Wi-Fi Extenders: Improve the Wi-Fi in Your Home

Chris Holmes Staff Writer

Updated 14 December 2023

In this Guide

What Are Wi-Fi Extenders?
Wi-Fi Extenders vs. Mesh Networks
Best Wi-Fi Extenders 2019
When to Replace Your Router or Modem
Finding the Best Internet Plan

Wi-Fi extenders allow you to reproduce your Wi-Fi internet signal in areas of your home where it's weak. These units are generally more affordable than mesh networking systems, though not quite as effective for bigger spaces. In this article, we'll tell you everything you need to know about WiFi extenders and point out some of the best units on the market.

If the Wi-Fi signal coming from your router isn't adequately covering all areas of your house, you'll want to consider a Wi-Fi extender. These nifty little units help to reproduce the signal coming from your router, giving you a connection where you didn't have it before. However, they're not without their drawbacks, particularly the degradation of the Wi-Fi signal that occurs when you use these units.

In this guide, we'll tell you how Wi-Fi extenders work and how they differ from mesh networking systems, and describe some of our favorites.

What Are Wi-Fi Extenders?

Wi-Fi range extenders reproduce a wireless signal, helping provide coverage in areas of your home that your router's signal area can't quite reach. These units tend to be relatively affordable (at least compared to mesh systems) and easy to set up. They're decent solutions for moderately sized homes, but don't work so well if you're really far away from the router. Also, Wi-Fi extenders deliver speeds that are generally half of what you get from your main router, and require you to log into a separate network.

Wi-Fi Extenders: Pros & Cons

Relatively affordable
Reliably extend your the coverage range of your Wi-Fi signal
Easy to set up
Not as effective for bigger houses or spaces
Deliver speeds that are generally half as fast as what you get from router
Use separate network SSID that you have to log into

Wi-Fi Extenders vs. Mesh Networks

Wi-Fi extenders essentially repeat the core Wi-Fi signal coming from your router, whereas mesh systems are like supplementary routers. Mesh networks really do work well—we've got Google Wi-Fi units in our office and they provide reliable coverage—though they tend to be quite expensive compared to Wi-Fi extenders. A decent extender can run as cheap as $50, whereas you're talking hundreds of dollars for a system of mesh units.

Wi-Fi extenders vs. mesh networking systems

Wi-Fi extenders

Relatively cheap
Easy to set up
WiFi speeds half as fast as source
Use separate SSID requiring login

Mesh systems

Can cover large houses and buildings
Stronger signal
Single wireless network—same SSID
Comparatively expensive

Best Wi-Fi Extenders

A word you'll commonly see in Wi-Fi extender reviews is "throughput." This is the rate at which a communication signal is reproduced. Our top picks here all feature best-in-class throughput (and low prices and easy setups).

TP-Link AC1900 WiFi Range Extender (RE580D)

This is very reasonably priced no-frills extender with excellent throughput performance.

It lacks USB connectivity and parental controls, but in terms of providing reliable WiFi coverage, it gets the job done.

Linksys RE6700 AC1200 Amplify Dual Band WiFi Range Extender

This is another affordable unit that, while lacking certain features, delivers good throughput and is easy to install. One feature it does have is "Spot Finder" technology to quickly find the right location for the unit.

Amped Wireless AC1750 WiFi Range Extender (RE1750A)

Amped Wireless' AC1750 is exceedingly easy to install and delivers good throughput, allowing for up to 12,000 square feet of additional Wi-Fi coverage. The AC1750 allows you to connect up to 5 devices—i.e. smart TVs, gaming consoles—into the wired unit's wired ports. Definitely one to consider.

D-Link WiFi Dual Band Range Extender DAP-1650

D-Link's attractive-looking and reasonably-priced DAP-1650 offers stellar 5GHz performance and four Gigabit LAN (ethernet) ports. As with all of the other units on this list, the DAP-1650 is exceedingly easy to set up, with one reviewer saying he had it up and running in 60 seconds.

When to Replace Your Router Or Modem

We've covered Wi-Fi extenders and how they can help reproduce your Wi-Fi signal, but if you're having problems in close proximity to the source, it might be time to get a new router.

Finding the Best Internet Plan

If you've done everything you can in terms of hardware and still not getting the kind of internet speed and reliability you need, you'll want to review your internet plan and provider and consider switching to a new one. Our internet plan comparison engine makes doing this a cinch. Simply type in your address and press "search." You'll be presented with all of the internet plans available in your area.

Chris Holmes

Staff Writer

Chris Holmes is a Contributing Writer for WhistleOut, where he covers the cell phone and internet industries. His work has been cited in publications like The Verge, The New York Times, and WIRED.

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