Do You Need a BT WiFi Booster? (For Beginners)

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In addition to being fast and reliable, BT’s broadband is also renowned for being a good signal provider, but what happens if your home does not get a strong enough signal?

BT WiFi boosters can help by boosting the strength of your wireless signal.

Is your WiFi signal too weak for the house? How often do you fiddle with the settings on your router to improve your connection? Great news! It doesn’t have to be this way. 

No matter where anyone is in the house, a BT WiFi Booster can help them all have perfect WiFi.

Here are some of the benefits of using a booster, and how to setup yours for ease and speed. Here’s everything you need to know about wireless boosters, including why you should get one. This is especially true if you are on BT broadband.

Table of Contents

BT WiFi Booster

What is a BT WiFi booster?

The majority of people are turning to WiFi boosters when there is unreliable internet.

A BT broadband booster can be used for any type of router or connection, and provides a significant signal boost in spaces as small as 200 square feet (50 square meters). It works by picking up signals from far away connections via a built-in antenna. 

Once your WiFi is boosted with this device, you can enjoy faster speeds without buffering issues because the frequency boost is giving you an enhanced internet experience.

Some benefits to using a high-quality BT WiFi Booster:

  • Boosts all types of routers and configurations
  • Easy installation – just plug it in!
  • Works well even if there are some non-concrete walls and other obstacles between the transmitter/antenna and receiver unit
  • Extends the range of your WiFi network in your household, or even your outside areas
  • Cheaper than professionally installing Ethernet cables in your home

Even though the BT WiFi is certainly usable, you can opt for a WiFi booster if you think it could be better. You can improve your connection outside your home or business by extending the range of your signal with this device.

  • You can stay with your existing BT provider if you don’t want to change
  • Works well in homes, apartments, offices, and malls – anywhere within 200 square feet (50 square meters)
  • Buying a gaming WiFi router or dedicated WiFi router is more expensive

The only thing you need to ensure is that the device is not placed near concrete ceilings, walls or floors as the WiFi signal will be deflected, and any WiFi attempts to go through reinforced concrete will always be unsuccessful.

How does it work?

If your wireless network range is limited, you can extend its range with a BT WiFi Booster. 

  • Boosts signal, even outside the home if that is what you want.
  • Works with BT broadband services only

A BT WiFi Booster works by enhancing your WiFi signal and then relaying it to the devices in your home.

 The end result is that multiple devices can stream music, videos, and TV shows simultaneously – perfect for families with kids who need to have solid WiFi for their devices. 

Although these boosters might not be the most advanced out there, there are many benefits to using them:

  • They’re cheap to buy!
  • Installation is quick and easy – most people can get started in just 30 minutes with the help from this guide.
  • You don’t need any specialist knowledge or skills for installation (just some spare time).

What are some signs that you might want a BT WiFi Booster?

Having multiple devices connected at once such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and others may slow or degrade your WiFi experience.

A few rooms in your home may not have coverage, such as the bedrooms upstairs and the living room downstairs. 

If you have weak WiFi signal due to nearby buildings, hills, or obstructions, a BT WiFi booster may be beneficial for you.

Is there anything I need to do before installing a BT WiFi booster?

It’s very easy to set it up. You simply need to connect it to your router and press the WPS button (most routers have this button).

You can change your WiFi settings to see the devices that are connected, for example:

  • Open your laptop or phone’s WiFi Settings screen.
  • Select BT as the network then enter any password if needed and click Connect/Save.

You should now be able to use your wireless devices even if you previously had issues when trying to connect to more than one device at once, like laptops, smartphones, tablets, or anything else that needs to connect to the internet and WiFi.

What is a BT Internet Booster?

A BT WiFi booster is also a BT internet booster, and vice versa. As these are just different names for the exact same device, it’s just a matter of terminology.

Why should I get a BT WiFi Booster?

An BT WiFi booster is a good option if you have low WiFi coverage at home or in the office. These devices offer many advantages, including:

  • It can be used to extend WiFi coverage throughout the entire home
  • Helping to reduce connection problems on multiple devices

Please contact BT customer service if you’re experiencing any other issues with your BT broadband service. They can provide advice and assistance.

Do WiFi boosters actually work? (Plus our BT WiFi Booster recommendations)

Yes, but you need to choose wisely. Luckily we have made some suggestions below that work very well indeed. 

Wireless router boosters work by picking up and amplifying the weaker signals of wireless routers.

You can use them anywhere in your home or office as long as you have an internet connection (depending on how many units you use).

If you have already tried one of these inexpensive units but you think you need more range, then take a look at our premium BT WiFi Mesh Network article here.

Why are WiFi extenders bad?

Generally, WiFi extenders aren’t great, but expectations should be moderated. Certainly, WiFi extenders CAN be less than ideal, especially if they are low-end and cheap.

Be sure to check out the recommended manufacturers above, as well as the ones we listed above.

Can WiFi extenders cause problems?

It is important to remember that if a BT WiFi booster is not configurable, it can cause issues. You can end up with IP Address conflicts if your BT WiFi extender is configured poorly and performing DHCP functions. 

It may cause interruptions and dropouts in signal if it is using the wrong WiFi channel.

By placing your Extender too far from your router, you hamstring it from the get-go because it will have very weak signals to relay back and forth between your router and Extender. 

The best WiFi extender for your home is one that is connected with an Ethernet cable, and if that cannot be done, then seriously consider a mesh set of extenders for better WiFi coverage.

Conclusion: Should You Get a BT WiFi Booster?

We certainly believe so. You can use BT WiFi boosters to extend WiFi coverage, improve connection issues across multiple devices, and improve wireless signal throughout the house or office.

If you have severe issues such as WiFi black spots in your home, then be sure to check out our article here. We make recommendations about what you can try to do in order to resolve complete dead spots in your WiFi. 

You might want to look at investing in a mesh network setup if you have more than 10 devices on your network, or if you want to make use of a 500mbps connection. If that sounds like something you want, then look at our mesh article here.

We hope you have found this article useful , and if you have any questions or would like some advice please contact us. 

FAQ

What price range should a BT WiFi Booster cost?

The pricing on these units is usually under £25, so it is not very expensive at all. Don't be fooled: you don't need to spend hundreds of pounds to get decent WiFi.

Where can I find a BT WiFi Booster and how much does it cost?

You can find these online at stores like Amazon or Curry's, or at your local computer store. 

How much space does a BT WiFi Booster require?

These BT WiFi Boosters take up hardly any space at all. All you need is a free wall socket to plug it in, and that's where it will stay.

What speeds will these BT WiFi Boosters offer me?

This will depend on the band of WiFi that you operate on. The 5GHz spectrum will give you greater speeds with reduced range, while the standard 2.4GHz range will give you better distance and coverage, but slower speeds than 5GHz. For this reason we recommend a dual band WiFi booster.

Where is a BT WiFi booster best installed in my home?

The rule of thumb is halfway between your router and the affected room that you are trying to cover with WiFi. Also consider where it will look good, and won't be in the way. As these plug into a wall socket be mindful to use a plug that won't need to be used often by other appliances such as  a vacuum cleaner. You would hate to lose WiFi while doing chores!