Having a Wi-Fi repeater at home is a great option for achieving a better connection in certain areas where there may be problems. Maybe you’re too far from your router, there’s interference, or you have too many things connected. But what’s the difference between a good repeater and a poor-quality one? In this article, we’ll discuss the limitations you might encounter when using such a device.
The goal is to achieve a more stable, faster connection and avoid any problems when connecting devices. But of course, this won’t always be possible. Several factors come into play, and one of them, and a key one, is the quality of the Wi-Fi repeater you’re going to use. If you make a mistake when choosing the device, you could have problems connecting your devices.
Differences according to the quality of the repeater
The first difference will be the maximum speed it allows. Note that this doesn’t mean that this speed is the speed you’ll actually achieve, as we’re talking about theoretical speeds. For example, if you buy a device with speeds of up to 1200 Mbps, that’s theoretical, under optimal conditions. Therefore, if you have a lower-quality device, that speed will be very limited.
There will also be differences in the protocols supported. We can mention Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7, which are the most current, but also others like WPA3 encryption. If you have a low-quality repeater, you’ll run into compatibility issues if you want to take advantage of the most current protocols available on your router and devices.
In addition, the distance covered by the repeater is another factor to consider. A quality device could cover a larger area, so you could have a connection in many areas of the home. On the other hand, a lower-quality device could have problems transmitting the signal properly and could have limitations.
Limitations you may have
But what does this mean? What limitations might you have? For example, you might have trouble streaming content in good quality, playing online games, or using the cloud. If the speed isn’t good enough, it will negatively affect many everyday tasks. If you simply want to visit a website or use email, it probably won’t affect you or won’t be as noticeable. However, for tasks that do require good speed, you might have difficulties.
You’ll also notice this in the stability of your network. You may experience continuous or more frequent outages. A lower-quality repeater will be more sensitive to potential interference and obstacles. If you need a stable connection, it’s important to have a quality repeater to reduce problems.
On the other hand, you could run into security issues. If you use a repeater with outdated Wi-Fi encryption, it could mean an attacker could break into your network or cause problems for the devices you connect. This is the case with WPA and WEP encryption, which are obsolete. Currently, the ideal is to use WPA3 encryption, which is the most up-to-date. However, WPA-2 encryption could also be secure, as long as you keep your devices updated and use a good password.
Ultimately, using a Wi-Fi repeater can be very useful for improving your wireless signal, but it’s important that it’s a quality one. If you use an unreliable one, it can lead to problems that affect your connection and your devices. Consider where to place your Wi-Fi repeater, as this will be key. Using it correctly will help you achieve good speed and stability, thus avoiding problems that affect your daily life.
