These can boost the signal and, in some cases, even stabilise your existing WiFi connection.Įxtenders range in price from less than £20 to over £300, depending on how wide the area you need to cover is. For those who live in big houses, or houses with thick walls, receiving signal in all corners of your home can be problematic.

However, the humble router can only cast its WiFi net so far. Add in your gaming setup (or your children's) and an excellent internet connection is essential. With home working from becoming the norm, there's more need than ever for a reliable laptop, as well as a separate keyboard, wireless mouse and printer to complete the 'home office' setup.

Increasingly, we depend on the internet in every room in the house, to connect our smart devices, be they phones, tables or toasters. What extenders can’t do is increase your data speed unless it’s wired to the router.Having a good, reliable WiFi signal at home has never been more important. Extenders have amplified antennas, so if you get a -80 dBm signal from your router while standing next to the bookcase, a Wi-Fi extender in that spot may broadcast a -38 dBm signal, which is far better-the closer to zero, the stronger the signal. This term applies to all Wi-Fi extenders because they “boost” your Wi-Fi range. This mode has the fastest data throughput if you use a wired connection, but it ties up the Ethernet port. It creates a new Wi-Fi network, so you must manually connect your wireless devices upon first use-they reconnect when you move outside the router’s range. With the access point mode enabled, the extender connects to your router using Wi-Fi, an Ethernet cable, or a coax cable. But your data throughput doesn’t increase in speed because there’s no wired connection to the router. It then captures and repeats your router’s Wi-Fi through amplified antennas, so you don’t need to manually disconnect and reconnect as you roam. To set it up, press the WPS button or log in to your Wi-Fi network through the repeater’s app or web interface. We’ll explain both modes and how an extender can boost your Wi-Fi.īy default, an extender connects to your router using Wi-Fi. Most Wi-Fi extenders now have two modes you can toggle from the bottom or the side: repeat and extend.

All three terms apply to the same thing: a standalone device for capturing your network signals and sending them into areas your router can’t reach.

Best wifi extender