SMR
Well-known member
When using the WIFI Ranger or extenders do they take away WIFI from others that are using it in the campground? I have heard yes and no from a few people I have asked so thought I ask the experts. 
WIFI Ranger/extender questions
- Thread starter SMR
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
PancakeBill
Well-known member
If you are streaming you would use bandwidth which is finite, but just using it regular, it shouldn't.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
The mere use of an extender has no measurable effect. However, if having the extender enables you do do more things (e.g. stream a movie), you are then consuming a larger share of a finite resource (the total bandwidth of the wifi system & it's internet connection). Whether that share is large enough to impact others depends on far too many variables to give a simple answer. However, many RV parks have plenty of wifi capacity but only a limited connection to the internet. The best wifi network in the world is till going to be slow if it's pipe to the internet is no larger than a straw.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Every park has so much bandwidth. It matters no if you lug your computer to the "Internet center" or use the Wi-Fi Ranger to connect from a distance. Same exact bandwidth.
OP
OP
SMR
Well-known member
thanks for the info. I just didn't want to get something that would stop others from getting on the wifi if we were using it all up. Not sure if we will get an extender or nit but it is now an option for us.
Do they help with the cell phones? We have a WeBoost now.
Do they help with the cell phones? We have a WeBoost now.
Kevin Means
Site Team
Our WiFi Ranger's antenna is mounted atop a mast that gets raised about six feet higher than the RV's roof. When the antenna is up, we can connect with WiFi stations at much greater distances than before. But as others have said, if the WiFi signal we're connecting with has low bandwidth, or is jammed with users, you're not going to be streaming any HD shows.
The WiFi Ranger itself has the ability to "Load Share" which means you can program it to simultaneously use a cell based signal and a WiFi based signal to connect online. For example, if you've got a good WiFi signal, you can turn down the amount off cell data you're using, or turn it off completely to save your data. If you've got no WiFi service, you can get online through your cellular data plan - all through the WiFi Ranger.
I like the fact that our devices only have to connect to the WiFi Ranger. The WiFi Ranger is the only thing that connects to the WiFi source.
Kev
The WiFi Ranger itself has the ability to "Load Share" which means you can program it to simultaneously use a cell based signal and a WiFi based signal to connect online. For example, if you've got a good WiFi signal, you can turn down the amount off cell data you're using, or turn it off completely to save your data. If you've got no WiFi service, you can get online through your cellular data plan - all through the WiFi Ranger.
I like the fact that our devices only have to connect to the WiFi Ranger. The WiFi Ranger is the only thing that connects to the WiFi source.
Kev
Isaac-1
Well-known member
This is a complicated issue, and the answer is yes, no, and maybe.
If you are using a single channel wifi repeater system, then by adding one to the wifi network, you will be halving the potential connection speed of the network while data is passing through the repeater. In the real world this is usually not an issue as the wifi network speed is usually many times faster than the outbound internet connection. In theory this could be a problem in a large RV park, with many people operating extenders, but if the large RV park, had an adequate wifi setup then an extender would not be needed.
For practical purposes you should consider your use of a wifi extender, to be sort of like a garden hose splitter adapter, it will lower the flow to the other people, but only when you are actively using the connection.
If you are using a single channel wifi repeater system, then by adding one to the wifi network, you will be halving the potential connection speed of the network while data is passing through the repeater. In the real world this is usually not an issue as the wifi network speed is usually many times faster than the outbound internet connection. In theory this could be a problem in a large RV park, with many people operating extenders, but if the large RV park, had an adequate wifi setup then an extender would not be needed.
For practical purposes you should consider your use of a wifi extender, to be sort of like a garden hose splitter adapter, it will lower the flow to the other people, but only when you are actively using the connection.
jymbee
Well-known member
Gary RV_Wizard said:
About as simple and accurate description as there is-- but still something that many just don't seem to grasp.
Isaac-1
Well-known member
Care to try to explain the difference between speed and latency now?
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Latency is the delay at the traffic light, while speed is how fast you get to the next light. Red lights are high latency; green lights not so much.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
Latency is the time it takes for the signal from your computer to get to the host computer and then back to your computer. It is basically a delay since electrons cannot travel instantly. The speed is how fast the signal travels once you are connected. If you type in speed test into your browser the first thing that happens is they ping your computer and measure the time in milliseconds, this is latency. Then they transmit the data and measure how fast it is going, which is your speed. If you have a satellite as your host then the latency will usually be unacceptably long. When you send a signal to Mars the latency is like 20 minutes.Isaac-1 said:
