Happily, it isn’t hard to extend your home’s Wi-Fi to your garden building. There are four different ways to achieve a reliable connection:
- Using Wi-Fi extenders
A Wi-Fi extender, also known as a booster or repeater, is an inexpensive piece of technology that is easy to install. It extends the signal from your router to your outbuilding by bouncing that signal forward. An extender offers the same level of security as your router.
Wi-Fi extenders can be installed without professional help, but it is important to consider the distance between your garden room and your house. Extenders typically boast a range of up to 30m. This would be sufficient for a small or average sized garden but not for larger properties.
You will experience speed loss with all Wi-Fi repeaters, and some are much worse than others in this regard. Wi-Fi repeaters work by receiving a wireless signal and then rebroadcasting it. However, single band repeaters receive, then retransmit data using the same radio on the same channel, resulting in a 50% loss of bandwidth.
On the other hand, dual band repeaters connect to the router on one band and output the Wi-Fi signal on another, reducing speed loss. You should also note that some extenders are better than others at projecting signals through walls. It is best to research the available options before choosing your extender. It is also worth bearing in mind that this technology is advancing rapidly with better devices coming to market every year.
Pros
- Inexpensive.
- Relatively easy to install.
- Work with regular routers.
- Don’t involve wiring.
Cons
- Reduced speed/bandwidth.
- Thick walls could prove problematic.
- Unsuitable for garden rooms at a distance from the house.
2. Powerline Networking and Adapters
You may not be aware that you can use your home’s electrical wiring to connect to the internet. This technology is known as powerline networking, and it can be a great choice for garden rooms.
Simply plug in an adapter close to your router in your home and connect it to that router using ethernet cable. Then, plug in a second adaptor in your garden room and connect this to your device using ethernet cable. The second adaptor could instead be a wireless adaptor that extends your Wi-Fi to your garden room. Powerline network kits are widely available.
Of course, you will require an electrical supply to your garden room for powerline networking to function and this should be wired to the same distribution box as your mains.
Pros
- Inexpensive.
- DIY installation.
- Can be installed after construction.
- No loss of speed if all adaptors are connected to the same electrical circuit.
Cons
- Garden room power supply must be wired to the same distribution box as your mains.
- The two adaptors must be within 300m of each other.
- Software or web interface required for wireless adaptors to maintain security.
3. Ethernet cables
Ethernet cabling provides a strong and secure method for extending Wi-Fi to your garden room. It is certainly the most reliable solution and therefore the best choice for home offices where losing your connection would be extremely problematic.
It is best to connect ethernet cables when you install your electricity supply as the cables can be laid at the same time. But the cabling can be laid retrospectively if necessary although this will be disruptive. Ethernet cabling will be more costly than Wi-Fi extenders or powerline networking, but you will benefit from superior results. CAT6 cable for high speed Wi-Fi connection is recommended.
Pros
- Most reliable option.
- Little loss of speed.
Cons
- Requires some wiring.
- You may require professional help to install cabling.
- More costly than extenders or powerline networking.
4. Wi-Fi Point to Point
A similar concept to Wi-Fi extenders, point to point (PtP) is more complicated to install. One PtP unit should be mounted on the outside of your home and another on the exterior of the garden room. A wireless connection is established between the units which must be connected to a power supply. The unit at your home should be connected to your router via an ethernet cable. You will benefit from the strongest signal when there are no obstructions between the units such as trees or posts.
PtP installations provide secure Wi-Fi connections with little or no loss of speed and are excellent choices when cabling isn’t an option and there is a significant distance between your garden room and your house. PtP systems are more expensive than using extenders and do require some cabling in your home. As such, you may require the services of a professional installer.
Pros
- Little or no loss of speed.
- Reliable and secure.
- Good choice when your garden building is at some distance from your house.
Cons
- More costly than extenders.
- Requires ethernet cabling.
What if you don’t have broadband or your service is poor?
The systems we have outlined above are all viable options but only if you already benefit from a broadband connection at home.
Many rural, isolated properties have extremely poor broadband or no service at all. If you attempt to extend Wi-Fi with limited speed to your garden office, depending on which system you choose, you could limit the available speed further and you will certainly take up more bandwidth when you connect additional devices.
There are two potential solutions to this problem or the issue of having no broadband service and both are costly:
- 4G or 5G Broadband
If you are withing the range of a mobile mast, you could take advantage of 4G or 5G broadband. This will involve investing in wireless a router, a data only sim contract and possibly a mast for the exterior of your home.
4G and 5G broadband can give you excellent speeds. However, it is important to be aware that mobile providers can and do restrict both upload and download speeds to ensure that all users attempting to connect to a mast can obtain a service. This practice is known as throttling and will probably impact you, even if you have paid for unlimited data and have paid extra for an unrestricted service. You should not believe any claims by mobile network providers that they won’t throttle your service.
The required hardware for 4G broadband will set you back in the region of £500. Expect to pay £20 per month for a suitable data only sim with unlimited data so long as you don’t purchase this directly from one of the network providers. Use companies such as Smarty or Lyca Mobile which piggyback the major networks including EE, O2, Vodafone and Three. Check which network gives you the best signal before entering into a contract.
Satellite broadband
Satellite broadband used to be a pretty poor option due to latency (the time it takes for information to travel). But Starlink changed all that. SpaceX’s Starlink operates via a constellation featuring thousands of orbiting satellites. Crucially, those satellites orbit at an altitude of just 350 miles. That’s 60 times closer to earth than traditional satellites and so latency is minimal and is comparable to that of cable internet.
Starlink is an excellent option if you do not have access to a decent terrestrial broadband service. It is reliable, delivering little or no interruptions to your service, and provides good download and upload speeds. The service isn’t deliberately throttled, at least for now, but speeds can be impacted at peak times due to competition for the available bandwidth. However, it would be unusual to experience severe issues in this regard.
The big downside of using Starlink is the cost. You will need to invest in an antenna and a router. That hardware will set you back around £500 and if you may require the services of a professional installer which will add to your expense. The monthly fee for Starlink broadband is currently a hefty £75. However, the service could prove priceless if you don’t currently benefit from broadband or your service is terrible.
Making your choice
Each garden room delivers a unique set of circumstances and considerations which will impact how best to gain an internet connection. Your choice will depend on:
- The proficiency of your existing broadband service.
- The level of service you need in the garden building.
- How far your garden room is from your home.
- If there are obstructions between your home and your garden room.
- Whether your garden room has an electricity supply and the nature of that supply.
- Whether you are planning your internet connection before the construction of your building or after.
- Your budget.
By carefully considering the available options, you will find a solution that works well for you and that you feel is affordable.
It is certainly worth thinking about your connection in advance of constructing your building. If you require addition information or advice, we would be happy to help you make the right decision.