A reliable internet connection at home has become nonnegotiable in the modern world. While the routers in many households are enough to get by, others call upon Wi-Fi extenders for increased ranges and coverage of dead spots. Finding the best Wi-Fi extender depends largely upon your individual circumstances, but the best models used the right way can wipe out dead spots entirely.
A number of Wi-Fi extenders may get the job done, but users have shared rave reviews about the TP-Link AC2600 RE650 Wi-Fi Extender.
Before you can find the best Wi-Fi extender for your circumstance, you'll need to know the rough size of the space you plan to cover with your Wi-Fi extension. If there are just a few dead spots in one area of the house you want to cover up, you may be able to go with a Wi-Fi extender that has a smaller range. Alternatively, those who hope to cover a huge space with their Wi-Fi extender may want to find an extender that offers a much higher square footage.
It's also helpful to consider the number of devices you usually have operating at one time when considering which Wi-Fi extender to buy. In general, the more devices that are connected to the internet and running at the same time, the slower each device's internet will be. As such, finding a powerful enough Wi-Fi extender with dual-band connectivity can help users get the most of their Wi-Fi, no matter how many devices are connected.
While some simply want a Wi-Fi extender to re-broadcast their Wi-Fi signal even further, others use Ethernet ports on nearby Wi-Fi extenders for a wired connection to devices like TVs, gaming consoles and other media hardware. If you plan to use Ethernet ports on your Wi-Fi extender, you'll want to buy one that not only has them but also has enough to accommodate all the devices you plan to plug in.
First and foremost, buyers looking for a Wi-Fi extender will want to ensure the model they buy can accommodate the amount of space they're looking to cover. While most Wi-Fi extenders advertise the rough amount of square footage they can boost signals to, other factors can also affect how well a given model's performance is in a certain space.
Another important factor to consider when looking at Wi-Fi extenders is what speeds you need to accommodate with your extender. This will largely depend on the speeds you get through your provider's plan, as well as the speeds offered by your internet router. If you're getting speeds of roughly 600 Mbps, for instance, you'll want to buy a Wi-Fi extender that offers 600 Mbps or more to ensure you get access to the connection speeds you're already paying for.
Dual-band Wi-Fi extenders offer two separate Wi-Fi broadcasting bands: one at 2.4 GHz and the other at 5.0 GHz. As a result, dual-band Wi-Fi extenders can support connections to more devices and offer faster connections to devices connected to the differing Wi-Fi bands.
The price of a Wi-Fi extender can vary quite a bit, depending on the size of your space and the speed you need to accommodate. In general, Wi-Fi extenders tend to cost between $15-$120, with a wide range of options at just about every price point in between.
A. Wi-Fi extenders are not the same as routers. While routers project your internet provider's Wi-Fi signal throughout a given space, Wi-Fi extenders simply re-broadcast the existing signal to project it further or into specific spots where routers may not reach.
A. Wi-Fi extenders simply help to increase the distance a Wi-Fi router's signal is able to reach. They can also be used to help project powerful wireless connections into spots where the router can't reach on its own, like behind walls, on other floors and in other dead spots.
What you need to know: If you're looking for something with a lot of power, this Wi-Fi extender from TP-Link offers speeds up to 2,600 Mbps in spaces of up to 14,000 square feet, all without breaking the bank.
What you'll love: With such high speed and range offerings, this Wi-Fi extender is great for 4K streaming and other performance-intensive content, and it also happens to offer a very user-friendly setup. It's a very reliable unit, especially for such a reasonable price.
What you should consider: Some found the unit's aesthetics to be a big downside, especially if they planned to plug it in somewhere out in the open.
What you need to know: This feature-packed solution is perfect for homes that already use a lot of Google-enabled devices.
What you'll love: Each Wi-Fi unit (it comes in a pack of two) acts as a Google Smart Speaker with Google Assistant. It handles multiple devices well, even if they're streaming in 4K. It's designed with security in mind and has automatic updates.
What you should consider: If you don't want smart speakers in your home, this is not the option for you.
TP-Link RE615X AX1800 Wi-Fi six Range Extender w/Ethernet Port
What you need to know: This Wi-Fi extender provides the data speed and range you need to amplify your signal exactly as you need it.
What you'll love: It has two high-gain antennas to better extend into more spaces. The signal indicator helps you place the extender in just the right spot. It has a gigabit Ethernet port so you can have a hardwired connection.
What you should consider: The directions can be a bit confusing.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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