I can kinda see the argument you're making there, about the radio speeds being cut in half for 1) receiving the packet, 2) rebroadcasting the packet.
But instead of getting "half speeds" you mention, I'm getting less than 1/30th of the speeds. Pretty dramatic loss in performance.
50% is just the starting point, in that it guarantees at least a 50% drop, just by virtue of "repeat" required for every packet. After that it is a matter of the Wireless signal between the "Range Extender" and the main router. A 50% drop is under ideal circumstances with good Wi-Fi signal between the Router and the Range Extender. If there is poor signal between them then throughput is further affected. See if you can adjust the locations of the Router and the "Range Extender" (relative to each other) to improve the signal between them.
You may be able to optimize the signal between them by using a Android device to check the Wi-Fi signal at each location to the other, using something like
Wi-Fi Analyzer to check the signal strength at each location relative to the other one. (There is probably a similar App available for iOS devices too).
Adjust the location of these devices relative to each other, while monitoring the signal will help optimize the Wi-Fi signal between devices.
I also don't understand why plugging in a CAT6 cable to the Almond in Range Extender mode still gives me full speed (literally I get ~32mbps using speed tests). It still has to receive the packet and send over wifi, so why isn't it affected exactly the same? Simply because it's not using the wireless? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just find it hard to believe.
bunny, I'd even be happy with half speeds downstairs. 15mbit is plenty fast enough for the things I need, but 1mbit isn't going to cut it.
Radio signals fluctuate even under ideal conditions. Wi-Fi connections are never as fast as "wired" connections. Radio signals are affected by many factors, including building materials used, metals. power lines, etc. Signal is also affected by the number of Wi-Fi devices present both inside, and "near" your network. (Your neighbours Wi-Fi devices may be fighting for the same radio spectrum as your own equipment, and if you use Wi-Fi extensively your own Wi-Fi devices themselves are all competing for the same bandwidth.
Ensure that your Wi-Fi "channel" is different than your neighbours for example. Use tools such as the Android App I just mentioned to optimize your Wi-Fi performance. Perhaps your "Range Extender" and "Router" are simply too far apart (in regards to "radio" rather than "physical distance".
Unfortunately I don't have the option to use the device as a NAT transfer via wiring it up. It's going too far across the house, and I don't have the money to properly wire it up, and the wifey would kill me for having a 200+ft long cable routed along the edge of the baseboards, and down the stairs :/
I suppose a valid solution would be a repeater with dual band? Maybe that would prevent losing bandwidth due to processing?
Yes, Dual Band can indeed be used for this purpose. It still won't be as fast as a "hard-wired" connection, but as the "Wi-Fi bridge" can be dedicated to its own "channel" with only the "Router" and the "Range Extender" present on that channel this can minimize the other factors. (It helps that there are a lot more channels available in the 5GHz band). Inter-device interference etc could still be an issue, but with more channels available, reconfiguration to minimize this is still usually possible. Our new Almond+ router (due out early next year for retail sale) is a Dual Band Router/Range Extender/WAP. (Unfortunately 5GHz does not "go through walls" as well as 2.4GHZ does, so even this isn't always an ideal solution depending on your building).
Some people also have luck using PowerLine modems between "Router" and "WAP", as the "radio" of these devices travels through the power lines rather than attempting to get through walls etc.
Long cable runs are a pain to install, but CAT5e/6/7 cable is relatively cheap. I recently installed a 200ft run for my elderly mother, as her computer is located in a "back bedroom", but she was complaining of poor signal in her Livingroom and Sundeck (other end of the same building) when using her iPad. (I considered a "Range Extender" setup for her, but Wi-Fi signal was too poor to provide reasonable performance. (Her Router and WAP are less than 100ft apart, but I had to run the wire through the Attic at one end of the house, and through the basement at the other end, so it required over 200 ft of cable to wire it)
Between the WAP purchase, and the cable, I can't say this was the "cheapest" solution, but it has made her network reliable, and she now has great Wi-Fi performance in the entire house, and in about 50% of her garden. (She particularly enjoyed being able to use her iPad outdoors all summer). You have already purchased the hardware for both ends, so your only remaining costs would be 2 RJ45 jacks, 200ft of CAT5e/6/7 cable, and a cable stapler. You claim cost is an issue, but perhaps you could afford to do this over time, Remember this is a one-time expense.
(I used the air gap around the chimney to do the vertical drop between the Attic and the basement, in order to avoid running wires up and down the stairs. (My Mom hates wires everywhere too
))
I just found this article: http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-extender/
Huh... well bunny!
Thanks for this article. It definitely explained this better than I did. (We would obviously prefer you to buy our products rather than theres
) Please use my suggestions above to try to improve the Wi-Fi signal between your Router and your RangeExtender, or simply bite the bullet and actually wire the two together and use the Almond as a "Wireless Access Point" rather than a "Range Extender". (It does function very well as a WAP BTW).
I care about performance here too, so while I have setup my Almond as a "Range Extender" for testing purposes, I have CAT6 run everywhere in my home, so I simply have multiple WAP's to ensure complete coverage of my home. Unless you forsee moving some time soon, you should probably look at "wiring" the two together, even if it will take some time to purchase the necessary cabling to do so.
Use a portable Android or iOS device with an App such as the one I mentioned above to check your Wi-Fi signal in and around your home to improve your Wi-Fi between devices. (If you don't own an Android/iOS device, simply get a friend that does have one to help you with this. The App I recommended is a free one).
I hope these suggestions help you in optimizing your Wi-Fi infastructure to improve it's performance.
