Network range extenders and streaming via mains electric circuit.

[JulietteMontague]

Finally have fibre broadband, the provider's router doesn't reach parts of average sized house. I want to a) extend the wireless range upstairs by adding either a range extender and b) also want to stream tv to another room using an ethernet connection via a plug in to the mains electrical wiring. Do these two devices have to be compatible so they do interfere with each other?

I mean the wireless range from the router doesn't reach some parts of the house.

If anyone knows of a network tech forum that speaks in plain English, that would also be helpful!

You can get PowerLine ethernet adapters which also extend the wifi range.
I have never used the PowerLine ethernet adapters but I would assume that they have to be the same brand to get them to work well.

Some info about powerline adapters - not too technical

Powerline starter kit, wifi - the Transmitter plugs into your router and into the mains power. The Receiver plugs into the mains power and has ethernet ports (so for SmartTV) and WiFi.
The Devolo kit is sold by various retailers, including Dabs and I expect some sellers on Amazon.

What I do not know about these systems is if the WiFi keeps the same password, or if it is actually results in two wifi networks... one from your router and one from the Devolo Receiver. Looking at the manual it seems to me to create a new wifi network, so have a different network identifier (SID) and a password. That means that when moving a wireless device from one part of the house to another, the device will need to change network... some do that automatically (my iPad auto logs on to networks it has seen before), others may need to manually be setup each time (my old smartphone, whilst seeing the network would need me to tell it that I did really want to connect to the stronger signal).

A wifi range extender (I have setup a Apple Airport Express) takes the wifi signal it gets and gives it more energy, so sends it further. I have only configured one of those in association to the Apple Router, though I would guess that any WiFi extender would setup in a similar way and purely retransmit the existing wifi signal - so the extender must be in range of the router.

So depending on the size of your home, you may need to look at what system is better for you. Extending the WiFi, or using Powerline to have Ethernet in a different location then having another WiFi off that. If that makes sense?

Stream TV

Bit more detail needed please. What would you be streaming from? What would you be the player (so the device you would watch the video on)?

I have a mediaserver connected to my router. I have a smartTV connected to my router. The smartTV can access video files I have on my mediaserver using something called DLNA - a way devices talk to each other (trying to keep this simple).

My iPad connects wirelessly to my router and plays videos from the mediaserver.

Do you have a SmartTV? Is it wireless or does it need ethernet?

nick thank you for that info, very helpful, i had also wondered if it creates 2 networks in the house. It's also made me realise I haven't thought through the tv side around the house so I'm off to investigate and will then be able to clarify