7 best Wi-Fi Extenders (2022 best Wi-Fi Boosters Edition )

The best Wi-Fi range extenders will eliminate all the dead zones and give you the fastest Wi-Fi connection in every room. But how do you get the best Wi-Fi extender for your home?

With the current corona outbreak, most of the family members are working from home. Additionally, the children are also not attending school but learning online which means our houses are always full.

If this is the case, working from your living area might be a major challenge. This is because there is too much traffic there and everyone wants a piece of TV or internet device.

The challenge with most homes is that the Wi-Fi connections are stable and fast near the router and diminish in stability and speed as you move far away from the router.

If we want to set a working area in our bedroom or in some private corner in the house, it will most definitely have a poor Wi-Fi connection or might be a dead zone.

However, this should not be the case with the current Wi-Fi range extenders being available. The long-range WiFi extender can boost the network by re-amplifying the wireless signal from your router further into the dead zones.

These extenders are majorly touch and go. They will, however, require you to pick a good spot to ensure coverage to the area of concern. Once the spot is identified, you connect the Wi-Fi extender to the mains and press the WPS button to enable it to sync with the router and off you go.

The good news is that you can select an extender from a different company from your router. This thus enables us to review and give you the best of the best Wi-Fi booster to ensure you do not spend your hard-earned cash on a piece of junk.

Best Wi-Fi boosters for different ISPs

We also tested several Wi-Fi boosters for different ISPs based on compatibility with the routers, internet speeds, connected devices, and range. The following are the different articles to give you the best choice:

The Best Wi-Fi range extenders top picks

Wi-Fi ExtenderStrengthFeaturesCheck it out
Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi Range Extender AC2200 (RBW30)Best Orbi Mesh Range Extender 2020Tri-band: works with your Orbi router.
Range up to 1,500 sq. ft.
Wifi speeds: up to 2.2 Gbps
Devices:
CHECK IT OUT
TP-Link RE3000 Wi-Fi Range ExtenderBest extender for many devicesDual-band
Range: Up to 1,500 Sq. Ft.
Speed: Up to 1.200Mbps
Devices: Up to 25 devices
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Netgear EX3700 Wi-Fi Range ExtenderBest extender for small homesDual-band
Range: up to 1,000 sq. ft.
Devices: Up to 15
Speed: Up to 750Mbps
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D-Link DAP 1750 Wi-Fi Range ExtenderEasy to set up for budget-conscious customers Dual-band
4Gigabit ports
speed: up to 1,750Mbps
CHECK IT OUT
Linksys RE6500HG Wi-Fi Range ExtenderWi-Fi extender with the longest rangeDual-band
4Gigabit ports
Range: 10,000 sq. ft.
Speed: up to 1,200Mbps
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Amped Wireless AC2600 Range Extender (REC44M)Best for large homesDual-band
Range: up to 12,000 sq. ft
Speed: up to 2,600Mbps
1 Gigabit port
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Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 Wi-Fi ExtenderBest Wi-Fi range extenderThe best Wi-Fi extender: Tri-band, Range: up to 2,500 sq. ft.
Speed: up to 3000Mbps
Devices: up to 50
CHECK IT OUT

Best Wi-Fi range extender: Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 Wi-Fi Extender

Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 Wi-Fi Extender: The best WiFi range extender

Everything that you are looking for in a Wi-Fi extender will most definitely be found in this excellent Wi-Fi extender. The Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 gives you a performance befitting its status as the best Wi-Fi range extender.

It can be used to create a mesh network thus making your network a single large Wi-Fi network. This is different from some other extenders which create small separate Wi-Fi networks.

The Netgear Nighthawk X6S mesh network will allow you to move from corner to corner in your house without losing connectivity. The seamless connection will make your online activities enjoyable.

The long-range Wi-Fi extender gives you exceptional speeds of up to 3000Mbps which makes the device the best Wi-Fi extender for gaming or streaming among other internet intense activities.

One of the great things about the Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 is its compatibility with all other routers and networks. This way you can pick the Wi-Fi extender for every home.

As with the other excellent Netgear routers and extenders, this Wi-Fi booster is very easy to set up. This means you don’t have to worry about getting an expert to set it up for you.

What we like about Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000

  • This best Wi-Fi extender offers a powerful performance (range-2,500 square feet, 50 devices, and 3,000Mbps WiFi speeds)
  • It is easy to set up
  • It is a Tri-band extender thus giving you speed and reliability
  • This extender features Seamless Smart Roaming which means you can use your device on the go in every area of your home
  • It has 4 Gigabit wireless ports

What we do not like

  • It is a bit expensive even though it is worth every penny
  • It is large

Best Orbi Mesh range extender: Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi Range Extender AC2200 (RBW30)

Netgear Orbi Wi-Fi Range Extender AC2200 (RBW30): The best Mesh extender

For anyone who has a Netgear Orbi Home Mesh WiFi router, to extend its range you can use the Netgear Orbi RBW30 range extender. As usual Netgear routers, extenders, and their Orbi products never disappoint.

This range extender will let you move around in your house without losing your connectivity. Thus for gamers and people who love 4K streaming, you can do it on the go.

What stands out is the range and Wi-Fi speeds. The Netgear Orbi RBW30 AC2200 can give you an additional 1,500 square feet of Wi-Fi connection at top Wi-Fi speeds of up to 2.2Gbps.

Since the device is a tri-band Wi-Fi extender, the performance is assured at any range and for all the added devices. It is easy to set up using the Orbi app which can also be used to sync the satellite to the existing Orbi mesh network.

What Technology Reviewer likes about Netgear Orbi RBW30 (AC2200)

  • This Orbi extender gives you a powerful Mesh extension for your streaming or gaming.
  • The sleek design: The Orbi range gives you devices that you want to display in your house
  • It allows you to set up the Guest Wi-Fi on your network
  • The Netgear Orbi RBW30 adds 1,500 square feet to the range of your Home Mesh Network.

What we don’t like

  • It only can be connected to the Orbi Mesh network
  • This extender does not have Ethernet ports

Best Wi-Fi extender for many devices: TP-Link RE3000 Wi-Fi Range Extender

TP-Link RE3000 Wi-Fi Range Extender: Best extender for multiple devices

The TP-Link RE300 gives you great Wi-Fi speeds for your home devices. It can support up to 25 devices with high-speed Wi-Fi. This makes it the bargain of the season.

The compact dual-band extender also supports OneMesh systems, where you can roam in your house seamlessly. This is in addition to other routers, gateways, and access points.

The extender is able to give fast Wi-Fi coverage to a distance of up to 1,500 square feet. This serves to eliminate all the dead zones in your home.

The TP-Link RE300 extender is easy to set up. This is because it has a smart indicator light which helps to show the best location.

What we like about TP-Link AC1200 extender

  • The router can connect up to 25 devices
  • In conjunction with the TP-Link Archer A7 router, you can create a seamless OneMesh network for you to roam seamlessly with your devices.
  • It extends the range by up to 1,500 square feet.
  • The price is very manageable.
  • It is very easy to set up

What we don’t like about TP-Link Ac1200 (RE300) extender

  • The device may not work well for 4K streaming or HD gaming.

Best extender for small homes: Netgear EX3700 Wi-Fi Range Extender

Netgear EX3700 Wi-Fi Range Extender: Best for small homes

Coming from the Netgear brand that is well known for producing excellent internet connection devices, the Netgear EX3700 gives you excellent performance for a small home at a pocket-friendly price.

The device is made to extend your Wi-Fi coverage by up to 1,000 square feet. This is supported by two external antennas. This is great coverage for a small home and it will support up to 15 devices with Wi-Fi.

This dual-band extender is able to support speeds of up to 750Mbps. This means it works on most of the ISP tiers that are most subscribed to. In addition, the device has 10/100Mbps Ethernet ports for your wired devices.

The extender is also very easy to set up using the WPS button. This button when pressed helps to connect to the router easily.

Finally, this extender the router ensures your data security and safety through advanced security measures. These include WEP and WPA/WPA2 wireless security protocols.

What Technology Reviewer likes about the Netgear EX3700 extender

  • It has impressive speeds for a router its stature
  • The extender is a double-band router thus can support huge loads
  • This extender is easy to install
  • It works with all Wi-Fi routers

What Technology Reviewer does not like

  • The coverage is quite limited in case you buy it for a large home
  • It is not ideal for heavy-duty use

Easy to set up budget extender: D-Link DAP 1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender

D-Link DAP 1750 Wi-Fi Range Extender: Easy to set up budget extender

When you have a modest budget and still want great Wi-Fi speeds this is your device.

The D-Link Dap 1750 Wi-Fi range extender is loaded with dual-band technology to ensure you get good speeds. Therefore, it gives you speeds of up to 1,750Mbps.

The extender uses wireless 802.11n/g/b/a backward compatibility for great internet connections. Furthermore, the extender features a high-speed Ethernet port to connect your wired devices to high-speed internet.

It also features other advanced technologies that enable it to work with all certified routers and home devices.

As indicated in the introduction, the extender is a plug-and-play device. With just powering it and a push of a button, you can connect all your home devices easily.

Finally, it features advanced security measures to keep your connections secure. These include WPA2/ WPA wireless encryption for the safety of your data.

What we like

  • It offers great Wi-Fi speeds
  • It has advanced security features
  • The price is very friendly
  • It is quite easy to install

What we don’t like

  • It works better when connected to the main router using an Ethernet cable

The compact extender: Linksys RE6500HG Wi-Fi Range Extender

Linksys RE6500HG Wi-Fi Range Extender: Compact Wi-Fi range extender with a long-range

This extender, from one of the biggest manufacturers of networking devices, is compact and effective. The Linksys RE6500HG range extender has some advanced features when compared with other range extenders.

When they talk about range extension, this is an exceptional device. The long-range WiFi extender can extend the Wi-Fi network by up 10,000 square feet. This is facilitated by the two high-gain dipole external antennas.

The dual-band extender can provide your devices with Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1,200Mbps. These speeds ensure that you can stream your movies or participate in an online game without getting any lags. Moreover, the extender has 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports for your wired devices.

What we like about Linksys RE6500HG

  • It has one of the widest coverage of all the reviewed extenders
  • The extender provides good value for the price
  • It has 2 Gigabit ports and an audio jack for connection to external devices
  • It is easy to set up and use

What we did not like about Linksys RE6500HG

  • The device manual is not well elucidated
  • It requires frequent reboots to ensure that the Wi-Fi works well

Best for large homes: Amped Wireless AC2600 Range Extender (REC44M)

Amped Wireless AC2600 Range Extender (REC44M): Best for large homes

If you need an extender that will broadcast your Wi-Fi signal in your whole home plus the lawn, then the Amped REC44M range extender is your device.

The device is able to cover 12,000 square feet of your home with high-speed Wi-Fi. This is the widest coverage of all the devices above. The device is able to achieve this range due to the 16 high-power internal amplifiers and 4 high-gain internal and external antennas.

To top it up, the Wi-Fi speeds supported by the extender are excellent. It gives you Wi-Fi speeds of up to 2,600Mbps. This can cover all the devices at home while also supporting 4K streaming or gaming.

To ensure that your devices get the best signals there are in your home, the Amped REC44M has MU-MIMO technology. This means the amplifier can support many devices with high-speed Wi-Fi.

As seen in the photo, the device is small and classy for its performance. It is a worthy addition to any home. Furthermore, the device is very easy to set up using the Setup Wizard.

Finally, the extender has a Gigabit port for your wired devices. This also ensures that your wired devices gain from the high-speed internet in your home.

What we like

  • This extender is easy to install
  • It has the widest coverage of all devices reviewed
  • It gives you lots of management options
  • Amped REC44M Wi-Fi range extender offers exceptional Wi-Fi speeds on both bands

What we don’t like

  • The extender can not offer restricted access to the ‘internet only”
  • The customer service is not the best
  • Customers find it hard to operate

For those on AT&T, you can explore the AT&T WiFi extender top picks. These extenders will make your home to be a high-performance Wi-Fi area.

How to choose the best Wi-Fi extender for your home

Buying one of the best Wi-Fi range extenders should not be a hard thing. However, due to the number of extenders in the market today and the need for fast, reliable, and range of Wi-Fi connections we should check the following:

Wi-Fi range extender processor

This is the “engine” of the extender. For most Wi-Fi range extenders, having a powerful processor means that it will perform better. You will find that most of the extenders reviewed in this article have a dual-core processor.

A good processor will enable the extender to give you faster connections to multiple devices and at a range without failure or lags. An extender with a low-grade processor will most definitely lead to connection challenges in your home.

Number of bands

When comparing the Wi-Fi range extenders, checking the number of bands should be one of the most important considerations. This is because a dual-band or tri-band extender will comfortably handle more devices and Wi-Fi speeds as compared to a single-band extender. How disappointing would it be if you have a world-class router and a low-grade extender!

Most of the Wi-Fi extenders reviewed in this article have either dual-bands (2.4GHz and 5GHz) or tri-band (2.4GHz and 2 5GHz). A tri-band extender will off course give you a better performance as compared to a dual-band or single-band extender.

Range

Why are you buying a Wi-Fi range extender in the first place? It is to increase the Wi-Fi coverage in your home. Therefore, it is paramount to consider the Wi-Fi range extension by the extender you are buying.

The range of the extender will determine if it will help to cover your whole home with high-speed Wi-Fi or not. A long-range WiFi extender will enable you to carry out your activities in every room and even outside.

Compatibility with your router and devices

For a better experience, it is good to consider the compatibility of the Wi-Fi extender you are buying with the devices you have at home including your router. This will ensure that all your devices will get the service they deserve from your extender.

Fortunately, a huge percentage of the extenders are compatible with most devices. To ensure you do not pick an extender that will not serve your needs, check the details on the manual online before buying the extender.

Price

A Wi-Fi extender does not have to cost an arm and a leg to buy. However, there are some poor quality Wi-Fi range extenders available on the cheap in the market today.

As you are buying your Wi-Fi range extender, make sure that you do not compromise on the quality just to save a few coins. The good thing is that at your budget, there are a few extenders that you can compare before coming up with your choice.

For travelers, you should consider getting a good travel router. It gives you safety and performance when using a hotel or public Wi-Fi.

Frequently asked Questions (FAQ)

How do WiFi extenders work?

Wi-Fi extenders work by re-broadcasting the Wi-Fi signals produced by your router. They are also called Wi-Fi repeaters or Wi-Fi repeaters. This is because they take your Wi-Fi signal and repeat the signal to lengthen the coverage of the Wi-Fi signal. The Wi-Fi extenders also vary in the range they can cover depending on the technology used to make them.
The Wi-Fi extenders also vary in the number of bands they contain, the number of devices they can support, the Wi-Fi speed they can support, and also on the security features among other features.
Because of the lengthening of the signal coverage, the Wi-Fi extenders eliminate the dead zones in your house. The only problem with using the Wi-Fi extenders is that they most halve your throughput. Therefore, they will not give you a performance similar to the performance of your router.
In case you want the widest coverage in your home, we would recommend getting a long-range dual-band or tri-band router or a Mesh system.

How far away can I put my WiFi extender?

A WiFi extender when already configured needs to be placed midway between the router and the dead zone. This will enable the WiFi extender to pick signals from the router and broadcast it to the areas without WiFi coverage. If you place it far from the router, then it will not serve you well because it will pick poor signals for transmission. On the other hand, if you place it too near to the router, you will not cover your home fully with WiFi. In addition, placing the WiFi extender too close to the router creates overlaps in the networks. The WiFi boosters or repeaters can give you coverage of more than 150 square feet with the best having approximately 2500 square feet coverage.

Can you use 2 WiFi Extenders at the same time?

Yes, you can use 2 or more WiFi extenders at the same time (simultaneously) but with a few caveats! The best way to use them is to connect each to the WiFi router. That way you can place the router centrally and use WiFi extenders to cover the peripheries in your home. Do not wirelessly connect 2 WiFi extenders. Connecting 2 extenders will give you a poor performance from the second WiFi extender.

Can I daisy chain WiFi extenders?

No, we do not recommend creating a daisy chain among WiFi extenders. This is because, for the best performance, a WiFi extender must be connected to the WiFi router as discussed above. Daisy-chaining 2 or more WiFi extenders will give you an unsatisfactory performance on the WiFi extenders not connected to the router.

Is mesh better than extender?

Mesh systems are more Seamless, efficient, create a longer range, and are quick to update. However, in most instances, they are more expensive as compared to WiFi extenders. Therefore, if you want a seamless connection that can be extended even far, a mesh system is the best option. In addition, a mesh system mostly functions as a router and extender (complete replacements for your home Wi-Fi system) as compared to a WiFi extender that needs a connection to an existing router.

The best Wi-Fi extenders in a nutshell

We all like having access to high-speed internet connections in our homes or sometimes on our lawn. This is quite easy when you employ the above Wi-Fi range extenders in your home to complement your router.

Using these reviews and buying guides, we are quite sure that you will get a range extender that will work for your home. This means you can use the WiFi extender for Ring cameras and other home devices.

You can consider getting a long-range Wi-Fi router for your home. These routers ensure you get an excellent Wi-Fi connection even at range.