2nd Classroom and Community Access

Deployment
1

We have RACHEL installations in over 100 schools in northern Guatemala. One of the improvements that we are looking at is extending the RACHEL WiFI signal - to a second adjacent classroom so that two classes can use the RACHEL at the same time (total of 30-40 laptops), and to a common area where community members can access RACHEL to download books.

I have read RACHEL-Plus on a LAN or with Router - which talks about using a router plus Ethernet cable, but I am wondering if using a WiFi Range Extender - such as TL-WA855RE | 300Mbps Wi-Fi Range Extender | TP-Link Canada - would work. The RACHEL+router+long ethernet cable requires installing the cable between the two locations, while using a Range Extender does not require the cable (but cannot be too far from the RACHEL). And the Range Extenders are cheap. Does anyone have experience with using a single RACHEL like this?

Thanks

2

Hi @ronsat - every experience I’ve had with a mismatched range extender is not a good one. The alternative is a mesh router system, not a long ethernet cable.

A mesh system would have one short ethernet cable connected to RACHEL and then you can place the mesh routers in the community room and 2nd classroom. Those three devices speak to eachother seemlessly and can use the latest WiFi 6 or 7 to transfer data in bulk between eachother.

A range extender will rely on RACHELs internal WiFi to “extend” the signal, but it puts immense burden on the RACHEL WiFi itself and Range Extenders are not designed to expand the number of users, just the range.

A mesh router system takes over all WiFi and will support many more users. Users connect to each mesh access point via WiFi 5, the access points talk to eachother using WiFi 6 or 7 and talk to the RACHEL using Ethernet.

This is conservatively 100x better than trying to mismatch a range extender to RACHELs own WiFi Signal :slight_smile:

Here’s a random set on Amazon, though there are thousands out there: Amazon.com: TP-Link Deco AX3000 WiFi 6 Mesh System(Deco X55) - Covers up to 6500 Sq.Ft. , Replaces Wireless Router and Extender, 3 Gigabit ports per unit, supports Ethernet Backhaul (3-pack)

3

Thanks Jeremy

We would like to extend the RACHEL systems for 2 different purposes.

  1. To add a second classroom - where each classroom would have 10-15 laptops.
  2. To create a community library where villagers could drop by and “borrow” (actually download) a book to their smartphone from one of the many RACHEL libraries.

For #1, am I right in thinking that you would need a “2-pack” of the " P-Link Deco AX3000 WiFi 6 Mesh System" or equivalent - where one unit is connected with a short Ethernet cable to the RACHEL, and then the other unit is in the other classroom?

For #2, given that we would only be getting the occasional person dropping by to download a book - often outside of school hours - in that case would a WiFi extender work?

Thanks for your comments

4

Hi @ronsat
Yes for #1
For #2 I think that’s how WiFi extenders work, but I don’t know for certain that they don’t need to be paired with a proprietary router of their own brand. They will degrade the remaining WiFi capability of the device for the first classroom as the RACHEL works to keep a connection with the range extender.