10 Best Wifi Extenders 2024 in the US

An average American home will probably have several devices that require Internet access at the same time. You might have a desktop computer, a laptop, maybe a tablet, a gaming console, and even a Smart TV. A wireless router can solve some of your connectivity problems, since they can allow for as many as 20 devices at once. But what if there are spots in your home or office that receive a weak signal? If you have tried changing the location of your router or upgrading your router with no improvement, and connecting all of your devices by means of Ethernet cables to the router isn’t feasible, that’s where WiFi extenders come it. They will take in the WiFi signal from the router, boost it, and transmit it further.

But it's not so simple to just buy a WiFi range extender off the shelf and plug it in. You'll probably want to clarify if it supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands--if you need 5 GHz Internet--and whether it will support your high-speed Internet needs. It's also important to check if it's secure, with password protection and the like. You'll also need to check if it's adequate for a two-story house, or whether it will be able to ensure connectivity even through the walls of your house.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting a WiFi extender. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of WiFi extender,

• See useful tips about that type of WiFi extender,

• Read reviews of different WiFi extenders, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of WiFi extender, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

WiFi Extenders are essentially a pair of wireless routers, with one picking up the signal from your WiFi network, and one broadcasting it through your house, to be picked up by a tablet or laptop. But there is a distinction between whether it does this on a single-band, or on a dual-band or tri-band:

• Single-band: This extender will receive and transmit the signal on the same channel, at the same frequency, at 2.4 GHz and a speed of 300 Mbps or 600 Mbps. An example is the Canis Wifi Range Extender.

Canis Wifi Range Extender

However, this method results in a much slower connection than if you would connect to the Internet to your WiFi network without the WiFi Extender. As a result, there are also dual-band and tri-band extenders:

• Dual-band and Tri-band: A dual-band WiFi extender will utilize two frequencies for receiving and broadcasting: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. An example is the Netgear AC1200 WiFi Extender:

Netgear AC1200 WiFi Extender

There are also tri-band extenders, such as the Netgear Nighthawk X6S WiFi Mesh Extender, which uses one 2.4 GHz signal and two separate 5 GHz signals. The advantage is that separate devices that demand fast signals, such as video or gaming, will be put on separate bands. This will ensure that the signal doesn’t suffer degradation.

Netgear Nighthawk X6S WiFi Mesh Extender

• Devices that you can connect:  The Rock Space WiFi Repeater allows you to hook up a wide number of devices, such as Apple iOS devices, Android devices, Samsung smartphones, PCs, PlayStation, and much more.

• Different WiFi names: Some WiFi extenders require that you’ll have different names for your WiFi router and your WiFi extender. Some have the convenience of using the same name, making the whole range into one big network. An example is the Netgear Nighthawk Mesh X65 Tri-Band WiFi extender. It will automatically connect you to the router, or the extender, depending on which is giving a better signal to where you’re located.

• Desktop or wall plug versions: There are differences in how WiFi extenders get their power. There are WiFi extenders that plug directly into an outlet, such as the TP-Link Wall Plug Universal WiFi Range Extender (Model TL-WA850RE).

TP-Link Wall Plug Universal WiFi Range Extender

Then there are desktop models, which require that you plug an AC adapter into the wall to supply the extender with power. An example is the Netgear Nighthawk X6S WiFi Mesh Extender.

Netgear Nighthawk X6S WiFi extender's back panel, with DC power input

• Convert a wired network to a wireless network: Not only can a WiFi extender increase the range of a wireless network. It can also be used to convert a wired network to a wireless one! You’ll see that a WiFi range extender has an Ethernet port. If you have a wired router, you can hook up an Ethernet cable from the router to the WiFi extender. That will convert a wired router into a wireless network, starting from the WiFi extender.

• WPS button: You’ll see that many routers and wifi extenders have a button with the letters “WPS”. This stands for “Wifi Protected Setup”. It allows for wireless connections to be faster and more secure. For example, the latest protocols use WPA (WiFi Protected Access), WPA-PSK (WPA Pre-shared key), and WPA II with AES(= WiFi Protected Access II with Advanced Encryption Standard) protocols. They differ in their levels of encryption, with each standard being a notable increase in security. If your WiFi connection uses WPA Personal or WPA2 Personal Security protocols, it will be suitable for WPS. When you press that WPS button on the range extender, it searches for new devices in the area. When you select the range extender’s network on the device--be it a tablet, laptop, or wireless printer--the device is automatically connected to the network, even without entering the network security password.

• Range: The range of a WiFi extender is important since that’s a big determinant as to how much it will improve your WiFi connection. The Canis Wireless WiFi Repeater has a range of 300 meters.

• Difference between the two bands: As we said, there are dual-band WiFi extenders, that broadcast over 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. A notable difference is that the 2.4 GHz band has better penetration through walls and other obstacles, and it transmits for a longer distance. The 5 GHz channel is faster and is recommended for streaming video or playing games. But, the 5 GHz band is more susceptible to barriers.

• Internet protocols: The best WiFi extenders will work will the newest Internet protocols. You’ll want WiFi extenders that will support the 802.11n and 802.11ac protocols, such as the TP-Link Wall Plug WiFi Range Extender. It is also backward-compatible for older protocols, such as 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.

• Rock Space is a manufacturer of mobile phone and tablet accessories, as well as smart devices, earphones, and speakers. Their range extender is a 2.4G repeater works at 300 Mbps, and can cover an area of 1615 square feet.

• Netgear is based in San Jose, California. Since 1996, it has been a leader in making networking solutions, making WiFi routers, range extenders, DSL and cable modems, and much more.

• TP-Link, founded in 1996, is based in Shenzhen, China. They make wireless routers, range extenders, powerline adapters, access ports, Soho switches, Internet switches, IP cameras, and much more.