How to Extend a Home Network

extending-home-network-iconToday most people want to access the Internet from any room in the house/office and maybe even in the garden or summer house.

Although most people will want extended Wireless (Wi-Fi) access  wire access may also be required.

In this tutorial we  will also look at how to extend both wired and wireless access.



If we start with a basic home network consisting of a single Wireless access point (WAP) that is part of the Wireless router as described in building a home network and shown below:home-networking-diagram

The home router is the hub of the network as it connects your home network to the Internet.

This basic configuration can be extended to provide both wired and Wireless access using a variety of methods and illustrated in the network diagram below:

General-Home-Networking-Diagram
Extending Wi-Fi Access

Before you go to the trouble of extending a network it is a good idea to try an get a better Wi-Fi signal by relocating the router/Wireless access point if it is possible.

If we assume that the present WAP (Wireless Access Point) covers area 1 but not area 2 and our task is to extend the Wi-Fi network to cover area 2.

To extend the Wi-Fi coverage to area 2 we will need a second WAP (Wireless access point), and this second access point will need to connect to the WAP in Area 1.

extend-home-network-1

There are three methods available for connecting the Wireless Access Points ( WAPs) together. They are:

  • Use a WAP connected to the hub on network 1 using an Ethernet cable.
  • Use a WAP connected to the hub on network 1 using Homeplug adapters.
  • Connect with Wi-FI using a Wi-Fi range extender or repeater.

Using a Wireless Repeater or Range Extender

This is probably the quickest and easiest method and according to a recent survey used by over 20% of US households.

It is also the slowest and the most error prone method method.

Note You will hear the terms repeater,range extender and booster used but they are generally describing the same thing.

A Wireless Repeater takes a wireless signal and then re-broadcasts it.

This means that the repeater must be in range of the original Wireless signal.

It also usually means that the throughput is halved. However some repeaters using different bands i.e. they could use the 5Ghz band for the connection to the WAP and the 2.5 Ghz band for connecting to devices.wireless-repeater-extender

The repeater creates a second Wireless network which usually has a different SSID than the original network.

Because wireless devices on network 2 must go through two wireless hops this connection method is much slower than using an Ethernet extension cable or homeplug adaptors.

Extending a Wired Network

To extend a wired network you will need an Ethernet Switch.

You use a port on the Home router to connect to the remote switch using either:

  • A long UTP cable
  • Homeplug adapters.

This is illustrated in the main network diagram above.

General Considerations

Using an Ethernet  Cable

You can purchase UTP connection cables of various lengths which means that you don’t need to create your own cables.

You should note that the maximum cable distance between network devices is 100m.

However you will need to run the cable between rooms which usually involves drilling holes etc.

Although this is a very low cost method it is usually not the easiest. It does however provide the fastest and most reliable connection.

See How to Wire your Home Network

Using Homeplug Adapters

Homeplug adaptors are the more flexible option than straight wiring as they can easily add network connectivity to any room that has a power outlet.

They work by using the home electrical wiring to carry the Ethernet signal between rooms.

Homeplug adapters can be used to extend both a wired and wireless network .

Generally they work in pairs but you can use more than 2 on a network. They plug into the mains socket and usually provide an Ethernet connection on each end.

homeplug-ethernet

You simply plug the Ethernet cables into the adapters at each end.

They can also come with built in wireless access points so that you don’t need an additional wireless access points to extend the wireless network.

homeplug-ethernet-wifi

Homeplug adapters with built in Wireless access points tend to be a little more expensive than standard Ethernet ones but are very convenient. RefPowerline networking guide

Network SSIDs (Network Name)

Regardless of how you extend the network you will likely end up with two or more wireless networks.

You can configure these networks to use the same broadcast SSID so that they appear to be a single network but this can cause problems with some devices.

On my network I use different SSIDs but the same password.

Ref-

The Screen shot below shows my home network with multiple Access points and Network IDs.

multiple Wi-Fi networks

Extending Ethernet Ports

If you are short of Ethernet ports in any location you can use a second Ethernet switch connected to the other Ethernet switch as shown in the diagram below.

Connecting-Ethernet-Switches-Together
Note: It isn’t important which port you use.

Extending Ethernet Cable

You can extend an Ethernet cable using an Ethernet coupler like the one below.

ethernet-coupler

You can also get a cable with female connection as shown below

Ethenet-extension-cable

The connecting cable category (5,6,7) should match or be better than the existing cable female socket to match your cable.

Extending with an Ethernet Repeater

The maximum cable distance between networking devices on an Ethernet network is 100m.

However this can be extending to approx 300m by using an Ethernet repeater/extender. Most of the ones available today appear to be PoE repeaters.Ethernet-PoE-Extender

With PoE devices you can connect remote devices like IP cameras without the need for installing a separate power supply. See PoE for beginners

Extending Using a Wireless Bridge

This is an ideal method of extending your network to an out building without having to  run Ethernet cables.

It uses a line of site wireless link between two wireless bridges. At the remote end the bridge connects to the remote network.

Take a look at the TP LInk NE300 (affiliate link)

If you are worried whether or not it will work for you take a look at the reviews. I have taken a screen shot of a few below:

tplink-reviews

Wi-FI Mesh Networks

These are also relatively new systems that aim to provide Wi-Fi access in larger homes.

They comprise 2 or more Wi-Fi nodes that work together to offer a single Wi-Fi network (same SSID).

See Home Wi-Fi Mesh Systems- Quick Overview

Useful Devices

Wireless electrical power sockets are a new introduction to the market and function as wireless repeaters.

They are convenient because they don’t consume a electrical power socket. Here is a picture of a UK socket.

wi-fi-power-socket

See-Basic Home Network Hardware Components, Devices and Services

 

Common Questions and Answers

Q-Can I use an old Wi-Fi router to extend my network.?

A- Yes but it will need to function solely as an access point. This PCworld article describes how.

Personally I’m not keen on this as the setup is convoluted, easy to get wrong, and it is not possible on all routers. Wi-Fi access points are cheap it is easier to get a new access point.

Q-Can I extend my home network with another router?

A- Yes but a router is the wrong choice on a home network unless you want two separate networks. A network switch is the better choice and the easiest. Using a router would involve setup that would require a very good knowledge of networking, and sub netting in particular. See 2 Routers on a home network

Network Extension -Case Studies

I often get asked questions via the ask Steve page and thought it would be useful if I included a few of the questions and answers here as they might be applicable to your situation. I have removed names to protect the identity.

Case Study 1 – Bad Wi-Fi

Question- Hi Steve, I have just moved into an old house in a rural location. Because of very poor WIFI over the land line and poor router signal coverage in the house (thick walls etc), the previous owner installed an EE SIMM based router linked by CAT5 to a ceiling mounted EnGenius EAP150. Apparently this has improved things (download speeds of 15 MBPS and 3.3 MBPS for uploads when close to the EAP), but the the signal does not go very far and dropped connections and lack of connection are a frequent pain. Using Netflix and a couple of mobile phones seems to cause loss of signal very easily, I guess this is a capacity issue? Can you make any suggestions on how to address these problems please? E.G Can I use signal boosters around the house to strengthen the EAP signal? Do I need a better WAP/EAP device? Are there other alternatives?

Answer – I would try using homeplug adapters you can get them with Wi-FI access points. Get a pair and put one next to your router and move the other wi-fi homeplug around the rooms to make sure it works as there could potentially be wiring problems. If that works ok you can always add additional adapters.

Reply – Many thanks for your suggestion. I bought some TP-Link power-line adapters and they work really well.

Related Tutorials and Useful Resources:

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64 comments

  1. Hi

    I live on a remote farm – have an isp with a router in the main house. I have an office and just connected another router with a Ethernet cable but do get network issues as I didn’t configure the second hub as a slave but could do

    I also have a warehouse where my kids hang out and would like to get that with some WiFi coverage – it’s about 40 meters from the main house

    So

    1) in my office should I configure the second router or buy a switch or Wi-Fi

    2) how to connect workshop 40 meters away – second hub or Slavs router or Wi-Fi bridge

    Or would a wifi bridge do all the above ???

    Networks it’s a dark art but really interesting

    Thanks

    Andy

  2. Our house has an old external wall running through the middle of it. Great that it means it won’t fall down when it’s windy; not so good for getting a decent WiFi signal throughout the house.

    We’ve recently upgraded our Sky Broadband to the ‘Gigafast’ product (jury still out whether this is worth the extra ££s). The ‘side’ of the house where the master socket/Sky Hub sits is fine, but what are my options for getting the same (or as close as possible) speeds in the ‘other’ side of the house.

    I’ve been told something like a TP-Link WiFi Router is what I need but I’ve tried things like the Devalo Magic (appreciate this is a Powerline so not really comparing apples with apples) and never really been very impressed.

    Was thinking a Mesh or a WAP in the side of the house with the poor connectivity however now thinking would just a Switch be enough? WiFi is generally OK throughout the house but we really need the PCs to have the best speed possible.

    Any comments very welcome!

    1. A router is definitely not the answer. Best would be a cable with a WAP on the end. If you can’t run a cable then I would opt for powerline.
      Mesh would work as well if the backhaul was Ethernet cable. If it was using Wi-fi then not sure as it really depends on layout.
      If the PCs use Etherent then I would opt for powerline+>switch+>pcs if PCs usw wi-fi then
      Powerline+>wap and in that case I would go for powerline with built in wap.
      Rgds
      Steve

  3. Hey Steve, hoping you can help answer my questions. I just moved into a new house, the wiring is a bit odd and there’s a multitude of coax internet connections, but no Ethernet connection wired into the walls. The previous owner used T-Mobile wireless internet, but it has crap coverage in this area and wasn’t working for my working from home upload speed needs, so I had to switch to broadband a fiber connected service. There’s only one router/modem connection, and that’s upstairs. I hooked it up and it’s working but when I go down a level it drops connection bars. I wanted to work in the basement which is down a level even further. There are no working coax cable connections or Ethernet connections down there. What are all my options to extend the wifi connection from the location point on the top floor down to the basement?

  4. I was a caretaker of the school with 100mbps Internet connection and I found out that it is over enough to the consumption needed the reason why I want to connect to it for my house which is 150 meters away from the school. Can you please give me advice or diagram on how to do it? Thank you very much in advance!

  5. I just moved into a basement suite with good wifi, but I also need Ethernet for my pc. There is a Coaxial cable but no router, extender, or Ethernet. The house is with Shaw. I’m just wondering what I should get to give my pc internet? Also would it be a monthly fee or can I feed off of my landlord’s router somehow?

  6. Hello, and thanks for this guide it is really helpful.

    I am looking at networking options for a home office which is in my garden. I will shortly have a mobile/cellular service to provide internet access to my home which will have a wireless router in the main house. From this I had intended to route cables to a network switch in the garden office however it appears that it may be better to run cables to another wireless router? I was intending on having a wired connection to IT equipment in the garden office (which might not be necessary?) but will also need wireless for mobile devices and smart TV etc – what installation would you recommend for this?

    Thanks!

    1. Provided you go with the cable to the office then you will need a Wireless Access point in the Office. This will feed your wireless devices and they usually come with 4 Ethernet ports which you can expand by adding another switch.
      You don’t need a second router and you should avoid this see
      https://stevessmarthomeguide.com/two-routers-on-a-home-network/

      Wireless access point are quite cheap around £30 just make sure they support GByte Ethernet.
      Rgds
      Steve

  7. Hi sorry I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to this but want to get it right. We are building an external garage from the house and want to put an office in here. I am looking at running an Ethernet cable from my router in the house externally to the garage. From here I was planning on buying a five port Ethernet box to hardwire some Ethernet sockets. I however would like to have Wi-Fi in the garage as well. Is there a product that would be a multiple port and Give me Wi-Fi? Additionally would this have a different wifi password or would it use the Wi-Fi from the original router. Sorry if this is basic stuff but it can be quite confusing

    Many thanks

    Andy

    1. Yes most Wireless access points will have multiple ethernet ports
      https://www.amazon.co.uk/NETGEAR-Wireless-Access-Business-WAC104-100UKS/dp/B01LWUJU8H/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Wireless%2BAccess%2BPoints&qid=1660758489&s=computers&sr=1-4&th=1

      The thing to look out for is that some of the cheaper ones only have 100Mbit/s ports and not 1Gbit/s.
      connect router to a port on the ethernet switch and then a port on the ethernet switch to the WAP.
      Or
      connect the router to a port on the WAP and use the ethernet ports on the WAP for the devices in the garage.
      It all depends on how many Ethernet ports you need in the garage.

      BYW the link is illustration only I don’t necessarily recommend it as I haven’t used it but reviews are good. I tend to stick with tplink and I would recommend you stay with whatever brand you use if possible.
      Rgds
      Steve

  8. I hope i get a reply here and via email. I am trying to set a network as follows. 50 yards to my southwest is a starlink dish and a TP Link AC750 archer C20 router. From the dish, are one to its south and one to its North two wireless access points using cat6 cable. I am getting decent internet in my house. About 60 yards to the south of me is an office that picks up the internet from the main router and the North Wireless Access Point but the North WAP is stronger. What I am wanting to do is set up a booster/extender in the office to get wifi deeper into the building. My question is do I use a static IP address of the North Wireless Access Point, or the default gateways IP. It seems that when i set up the booster things go south. I have been getting iffy wifi and crashes until just recently. A fix was when I started using address reservations for the IP addresses of each of the WAP’s on the north and south. On each of the North and south WAPs I did a reservation for the IP address and MAC address of the 2.4G, the 5G, and the WAN MAC address, so 3 for each WAP and things mellowed out it seems. Or, can a booster/extender not be connected to a WAP. I hope this makes sense and i hope you have an answer. Thanks

    1. Not sure about the reservations as you should only have a single IP address for the WAP.
      The extender uses an existing wireless network and the IP address is only for management.
      The extender can be connected to any existing WI-FI access point.
      Does that make sense?
      Rgds
      Steve

      1. Oops, the LAN has an IP address and the 2.4G and the 5G each have a Bssid that have a unique MAC address associated with each. Those are what i gave address reservations to. Thank you for the reply.

        1. Are you ok with the reply that you can add an extender to any existing wi_fi access point. You do not require an IP address as such to add it as the IP address used is only for management and can be dynamic. Using a fixed IP makes it easier to manage.
          Rgds
          Steve

  9. I need more ethernet ports for things like TV and cameras. If I understand this correctly, I can buy a switch, which acts like a hub. I would insert an ethernet cable into my router and then to the switch. After that has been done, I could then plug in any of those things (like TV and cameras) to the other unused ports in the switch.

    Question: Does it matter which ports I plug these items into? I have a Netgear S350 switch. The ports are simply labeled 1-8 (nothing else). If I’m right about this stuff…I think the thing is broken – cuz nothing works!

    1. Yes you are correct it should work. Check the configuration on the switch it may have been configured with VLANs if it is a smart switch.
      Rgds
      Steve

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