FWIW WiFi reception is generally poor in this house, which has some
400mm-thick internal walls. I now have two base stations (one Belkin,
one unbranded) and I still get *very* patchy coverage.

Yes. I never seem to get anything like the advertised reception in my house.
I would be happy with 1/10th the published range. This is with only a thin
tongue and grooved wall in the way. Not even masonry.

Christian.