Using a Wi-Fi repeater, we can say that it is one of the most used options to improve the quality of the wireless signal. However, the question may arise as to whether any model will work with your home router. What should you take into account? We are going to explain everything you need to know, so that you can make the most of that repeater and not encounter limitations.
Generally speaking, any repeater should work with your router. Now, this does not mean that they will all work the same. In fact, you may have a device that has certain limitations and compatibility issues, so you may not be able to achieve maximum speed or stability. You have to look carefully before buying.
Repeater and router compatibility
Whenever you buy a device, it is important to take a good look at the features. That is going to be key in the case of the repeater, but you must also know what your router is like. Only then can you have two devices that have everything necessary to achieve a stable connection and not have problems.
Check the protocols
There are different types of protocols that may be present on the router, but not on the Wi-Fi repeater. The same, in the opposite case. For example, you can have a router that is compatible with Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 7, but the repeater only supports up to Wi-Fi 5. It does not mean that it will not work, but it does mean that you will have limitations and will not You will be able to make the most of it.
We can also talk about the WPA-3 protocol, for wireless network encryption, as well as others that could affect the performance of the connection. Therefore, the ideal is to have a repeater that is similar, in terms of protocols, to the router to which you are going to connect it. This way, you can make better use of it.
If you are going to buy a repeater, our advice is that it at least have the same protocols as the router. There is nothing wrong with purchasing one with superior protocols, since you could take advantage of it in the future, if you also buy another new router.
Check the maximum speed
Something similar happens with the maximum speed. Be careful with this, since there are repeater models that are very limited. It could even be a device that only works on the 2.4 GHz frequency, so you would not take advantage of the dual band of your router and the maximum speed it can achieve.
Make sure you have models that support high speed, to be able to take advantage of the contracted rate. It’s true that you will always notice a decrease in speed as you move away from the access point, but under optimal circumstances you should have a repeater that can maintain the same speed as the router.
Always keep in mind that the maximum speed supported by a router or repeater does not mean that you will always achieve it. Factors such as the location of the devices, the number of connected devices, a possible incorrect configuration, problems on the line come into play… But yes, it is another factor that you should look at to see if there is compatibility between the repeater and the router, in order to to achieve an optimal and stable connection.
Ethernet cable type
If you are going to connect it by cable to the router, to achieve an access point elsewhere, it is essential that it also has compatibility with the type of Ethernet cable. In this sense, there is a big difference between Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet. In the first case, the maximum speed will be limited to 100 Mbps. In the second case, you can reach up to 1 Gbps.
Therefore, to have an access point that allows a fast connection, it is key that it has compatibility with Gigabit Ethernet, to take advantage of the router ports and not have a bottleneck and be limited. If you are going to buy a cable to achieve this speed, it should be at least CAT 5e. Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to achieve more than Fast Ethernet and you could have problems.
In short, we can say that any repeater will work with any router, but it does not mean that it will always work well. It is key that you observe the characteristics of each device, so that both are compatible in terms of protocols, maximum speed or type of Ethernet cable.
