Question 1

I live in a basement apartment wifi connect only.  Do I have to connect to an ethernet to get this to work?

Accepted Answer

No - It listens to the Wi-Fi and re-transmits it with a slightly modified SSID. The idea is to place it were Wi-Fi has the strongest available signal at your basement apartment and it then retransmits a signal that will be stronger in corners that it may have been marginal before. It does have an Ethernet port, but that is more of an extra feature.

Question 2

Will this (or any other extender/repeater) cut my signal in half if I connect thru the Ethernet port into a router, and then directly into my computer?

Thanks!

Accepted Answer

No. If you have it connected to an ethernet cable coming from the router, the signal will not be affected (access point mode).

The signal gets decreased if you just plug it in an outlet and use it as a wireless signal repeater (wifi extender mode)

Most of the routers have wireless capabilities, so I do not understand why would you want to have the edimax connected to your computer when you already have the computer connected to the router (unless you want to use it as a wifi bridge). 
The advantage of the edimax is to provide wireless signal in an area of the house that is far away enough that cannot receive the wireless router original signal.

One possible connection can be:
1. Main cable from company into the house to the router
2. From the router to a gigabit switch (to be able to run several ethernet cables as needed (ie: printer, NAS hard drive, etc)). (You can run one through the attic from where the router is to the area that needs better signal).
3. From one of these ethernet cables coming out of the switch/router to the Edimax located where is needed.
You will not have significant loss of signal as the Edimax is repeating what it gets from the ethernet cable. (access point mode)

Question 3

Is this hardware compatible w/Mac OS X?

Accepted Answer

The setup is web based, so yes it is Mac compatible. There is also an iPhone app that makes setup very easy. I've configured these both ways and usually find the iPhone app the quickest setup.

Question 4

what is the range of this extender?

Accepted Answer

It is recommended that the extender receive at least 60% signal strength from your existing Wi-Fi. Wi-fi range and extender range will vary due to interference (wall thickness + material, other wireless signals, etc) in the area.

Question 5

Will 2 extenders work off the same WiFi to enlarge the coverage area?

Accepted Answer

You can use as many extenders to your main router as you want. They are basically just like connecting a computer to your router, except they also have an access point built-in. However, if you chain the extenders wirelessly the speed will be affected. I've successfully used this technology to setup 3 total hops (router + extender + extender + computer) and speeds were acceptable.

Question 6

Can this be used to extend the range for portable hand held phones as well ???

Accepted Answer

Sure. This device can connect to any wifi network. The repeater function connects to a wifi network like a computer. Then, it has an access point built in and it bridges the two together.

Question 7

We primarily use an android tablet or iPhones with a data plan as our WIFI hotspots. Unfortunately our TVs are out of range in the house when the tablet or phone is on a different level. Will we be able to extend the range of our TV wifi to our Android tablet (hotspot) with this device? the reason why we use the tablet is that my company offers really cheap unlimited data. Thanks!

Accepted Answer

I find this to be very spotty and we constantly have to reset the unit for it to work.  When it is working it seems to have spotty service.  This was the second extender we tried and the first one was even worse.  I wouldn't be confident in this device for streaming content to a TV.

It could be that we have it at the far end of the range of our regular router and for the money it may still be worth it.

Question 8

Hey guys,
I have WiFi set up with my cable modem and router. I was wondering if I could use this to have a wired connection, through the Ethernet port, for my Xbox 360?

Thank you for help in advance.

Accepted Answer

Why? Doesn't Xbox have a choice of wired or wireless connection? 
This will slow down your connection for your Xbox. Since its repeating your router.
This Edimax has 3 connection choices. 
1. You repeat your router wirelessly to your client (xbox, pc, etc) and your connects wirelessly to this edimax repeatee.
2. You repeat your router by connecting a ethernet  network cable between this edimax and your router. Then connect wirelessly with your client to this edimax repeater.
3. You repeat your router wirelessly with the edimax repeater and connect your client with a wired ethernet cable to this edimax repeater.
All these options are in the web page administration site when you login to the edimax.

I hope that helps. And that I got it right.
Good luck.

Question 9

Is the EDIMAX EW-7438RPn compatible with my Comcast wireless router?

Accepted Answer

In my opinion, there should be no compatibility issues. If your laptop is able to receive your Wi-Fi signal from your wireless router, this little thing will too. The only thing it will do is repeating it and making the signal available to a larger area.  Look for the bands your Comcast router is using, and check with the reception bands of this WiFi extender. You may have more peace then. In my opinion, it should work fine.

Question 10

I have a few devices in my home theatre that have ethernet (RJ45) network connections, but no WiFi. Can I use this as bridge, connect a small 4-port switch to it, and connect my devices to the switch?

Accepted Answer

I use this device exactly like that. Have multiple raspberry pi's connected to hub which is connected to this device. However if you are really looking for fast speeds and do not mind cables, powerline adapter is the better alternative.

This works well for me .

Brand	EDIMAX
Model	EW-7438RPn Mini

Standards	IEEE 802.11n (up to 300Mbps) IEEE 802.11g (up to 54Mbps) IEEE 802.11b (up to 11Mbps)
Frequency Band	2.4 GHz
Security	64/128-bit WEP encryption and WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK security 802.1x authentication WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) User Access control (MAC address)
Antenna	2 x internal antennas
Interface	Ethernet Port
Ports	1 x 10/100M
LED	Signal strength, wireless, power, WPS, LAN
Button	WPS button
Power	Built in AC100-240V, 50-60Hz power module
System Requirements	Existing wireless home network (2.4GHz) for Range extender/ Wireless bridge mode, or Cable/DSL modem router for access point mode Computer with 2.4GHz b/g/n Wi-Fi capability and web browser for software configuration (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari latest version) iOS 5 above or Android 4.x above for mobile app
Dimensions	2.56" x 1.65" x 1.50" (H x W x L)
Weight	0.14 lb.

Operating Temperature	0°C - 40°C (32°F - 104°F)
Operating Humidity	10% - 90%, Non-Condensing

EDIMAX EW-7438RPn Mini N300 Mini Wi-Fi Extender/Access Point/Wi-Fi Bridge

Learn more about the EDIMAX EW-7438RPn Mini

Customer Reviews of the EDIMAX EW-7438RPn Mini

Warranty & Returns

Warranty, Returns, And Additional Information

Warranty

Return Policies

Manufacturer Contact Info

Item#: N82E16833315145