Good access to Wi-Fi in their house, yard, or, in some cases, the city is a given for many people. However, getting a fast internet connection, let alone a strong Wi-Fi signal, can be a struggle if you live in a small town or rural area. I live in rural Kansas and have spent nearly 15 years battling this from both sides.
Starlink satellite internet entered my area and served me relatively well for two years. However, for as good as the service is, its beaming internet from space introduces some drawbacks. Now that I have fiber internet to my rural property, I have consistent connectivity. However, I need a strong or reliable Wi-Fi signal to cover my acreage. Most importantly, my outbuildings. I have yet to find a solution that isn’t expensive or doesn’t require a strong knowledge of networking equipment. This shouldn’t be so difficult.
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Go the easy route(r)
Unreliable or expensive are the choices here
It would seem that the obvious and most straightforward solution is to use a good mesh router setup. I thought that, too. I tried Google’s Nest WiFi, Gryphon, and an Asus setup. While these gave great coverage in and near my home, none penetrated my shop’s metal siding, which is about 120 feet from the house.
I placed my main router in the room nearest the shop building, and it got an OK signal to the outside of the building. Still, getting a strong enough signal inside to connect with another mesh point isn’t happening. Even leaving the mesh point outside, which it isn’t rated for, the signal is destroyed inside the building. While this setup is the easiest to do since Google, or whichever brand of mesh router you use, manages all the connection points automatically, it isn’t a cheap option.
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A dedicated outdoor mesh point that I could put in a location would give me a stronger signal to my shop, but that would put it in harm’s way because of the weather. While some mesh routers are designed to withstand the elements, they aren’t cheap. The most affordable is the TP-Link Deco Outdoor for $150. The other option, the Amazon eero Outdoor 7 mesh, costs $850. The downside is that if you have a newer router setup, you’ll have to buy a new system to use the outdoor points.
The less expensive option is a Wi-Fi extender. These are generally less expensive and work with your existing router regardless of the brand. The downside here is that these devices can be unreliable. I’ve used models from various brands, and each needed to be reset a few times a week. Also, extenders need their management outside what you do for your existing network. This includes a separate app and login credentials.
All the range I want
But I’m no networking expert
I became confused as I started my research outside the traditional options of mesh routers and Wi-Fi extenders. I realized how much I didn’t know about networking technologies. Everything seemed foreign, from the equipment options to the jargon. Each time I thought I found something that would get the job done without being overly expensive and would use my existing equipment, there would be a caveat that either made it incompatible or I didn’t understand it.
The other issue was putting more holes in my home to run an Ethernet cable to the device since it doesn’t wirelessly interface with my router. While that isn’t a major problem, I’d rather avoid this route. If I were to do that, I could trench a wire to my shop and put a router inside. However, this would require a hole in my house and shop and some manual labor.
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Another problem with using access points or multiple broadcast devices that aren’t meshed is that you’ll broadcast multiple Wi-Fi signals. This causes another set of issues, as these can clash and make connections flaky. These long-range outdoor solutions and access points are also pricey and require a strong knowledge of the equipment, terminology, and software to manage.
Stuck in limbo
Not sure where or how to go now
I have great internet and Wi-Fi signals in my home and patio today. Still, that signal quickly fades if I get about 50 feet away. Inside my metal shop building — fuhgeddaboudit. My property has wooded areas, a creek, and wide open fields. My kids love exploring it all. With cellular coverage just as scarce, I want my kids to be able to get ahold of me if something happens while on an adventure. I want to be able to look up a YouTube video on how to fix something while in my shop. Boosting a Wi-Fi signal shouldn’t be too big to ask as we approach 2025. However, getting a solution can be a pricey and daunting endeavor for the average person or even the generally tech-savvy individual.
