I'm living in a developing country where the WiFi is pretty slow. I was thinking of using a travel router connected to one of my computers via an Ethernet cable to create a stable connection, as I can't place the computer close to the main WiFi router due to its location. I'm curious about two things: Is this setup likely to work? Are there any downsides to keeping a travel router on all the time, considering it's designed for travel?
4 Answers
Using the travel router might be slightly less efficient than having direct WiFi on your computer. If the WiFi is inherently weak or slow, this setup might not really improve anything. However, it’s definitely doable!
It should work, but you need to consider the reasons behind your slow WiFi. If it's due to weak reception or many users sharing bandwidth, this might only address one of those issues. If it's possible, try a powerful USB WiFi dongle or a powerline kit first. They can sometimes help mitigate these types of problems better than a travel router would.
Before going ahead, it might help to run a Speedtest app while moving away from the router to identify where your connection drops off. That could give you a better idea of how bad the WiFi really is.
You're essentially creating a wireless bridge with your travel router. Just keep in mind that you're still going to be limited by the wireless connection's speed and any interference that might occur from your environment.
Thanks for the suggestions! It's funny you mention this because the router is currently behind my TV, which could explain some issues.