How we rate the Best Wi-Fi Extender

It’s really annoying when you have to struggle to stream a video or even refresh a page from a certain room in your house yet you’ve spent so much on a Wi-Fi connection. This is a very serious problem not just to the guys with big houses or multi-story homes, but it can happen to some people with smaller houses. And why is that? Well, it can be due to various reasons including a weak router or rather a weak signal coming through to your router.

To get yourself out of this situation, you need gadgets that can boost your Wi-Fi signal to ensure that every inch in your room is covered. This gives you more freedom to do your online stuff from virtually every part of your home.

If you are in the market looking for such a gadget, then you will realize that you can buy either a Wi-Fi repeater, Wireless range extenders, or a Wi-Fi network extender. What’s the difference between them and which one of them is ideal for you?

Wi-Fi Repeater

Wi-Fi repeaters are programmed to rebroadcast the Wi-Fi signal coming from the router. Repeaters are usually placed somewhere in the room where they will receive the Wi-Fi signal as it comes from the router and rebroadcast it to extend its reach in the house. This means that the quality of the Wi-Fi signal received by the repeater is not the same as the signal strength coming from the router. Repeaters are a good option for standard needs, but not if you need a strong Wi-Fi signal for streaming, downloading, or connecting multiple devices.

Wireless Range Extenders

Wireless range extenders are placed between the router and the region with poor signal. The extenders will grab the Wi-Fi signal as it comes and then rebroadcast it on a different wireless network from that of your router. Wireless Range Extenders have to be placed correctly for them to work properly. Poor placement means that they won’t receive enough signal, which will consequently affect the quality of the signal they rebroadcast.

Wi-Fi Network Extenders

If you are looking for a reliable Wi-Fi booster, then these are your best pick. Wi-Fi network extenders are designed to connect directly to your router where there’s a strong signal, and then they rebroadcast the signal in another room or floor. These extenders deliver a strong signal, consistently making your online gaming and video streaming experience effortless.

Top 3 Wi-Fi Extenders

1.NETGEAR Wi-Fi Mesh Range Extender EX8000

The NETGEAR EX8000 is not your typical Wi-Fi extender. The gadget doesn’t just fix dead zones in your home or office, but it makes sure that every gadget connected is receiving strong signals with speeds going up to 3000mbps! This is enough for all your multiplayer gaming and 4K streaming needs. The strength of the extender also makes it an ideal choice for every home/office with high demands for strong signal e.g., when there are numerous devices to be connected (up to 50). To that end, the extender offers three different bands to choose from. This reduces interference and lagging.

Setting up the NETGEAR EX8000 is also very easy. The extender has a dedicated WI-FI band that communicates with your router to improve signal strength. This means that you don’t require a lot of complex connection to link the extender to the router. Actually, it’s all a matter of getting the perfect location for placing the extender and pressing a single button.

Customizing the extender is also super easy. It comes with parental control that helps your children access the Wi-Fi safely. You can also take advantage of the NETGEAR Wi-Fi App to schedule the Wi-Fi.

The only major issue with the NETGEAR Wi-Fi Mesh Range Extender is the price. At $178, the extender is among the costly Wi-Fi boosters in the market, and this may limit the number of people that can afford it.

Other Features

• 2500 sq. Ft. Wi-Fi range
• Universal compatibility with all wireless routers, cable modem, and gateway
• Wired Ethernet Ports
• SPA/WPA2 and WEP security protocols

2. TP-Link AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender

The RE650 AC2600 is another powerful Wi-Fi extender that utilizes 256 QAM and 4-Stream tech to improve capacity and data stream to two Wi-Fi bands. This basically means that the extenders improve your experience as far as 4K streaming and gaming, and the best part is that you’ll be able to enjoy smooth gaming without downgrading your game’s settings.

One of the major challenges with streaming 4K videos, online gaming, or downloading huge files is that it tends to weaken the signal for other devices. Sometimes it even becomes impossible to load a page simply because someone is watching some 4K videos somewhere in the house or office. To save you from fighting your family member or coworkers, TP-Link has developed this extender with Intelligent Processing engine. The engine redirects Wi-Fi traffic to a dedicated processor, thus leaving the extender’s dual-core CPU free to handle other needs. As a result, all your devices will remain connected regardless of whether someone somewhere is downloading 89GB of Red Dead Redemption 2 or streaming The Grand Tour in 4K. The extender’s performance is further boosted by the 4 x 4 MU-MIMO.

To increase coverage, the extender is fitted with 4 high-powered antennas. These will kill all the dead spots in your home, making sure that every room and corner doesn’t just receive the Wi-Fi signal, but it gets a strong and fast connection.

The Wi-Fi range extender comes with Gigabit Ethernet ports. These can be used either to connect the extender to gaming consoles or smart TVs, or you can connect it directly to the router for a stronger connection.

Setting up this extender is also super easy. They’ve integrated an LED light which lets you know whether the spot you are placing the extender has a poor (red) or strong (blue) connection. The TP-Link Tether app gives you access to the extender’s settings, such as scheduling, guest privileges, and device management. The extender is also designed to be portable, and hence, you can move it occasionally depending on your changing needs.

At $108, the TP-Link RE650 AC2600 is a bit costly.

Other Features

• Universal compatibility with all modem routers, access point, and Wi-Fi routers.
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 1733mbps on 5GHz and 800mbps on 24 GHz
• Beamforming tech improves signal in selected devices

3. NETGEAR AC1200 Wireless Wi-Fi Range Extender EX 6200

The NETGEAR AC1200 is the perfect choice for anyone who’s looking for an affordable Wireless Wi-Fi range extender. This gadget goes for just $70 and with it comes a powerful dual-core ARM A9 processor that delivers impressive Wi-Fi performance and a 700mW design with 5dBi external antennas that extend coverage to boost the Wi-Fi signals throughout your house. The extender also features AC dual-band Wi-Fi, which takes your internet speeds all the way to 1200mbps.

The EX6200 is also equipped with Beamforming+ that helps to improve the Wi-Fi signal in wireless devices. In case you need a wired connection, you can use any of the 5 Gigabit Ethernet Ports for enhanced speeds.

The NETGEAR AC1200 is also very easy to set up. You can do it through a simple push of a button, or you can utilize the highly-intuitive apps to set up and customize the extender.

The major downside with the NETGEAR EX6200 is the lack of a dedicated backhaul channel. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, but it is an okay tradeoff for such an incredible and affordable Wi-Fi Extender.

Other Features

• USB 3.0 port gives you access to the USB storage
• Dual Band Wi-Fi; 5GHz and 2.4GHz
• Universal compatibility with routers, ISP gateway or other gateways

Buying a Wi-Fi Extender

The above list features the best Wi-Fi extenders in different price points. We hope that you have gotten the appropriate extender that satisfies all your Wi-Fi needs while sticking within your budget. In case you are still looking to explore your options, then we’d advise you that you consider the following factors before settling for any one particular Wi-Fi extender:

• Range
• Speeds
• Ease of setup
• Design
• Other additional features