On 14/02/2021 08:49, PeterMerchant wrote:
I nearly bought one of these Wifi double sockets with USB point
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-13a-2-gang-sp-switched-wi-fi-extender-2-1a-1-outlet-usb-charger-white/988fv
except that I then thought of the cost of having an electrician in to
fit it or approve the work. Years ago I would have just done it. Now
I have lost one of the sockets in my kitchen for the extender - it was
only used for a USB charger anyway.
Does anyone have any experience of these? I was a bit concerned about
the wifi coverage as that is what I needed it for.
So they've taken an electrical socket, a USB type A socket, a USB power
supply with decent electrical isolation and a WLAN access point and
shoe-horned all of them into a double socket with switches and haven't
compromised the safety of any of that, and can make it for less than £17.24?
At least they do say it's only 15 metres range. I wonder if that's 15
metres in a plastic back-box in plasterboard, or in a metal back-box in
a brick wall?
For something which will be in the house for presumably at least 10
years, I'd want dual band and the latest WLAN standard, which seems to
be 802.11ax at the moment. (Actually I'd want 60 GHz as well.) I would
also want it to run OpenWRT so I don't have to worry when the
manufacturer stops supporting it.
Having seen tear-downs of cheap USB power supplies, I would also want to
test the electrical separation of the 5 V power supply in it. Having a
brand name on it, this one will probably have more than one layer of
varnish between the mains and USB chassis. It should have two layers of
varnish and a few layers of tape.
Could you hide a WLAN access point on top of a cupboard? Perhaps plugged
in to a mains double-adapter with 13 A fuse, so you can plug something
else in to the socket as well?
--
Andrew.
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