Wifi in the garden: outdoor access point, outdoor mesh or outdoor repeater?

Why indoor wifi is weak outside

Walls, coated glass and the distance to the router all hold the signal back. So you can't simply move an indoor router or extender to the back door and expect the garden to be covered. A device outside, or just behind a window on the garden side, works better. Indoor devices don't belong outside: rain, damp and cold are not what they are built for. There are dedicated outdoor versions.

IP ratings: what do IP65 and IP67 mean?

The IP code comes from the IEC 60529 standard and has two digits. The first covers dust and solid particles, the second water. A 6 as the first digit means dust tight. As the second digit, 5 means protected against water jets and 7 against temporary immersion.

In the catalogue the IP rating is sometimes in the name. The TP-Link Deco BE25-Outdoor lists IP65, the D-Link AC1200 outdoor access point IP67. If the name gives no IP rating, check the maker's specifications before you mount a device outside.

Outdoor mesh: the garden in your existing network

If you already have a mesh system, see whether your brand makes an outdoor unit. It becomes an extra node in the same network, with the same wifi name. TP-Link has the Deco X50-Outdoor and the Deco BE25-Outdoor. For the BE25-Outdoor, TP-Link gives IP65, power through PoE+ (802.3at) or a normal plug, pole, wall or table mounting, and two 2.5 Gbit/s ports. ASUS has the ZenWiFi BD4 Outdoor for its ZenWiFi systems.

An outdoor unit from a different brand than your mesh usually won't form a seamless network with your existing nodes. So pick an outdoor unit that matches your system. The difference between mesh, repeaters and access points is in the guide Repeater, mesh or access point.

Outdoor repeater: a flat cable through the window

AVM makes the FRITZ!Repeater 1610 Outdoor, with Wi-Fi 6 and an IP54 housing against splashing water and dust. According to AVM it works outdoors as a LAN bridge: it needs a network connection to the router and gets its power over PoE+. AVM includes a PoE+ adapter and a flat network cable that fits through many windows, so you don't have to drill through the wall. AVM calls the housing suitable for sheltered spots outside, such as under a canopy.

Outdoor access point with PoE: a fixed cable

An access point connects to your router or switch with a network cable and only broadcasts wifi. Because there is no wireless link back inside, it loses no speed to relaying, as a wireless repeater does. Most outdoor access points take their power over the network cable (Power over Ethernet, PoE). You then need one cable outside and a PoE switch or PoE injector indoors.

Examples are the TP-Link Omada EAP610-Outdoor, the TP-Link EAP650-Outdoor, the Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Outdoor and the Cudy AP3000 Outdoor. Omada and UniFi are systems where you manage several access points in one place; that is more technical than a mesh set, but you can expand later. See all access points and network switches.

A cable to the garden

An ordinary network cable is not made for sun and damp. For outside there are cables with an outdoor jacket, such as the Delock Cat.6A S/FTP PE Outdoor and the Digitus outdoor patch cable Cat. 6. A copper network link reaches up to 100 metres under the Ethernet standard. If the point is further away, you need a switch in between or a wireless link. Which cable suits your distance and speed you can see with Which network cable do I need?; all cables are under network cables.

A shed or summer house far away

For a summer house or shed at a good distance there are wireless outdoor links: two directional antennas that see each other and form a network connection. At the shed end you connect an access point or switch. Examples are the Ubiquiti NanoStation M5, the Ubiquiti LiteBeam AC Gen2 and the TP-Link CPE510. The makers state these links need a clear line of sight between the antennas; trees and buildings in between weaken the signal.