Best WiFi Extenders to Choose in 2020

How Does a WiFi Range Extender Work?

A WiFi extender doesn’t replace your existing router, it works together with it, making the original signal stronger.

WiFi extenders work like stereo amplifiers used for driving hi-fi systems. They use electric power from a power supply to increase the strength of the original WiFi signal, transmitting the amplified signal in the air. To accomplish this feat of engineering, WiFi range extenders contain two WiFi antennas: one is used for signal capture and the other one for signal transmission.

A WiFi extender is often referred to as “booster”, “repeater”, or “WiFi extender”, but all these names mean the same thing: a device that captures a WiFi signal, amplifies it, and transmits it.

Most wireless range extenders plug into the standard electrical outlet. They can be then set up with the help of the WPS button or a dedicated smartphone app. WPS is a network security standard that allows WiFi-enabled devices to communicate without entering long passphrases.

With modern WiFi extenders, you get to enjoy the same robust encryption protocols as you get with your main WiFi router, so there’s no need to worry about your privacy. However, you should be prepared for some speed loss. Some of the best WiFi extenders on the market can rebroadcast WiFi signal with only a negligible speed loss, but most single-band extenders lose up to 50 percent of the original bandwidth.

To minimize the speed loss, it’s paramount to position the WiFi extender in the optimal spot, preferably with the help of a professional app for wireless site surveys, Wi-Fi analysis, and troubleshooting such as NetSpot.

Desktop vs. Plug-In WiFi Range Extenders

When selecting the best WiFi extender, you need to decide whether you want to buy a desktop or plug-in extender.

• Desktop WiFi range extenders: As their name suggests, WiFi range extenders of this variety are meant to be placed on a desk or shelf and connected to power using a standard power cable. This gives you a lot of flexibility during installation since the only limiting factor is the length of the power cable. Because desktop WiFi range extenders can be positioned away from walls and other obstacles, they can typically achieve better coverage than their plug-in counterparts, but having a desktop WiFi range extender in the middle of a room is not everyone’s cup of tea.
• Plug-in WiFi range extenders: Most WiFi range extenders sold today are designed to be plugged directly into a wall outlet. Plug-in WiFi range extenders are extremely convenient to install as long as you have an available outlet in a suitable location. Perhaps the biggest downside of plug-in WiFi range extenders is the fact that they’re, by their design, always located close to a wall and electrical wires, both of which negatively affect the strength of the emitted WiFi signal.

Limitations of WiFi Range Extenders

WiFi range extenders are tremendously useful devices that can instantly extend the reach of a weak WiFi network and eliminate places of signal weakness. However, they do have certain limitations, and you should keep them in mind when researching which WiFi extender is the best and deciding whether a new WiFi router wouldn’t be a better solution:

• Separate network: WiFi range extenders create a separate network, which means that your devices must switch from your main network to the extended network as you move around your house. Some devices can transition between WiFi networks relatively smoothly, while others take a long time. Broadcasting one more WiFi network can also create issues with signal interference, especially in the 2.4 GHz band, which offers only three non-overlapping channels.
• Limited bandwidth: Because of how WiFi range extenders operate, they effectively reduce the available bandwidth in half for any device connected to them. If network performance is critically important to you, it might be a good idea to research other solutions, such as mesh networks.
• Another device to configure: When you buy a WiFi range extender to increase the reach of your existing network, you need to configure it separately from your router. From time to time, you should also check if there is an update available for your extender to keep it secure and in the best possible working condition.

If these limitations of WiFi range extenders are not dealbreakers for you, go ahead and move on to the next chapter of this article to learn how to use NetSpot to plan your WiFi extender purchase.

Top 10 Best Wireless Extenders

For your convenience, we’ve selected top 10 best wireless extenders that you can buy in 2020, and here are our picks: