Expand & extend your network

Boost the performance of your existing network with a wireless range extender, powerline Ethernet device or faster Wi-Fi adapter for your PC. Lindsay Handmer shows you how.

These days, most home and offices are filled with all sorts of network connected devices, often all competing for bandwidth. Wi-Fi is very convenient, but isn’t suitable in all situations, and can struggle in larger houses. Many people are still using the (often outdated) Wi-Fi router supplied by their ISP, but there are loads of better options available.

The increasing popularity of high-definition (HD) media streaming also puts more pressure on home networks — especially those with families who all want to watch their own show at the same time. For those not lucky enough to have hard-wired Ethernet in every room, there are loads of different ways to get the best speeds. The latest spec USB and PCIe Wi-Fi cards can actually be as fast as a wired connection, thanks to all sorts of clever MIMO tricks and multiple antennas. For those who want or need wired stability without a permanent install or messy cables (such as people renting a house or unit), powerline adapters create a plug and play wired connection over existing electrical wires – though are not without their own setup quirks. Other devices can do double or triple duty, as powerline adapters with Wi-Fi, or range extenders that can function as access points or be configured as a media bridge.

To provide a more in-depth look at all the available options and devices, as well as their real world performance, we benchmarked eight powerline networking kits, eight PCIe and USB Wi-Fi adapters and four Wi-Fi range extenders. We focused on real world throughput and range — don’t believe all the claims on the box!