I am thinking of getting Smart Things for a condo. The WiFi router is at one end of the condo, and I worry that some of the Things I want to hook up will be too far from the Hub if that is close to the WiFi router.
I realize I could get a Zwave repeater, but I’m wondering if I could install a WiFi repeater to improve WiFi strength in the distant part of the condo and attach the Hub to that?
Will that work?
Thanks for any thoughts!
BT
If you can do powerline, I would trust it more than an WiFi extender… and I’ve done it. Plugged in the powerline output to a small switch.
It will work, but you shouldn’t have to do it. 
The whole point of the two third-party protocols with SmartThings uses, Z wave and zigbee, is that they form a mesh ( One for Z wave and one for zigbee) and pass messages along, one to the next. So that allows you to cover a much wider range then just a single device can. See the following thread. Start with post 11, then go back to the top and read the whole thing.
If you lived in a four-story mansion, you might have to start worrying about where to place the hub, but in a condo I don’t think you’re likely to run into a problem as long as you have established a good mesh. (Again, see the FAQ above)
It works. I use google wifi and have connected the hub to one of the mesh points that is in a central location of the home rather than the main point.
You shouldn’t have to use a wifi extender in a condo. It’s another point of failure you are adding to the system. Just buy a zigbee/Z-wave plug and it’s just not more reliable but improve your mesh.
If you are going the wifi extender route I would test it by power cycle the main router and see if the extender and ST hub will auto connect to the internet again.
Thanks very much for all the quick replies!
I think I have a better understanding of my options, and will go with the Z wave extender option. To be a bit more specific, a main point of installing ST is so I can control the sprinkler system remotely. I think I am going to use the Spruce irrigation controller and it will be ~60 feet away from the ST Hub and on an outside wall. I’m hoping 1 Z-wave plug in device (probably just a smart plug) ~midway in between will be all I need.
Happy to hear any additional thoughts. Thanks again!
BT
Oops. Looks like Spruce is on Zigbee, not Zwave. So, I’ll be going for Zigbee plugins to build the mesh. Sound right?
Yes. 
The Lowe’s Iris smart plug is a popular repeater, particularly if you get it on sale. List price is usually $35, but you can often get it on sale for around 25.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Iris-120-Volt-White-Smart-Plug-Works-with-Amazon-Alexa/999925330
I believe this is the only readily available device that has both a Z wave and a zigbee repeater. Some community members have reported that the Z wave repeating function isn’t entirely reliable, but the zigbee function seems to be fine. So that one is definitely worth looking at. Or if you happen to get a SmartThings starter kit that includes a SmartThings branded plug in module, that one is also zigbee.
I had a TP-Link WiFi extender already, before I aquired the SmartThings hub. Is it “bad” for the system to have the extender in the network?
It’s not bad per se. I would not put any zigbee devices within three or 4 feet of it because the wifi can drown out the zigbee. But it won’t affect zwave devices. So it just comes down to the specifics of device placement at your own house. If things are working fine now, you don’t need to be concerned about it unless you’re going to add a new zigbee device, and then just be careful with the placement.
Thank you kindly.