However you’ve decided to use your Garden Room, whether it’s a home office, a relaxing retreat or a place for fun, a reliable wi-fi connection is a must! There’s nothing worse than trying to browse with a lagging connection in your dedicated office or stream with constant buffering in your home cinema. If your wi-fi can’t keep up, neither can you!
One of our most common questions is ‘how can I extend wi-fi to my Studio?’ Many people assume that this is quite a tricky task, especially if your Studio is located a distance away from the main home.
Thankfully, it’s actually quite a simple process with various options available to you. In this article, we’ll give you an overview of how you can install wi-fi in your Garden Room.
Our Recommendations
It is possible to achieve a good wi-fi connection without the need to use a wi-fi extension. You can check this by walking around your garden with a smart device, connected to your home wi-fi. The best-case scenario is that you may be pleasantly surprised to find that your connection stretches to your studio without any additional work needed.
This will depend on the size of your garden and the location of your router. You may need to relocate your router to extend the range out to the garden.
For ultimate reliability however, it’s more likely that you’ll need to extend your signal.
Mobile Tethering
Depending on how frequently you need wi-fi and how good your signal is, you may be able to create a hotspot from your smartphone. For this you’ll need to bear in mind that any usage will quickly use up your data allowance so make sure this is a viable option for you. In most cases, it’s more likely you’ll need a more permanent solution.
You could also use a mobile wi-fi hub which requires a separate contract. This can be beneficial for those who are self-employed as an allowable expense.
Mobile tethering may be the best solution if working infrequently from your home office. For those working from home more of the time or using technology to stream videos or games, it might not be sufficient.
Wi-Fi Extender
This is a great solution for many as it’s a simple, cheap and a quick way to extend the wi-fi from your home to your Studio.
By plugging an extender into the mains in your home, you can extend your existing signal out to your Studio. The ideal location for the extender is at the closest point in the house to the Studio.
Wi-fi extenders typically have a signal range of around 30m so this is a crucial thing to consider when planning how you will extend wi-fi to your Studio. The signal deteriorates the further away from the extender so make sure that your Studio is well within the limit to use this method effectively.
The price of wi-fi extenders can vary between £20-50. While it is a cost-effective solution, it’s really only an option if your studio is close to your home.
Powerline Adapter
This is a great option where you already have a mains powerline running to your garden room and they’re cheap and easy to install.
When you purchase a kit, ensure that it has at least 2 adapters. The adapters have their own ethernet cables to plug into the router and the mains power. The second adapter is plugged into the mains in the Garden Room. Here you have the choice to plug the second ethernet cable into the back of a device, or into the back of a second router. We like the second option as it gives you the flexibility to use multiple devices just like the wi-fi in your home.
At a price or £20-50, you should have no trouble installing a powerline adaptor yourself making it a great low-cost option for wi-fi.
Point-to-Point
This is a similar method to a powerline adapter but has the advantage of being more reliable overall. The installation is a little tricker and is a higher-cost option at around £150-200. As the name suggests, two units are installed at different points – one on the outside of your home and the other on your Studio. You may require an IT specialist as they both require mains power and some configuration.
To get the best out of a point-to-point set up, each unit requires a clear line of sight to the other. Any trees, outbuildings or other significant obstacles will all compromise the signal strength. However, it does usually deliver a more reliable connection than both wi-fi and powerline adapters.
Ethernet Cabling
We’ve saved the best for last! Ethernet cabling is the most secure and reliable way to connect your Studio. The most ideal solution is to lay a cable at the same time as any mains power but it can be installed at a later date – you’ll just have to put up with a bit of additional disruption to your garden. There’s not much technical know-how needed when it comes to installation so it’s possible you can do this without the help of an IT specialist for around £20. With a professional installation, it’ll come to around £100-200.
Conclusion
When you’ve considered how you’ll use your Studio, it’ll become clear which type of internet installation is right for you. For the occasional user and for light use, it’s possible that mobile tethering or wi-fi extenders may be sufficient. For more reliable solutions, you can contact us to plan how best to install wi-fi to suit your needs.
At Vivid Pods, we’re here to help you create your perfect Garden Room. For advice on how to create your bespoke office or relaxation space you can get in touch or call us on 01454 414537.
