How does a WiFi booster work?
Overview
If you’re struggling with the signal in your household, a WiFi mesh booster can help increase coverage.
A WiFi mesh booster is a device that expands your WiFi signal across your home. To spread your signal, a booster is placed in between a ‘dead zone’ (an area with a weak signal) and the router. The booster picks up this signal and spreads to more areas of your home, giving your devices a faster WiFi connection.
WiFi boosters offer the same level of security as your WiFi router (password and encryption) and use the same network.
You may have also heard of the term WiFi extender or repeater, this is slightly different to a mesh booster. Extenders create separate networks and re-broadcast the existing signal throughout the home. If you have a WiFi extender, you'll often have multiple networks within the home, and you'll connect your devices directly to the extender rather than your router.
Do WiFi boosters work?
WiFi mesh boosters do work but their effectiveness depends on some factors:
The speed of your internet: If your signal is weak in the room the router is located in, a booster won’t be able to fix this, and you may need a faster plan.
The distance from your router: Each booster will have a range it can extend to. If your home is particularly big you may need multiple boosters.
Alternatively, to WiFi boosters, there are devices called Wireless Access Points (WAPs) which are connected to your router via a wire. These aren’t portable but can offer reliability and fast speeds.
How to connect your WiFi booster
Your new WiFi mesh booster should come with instructions. They’re all different but you can usually set them up with your laptop or mobile phone. A lot of boosters have their own dedicated mobile app where you can see how many devices are connected and update the booster’s passwords.
If you’re a Vodafone customer with a Vodafone WiFi booster, you can follow our set up guide
Best Vodafone WiFi booster for home
If you’re looking to switch to Vodafone, our Pro II Broadband plan offers everything you need for the best coverage. Pro II offers the UK’s fastest WiFi technology throughout the home, powered by WiFi 6E which brings more bandwidth and faster speeds. Pro II comes with our Super WiFi 6E Booster which provides guaranteed coverage and reliability throughout the home – or you can leave your contract for free. Learn more about Pro II Broadband
Looking to learn more ways you can improve your internet speed? Read our article to learn more
Frequently asked questions
You should follow the set-up information provided with your device. It'll need to be paired with your router and placed where you have weak WiFi signal in the home.
These terms are often used interchangeably but there are key differences.
A WiFi extender:
Retransmits your existing WiFi signal
Creates additional WiFi networks so you'll need to manually connect to the network you want to use in an area of your home
Can be a more affordable option
A WiFi mesh booster:
Expands your WiF network, offering seamless coverage throughout the home
Uses the same WiFi network as your router, so you don't need to change WiFi network when moving from room to room
Offer more consistent and reliable coverage
Usually with WiFi mesh boosters, you don't need a password as they join your pre-existing WiFi network.
If you are prompted to set up security measures, make sure you set these up. Every booster has different settings, so make sure to check the manual.
Ideally, you should leave it on for the most consistent WiFi connection. It shouldn't use too much power and have an impact on your electricity bill.
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