[Electronics-Talk] router extenders

Tue Nov 10 02:02:17 UTC 2020

First, in the interest of full disclosure I will start out by saying 
that I work for Comcast.

Comcast offers what are called Xfi pods which creates a mesh network. 
The Xfinity app which is used to configure this setup is accessible.

You need to be a Comcast Internet customer and the Comcast gateway is 
also required in order to use them.

I would respectfully ask that people not email me privately about this 
as I am not able to answer private emails, due to time constraints. 
Questions addressed publicly to the list are fine.

Relevant links:

Purchase Xfi Pods 
<https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/wifi/xfi-pod>

Frequently Asked Questions 
<https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/xfi-pods-faqs>

Additional Info 
<https://www.xfinity.com/hub/internet/xfi-pods-increase-wifi-coverage>

David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
www.DavidGoldfield.org

On 11/9/2020 6:10 PM, Tony Malykh via Electronics-Talk wrote:
> Your wifi extender created a separate wifi network with _ext suffix. 
> That's the main disadvantage of such extenders. I'm too lazy to switch 
> to another network on my phone every time I go to another room. That's 
> the benefit of mesh systems - the router and all the satellites form a 
> single wifi network and your phone will dynamically reconnect from one 
> router/satellite to another as you walk from one room to another. So 
> it's not just gimmick, it is very useful if the signal from a single 
> router cannot reach all the corners.
>
> When I mentioned accessibility, I meant that Orbi's web console is 
> fully accessible. I know that these days NetGear offers a mobile app 
> to configure router, but I prefer good old web console, so I cannot 
> comment as to whether the mobile app is accessible.
>
> --Tony
>
> On 11/9/2020 10:07 AM, Rik James (MT) via Electronics-Talk wrote:
>> I may be not as informed as  some.
>> But when you are saying accessible as to extenders, what is it that 
>> is expressed?
>>
>> My own experience is limited to the one extender I have ever had. I 
>> purchased a Netgear wifi extender. After it was configured to use, it 
>> uses the same network name but with an underscore and E X T after the 
>> name, and it works fine. I will connect my particular device, to 
>> either that extender or to the router with the online network 
>> downstairs, which is the network name without the  e x t.
>>
>> I was hearing about Orbi and other mesh systems. So I asked the kid 
>> at the store.
>> As this person at Staples explained his understanding of the mesh 
>> system to me, he said that the mesh was pretty much the same ass 
>> using this wifi extender that I just described above. And that he 
>> thought all the mesh was just a new commercialized gimmick, as far as 
>> he was concerned. So I did not buy anything new at this time.
>>
>> As to its accessibility, however, I don't know  what else I need to 
>> know. OF course he was not versed in  anything of that nature.
>>
>> In getting the Netgear extender configured, I had to download the 
>> Netgear software called the genie, and use it to more easily get it 
>> to find the extender.
>> Of course there is the needed use of a reset button on the extender 
>> itself, when changing to another connection. And of course it does 
>> not talk. But other than that, I don't know. I was just using my 
>> screen reader and the website and that genie installer software I 
>> described.
>>
>> Do you meanthat these devices actually do give a verbal indication as 
>> to status? That would be a horse of a different color of course.
>>
>> I hope that some of what I described above, is more useful than not. 
>> But if someone can further explain why this mesh system is better, I 
>> am interested.
>>
>> Thanks.
>> Rik
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Electronics-Talk <electronics-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On 
>> Behalf Of Tony Malykh via Electronics-Talk
>> Sent: Sunday, November 8, 2020 10:08 PM
>> To: Discussion of accessible home electronics and appliances 
>> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>; Rob Kaiser <rcubfank at sbcglobal.net>
>> Cc: Tony Malykh <anton.malykh at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Electronics-Talk] router extenders
>>
>> The biggest problem with extenders is that they create a separate 
>> wifi network, and your devices won't transparently switch between 
>> your router's network and your extender's network. More expensive 
>> extenders allow you to create a network by the same name, which is 
>> even more confusing, since now all your devices would only see a 
>> single network, but in fact there will be two separate networks, 
>> without transparent switching between them, so your phone might be 
>> connected to the one in the farthest  corner.
>>
>> What you probably need to get is a wifi mesh network - this will 
>> allow your devices to transparently switch between router and 
>> satellites. But it comes with a router of its own. I recommend 
>> Netgear Orbi, but I've also heard good things about Eero. Web 
>> interface of Orbi is fully accessible, not sure about eero.
>>
>>
>> On 11/5/2020 10:21 PM, Rob Kaiser via Electronics-Talk wrote:
>>> I didn't know the best list to ask this question so I'm sending this
>>> to both lists. It looks like I'm going to need a router extender. How
>>> much do they run, &, does anyone know the best brand of extender to
>>> get? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Rob Kaiser Email;
>>>
>>> rcubfank at sbcglobal.net
>>>
>>>
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