Boosting the signal in your property
All mains-powered devices are always awake and act as listening devices, which repeat and boost the signal of any nearby devices. The system also uses 'Genius Smart Plugs' and 'Genius Range Extenders' as listening devices to ensure good communication around larger properties. Genius Smart Plugs can also be controlled from the Genius Hub system on a timer schedule or overridden 'on-demand'.
Genius Smart Plug | Genius Range Extender |
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For information on the differences between these devices, see: What are In Wall Range Extenders?
How to position the signal-boosting devices
When installing Range Extending devices they need to be placed in a location where there is a good signal strength, so they can boost the signal for all of the battery-powered devices in the property.
Below are the things to think about when positioning the Smart Plugs/Range Extenders around the property:
- Place one in the rooms above or below the Genius Hub if possible. The signal easily travels through floors and ceilings and this will give a number of good 'strong' connections back to the Genius Hub.
- All mains-powered Genus Hub devices act as signal boosters with the Genius Hub system, so a Smart Plug does not need to be placed next to a device such as an Electric Switch.
- Place the majority of the signal boosters in upstairs rooms if possible. The walls are often thinner upstairs so the signal can easily travel between the Genius Smart Plugs and as noted above the signal will easily be able to pass down through the floors of the property to get to a room below.
- On internal walls. These walls are often thinner than external walls and the signal will be able to easily go into that room and the room on the other side of the wall.
- Not in the extremities of the property. The signal will always go through one wall (up to 2 foot thick) so the signal boosters do not need to go in an end room (or room with lots of external walls) where half of the signal will be outside of the property. They are best positioned in the rooms that are one room in from the edge of the property, so the rooms that are on the outside of the property are covered by a Genius Smart Plug one room in from the edge.
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Remember that the signal does not bend or bounce so it takes a perfectly straight line from one Genius Smart Plug to the next, or to another mains powered device on the Genius network such as a Receiver unit or the Genius Hub itself. Be careful of the signal having to take an oblique angle through a wall because the signal will be passing through a lot of building material.