拥有互联网连接对于我们这些天所做的几乎所有事情都至关重要。借助家庭自动化(home automation)、流媒体服务和个人智能设备，以良好的连接覆盖整个家庭或工作场所非常重要。
在互联网覆盖范围内覆盖您的环境时，有多种选择。网状(Mesh)网络、Wi-Fi 扩展器和接入点是大多数人要考虑的三个主要选择。我们将解释每种技术的主要区别和优势。
您需要更大的网络吗？
在您假设您需要花钱购买新的网络设备之前，您可能可以做很多事情来改善您已经拥有的Wi-Fi覆盖范围。(Wi-Fi)要尝试其中一些，请前往10 种增强弱 Wi-Fi 信号的方法(10 Ways to Boost a Weak Wi-Fi Signal)，看看您是否无法从现有设置中获得免费增强。
Wi-Fi 扩展器：你能(Could)重复一遍吗？
这些设备以不同的名称出售，例如“扩展器”、“中继器”和“助推器”。顾名思义，这些设备从主路由器获取您现有的 Wi-Fi 信号并重复它。中继器放置在现有 Wi-Fi 足迹的边缘。它们拦截进出您的 Wi-Fi 路由器的数据包，然后以全信号强度重新发送它们。
好处(Advantages)
这些设备通常易于设置并且适用于无需在家中移动的台式计算机、Wi-Fi 打印机和智能电视。(TVs)
缺点(Disadvantages)
不利的一面是，重复信号所需的处理时间会损害带宽和延迟(hurts bandwidth and latency)。通常，扩展器提供主路由器一半的带宽。因此，如果您需要全速的互联网连接，或者是一名有竞争力的在线游戏玩家，中继器不是适合您的解决方案。
Wi-Fi 扩展器通常作为单独的网络弹出。换句话说，您将连接到主路由器或扩展器。不幸的是，像智能手机这样的设备通常不会切换到其他网络，直到您完全超出当前网络的范围。因此，您可能必须手动切换网络以确保您已连接。
谁应该使用中继器？(Who Should Use Repeaters?)
中继器非常适合扩展您在家中的 Wi-Fi 足迹以用于一般用途。其中包括浏览网页、流式传输视频、下载软件和其他日常任务。
我们不能将它们推荐给中型或大型企业。尽管如此，对于需要将Wi-Fi扩展到（例如）覆盖整个开放式办公室的小型企业来说，它们仍然是一个合适的解决方案。
网状网络：我们是博格(Borg)。抵抗(Resistance)是徒劳(Futile)的。
解释网状网络的最简单方法是将其视为路由器蜂巢思维。网状网络不是向外扩展的主路由器，而是由多个相同的路由单元组成。他们都互相交谈，以及连接到他们的设备。结果本质上是一个巨大的分布式路由器。
大公司几十年来一直在使用网状网络技术，但直到最近它才变得便宜到足以进入家庭用户市场。这是扩大 Wi-Fi 覆盖范围的首要解决方案。
好处(Advantages)
正确安装和配置后，网状网络可提供无缝体验。当您在空间中移动时，无需手动切换网络。
网状(Mesh)网络路由器具有专门的硬件，除了它们所服务的设备外，它们还可以让它们相互通信。因此，在带宽和延迟方面，它们的性能比 Wi-Fi 中继器要好得多。
缺点(Disadvantages)
网状(Mesh)网络系统比其他解决方案昂贵得多。虽然您可以从一两个单位开始，然后在资金可用时扩展您的网络。
Mesh网络的安装和配置比其他解决方案更复杂。除了硬件成本外，一些用户可能还需要支付专业安装服务费用。
但是(Though)，针对家庭用户的现代网状网络相对用户友好，并且可以自动完成大部分维护工作。例如，您可能不必单独更新每个网格单元上的固件。
谁应该使用网状网络？(Who Should Use Mesh Networks?)
假设您负担得起，网状网络几乎是每个人的最佳解决方案。任何规模的企业都应该考虑网状网络，尤其是因为它们可以根据需要进行扩展，从而使其与组织一起成长。
喜欢家庭自动化并希望智能手机在整个家庭中无缝移动的家庭用户应该强烈考虑网状网络。
接入点：Wi-Fi 贵宾室
接入点是一种提供自己的本地Wi-Fi网络的设备，独立于主路由器。它使用以太网(Ethernet)电缆连接到主要的互联网连接，确保它可以访问大量低延迟的互联网带宽。
好处(Advantages)
接入(Access)点让您可以通过自己的隔离Wi-Fi网络为特定房间或区域提供服务。因此，它们没有Wi-Fi中继器所面临的带宽减少问题。
通常，根据网络的配置方式，连接到接入点的设备无法连接到其他 Wi-Fi 网络上的设备，即使它们共享相同的互联网连接。在许多情况下，这是一个理想的安全特性。
一些接入点还支持PoE（以太网供电(Power)），因此您只需安装以太网(Ethernet)电缆(Ethernet)，而不必担心附近的电源插座。
缺点(Disadvantages)
接入点最显着的缺点是您需要安装以太网(Ethernet)电缆。这可能意味着在墙上钻孔并从主要互联网连接点铺设电缆到接入点。
连接到接入点的设备无法访问其他 Wi-Fi 网络上的设备。因此，例如，如果您的家庭网络上有Plex 服务器(Plex server)，则使用接入点的客人无法使用它。如上所述，这也可以视为一种优势，具体取决于您的需求。
谁应该使用接入点？(Who Should Use Access Points?)
当您想与多个用户共享一个 Internet 连接时，接入点是一个很好的解决方案。例如，假设您是Airbnb的房东，并且想要与您的客人共享您的光纤连接。您可以在客房或公寓中放置一个接入点，并使用以太网(Ethernet)电缆将其连接到您的主路由器。
然后，客人可以访问互联网，连接到接入点的设备可以相互通话（例如家庭自动化设备），但连接到家庭本地网络的设备是安全的。接入点方法在租户或客人之间共享一个快速互联网连接的酒店或办公楼中很受欢迎。
电力线延长器：世界(Worlds)上最好的？
电力线(Powerline)延长器是一种有趣的解决方案，它克服了上述方法的许多选定缺点。电力线(Powerline)技术使用您家中的铜线来传输以太网(Ethernet)流量。
主电源线单元通过以太网(Ethernet)连接到您的互联网设备（例如，光纤路由器） ，然后插入墙上。然后，您可以在家中任何需要互联网连接的地方将扩展单元插入电源插座。
通常，电力线扩展器单元提供无线接入点和以太网(Ethernet)端口。这使得在使用 Wi-Fi 设备的同时也可以轻松连接智能电视或控制台等设备。(TVs)
好处(Advantages)
这些设备可在您有电源插座的任何地方提供直接以太网连接。(Ethernet)您可以连接所有配备以太网(Ethernet)的设备，从字面上清除不必要的Wi-Fi流量。
电力线适配器不需要铺设电缆或在墙上钻孔。只需(Just)插入一些小工具。
Wi-Fi接入点更像是一个网状网络。它们都广播相同的Wi-Fi 网络名称(Wi-Fi network name)，因此在您移动时无需手动切换网络。
缺点(Disadvantages)
一些家庭有独立的电路，这意味着一些房间的电力线延长器无法与其他房间通话。您必须与建造房屋或从事电气安装工作的人确认这一点。
目前，以太网(Ethernet)速度通常限制在 600Mbps。千兆以太网(Gigabit Ethernet)设备可用，但成本更高。
谁应该使用电力线延长器？(Who Should Use Powerline Extenders?)
我们认为，对于大多数人来说，电力线(Powerline)延长器是最方便和最具成本效益的解决方案。它们设置简单，易于安装，并提供超出大多数人需求的性能。
如需完整的比较和讨论，请查看Wi-Fi 扩展器与电力线适配器——哪个最好？(Wi-Fi Extenders vs. Powerline Adapters – Which is the Best?)
Mesh Network vs. Wi-Fi Extender vs. Access Points: Which Is Better?
Having аn internet сonnеction iѕ vitаl to almost everything we do these days. Thanks to home automation, streaming services, and personal smart devices, it’s important to cover your entire home or workplace with good connectivity.
There are multiple options when it comes to blanketing your environment in internet coverage. Mesh networks, Wi-Fi extenders, and access points are the three main choices to consider for most people. We’re going to explain the key differences and advantages of each technology.
Do You Need a Bigger Network?
Before you assume that you need to spend money on new network equipment, there are probably more than a few things you can do to improve the Wi-Fi coverage you already have. To try some of them, head over to 10 Ways to Boost a Weak Wi-Fi Signal and see if you can’t get a free boost from your existing setup.
Wi-Fi Extenders: Could You Repeat That?
These devices are sold under different names, like “extender,” “repeater,” and “booster.” As the names suggest, these devices take your existing Wi-Fi signal from the primary router and repeat it. Repeaters are placed at the edges of your existing Wi-Fi footprint. They intercept the data packets going to and from your Wi-Fi router and then resend them at full signal strength.
Advantages
These devices are usually simple to set up and work well for desktop computers, Wi-Fi printers, and smart TVs that don’t have to move around the home.
Disadvantages
On the downside, the processing time needed to repeat the signal hurts bandwidth and latency. Usually, extenders offer half the bandwidth of your primary router. So if you need the full speed of your internet connection or are a competitive online gamer, repeaters aren’t the right solution for you.
Wi-Fi extenders usually pop up as a separate network. In other words, you will either be connected to the primary router or the extender. Unfortunately, devices like smartphones usually don’t switch over to other networks until you’re entirely out of range for the current one. So, you may have to manually switch networks to ensure you are connected.
Who Should Use Repeaters?
Repeaters are perfect for extending your Wi-Fi footprint at home for general purposes. These include browsing the web, streaming videos, downloading software, and other everyday tasks.
We can’t recommend them for medium or large businesses. Still, they’re a suitable solution for a small business that needs to extend Wi-Fi to (for example) cover an entire open-plan office.
Mesh Networks: We Are Borg. Resistance Is Futile.
The easiest way to explain a mesh network is by thinking of it as a router hive-mind. Instead of a primary router that gets extended outwards, a mesh network consists of multiple identical routing units. They all talk to each other as well as the devices that are connected to them. The result is essentially one huge distributed router.
Large companies have used mesh network technology for decades, but it has only recently become cheap enough to enter the home user market. This is the premier solution to enlarging a Wi-Fi footprint.
Advantages
Once properly installed and configured, a mesh network offers a seamless experience. There’s no need to manually switch between networks as you move around your space.
Mesh network routers have specialized hardware that lets them speak to each other in addition to the devices they serve. So they perform much better than Wi-Fi repeaters when it comes to bandwidth and latency.
Disadvantages
Mesh network systems are much more expensive than other solutions. Although you can start with one or two units and then expand your network as funds become available.
Mesh networks are more complicated to install and configure than other solutions. Some users may have to pay for professional installation services on top of the hardware costs.
Though, modern mesh networks aimed at home users are relatively user-friendly and automate much of the maintenance work. For example, you may not have to update the firmware on each mesh unit individually.
Who Should Use Mesh Networks?
Assuming that you can afford it, mesh networks are the best solution for almost everyone. Businesses of any size should consider mesh networks, especially since they can be expanded as needed, allowing them to grow with the organization.
Home users who enjoy home automation and want a seamless movement of smartphones throughout the home should strongly consider a mesh network.
Access Points: The Wi-Fi VIP Room
An access point is a device that offers a local Wi-Fi network of its own, separate from the primary router. It’s connected to the main internet connection using an Ethernet cable, ensuring that it has access to lots of low-latency internet bandwidth.
Advantages
Access points let you serve a specific room or area with its own isolated Wi-Fi network. As a result, they don’t have the bandwidth reduction issues that Wi-Fi repeaters suffer from.
Usually, depending on how the network is configured, devices connected to the access point can’t connect to devices on other Wi-Fi networks, even if they share the same internet connection. This is a desirable safety feature in many cases.
Some access points also support PoE (Power over Ethernet), so you only have to install the Ethernet cable and don’t have to worry about a nearby power socket.
Disadvantages
The most significant disadvantage of access points is that you need to install Ethernet cabling. That can mean drilling holes in walls and laying cable from the primary internet connection point to the access points.
Devices connected to the access point can’t access devices on other Wi-Fi networks. So, for example, if you have a Plex server on your home network, guests using the access point can’t use it. As mentioned above, this can also be seen as an advantage, depending on your needs.
Who Should Use Access Points?
Access points are a great solution when you want to share one internet connection with multiple users. For example, let’s say you are the host of an Airbnb and want to share your fiber connection with your guests. You’d place an access point in the guest room or apartment and connect it to your main router using an Ethernet cable.
Guests can then access the internet, and devices connected to the access point can speak to each other (such as home automation devices), but the devices connected to your home local network are safe. The access point approach is popular in hotels or office buildings where one fast internet connection is shared between tenants or guests.
Powerline Extenders: Best of All Worlds?
Powerline extenders are an interesting solution that overcomes many selected disadvantages of the above methods. Powerline technology uses the electrical copper wiring of your home to carry Ethernet traffic.
The main powerline unit connects to your internet device (e.g., a fiber router) via Ethernet and then plugs into the wall. You then plug extender units into power sockets wherever you need an internet connection in your home.
Typically, powerline extender units offer a wireless access point and Ethernet ports. This makes it easy to hook up devices such as smart TVs or consoles while also using Wi-Fi devices.
Advantages
These devices offer a direct Ethernet connection anywhere you have a power outlet. You can wire up all your Ethernet-equipped devices, literally clearing the air of unnecessary Wi-Fi traffic.
Powerline adapters require no laying of cables or drilling holes in walls. Just plug in a few gadgets.
The Wi-Fi access points act more like a mesh network. They all broadcast the same Wi-Fi network name and so there’s no need to switch networks manually as you move about.
Disadvantages
Some homes have isolated electrical circuits, which means that powerline extenders in some rooms can’t talk to others. You’ll have to confirm this with whoever built the house or worked on the electrical installation.
Typically, Ethernet speeds are limited to 600Mbps at the moment. Gigabit Ethernet devices are available but cost more.
Who Should Use Powerline Extenders?
We think that Powerline extenders are the most convenient and cost-effective solution for most people. They are simple to set up, easy to install and offer performance above most people’s needs.
For a complete comparison and discussion, check out Wi-Fi Extenders vs. Powerline Adapters – Which is the Best?
