Can I use two routers to extend the Wifi coverage in my house?

Q  I am having problems with my home Wifi network. My router is supposed to be one of the best for wireless range but with it on the first floor of my house, I still get a poor signal at the rear of the ground floor of my house.

If I put the router on the ground floor, the signal is okay, but since I have a desktop PC without Wifi on the first floor, I would have to run a cable up to it for network access.

I have a spare router, so I was wondering whether it is possible to have two Wifi routers connected to the same broadband/telephone line at the same time?
Alan Crute

A  It isn’t possible to directly connect two routers to the same telephone line (we are presuming you have telephone sockets on both floors of your house), but there are other ways to extend the coverage of your wireless network.

Some wireless routers, for instance, have the ability to act as a Wifi ‘access point’ that can be used as a ‘bridge’ to another router’s network. In this way, it would be possible to leave one router on one floor, with a direct connection to the incoming telephone line, and put the second on the other floor.

The second router connects to the first router’s Wifi network in bridged mode and then offers a wireless network of its own – a bit like running an extension cable, but without the need for the wire.

As the second router doesn’t need to be plugged into a telephone socket, it should be easier to position it in a place where it can detect both the first router’s network and provide ample wireless coverage of its own. Your computers then have the option to wirelessly connect to either router, depending on which has the strongest signal.

You didn’t mention the model of either router, so we can’t provide more specific advice about setting this up. However, look in both the routers’ web-based settings pages to see if either offers a ‘bridging’ or ‘access point’ setting. This needs to be enabled only for one – just use the other router as normal.

Alternatively, the network could be extended using HomePlug technology.