Buy Wifi Extender
A WiFi repeater or extender is used to extend the coverage area of your WiFi network. It works by receiving your existing WiFi signal, amplifying it and then transmitting the boosted signal. With a WiFi repeater you can effectively double the coverage area of your WiFi network - reaching far corners of your home or office, different floors, or even extend coverage to your yard.
buy wifi extender
Okay, a WiFi extender could be the solution for you! There are a couple of different options. One of the most straightforward is a powerline ethernet kit like this starter kit from Zyxel. The kit allows you to send your internet signal over the electrical circuit in your home or office. It comes with 2 adapters; one plugs into a power socket near your current router, and the other in the location where you need signal. Connect the first one to your router using an ethernet cable, and connect the second to an ethernet device (e.g. a Smart TV or games console). The second adapter could also be connected to a WiFi router for a second WiFi network.
Dual band repeaters get around this by connecting to the router on one band and outputting a WiFi signal on the other. The Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Dual Band WiFi extender uses FastLane technology to improve performance using both WiFi bands. A fast processor also really helps (the Nighthawk has a Dual core 1GHz processor) by enabling maximum WiFi throughput.
Some WiFi extenders known as "powerline" extenders use the electrical wiring in your home or business to carry high-speed internet traffic over a wired connection through your house, before converting it to a wireless signal.
Yes, extenders will work just about anywhere with existing internet service. All you need is a power outlet to plug it into. And, one of the many awesome things about extenders is that once it's set up, you can move it to a different room easily without breaking the connection (as long as it's within range).
You can purchase any extender that is compatible with your internet speed. Visit our Accessories marketplace to shop for extenders in the WiFi Performance area. You'll see a few options available at a range of costs. The basic models will work for most households; higher-cost options work best for super-fast Gigabit connections, and will provide better coverage over a longer range.
The range you get will depend on the extender you choose, as well as the layout of your home and distance between devices. Factors like the thickness of your walls and floors, appliances, and other obstructions can affect your signal range. To extend your signal over a longer range, consider a premium (higher-priced) extender, as these tend to offer superior coverage.
If you purchase a WiFi extender from TP-Link or another CenturyLink partner, or from an outside source, you will need to get help directly from the manufacturer. You can usually search for the model name/number online to find user guides and online support options. Or contact technical support for that company.
You want to make sure that your Wi-Fi extender is speedy enough to give you the kind of solid connection you need. That means at least a wireless standard of 802.11ac, the default on most current routers. And, if you want to future-proof, consider one with Wi-Fi 6, the successor to 802.11ac that is slowly taking over.
Wi-Fi extenders, also known as Wi-Fi boosters or repeaters, are largely the same thing under a different name. If you have areas of your home where your current wireless internet cannot reach, they're the perfect piece of kit to boost your existing signal.
Naming conventions appear to be a branding decision, but there are a few different ways that Wi-Fi extenders work. The most common is that your booster or extender houses two wireless routers, much like the wireless router you already have at home, or in your place of work. One of these wireless routers picks up the existing Wi-Fi network and then passes that to the secondary router which transmits the boosted signal.
It's worth noting that many Wi-Fi extenders broadcast on a new Wi-Fi network with its own name, so you'll need to connect to a different Wi-Fi signal depending on where you are in your home. As most devices will automatically connect to a trusted signal, this isn't likely to cause too much of an issue.
We've got a new Wi-Fi extender sitting in our top spot so instead of you spending more than $200/200 on one, you're getting an affordable option that not only does the job but also offers Wi-Fi 6 support.
The best Wi-Fi extenders boosts your router's signal in order to extend its reach and give you better Wi-Fi coverage. One of these range extenders can be a cost-effective network solution if you're dealing with poor network coverage or dead spots in certain areas of your home or office.
Also call Wi-Fi boosters, Wi-Fi extenders extend or boost your Wi-Fi signal beyond your existing router's reaches to ensure that that internet signal is more robust in areas where the connection was previously spotty. What's more, they are incredibly simple to setup, with some offering step-by-step instructions via an app, and shouldn't get in the way your network's connectivity.
We also answered some of the most commonly asked Wi-Fi extender questions below so you know what you're getting into. And, if you can't decide whether it's an extender or a mesh system you require, our Wi-Fi extender vs mesh router piece should help with that.
The TP-Link RE700X is proof that you do not need to spend a lot of money to get great Wi-Fi coverage in every corner of your home. While many Wi-Fi extenders are trying to charge consumers enough money you might as well get a mesh system, this one keeps its price inexpensive by keeping things simple and offering Wi-Fi 6 connectivity on top of it.
It's also easy and simple to set up, making it a great option for most people, including those who have never even seen a range extender before. You can spend a lot of money on an intimidating range extender, or you can make things easy for your self and your wallet with the TP-Link RE700X.
If you want a small, discrete Wi-Fi extender that will reliably spread the coverage of your network throughout your home or office, then the Linksys RE7000 Max-Stream AC1900+ Wi-Fi Range Extender is a great affordable choice.
The Netgear Nighthawk AX8 (EAX80) may be a little older, but with Wi-Fi 6 capabilities and an impressive range, it certainly deserves a spot in this best Wi-Fi extenders list. It's a little on the pricey end, but it's not really for people who are on the budget anyway, as it's more of an investment for those who require top-notch performance and massive coverage.
It boasts some features you typically see in actual routers such as four Gigabit Ethernet ports for connecting a games console and a USB 3.0 port for connecting a hard drive to provide network storage. It also has mesh extender capabilities, which means you can buy additional EAX80 extenders and link them together to create an enormous mesh network.
On test, its performance will blow you away. Performance on the slower 2.4GHz band jumped from our usual 18Mbps to 21Mbps. Meanwhile, the faster 5.0GHz band really got a shake-up, leaping from just 60Mbps to 342Mbps. This isn't going to be the best Wi-Fi extender for most people, but it's amazing for those with massive homes and offices to cover.
Supporting dual-band Wi-Fi 6 with a top speed of 1800Mbps, this may not be the fastest on the market. But on test, it's proven to meet the needs of most home broadband services, especially in maintaining that solid, consistent Wi-Fi signal throughout your space. This is the best Wi-Fi extender for games consoles, smart-TVs and other devices that work best with wired connections.
TechRadar tests Wi-Fi extenders in a variety of ways, from how easy they are to connect and setup, what apps or software they might come with, and of course, how much increase you get to the range of your wireless internet.
Features will be noted, we check to see if Wi-Fi 6 is supported, as well as if they're able to connect to any existing router and if the products are Dual-band or Tri-band compatible. As a Wi-Fi extender is designed to support an existing router, and not act as a dedicated router in itself, you'll likely want to check if your wireless router isn't up to scratch before you spend serious money on an extender.
A series of benchmarks are used to determine how effective a Wi-Fi extender is, using applications like the Ookla Speed test and the Steam game download client to test how many megabytes per second of data is achievable in different locations of a home, such as right beside the extender itself and behind partition walls that could block a signal. 041b061a72