<s>
A	O
wireless	B-Device
repeater	I-Device
(	O
also	O
called	O
wireless	B-Device
range	I-Device
extender	I-Device
or	O
wifi	B-Device
extender	I-Device
)	O
is	O
a	O
device	O
that	O
takes	O
an	O
existing	O
signal	O
from	O
a	O
wireless	B-Device
router	I-Device
or	O
wireless	B-Device
access	I-Device
point	I-Device
and	O
rebroadcasts	O
it	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
second	O
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
two	O
or	O
more	O
hosts	O
have	O
to	O
be	O
connected	O
with	O
one	O
another	O
over	O
the	O
IEEE	O
802.11	O
protocol	O
and	O
the	O
distance	O
is	O
too	O
long	O
for	O
a	O
direct	O
connection	O
to	O
be	O
established	O
,	O
a	O
wireless	B-Device
repeater	I-Device
is	O
used	O
to	O
bridge	O
the	O
gap	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
can	O
be	O
a	O
specialized	O
stand-alone	O
computer	B-Device
networking	I-Device
device	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
,	O
some	O
wireless	B-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
interface	I-General_Concept
controllers	I-General_Concept
(	O
WNIC	O
)	O
s	O
optionally	O
support	O
operating	O
in	O
such	O
a	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
as	O
far	O
as	O
the	O
original	O
router	O
or	O
access	O
point	O
is	O
concerned	O
,	O
only	O
the	O
repeater	O
MAC	O
is	O
connected	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
necessary	O
to	O
enable	O
safety	O
features	O
on	O
the	O
wireless	B-Device
repeater	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wireless	B-Device
repeaters	I-Device
are	O
commonly	O
used	O
to	O
improve	O
signal	O
range	O
and	O
strength	O
within	O
homes	O
and	O
small	O
offices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
the	O
distance	O
between	O
the	O
computer	O
and	O
the	O
wireless	B-Device
access	I-Device
point	I-Device
or	O
wireless	B-Device
router	I-Device
is	O
too	O
great	O
for	O
the	O
internal	O
wireless	B-General_Concept
network	I-General_Concept
interface	I-General_Concept
card	I-General_Concept
to	O
receive	O
the	O
wireless	O
signal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Older	O
devices	O
do	O
n't	O
always	O
support	O
WPA2	B-Protocol
,	O
so	O
while	O
the	O
original	O
network	O
might	O
be	O
secure	O
,	O
the	O
secondary	O
one	O
is	O
potentially	O
open	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
wireless	B-Device
range	I-Device
extending	I-Device
devices	I-Device
connect	O
via	O
a	O
USB	B-Protocol
port	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
USB	B-Protocol
adapters	O
add	O
Wi-Fi	O
capability	O
to	O
desktop	O
PCs	O
and	O
other	O
devices	O
that	O
have	O
standard	O
USB	B-Protocol
ports	I-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
USB	B-Protocol
supports	O
not	O
only	O
the	O
data	O
transfers	O
required	O
for	O
networking	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
also	O
supplies	O
a	O
power	O
source	O
so	O
that	O
these	O
adapters	O
do	O
not	O
require	O
electrical	O
plugs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
wireless	B-Device
repeaters	I-Device
have	O
a	O
power	O
outlet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
are	O
wireless	B-Device
range	I-Device
extending	I-Device
devices	I-Device
that	O
conform	O
to	O
all	O
802.11	O
protocols	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
an	O
older	O
range	O
extender	O
that	O
supports	O
WEP	O
and	O
WPA	O
will	O
not	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
boost	O
a	O
WPA2-encrypted	O
signal	O
from	O
a	O
router	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
wireless	B-Device
repeaters	I-Device
(	O
or	O
range	O
extenders	O
)	O
are	O
purpose-built	O
,	O
but	O
certain	O
wireless	B-Device
routers	I-Device
can	O
be	O
flashed	O
with	O
custom	O
firmware	O
such	O
as	O
DD-WRT	B-Protocol
to	O
give	O
them	O
a	O
'	O
range	O
extender	O
 '	O
option	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
better	O
option	O
for	O
extending	O
wireless	O
coverage	O
is	O
to	O
configure	O
a	O
secondary	O
box	O
as	O
a	O
wireless	B-Device
access	I-Device
point	I-Device
,	O
with	O
a	O
wired	O
connection	O
between	O
a	O
LAN	O
port	O
on	O
this	O
secondary	O
box	O
and	O
a	O
LAN	O
port	O
on	O
the	O
primary	O
box	O
(	O
a	O
router	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
Ethernet	O
wiring	O
is	O
not	O
an	O
option	O
,	O
an	O
alternative	O
is	O
powerline	B-Device
networking	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wireless	O
extender	O
kits	O
consisting	O
of	O
a	O
powerline	O
adapter	O
module	O
(	O
connected	O
to	O
the	O
wireless	B-Device
router	I-Device
)	O
and	O
a	O
wireless	O
extender	O
module	O
(	O
integrated	O
powerline	B-Device
networking	I-Device
and	O
wireless	B-Device
access	I-Device
point	I-Device
)	O
are	O
available	O
.	O
</s>
