What Does Repeater Mean?
A repeater is a network device that retransmits a received signal with more power and to an extended geographical or topological network boundary than what would be capable with the original signal.
A repeater is implemented in computer networks to expand the coverage area of the network, repropagate a weak or broken signal and or service remote nodes. Repeaters amplify the received/input signal to a higher frequency domain so that it is reusable, scalable and available.
Repeaters were introduced in wired data communication networks due to the limitation of a signal in propagating over a longer distance and now are a common installation in wireless networks for expanding cell size.
Repeaters are also known as signal boosters.
Techopedia Explains Repeater
Every operational computer or data communications network has a specific boundary in which it can service the connected and authorized hosts/nodes. It is a planned network scope, but sometimes the network needs to extend its routing domain further to accommodate a new/existing host, or to improve the service level in a specific topological domain. In such scenarios, a network uses the service of a repeater, which amplifies the received signal to an ideal or near-ideal strength so that destination/receiving nodes can receive the data.
The installation of repeaters is critical in those domains, where attenuation and signal loss is very crucial. Repeaters are generally considered to be nonlogical devices because they propagate every signal regardless of its size, type, etc. Repeaters support both analog and digital signals and can repeat electrical and light-based signals.