In case your Wi-Fi sign is struggling to achieve each nook of your house, a sign booster — also called a Wi-Fi extender — is perhaps the repair you want. Whether or not you are coping with annoying useless zones, buffering video calls or laggy gaming periods, the appropriate Wi-Fi extender can assist broaden protection and enhance connectivity with out forcing you to maneuver your router.
There are several types of Wi-Fi extenders to select from. Some fashions use exterior antennas to push the sign farther, whereas others, like mesh extenders, create a seamless, whole-home community. In case you’re merely trying to lengthen protection into a particular room, a Wi-Fi repeater can do the job — however it might lower your bandwidth in half. Extra superior extenders, nevertheless, can assist preserve robust speeds and reliability all through your house.
We have rounded up the most effective Wi-Fi extenders to go well with completely different wants, whether or not you are on the lookout for an reasonably priced repair or a high-performance improve.
Desk of contents
Greatest Wi-Fi extender for 2025
TP-Hyperlink
Most switch fee: 2402 Mbps | Vary: 110 ft | Variety of antennas: 2 | Variety of USB ports: 0 | Wi-Fi 6: Sure | Variety of bands: 2 | Wi-Fi pace: 5GHz (2402 Mbps), 2.4GHz (574 Mbps)
TP-Hyperlink has a bunch of Wi-Fi extenders beneath its umbrella, however the one that can probably serve most individuals the most effective is that this AX3000 mannequin, which is available in two variations: the RE700X and the RE705X. Each extenders have the identical specs, together with Wi-Fi 6 assist, however the 705X has a barely completely different design with pull-out antennas on both facet. I examined the 705X, so I’m basing my advice off of my expertise with that mannequin, particularly.
Establishing this extender was as straightforward as plugging it in and following directions in TP-Hyperlink’s Tether cell app. All the gadgets I attempted adopted the identical primary setup course of: first, plug within the extender near your wi-fi router, observe directions in a cell app or on a setup webpage, and as soon as the connection is established, transfer the extender to your required location.
It took all of 5 minutes to pair the 705X with my Verizon FiOS router – in all probability probably the most time-consuming bit was deciding what I wished to call the brand new 5Ghz and a pair of.4Ghz networks. I went with the identical title for each as a result of I didn’t need to manually select from two completely different bands when connecting issues like my cellphone or laptop computer. The machine will robotically pair your machine with the suitable band — for instance, connecting most good dwelling devices to the two.4Ghz community, which frequently helps cut back latency.
The everlasting location the place I moved all the extenders I examined was in my basement, since that’s the place we are able to get the spottiest Wi-Fi sign. I first ran pace checks on my iPhone and MacBook utilizing Speedtest.web and Speedcheck.org so I may examine them with the usual speeds I bought when related to my router’s important community. Unsurprisingly, the speeds generated by TP-Hyperlink’s extender have been a lot slower than these from my router’s community, however that was the case with all the gadgets I examined. Solely our prime decide (see beneath) bought near my router’s commonplace speeds, however I anticipated this. Wi-Fi extenders aren’t going to make your connection higher – they’re simply going to provide you a wider space of protection. From a spec perspective, each the 705X and the 700X are rated for speeds as much as 2402 Mbps on the 5GHz band and 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz band.
Regardless of the outcomes of my checks, I used to be pleased to find that I wasn’t held again by the 705X’s seemingly slower speeds. I labored as regular for hours with my cellphone and laptop computer related to the extenders wi-fi community, answering emails, messaging in Slack, streaming YouTube movies and in any other case sustaining a couple of dozen tabs in Chrome, with none hiccups or noticeable slow-downs.
I used to be not stunned to seek out TP-Hyperlink’s Tether companion app to be straightforward to make use of, if slightly easy, as a result of that was my expertise with TP-Hyperlink’s good dwelling app. Tether is particularly used with the corporate’s networking gadgets, and also you in all probability received’t spend a ton of time in it after preliminary setup. I particularly like you can title wi-fi gadgets which might be related to your extenders community like your cellphone and good TV. That makes it a lot simpler to know which issues in your house are continually paired with the extender relatively than your router’s default community.
One vital factor to notice with these TP-Hyperlink extenders is that they each assist OneMesh, which is the corporate’s characteristic that permits you to create one seamless community in case you have a suitable mesh router. Since I’m nonetheless utilizing the router offered to me by my ISP, I wasn’t in a position to check out this characteristic, nevertheless it works like this: in case you have a OneMesh router and OneMesh-compatible extenders, you may hyperlink all of them collectively beneath the identical community title. So relatively than having a router community and an extender community beneath the identical roof, every part could be linked and filed beneath your important community’s title.
It’s a small perk that turns into not so small in case you have a spotty extender, and even simply an awkwardly laid-out dwelling. In my testing, I discovered my cellphone disconnecting from some extenders’ networks after I went upstairs to the principle ground of the home from my basement. It could then try and reconnect to the extender community, when actually I’d have most well-liked it to default again to my router’s community. That fortunately didn’t occur with TP-Hyperlink’s RE705X, nevertheless it’s one thing to remember when contemplating shopping for a Wi-Fi extender in any respect. If you will get one which has a characteristic like OneMesh, it’ll make your life a lot simpler.
Coming in at $130 and $120, respectively, the RE705X and RE700X will not be the most cost effective Wi-Fi extenders on the market, however their protection vary, newest Wi-Fi assist and max speeds make both of them a very good decide. If you realize precisely the place you need to put an extender and it’s not in a clumsy or hard-to-reach location, the marginally cheaper, antenna-free RE700X may go simply advantageous for you. However if you would like that additional capacity to tweak antennas to fit your wants, the RE705X is the best way to go.
- Simple setup course of
- Good efficiency
- Simple to make use of companion app
- Integrates with TP-Hyperlink OneMesh
TP-Hyperlink
Most switch fee: 867 Mbps | Vary: 1500 sq.ft | Variety of antennas: 2 | Variety of USB ports: 0 | Wi-Fi 6: Not specified | Variety of bands: 2 | Wi-Fi pace: 5GHz (867 Mbps), 2.4GHz (300 Mbps)
TP-Hyperlink’s RE315 Wi-Fi extender is bodily similar to the RE705X, however with decrease specs and that’s what makes it a $50 machine. You’ll rise up to 867 Mbps speeds on the 5GHz band and 300 Mbps on the two.4GHz band, and it solely gives protection for as much as 1,500 sq. ft. That received’t be as a lot of a problem for most individuals as max speeds will, however in case you have a very giant property, you’re higher off going with a costlier extender that may cowl extra space.
There’s additionally no Wi-Fi 6e assist on the RE315, which can be a dealbreaker for individuals who lately invested in a Wi-Fi 6 router. This mannequin does assist OneMesh, although, which is good if you have already got a OneMesh system in your house.
I’m specializing in specification variations as a result of my expertise with the RE315 wasn’t that far off from the RE705X. Setup was simply as plain and easy because the RE315 additionally makes use of the Tether cell app, and whereas speeds have been barely decrease in my testing, I didn’t discover an excessive amount of of a distinction in actual world use. For $50 usually, and sometimes nearer to $30 when on sale, the RE315 is a straightforward decide for anybody who needs a budget-friendly solution to fill Wi-Fi useless zones of their dwelling.
- Reasonably priced
- Simple setup course of
- Good efficiency for the value
- Simple to make use of companion app
- Solely gives 1,500 sq. ft of protection
- Doesn’t assist Wi-Fi 6
NETGEAR
Most switch fee: 4800 Mbps | Vary: 2500 sq.ft | Variety of antennas: 2 | Variety of USB ports: 1 x USB 3.0 | Wi-Fi 6: Sure | Variety of bands: 2 | Wi-Fi pace: 5GHz (4.8 Gbps), 2.4GHz (1.2 Gbps)
Having multiple Wi-Fi community in your own home is par for the course in terms of including an extender into the combination. However that’s not so with the Netgear EAX80 mesh community vary extender – it has “seamless good roaming,” which lets you set it up beneath your present SSID title. So as an alternative of disconnecting out of your important wi-fi community and reconnecting to the extender’s community if you transfer out of your lounge to your basement, all it’s important to do is… transfer from one room to a different and let Netgear’s machine do the heavy lifting.
That’s one of many premium options included on the EAX80, however its $250 price ticket might be attributed extra so to another perks. It’s a dual-band, Wi-Fi 6e mesh vary extender that can work with just about any wi-fi router you could have. It helps speeds as much as 6 Gbps and might have greater than 30 gadgets related to it without delay. So far as sq. footage goes, it’ll widen your Wi-Fi’s protection by as much as 2,500 sq. ft, which ought to be loads for small and medium-sized houses. It carried out properly in our pace checks, coming very near the add/obtain speeds I bought when being related to my important community earlier than putting in the extender.
There’s nothing out of the extraordinary in regards to the Nighthawk cell app, which is what you’ll use to initially arrange the EAX80 extender. After that, you need to use the app to troubleshoot, examine Wi-Fi speeds and see which gadgets are in your community. It’ll probably be a giant record because you’ll see every part that’s paired to your router’s community as properly. My solely gripe is you can’t edit machine names. For instance, my den’s TV exhibits up as “LGwebOSTV” and our soundbar in our basement exhibits up as “sonyaudio” — however there are a selection of related gadgets with no title in any respect, and we’re simply caught with that.
Except for its quick speeds and dependable connection, two issues set this Netgear extender other than the opposite gadgets I examined. First is that seamless good roaming characteristic – not having to change between Wi-Fi networks when going round my dwelling was tremendous handy. I by no means needed to fear about my laptop computer dropping connection to a devoted extender community after I moved from my basement to my second ground, which is one thing I ceaselessly needed to cope with when testing different gadgets.
The second differentiating issue is the EAX80’s design. In contrast to different vary extenders which might be chunky blocks that plug immediately into an AC outlet, Netgear’s mannequin appears extra like a standalone router. Whereas that does imply it has a bigger footprint than different gadgets I examined, it was really simpler to seek out good spots for it in my dwelling as a result of it didn’t need to be chained to the wall proper above an outlet. Most individuals, particularly these tight on house, will in all probability choose the usual extender design, however the EAX80 gave me a bit extra flexibility. I additionally appreciated that the EAX80 has 4 built-in ports for utilizing an Ethernet cable to bodily join issues like TVs, consoles and extra, plus one USB-A port for hardwiring a printer.
Netgear’s EAX80 vary extender is a strong choice should you don’t thoughts dropping a bit of cash to get a bunch of handy options on prime of stellar speeds and Wi-Fi 6 assist. Nevertheless it’s value noting that Netgear has a couple of choices which might be just like the EAX80, however with numerous variations in pace, protection and have set. Probably the most related is the $130 EAX20 extender, which incorporates 1,500 sq. ft of protection, assist for Wi-Fi 6 and as much as 1.8Gbps speeds, plus seamless good roaming capabilities. The wall-plug model of that, the EAX15, is definitely a tad costlier at $140.
- “Seamless good roaming” enables you to use your present SSID title
- Twin-band Wi-Fi 6 assist
- Widens protection by 2,500 sq. ft
- Wonderful efficiency
How do Wi-Fi extenders work?
These useful wi-fi gadgets do precisely what their title suggests: lengthen your Wi-Fi community so it covers extra areas of your house. Most wi-fi extenders plug into an AC outlet and connect with your present router to allow them to then rebroadcast it to spots that your router alone could not cowl properly. As a rule of thumb, you’ll get the most effective outcomes by putting the extender half method between your router and the useless zone you’re attempting to repair or enhance your W-Fi connection and strengthen the wi-fi sign.
One vital factor to notice about Wi-Fi vary extenders (additionally typically referred to as “repeaters”) is that almost all of them really create a brand new Wi-Fi community when rebroadcasting your present one. That community could have a brand new title (it’ll typically be your default community’s title with an EXT appended on the finish, until you modify it) and meaning you’ll have to hook up with completely different networks when in numerous elements of your house. Whereas that’s a small tradeoff in return for improved web connection, some will probably be extra inconvenienced than others.
In case you’d relatively have one, a lot bigger community in your house, you’re higher off upgrading to mesh networking programs. Mesh programs include a important router and a wi-fi entry level or two that, by default, create one giant Wi-Fi system that ought to be accessible all through your complete dwelling. They are usually the most effective Wi-Fi routers you will get, however that additionally interprets to costlier, and presumably extra sophisticated, gadgets. Mesh Wi-Fi programs are, by far, extra expensive than a easy extender, plus you could have to work along with your web service supplier to get your house’s present community working in your new router.
What to search for in a Wi-Fi extender
Pace
Extenders right this moment can assist single, twin or tri-band Wi-Fi, and they’ll let you know the utmost speeds they assist on all of their accessible bands. For instance, one dual-band machine would possibly assist 600Mbps speeds over its 2.4GHz band and as much as 1300Mbps over its 5GHz band, for a mixed most pace of 1900Mbps. For the most effective efficiency, you’ll need to go together with a Wi-Fi extender that has the best speeds attainable (and people, as you would possibly count on, are inclined to price extra). Some extenders even assist Wi-Fi 7, supplying you with the newest in wi-fi know-how for increased bandwidth, quicker web pace and decrease latency.
Nevertheless, it’s vital to do not forget that Wi-Fi extenders aren’t true “sign boosters” since they aren’t designed to enhance speeds throughout your house. Actually, you might discover that the extender’s community is slower than your router’s. As a substitute, extenders are designed to extend the robust Wi-Fi protection all through your house, making them splendid for filling in useless zones. Some mesh extenders can assist create a extra seamless community, lowering the drop in pace and enhancing connectivity in bigger areas.
Vary, and variety of supported gadgets
With the title of the gaming being protection space, being attentive to a tool’s vary is vital. Relying on the dimensions of your house and property, you might solely want as much as 1,200 sq. ft of protection. However these with bigger houses will need to spring for an extender that may assist upwards of two,000+ sq. ft of protection.
Equally, these with a number of devices will need an extender that may deal with them suddenly. In case you spend most of your time in your cellphone or laptop computer and perhaps have your good TV on-line for a couple of hours of Netflix every day, you can get by with a extra restricted extender. Sensible dwelling aficionados and tech lovers ought to spend money on one which received’t buckle beneath the stress of some dozen related gadgets. That is particularly vital should you plan on linking all the gadgets in a sure a part of your house to your Wi-Fi vary extender’s community, relatively than on to your present router. Some fashions with exterior antennas can enhance efficiency by offering stronger, extra directional wi-fi sign.
Design
There isn’t a ton of innovation in terms of design within the Wi-Fi extender house. Many of the ones you’ll discover right this moment are rounded rectangles roughly the dimensions of your hand that plug into a normal wall outlet. They normally have a couple of indicator lights that can present you when the extender is related, how robust its sign energy is and when there’s an issue, and a few will even have moveable exterior antennas that corporations declare present even higher Wi-Fi sign. Usually, they’re fairly easy to put in and get related, however should you’re combating methods to arrange your Wi-Fi extender, there are many YouTube movies you may take a look at.
Except for that, there are the scant few standalone Wi-Fi extenders that sit on an finish desk or a desk, and people look fairly just like common ol’ routers. However make no mistake, something labeled as an extender or a “Wi-Fi repeater” will want an anchor router to ensure that it to work.
One other handy characteristic you’ll discover on most Wi-Fi extenders is an additional Ethernet connection port (or a couple of). This lets you use the extender as a wi-fi entry level should you join it to your present router, or an adapter to supply gadgets like TVs, good dwelling hubs or recreation consoles a hardwired connection to the web. Unsurprisingly, this wired connection normally gives you with the quickest speeds attainable, so you might need to use it in your most important gadgets.
Wi-Fi extender FAQs
What is the distinction between a wifi booster and extender?
These days, there’s actually no distinction between a Wi-Fi booster and Wi-Fi extender – they’re simply completely different names for a similar factor. Beforehand, nevertheless, Wi-Fi boosters have been gadgets that obtained alerts from wi-fi routers, broadcasting them to a different community. This primarily extends the vary of the sign. Wi-Fi extenders broaden the protection inside your house’s Wi-Fi community, however typically you will note extenders described as boosters.
Is a Wi-Fi extender higher than a mesh router?
Mesh routers, or mesh Wi-Fi programs, use a number of gadgets (or nodes) throughout your house to create a bigger dwelling community. Primarily, you will have a number of routers round your house with these programs, and that can hopefully present the most effective protection attainable. Wi-Fi extenders, alternatively, are normally only one machine that extends your present Wi-Fi sign, and so they typically require you to change networks when connecting. Wi-Fi extenders are extra reasonably priced, although, and are nice should you’re touring or want a Wi-Fi sign in harder-to-reach areas. Nevertheless, a mesh router can provide a greater long-term resolution to improve your total dwelling’s Wi-Fi.
Ought to I exploit a number of Wi-Fi extenders?
Some folks may have to make use of a number of Wi-Fi extenders, as an example, if your house is giant or has useless zones in numerous areas. However should you do use a number of Wi-Fi extenders, there’s an opportunity of interference. You may additionally have to manually connect with the extenders individually, which isn’t all the time handy.
What’s the most distance for a Wi-Fi extender?
The utmost distance for a Wi-Fi extender varies relying on the mannequin, however most can successfully lengthen your wi-fi sign between 800 and a pair of,500 sq. ft. Some high-end fashions could attain even farther, particularly in the event that they characteristic exterior antennas or are a part of a mesh system with extra devoted wi-fi entry factors.
Nevertheless, needless to say real-world efficiency depends upon components like your house’s structure, wall supplies and interference from different gadgets. For finest outcomes, place your extender about midway between your router and the world with weak or no Wi-Fi connection. At all times examine the producer’s specs — a few of our prime picks clearly record their anticipated vary so yow will discover one that matches your house.
