Basically the title, but I was prompted to find some help because my friend explained to me about how this guy he knows has a box with an antenna on it that plugs into a 3-prong outlet, and an ethernet port that goes to his pc from the box, since he is way too far from the router at his place and doesnt want to run a wire all the way across.
So firstly, can anyone identify the hardware he was talking about and explain how it works? And secondly, would this hardware be a drastic improvement for gaming via my laptop. Im currently on shitty wifi and thought there would be no hope to get anything better until I moved, but this could be a possible solution if good enough to game on.
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Based on your description, it sounds like your friend’s acquaintance is using a Powerline Adapter with a built-in Wi-Fi extender or an Outdoor Wi-Fi Extender with an ethernet port. Both of these devices can help extend internet connectivity to areas far from the router without the need for long cable runs.
What your friend is referring to sounds like either
- A power line ethernet adapter. These work by sending data transmissions through your already existing electrical wiring so you don’t need to run additional dedicated network wiring.
For your specific use case (using it in a hotel) the power line adapter probably isn’t going to work. One of the main requirements of those types of adapters is having both adapters (you need 2: One for ethernet in, one for ethernet out) on the same electrical circuit. You can technically have them on separate circuits, but this seriously degrades performance and sometimes outright just won’t work at all.
This type of adapter might work for you. However, if you’re having connection issues between your laptop and the wireless now, there’s little chance this will make any meaningful difference in your experience.
What you’re describing is either a range extender or a wireless bridge since it has an antenna. Bridges are usually for much longer distances, like between buildings and are usually slower. It could be a powerline adapter but usually those don’t have antennas.
If you have Ethernet run through the walls I would use an access point to extend your Wi-Fi. If not, a range extender located between your laptop and your router would likely improve the strength of your signal.