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5 best Wi-Fi range extenders

Are you working from home due to coronavirus or any other reason? Whether you are working from home, playing online video games or just watching Netflix, you probably need a solid connection to the internet. Many devices like laptops or smartphones use apps and programs that require access to the internet which often leads to problems with the internet’s speed. Sometimes there are dead zones in your house or work building, where it is extremely hard to use any website, not speaking of downloading files or watching films. If your Wi-Fi router stands in the corner of one room on the ground floor, a person using the internet on the first or second floor won’t have access with Wi-Fi or will have difficulties with doing anything, that demands access to a stable connection. No worries, there is a solution! A wireless repeater is a device that helps with “spreading” the internet signal around all places, including dead zones. A wireless range extender takes an existing signal from your router and creates a second network. There are two types of Wi-Fi range extenders: plug-in and free-standing models. Let’s talk about plug-in Wi-Fi boosters first. One advantage is surely the price – you will pay no more than $50, which is a reasonable price for a device that delivers speeds of up to a few hundred megabits per second. It’s usually enough for a small house or an office. You can maintain above 50 Mbps and be able to watch series, videos or just surf the internet. It would be the best if the extender would be separated by one wall with the router or if the walls between would separate the extender and the dead zone. Free-standing range extenders were designed to be placed on a shelf, a table or a desk. They are more powerful than plug-in Wi-Fi boosters and they can deliver speed of 1 Gbps, which is 1,024 Mbps or even higher. Another difference is the price – in this case you need to pay between $50 and $200. Consider the size of your house or any other building, where you want to put the extender, and how many users will actively use the internet. We have prepared 5 devices that may wake your interests. All of them are available online.   

5. Wireless repeater Netgear AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 - Range extender

This is a wireless extender that offers good and steady signal and delivers 5GHz performance. It’s easy to install – you need to download the Netgear Nighthawk mobile app and create an account. Then follow the instructions and add the new device. It takes about 45 seconds to configure the extender. If you are having trouble with your current router not delivering a strong Wi-Fi signal, the Netgear AX180 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender (EAX15) can help. It can deliver a quite fast throughput. This Wi-Fi range extender has a single SSID, so you can easily create a mesh network. The price could be lower though, because it costs more than $120. The device covers up to 1,500 sq.ft.

4. Wi-Fi range extender Amped Wireless AC1750 (RE1750A)

What you surely can see, when you unpack the box, is the generous port selection. The Amped Wi-Fi extender hat 5 gigabit LAN ports and multiple amplifiers to boost your Wi-Fi signal, an USB 2.0 port, a Power Jack, 3 adjustable antennas that you can also remove if needed, a Wi-Fi Protected Setup button, a reset switch and a button that turns off the LED indicators. This is an example of an 802.11ac extender, which maximum throughput speeds are 450 Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band and 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band, although the second option doesn’t seem to work best. If you need a decent wireless repeater for your apartment or house, the Amped Wi-Fi extender may help you with solving the problem.

3. Wi-Fi extender D-Link AX1800 (DAP-X1870)

If you are struggling with weak internet signal, you are probably not able to work from home. The DAP-X1970 Wi-Fi extender will make the signal steady and strong, even if you have a dead zone. This generation Dual-Band Speeds is capable of streaming up to 574 Mbps (2.4GHz) and 1201 Mbps (5GHz). The device has a Gigabit Ethernet Port, WPS button and reset button. It is worth to mention that this is a plug-in type device that can create a single mesh network for all rooms at your home. The LED Smart Signal Indicator tells you if the signal is weak or strong and the whole setup process is easy and doesn’t take a lot of time. You can manage your home network with the free D-Link Wi-Fi app (it’s available both on Android and iOS).

2. Wi-Fi Range Extender TP-Link AC1750 (RE450)

Are you looking for a steady and very good throughput and range performance? The RE450 wireless repeater should satisfy your expectations, although you need to consider the price. The device costs more than $100. This is a plug-in type 802.11ac extender. The maximum data rate of the TP-Link AC1750 on the 2.4GHz band is 450 Mbps, and on the 5GHz band it’s 1,300Mbps. Here you can find a WPS button with an LED light that blinks blue when a WPS connection is in progress and it turns off when there is no active connection. Besides that, there is also a Power indicator, a reset button, and five gigabit Ethernet ports. You can create SSIDs for both bands and select a security protocol from WEP, WPA or WPA2. This is a good quality wireless repeater that costs between $60 and $100, depending on actual special offers.

1. Wi-Fi Mesh Range Extender Netgear AC2200 (EX7300)

Even though the price seems to be one of the highest, the EX7300 Wi-Fi range extender belongs to the most effective devices that you can find in order to strengthen your internet signal. It offers maximum speeds of 450 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, and 1,733 Mbps on the 5GHz band. It also supports the latest technologies like beamforming and MU-MIMO streaming. There is a single gigabit LAN port, next to a three-pronged plug. On the left side there are also Extender/Access Point switches, a power button, a reset button and a WPS button. Green LED light indicates great connection, amber when it’s a just fine connection and red when the connection is poor. To sum up, this is one of the best wireless repeaters that you can buy online.