could you buy a very nice small coaxial antenna from amazon and connect it to an internet modem only, giving you wifi/ internet connection? of course adding signal boosters to strengthen the signal?

Question

could you buy a very nice small coax tv antenna from amazon and connect it to an internet modem only, giving you wifi/ internet connection? of course adding signal boosters to strengthen the signal?

Answer 1

No because getting a WiFi connection is not like the radio where a station will just broadcast a signal and your radio receives it. WiFi is a two way street where the wireless access point sends a signal to your device and your device will send one back. This is why in order to receive WiFi you need an access point. But a AP (access point) is not enough. Your device does not know where to go on the internet -- it needs a helping hand, like a friendly stranger that gives you directions. So you need a switch -- which points your device to the router and enables things such as sharing files between computers across the network or printing from one computer to a different computer that has your printer connected. Then you also need a router, which is the helpful stranger that shows your device where to go on the internet. What is traditionally marketed as a router/wireless router is actually a combination of a AP, switch, and router. The modem's only purpose is to convert the cable connection from MoCa to an ethernet connection that your router can understand. If you want something compact, I would recommend Ubiquiti Networks' Unifi lineup. That is more specifically a USG (Unifi Security Gateway) and a Unifi 8 port 60w POe switch and 2 Unifi AC-Pro APs. This just splits up the "router" into the 3 component pieces and offers better value, performance, WiFi, and splits up the bulk. Setup would be as simple as purchasing the above with cat5e ethernet cables (2 3 ft, and 2 100/200ft [depends on house size] with the long ones labeled compatible with PoE or 802.3af ), plugging in a short ethernet cable from the modem (port labeled WAN or WLAN, or LAN) to the WAN1 port of the USG, plugging an ethernet cable into the LAN1 port of the USG and plugging it into port 1 of the switch, plugging in the power adapters of both the USG and switch and then running the 2 long ethernet cable to opposite end of your house and then plugging those ethernet cables into the AC-Pros and wlaa/ceiling mounting them like a smoke detector.