The IP rating defines how weather resistant the device is, mainly against dust and water. Next, check the ingress protection (IP) rating on the packaging and the temperature range the device can withstand. There aren't a ton of wireless extenders designed for outdoors, but a few notable manufacturers are Netgear, Ubiquiti, EnGenius and Hawking.
#HOW TO CHECK WIFI CHANNEL STRENGTH NETGEAR UPGRADE#
The first step is to find an extender that's compatible with your current router or purchase a new router and extender to upgrade your entire network. There aren't a ton of cheap options right now, so you have to decide which setup will work best for you. Using a Wi-Fi device that is meant to be left outside is far and away your best bet. Setting it up the right way may cost more now, but in the long run will require little maintenance and give you great coverage. And yet, getting reliable, fast Wi-Fi outdoors is going to take an initial investment. Most of the options that I'll explore don't require you to drill holes or run new wiring outdoors. Weather-resistant devices are the most reliable It can be tricky, but with the right hardware, you'll be streaming video by the pool and posting pics to social media in the yard in no time. With the increasing number of outdoor smart devices like lighting, security cameras and garage door openers, you need to be able to extend your Wi-Fi beyond your home's exterior walls.
You can move your router as close to your yard or front porch as your Ethernet cable will take you, but that won't always solve the problem. It's great to be able to seamlessly connect to your Wi-Fi to devices throughout your home, but frustration often starts the moment you try to connect your Wi-Fi network to a device outside.