If you got a home sweet home or a lush office space, you probably must have discovered by now that not all rooms/cubicles were created equal. Which might be why Wi-Fi signal strength do love to see-saw, depending on where exactly in the home or office you are downloading stuff or merely connecting to the web. Apart from making you feel like putting a fist through your garishly-painted wall, this can easily turn you into a homicidal maniac ready to give the ass of the real estate agent that sold you the house a good thrashing. Or make you yell at your boss for no good reason.
Reasons to use a Wi-Fi extender
- You cannot access internet over a long distance.
- When the connection feels slow in a different room in your house.
- To fill up the dead spots where Wi-Fi signals are not reaching.
- To increase the number of connected devices that can be used simultaneously.
- Simply the network by avoiding the need of creating multiple ones.
- To benefit from the extra features provided by the extenders such as parental control, VPN, security features, etc.
List of the Best Wi-Fi Extenders to Boost Wi-Fi Signal
We however tactfully suggest that there are far better ways of handling this issue. Like getting a Wi-Fi extender. These metal and plastic magicians get fed your wireless signal, and then amplify it so that every well-scrubbed inch of your house or grubby office space get a rock-solid signal connection you can scratch your back with. Seeing that they can make a good home/office far more enjoyable and help keep you connected to what is happening all around you, we thought it’s best to put together a list of the best Wi-Fi extenders you can get your paws on and rock your life with. Here they are.
1. Linksys RE6500 Wi-Fi Range Extender (AC1200)
According to Linksys, their RE6500 range extender enables a maximum of 1200Mbps throughput and covers up to 10, 000 square foot of your home/office with its invisible august presence. Users and our own tests seem to bear this out, and the only complaint we have about this top Wi-Fi extender is that it can be as difficult to set up as bathing a cat. The device also comes rocking an audio input jack. Rather than stare blankly at it like the rest of the team, I speedily connected the office stereo to it and streamed my mobile One Direction collection. Well before my boss could unearth his old Blues files. Lucky me! For small businesses, the RE6500 has a 256-bit encryption and is WPS-protected. Priced at $110 this is the best Wi-Fi extender your wallet and home needs.
2. Netgear Nighthawk Wi-Fi Range Extender AC1900
A bit pricey, the Netgear Nighthawk comes bearing gifts you can’t resist. It comes with not one, not two, but three external antennas that do a very excellent job of keeping you connected no matter what you might be doing. Its dual-band Wi-Fi maxes out at an incredible 1900Mbps, while it can beam its cheery waves over around 10,000 square feet. A Gigabit port comes provided, which is very useful for giving your console, TV and other internet-enabled devices supreme access to the delish goodies out there. Priced at $109, it’s definitely worth it. Make sure to check your Wi-Fi speed to be certain it didn’t decrease.
3. Amped TAP-EX3 (AC1750)
This is the mother lode of Wi-Fi range amplifiers and priced accordingly. The Amped EX3 doesn’t bother with cumbersome buttons and the like. Instead, it’s controlled via a colorful touchscreen. 12 super-powerful amplifiers rest within its bulk and provide a signal that is powerful enough to enable you to download 4K content while playing a particularly bloody MOBA. Five Gigabit Ethernet ports come provided and with a setup so easy even a toddler could do it blindfolded, this particular Wi-Fi range extender easily wins our award for being the best Wi-Fi range extender for gaming. Price is very reasonable at $139.99.
4. Amped Wireless High Power Wireless-N 600 mW (SR10000)
Its extreme ease of use enables the Amped Wireless to make it so near the top of our exclusive list. Featuring dual antennas that work harder than a non-unionized stevedore in keeping you connected, as well as an overall durable design you can conceivably utilize for decades, the Amped Wireless is a top Wi-Fi extender that delivers more than you expect of it. Price is cheap at $59.99. When you feel like your Wi-Fi is slow over long distances, you can boost the Wi-Fi speed using this extender.
5. Netgear EX6200 Wi-Fi Range Extender AC1200
This is a dual-band Wi-Fi extender that will not buckle no matter how much heavy demand you unceasingly pile on it. With up to 1200Mbps of throughput, power is clearly the name of the game here. The Netgear EX6200 supports Wireless-AC standards and can do double duty as a second Wi-Fi access point. Other primary features include five Gigabit Ethernet ports, dual-core processors, and two super-sensitive antennas that flood the area all around you with sweet and light-fast net access. Priced at $95 this is a very good bargain and one of the best wireless range extenders around.
6. TP-Link RE200 AC750 Universal Wireless Dual Band Range Extender
Forget the grandiloquent title as this Wi-Fi extender actually works as great as it looks. Beautifully crafted and well-designed, it comes with dual-band Wi-Fi for the best possible connection. For your convenience, a signal indicator is inbuilt. This shows you just how strong or weak the signal is, so you can adjust it accordingly. The TP-LINK RE200 can additionally be wall-mounted for those with impossibly-cluttered homes and offices. Equipped with an Ethernet port, you can easily connect it to all manner of home electronics. Price is $29.18 and a warranty of 2 years means that this is no slouch and will faithfully serve you for years.
7. D-Link DAP-1650 Wi-Fi Range Extender (AC1200)
Round and cute, the D-Link DAP-1650 is sexy, capable and by far the best looking Wi-Fi range extender on our list. It comes with dual-band Wireless-AC and a throughput of 1200Mbps. Very easy to set up, featuring four Gigabit Ethernet ports and invisible antennas that are excellent in action, it is one of the best Wi-Fi range extenders on the market. It’s somewhat budget-friendly too as it comes with a price tag of around $90. For that money, you get an outstanding piece of merchandise that heavily delivers on its promises, as well as an extender that will increase Wi-Fi signal strength beyond belief.
8. Rock Space AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender
Rock Space AC1200 is an exemplary and affordable Wi-Fi range extender. The device sports 2 removable antennas that broadcast at the 802.11ac dual-band. Furthermore, it has 1 GB Ethernet port. The physical aspect of the device is 3.4 x 3.1 x 2.0 inches. It is a compact design that offers practicability and can be used anywhere. The Wi-Fi extender is suitable for town houses and smaller buildings. Despite all its positives, the device lacks Wi-Fi 6 support and sometimes shows mediocrity. The device is a solid choice that comes with a simple setup to cover those awkward dead spots your Wi-Fi fails to reach. The Wi-Fi extender is a simple plug-in device that further removes any need for an extra app.
9. D-Link DAP-1720 Wi-Fi AC1750 Range Extender
D-Link is a famous name in the Wi-Fi industry. Hence, it offers a plethora of devices and peripherals that can make your wireless network smoother. The DAP-1720 range extender is one such attempt at making your Wi-Fi seamless throughout the house. The extender is most suitable for two-story houses and comes with 3 removable antennas. Although it is double the abovementioned Rock Space in physical dimensions as it sits at 6.4 x 3.3 x 1.5 inches. For convenience’s sake, the product comes with a two-pronged plug. Furthermore, it is easy to set up with a mobile app. The device is best at pushing signals to a floor above or below. As such, it is an efficient extender for a multistory home.
10. D-Link DAP-1520 Wi-Fi Range Extender (AC750)
When shopping for a cheap Wi-Fi range extender, none come lovelier than the D-LINK DAP-1520. Priced at around $50 it leaves your wallet sighing with relief. Rocking Wireless-AC and a throughput of 750Mbps, it’s capable of some excellent performance into the bargain. Easy to install, it just needs to be plugged into any wall socket to start working its magic. However, it does lack any USB, Ethernet, audio inputs and some advanced capabilities of its pricier rivals. That is however not a deal-breaker as it is still a solidly-performing device.
11. LTE River Repeater
Dual-band capable, the LTE Repeater maxes out at a very respectable 1200Mbps. With its four non-detachable antennas, expect to enjoy exceptional performance few other Wi-Fi range extenders are able to match. The LTE Repeater also sports a convenient signal strength indicator that lets you know the signal dead zones around your abode or office. Price is dirt-cheap at $30.99.
12. TP-Link TL-WA850RE N300 Universal Wireless Range Extender
Affordability is one of the strongest points of the TL-WA850RE. But along with that, it also delivers more than acceptable performance. While it won’t blow you away or set your world afire, its small size and ease of use make it particularly favored by us and other perceptive users. Along with an Ethernet port and dual antennas, the TL-WA850RE also has a signal strength indicator to enable you to gauge the location of black holes in your home/office and look out for them. The price is $19.99, which makes it one of the cheapest yet very capable range extenders for Wi-Fi you are likely to find.
Getting Wi-Fi range extenders is usually recommended if your network strength is unstable. Otherwise, frustration is apt to set in and leave you howling for blood. Extenders will increase Wi-Fi signal strength, save you lots of stress and enable you to conserve your energies for the more important task of living.