My wife is wanting to use her iPad in the garden but our wifi signal keeps dropping out, not a major issue but I was looking into to getting a device to extend the signal. I've seen two types of devices, just wondered if anyone was using these devices and if they work ok or not?

First device i've seen for around £20 plugs into a wall socket and basically relays the signal. Ive read that as this device boosts the signal you actually loose alittle bit of your signal but it isn't noticeable.

Second device i've seen is called a powerline extender. It basically has two parts that plug into wall sockects and uses the houses electrical cabling to carry the internet signal, the newer powerlines have a built in wifi transmitter to enable you to get wifi. These are around £40.

My idea is to put a wifi extender near my french doors that lead onto the garden hoping this will give the garden wifi coverage. As I said earlier has anyone used such devices and do they work??

Many thanks all.  Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
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Powerlines (aka Homeplugs) are preferable to wifi>wifi extenders. They are a bit

If you go the Powerline route all you are actually doing is creating a second wifi transmitter, rather than 'extending' your existing one. So in your case your iPad (should) will switch from your existing router's wifi to your new Powerline wifi as you get near it. I say 'should' as I've had problems in the past with devices refusing to 'let go' of the weak wifi and switch to the stronger one.

If by any chance you have an Apple router then your lucks in! Buy an Airport express and connect that via Powerlines (or better still Ethernet cable) to your router and your wifi range will genuinely extend - one simple wifi network, all over the house and garden. I have a Time Capsule router in the hall and Airport Expresses in the kitchen, upstairs landing and outside in the summerhouse. I have full strength wifi everywhere now and as a side benefit can pipe iTunes music to each AE individually or simultaneously (for parties). Works brilliantly.

Thanks Le Bouch, I've not got an apple router but find it interesting what you say about the reliability of the home plugs. I've got a 3rd option where by I can use an old router connected by Ethernet cable to my router, this will make the old router give off a good strength wifi signal. Only problem I have is that I need to lift up some carpet, not a problem except for the threshold plates. I'm not sure how to fit the carpet back neatly at the threshold plates and the wife won't be pleased if I make a mess!! Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
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To be honest I gave up with Homeplugs and ran Cat5e everywhere. I found Homeplugs to be OK but too flaky. When you have a problem, is it the router, is it the wifi, is it the home plug, etc etc.

I totally get what you say about carpets, wires and wives! I would suggest thinking laterally - can you run the cable through the wall, outside and then back in somewhere?

Yeah, I'll have to give it some thought. Probably just easier to tell the wife she can't have wifi outside!! Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
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Firstly I am a bit of a IT geek (I manage 9000+ PC's for my sins).

At home I have a fairly decent setup. My TV, amp, media player, PS3 are all CAT5 hard wired back to my router to ensure the best streaming. My PC which is in my spare room and on al the time which is my media server and god knows what else is also CAT5.

But I also use a homeplug for my sons bedroom to connect his xbox and this works great. I do think that modern houses with ring circuits are better for homeplugs to be honest.

as for a wireless extender, I did use one - a homeplug with one built in but ended up replacing my BT router with a better one (cost £120!!! or £50 to the wife lol) and now I get much better wifi coverage except the bloody extension where I used decent kingspan insulation with double sided aluminium (or whatever) on the outside. Screws the wifi reception up no end.

We have a tp link wifi extender that has been used to good effect at extending the wifi signal 40ft down the garden.

I use this setup. Wired and wireless. https://www.shop.bt.com/products/bt-mini-w...-BVFH.html
I have the main unit in my hall, hard wired to the router. One unit in the loft hard wired to my CCTV system for remote viewing and giving a wifi signal to my Roku box in the bedroom. The other unit is in my lounge by the TV, hard wired to the TV and the Amazon Fire TV box and giving off a stronger wifi signal to the iPads/laptop than the router in the hall. This setup works brilliantly for me and has never let me down. Can add to them if I wanted so I could also get another unit to plug into the shed at the bottom of the garden so that I could use the iPad or a stand-alone wired/wireless CCTV camera at the bottom of the garden. Each unit (apart from the main unit) has two Ethernet sockets as well as sending out its own wifi signal. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
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I use the same as tinytim, the extender is plugged into a socket in my garage which is about 30tf away from my BT router . The wifi now covers the whole garden and down into my hut (man cave) which is about 100ft (with great wifi, I stream music via an app) from the main router . Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

I used to hate my tp extender, constantly jamming and needing to be turned on/off, but since I got a better braodband its worked fautlessly

Ive got a tp powerline one too, works well At work
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Thanks for all the replies. It seems extenders etc can be hit and miss. I think I'll buy a TP extender from Argos and give that a try. I've two rooms that back onto the garden so have two ideal places where I can plug in the extender and see where I get the best signal. Hopefully the wife will be sorted with wifi on the patio. Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
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Treat her to an extension lead and plug it into that.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
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When you have two foot thick walls in your house, HomePlug Extenders are a must. I've generally not had problems but have found that it works best if you stick with the same manufacturer if possible (my router and Extenders are all Netgear). I have also found that it helps if the HomePlugs are all on the same ring main; you get more inteference if you have the two ends on different rings (e.g. upstairs and downstairs) and the link is either on your fuseboard or even worse effectively at the meter. I have two fuseboards as the house was extended and the common link is the meter, so there's quite a bit of interference. However, it's not a real problem because the broadband is so diabolical here the HomePlug network is still faster than the broadband!

Well I bit the bullet and bought a TP link wifi extender. It works a treat, wife is very happy as she can use her ipad on the patio and I can even get wifil in my shed. Thanks for all the help guys  Black MY2013 SD4 GS Auto, Wood Company Armrest, Freel2 sticker.
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Happy wife = happy life.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
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