Noob networking question

Hi there! Because the signal always displays full bars, it sounds like there isn't a problem there. Normally, if you move to a different place and there is interference due to building materials or whatnot you would generally notice a degradation in the signal. An extender is really only to increase the range of the signal, which doesn't sound like the problem.

It sounds more likely that you might be getting some RFI or that the access point is at capacity. Do you know if the access point is SOHO or enterprise grade? Also, is it on the 2.4GHz band or 5.0GHz band? If it's on 2.4GHz there's a chance you could be experiencing some RFI from microwaves etc. Does it support 802.11ac?

There are really a lot of variables here. But 20 is a lot of users for a SOHO grade AP. And an extender won't increase the capacity of the AP if that's the problem you're having.

Just my two cents!

But just as a safety precaution on my answer here, I'm going to tag someone I highly suspect has your answer Kevin Korte . Care to chime in?

We'll I'm not sure I'm any better, but to re-iterate what Jennifer said, I also don't think a wifi extender will benefit you any. It sounds like you're always getting a strong connection from your device to the AP (by the number of bars), but a connection to the AP doesn't always mean there is internet behind it, which I think is your problem.

Are you able to find out what AP the building is using? This sounds like it's a dorm or some sort of apartment like building? If you can find out what model the AP is, you can pretty easily look up it's specs to see what it is or isn't capable of. Where is the AP located in relation to you in both distance, and number of objects it must travel through, like walls?

Another bottleneck you could be facing is your ISP, and how much bandwidth they actually provide to the modem (not what they claim). Are there peak hours of internet usage that correlate with your connectivity problems? It may be that with that many users, all of the bandwidth is being consumed leaving you with nothing to use. You can't do anything about this though.

But I agree, 20 users is a lot for a SOHO ap if that's what is being used, especially considering each user probably has multiple devices on it..

Who owns/manages the network where your room is? Cause if you can, especially if the equipment is not rated for higher use, I'm in love with these AP's, and I'd try to convince the owner they need to get one or two, depending on physical size of the building.

https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap/

And than depending on number of AP's, and the modem, may also need to get a gigabit network switch, but they're not too much money.

Without spending hardly any money, anything that can be taken off wifi and be hardwired will help, things like desktop computers, printers, etc I almost always use a trusty CAT5 cable vs the available wifi. CAT5 cable is pretty cheap, and can be ran through attics, ceilings, or drop ceilings very easily.

I think that's going to be your solution, convincing the building owner to upgrade the internet equipment. A $100 router isn't going to cut it here.