new network I'd set up with the router only being 3 feet from the device inside the electrical panel. I saw right away why that was the case. The bars for my main router were fairly non-existent while there could not have been more bars for the router in the basement. The issue was that once the device connected to the internet it could not make a connection to the device in the cloud.

All this time I thought the issue had been the poor WiFi access in that area of the basement. The day we (an electrician and me) set it up we spent more time trying to get it to connect than actually installing it. We were ready to give up when it finally made a connection. In the intervening two years it sometimes connects and other times does not. But after today when I had the phone four inches away from the device's antenna and it could not connect to its cloud I began to wonder if I also had a somewhat defective unit from the start.

I sent all the above to support in an email when their live support was unavailable. Once I chatted with them they quickly offered to send me a replacement. Excellent response on their part especially since this was the first time I'd brought it to their attention after having owned it for two years.

Once it arrives next week I need to decide if I want to take out the old and put in the new by myself or whether I should involve the electrician. It's mostly going to be just unplugging all the circuit cables from the existing one and plugging them into the new one. I'm not remembering, though, how the unit gets power. That is the part that concerns me about working in an open, live electrical panel.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:03 am

Hopefully ... "the rest of the story"!

This morning I attempted the definition of insanity - doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

Of course after I tried the same process I could not get the device to connect to its cloud.

I clicked on the troubleshoot button, which I'd done and looked at a few times yesterday.

This time I saw that it stated that it could be an antenna issue.

I remembered that somehow I had another antenna.

The antenna screws on to a connection on the outside of the electrical panel. I took that one off and went to put on the new one thinking it would be the same. Except it was different.

The existing one fit flush against the box. This one was on a long wire and was therefore about a foot outside the box once I attached it.

But, then. Voila!

Instant connection!!!

I was SHOCKED this time that it worked!

Surprised that Support yesterday did not ask me if I had another antenna and, if yes, to try that one.

This all happened after I had tripped on the ethernet cable causing the router to fly onto my concrete basement floor. I thought for certain I'd killed any chances of this working. But it still worked after I put it on top of the washing machine. Now that I know all of this works I will properly run that long ethernet wire in the basement ceiling so that neither I or anyone else will trip over it!

My final goal with this is to again be able to access the device's app within the BlueStacks App Player so I can do the electricity monitoring also on this computer and not have to only rely on my phone for the monitoring. When I first installed BlueStacks and the app in it ... the app always worked flawlessly. But for quite awhle I was getting nowhere with it. I just updated to BlueStacks 5, which hopefully will cure that problem.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
Mountaineer
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 4959
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 10:54 am

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by Mountaineer » Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:18 pm

Vinny, I hope it all turns out to meet your needs and expectations. Quite the journey you’ve had!
DNA has its own language (code), and language requires intelligence. There is no known mechanism by which matter can give birth to information, let alone language. It is unreasonable to believe the world could have happened by chance.
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Sat Jan 07, 2023 5:47 pm

Mountaineer wrote:
Sat Jan 07, 2023 4:18 pm

Vinny, I hope it all turns out to meet your needs and expectations. Quite the journey you’ve had!


Thank you!

Just checked my phone and it is working superbly.

The final thing I needed in place so I can analyze all my electricty usage on every house circuit --- particularly those for the three mini-splits that were installed last week.

Having the good information will allow me to properly size a solar installation for my house, which I hope to have within the next six months.

Our electricity rates in the Northeast are already among the highest in the country?

Last I looked we were being charged $0.30 per kWh. With rates supposed to be going up by 30% effective January 1st.

I went with the mini-splits after I was offered extremely generous rebates by the electric company plus was shocked how they use a faction of the electricity compared to all the electric space heaters I have. Those can use up to 1,500 watts.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
User avatar
vnatale
Executive Member
Executive Member
Posts: 9422
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2019 8:56 pm
Location: Massachusetts
Contact:

Re: WiFi Extender?

Post by vnatale » Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:35 pm

The attached graph is why I am ecstatic to finally have this electricity monitoring device properly working.

I just changed the temperature on this room's mini-split from 65 to 71 degrees.
Capture.JPG
Capture.JPG (33.89 KiB) Viewed 2379 times
This graph shows me exactly how much electricity it is consuming in real time on a second-by-second basis. I could also view this circuit (or any of my other ones) on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.

I can also request a csv file for all those time periods on any of those circuits for analyzing within Excel.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
Post Reply