Are you looking for a way on how to connect WiFi extender to Verizon router? If so, you are most probably not alone. After all, a standard router that comes by default may not cover the entire area of your house.
This is where the use of a Wi-Fi extender comes in.
To use a Wi-Fi extender on your Verizon router, all you need to do is follow the specific guide for the device, depending on the type of device that you will get.
Verizon itself has an available Wi-Fi extender you can avail, or you can also look up a compatible device and buy a third-party brand yourself.
Whichever router you choose to go, using a Wi-Fi extender would solve your problem of losing connection to your network in some parts of your house.
Below is a guide on how to connect your Wi-Fi extender to your main router.
Pros and Cons of Wi-Fi Extenders
For people with a big family or a house area, using a Wi-Fi extender can be considered a necessity.
After all, the standard router can only take so much load and can only handle so many users.
Among many others, here are some of the top pros and cons to using a Wi-Fi extender.
It Is Easy to Set Up
With the wires and the steps that you need to take, it can feel like setting up a Wi-Fi extender could be a mind-boggling challenge. However, it is not.
In fact, setting it up only takes a few minutes. Instructions are usually available and are laid out in a way that even the most basic user can understand and follow.
Most of the time, it can only take three to five steps and even if you will have a hard time figuring things out, thirty minutes would usually be the most amount of time it would take you.
How to Connect WiFi Extender to Verizon Router?
There are two ways that you can connect your Fios Extender to your Verizon router, and both are simple and can be done by yourself without the need for external help.
All you need to do is follow a simple set of instructions.
Here are the ways on how to connect WiFi extender to Fios router, either through a wired connection or directly via Wi-Fi.
Wired Connection
A wired connection has its own pros and cons. For one, it offers a virtually lossless connection from the main router, since all data are transmitted through the wires and nothing gets lost in the “air,” as compared to a wireless connection.
On the other hand, this would also mean either two things: you need to have your main router and the Wi-Fi extender near each other.
Or you would need to use an extra-long ethernet LAN cable, if you wish to use it a little further away.
Here are the steps on how you can connect a Wi-Fi extender through a wired connection.
Step 1 – Connect Through A Cable
The first step is to connect your extender to a coax cable. If your only available coax is in use, a coax splitter is included in the box of the extender.
You would want to put the extender in a place where there is already strong Wi-Fi.
Step 2 – Power Up the Router and Extender
The next step is connecting the power cords from the router and the extender to a power outlet.
After that, wait for at least ten minutes and you should see the indicator light on the extender go white.
Step 3 – You Can Do the Same Using Ethernet
Congratulations, you have successfully connected your Wi-Fi extender to your main router.
You can also apply the same set of steps if your connection is through an Ethernet cable, replacing the coax part with the ethernet cable.
Directly Through Wi-Fi
Steps on how to connect Wi-Fi extender to Fios router directly via Wi-Fi is essentially the same as that of setting it up with a wired connection.
Although, the difference is in the latency. Wireless connection is known to have some packet loss.
Although it does not mean that you would have a weaker connection, it is still something worth knowing.
Here is how you connect your Wi-Fi extender wireless to your main router.
Step 1 – Link via an Ethernet Cable First
The first step is you need to establish a link between your extender and your main router through an ethernet cable.
After plugin in your extender for power, connect it and your router through ethernet. Wait for at least ten minutes until the indicator light turns white.
This means that linking is complete. You can then disconnect the two devices from the ethernet cable.
Step 2 – Decide Where to Place the Wi-Fi Extender
After that, you can place the Wi-Fi extender in a strategic place in your house where there is a stable signal reach and plug it back in for power.
Once turned on, the indicator light should go white again, indicating that it is still connected to your main router.
Congratulations, you now have successfully set up your Wi-Fi extender directly via Wi-Fi.
Can you use Third-party Wi-Fi Extenders?
The simple answer is yes, you can use third-party Wi-Fi extenders aside from the ones issued by Verizon itself.
However, it may mean more time for research for you.
One of the benefits of simply getting the Fios extender from Verizon is that this saves you from finding a Wi-Fi extender that is compatible with your router.
Remember that not all extenders would work with all routers and if you get the wrong one, it would only be a waste since it would not work.
How to Connect Netgear WiFi Extender to Verizon Router
If you plan to get a third-party Wi-Fi extender, Netgear would be one of the first brands that you may stumble upon.
They have a wide range of options to choose from, and most of their products usually work with top providers, including Verizon.
Setting one up is easy, too. All you need to do is plug it in, connect a computer to the extender SSID, and follow a specific set of steps to set it up using your computer browser.
To connect the Netgear WiFi extender follow these steps:
Step 1:
Connect your PC or laptop to the Extender network and open the setup page of Netgear. To do this follow these steps:
- Plug the extender and switch in ON
- Now connect your PC or mobile to the Extender WiFi Network. The default SSID is NETGEAR_EXT while the default password is password.
- Open any browser and open the address mywifiext.net.
- This will now open the Extender setup page.
Step 2:
After you have opened the setup page on your browser, now its time to do the setup. Follow these steps:
- On the setup page click on NEW EXTENDER SETUP
- If prompted tap on YES or I AGREE
- Now set your extender’s admin credentials
- Next setup the security questions and click NEXT
- Enter your WiFi network password (existing) and click NEXT
- Next select the SSIDs and password for your Netgear extender and click NEXT
- Apply settings and wait for few minutes
- Now you can connect to your Netgear WiFi using the password set earlier.
More Devices Can Now Connect to Your Network
Usually, a standard-issued router would only be able to hold up to five devices at one time before users start to notice significant drops in speeds and stability.
Using a Wi-Fi extender eliminates this limitation.
An extender technically doubles the number of devices that can connect to your network, without overloading your router.
Thus without losing too much speed as compared to putting all devices under just the standard router.
You Have to Find the Right Compatibility
The reason why Verizon has its own Wi-Fi extender, the Fios Extender, is that this helps customers save the time and effort of researching the compatible extender for their router.
In order for a Wi-Fi extender to work, it has to be on a signal that is the same as that of the main router.
Usually, this is a number such as 802.11. If the numbers are not the same, the Wi-Fi extender would not work.
Wi-Fi Extenders vs Wi-Fi Repeater
Is a Wi-Fi extender the same as a Wi-Fi repeater? The answer is in the middle–yes and no.
They are both Wi-Fi boosters, as they both amplify and make the Wi-Fi from your original router better overall.
On the other hand, it is good to know that each boosts your Wi-Fi in a different way.
While a Wi-Fi extender increases the distance your Wi-Fi signal can reach, a Wi-Fi repeater strengthens your signal, as using one essentially “doubles” the signal strength and stability, thus the name “repeater.”
Conclusion
Knowing how to connect WiFi extender to Verizon router is an easy thing to do, as most of the extenders you can find.
From the Fios Extender that Verizon issues to whichever third-party one you can buy – can be configured and set up without aunty technical knowledge at all.
Aside from a Wi-Fi extender, you can also use a Wi-Fi booster to strengthen your signal. This all depends, of course, on your specific needs when it comes to your internet connection.
Read Next: Know the steps to boost Verizon Wi-Fi signal.
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.