Internet issues might stem from product reliability. Share your experiences for more insight.
Internet issues might stem from product reliability. Share your experiences for more insight.
I bought a router and a range extender from Netgear, a reliable brand. The router is the RAX15 and supports Wi-Fi 6. At first, I planned to use the range extender EX7700 to improve coverage. I tested it in various spots around my house, but my bedroom was the farthest at about 256 square feet. The optimal spot turned out to be next to my old modem. Moving it between or closer to my setup caused a significant drop in speed. With wired Ethernet at 200Mbps, adding the Wi-Fi extender didn’t maintain the same performance. Once I switched to the new router, placing the extender midway gave me around 110+Mbps and stable speeds. Still, occasional lag occurs, especially when no one is using the internet. This might be due to network congestion or product limitations. My goal is to decide whether to upgrade to a mesh system, add more extenders, or stick with current equipment. My home has few walls and both devices are in different living rooms. TL;DR: I’m experiencing lag despite spending time researching placement and settings.
Initially, range extenders and repeaters fall short when you rely on them for full speed and low latency performance like a primary wireless router would provide. Their architecture isn’t built for that level of efficiency. They’re primarily designed to boost signal in areas with poor coverage, often delivering slower speeds and higher delays.
Regarding Netgear, their reputation has diminished significantly, particularly for consumer-grade WiFi products. The RAX15 is a dual-band WiFi 6 router, while the EX7700 serves as a tri-band WiFi 5 range extender. The EX7700 offers more flexibility by dedicating one antenna to the primary router’s uplink and keeping two bands open for client devices. However, with the RAX15, connecting via its 2.4GHz band limits bandwidth and increases interference risk, while the 5GHz band struggles over distance.
A better approach would be to eliminate the range extender entirely. Connect a direct wireless access point to the RAX15 and position it near your coverage needs. If you have the option, set up Ethernet connections for devices using a switch, which provides more stable performance.