Let’s face it- weak Wi-Fi signal, slow internet, and dead zones can be a modern-day nightmare.
You don’t necessarily have to live in a sprawling apartment or a big town house to run into dead zones. These dead zones make connecting to your in-home Wi-Fi network a problem in spots that are farther away from your router. Whether you are suffering from weak Wi-Fi signal in certain corners in your apartment or your wireless signal somehow drop in specific spots in your house, know that it could be a Wi-Fi dead zone.
If you are trying to catch an episode of your favorite TV show while catching some rays but can’t get sufficient poolside Wi-Fi signals, don’t rush into purchasing a new router. At times, all you need is a Wi-Fi range extender to give your Wi-Fi signal the push it needs to reach the pool area, the basement, and even the backyard.
As the name suggests, a Wi-Fi extender is responsible for picking up your router's Wi-Fi signal, amplifying it, and more importantly, rebroadcasting the boosted signal.
It can be quite challenging to keep your Wi-Fi signal consistent around your home, especially when you are living in a big apartment or town house. Well, that is exactly where Wi-Fi extenders step in. Whether you are scrolling through social media in the garden or working, you need a stable and steady Wi-Fi signal and high-speed internet to get the job done.
Wi-Fi extenders can turn out to be a seasoned streamer’s best friend who keeps moving to different parts of the house seeking privacy or comfort. A reliable extender ensures that you get the wireless signal you are paying so much money for – one that is supposed to let you stream without that buffering icon.
Certainly, lost connections and poor loading times can test your patience while browsing the internet. A Wi-Fi extender will ensure your Wi-Fi signals reach all ends of your house. These extenders are fairly easy to install and come in different shapes and sizes, and support different speeds, but they have their limitations.
If you are looking for the best Wi-Fi extenders in 2020, we have got you covered! Not only we surveyed the market but evaluated models based on coverage, speed, cost and design. So, let’s take a look at the extenders you can install to expand your Wi-Fi coverage and enjoy movies even in the backyard.
The D-Link DAP-1650 has two features that are hard to beat: It not only works as an internet access point but also acts as a media server.
Whether you have to catch up a match or want to stream your favorite movie on Netflix while snuggling under the blanket, you will probably want to plug your Ethernet cable right into your laptop instead, just so you don’t have to face any lag or buffering. With the D-Link DAP-1650, you can enjoy an enhanced wired connection experience, that too without having to sit in the proximity of your router.
When you are looking at family photos, your family would no longer need to gather around your tiny cellphone screen as you can set up the D-Link to behave as a media server.
This way, everyone in your family would be able to open up the media server on their own handheld device, laptop, mobile phone or tablet, to reminisce good old days.
Although the three-pronged design makes the TP-Link RE450 less attractive, what you need to know is that most reviewers have given it 5-star rating on Amazon due to its remarkable performance. The TP-Link’s RE450’s capability to spread Wi-Fi signals via walls and floors to different parts of the house is something that makes this extender exceptional.
One of the downsides to TP-Link RE450 is that it does not come with USB ports; however, it still furnishes a dual-band connection and gigabit Ethernet port, so you can plug it in your PlayStation and have a blast with your favored game, or use it to stream your favorite Netflix in 4K.
If you want really strong signals, consider opting for the NETGEAR X6S Wi-Fi as it comes with two bands i.e. 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz that your devices can connect to. On top of that, it has a third 5 GHz band that is committed solely to talking to your router. As it dedicates one of its 5 GHz bands to communicate with the router, there is no chance of competition between the two.
When you choose this extender of the Nighthawk variety, you are set to benefit from MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology. Meaning, the NETGEAR extender is capable of communicating with a variety of your devices at the same time through MU-MIMO technology.
If you find your internet speed is subpar in certain areas of your home, it may be worth getting Nighthawk X6S EX8000 extender. You will be amazed to know the Nighthawk is also responsible for keeping the same SSID (Service Set Identifier) as your router, so you will not necessarily have to jump from your router’s network to your extender’s as you have your morning coffee while moving around the house.
Yes, you read it right. You will not lose your Wi-Fi signal even if you don’t switch to the Wi-Fi network of the extender when you go to the backyard, poolside, or upstairs. The best part about the Netgear’s EX8000 extender is that it not only combines Wi-Fi coverage under one network name, it also does not reduce the current speed of your router. If you are actually interested in extending Wi-Fi coverage throughout your house, it would be worth investing in an extender that comes with such great features.
Of course, TP-Link N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender will not be as flexible, advanced, or intelligent as one from Netgear, but it will certainly turn out to be more cost-effective.
The TP-Link’s N300 comes at quite an affordable price but you will have to sacrifice some features for a more basic approach to a Wi-Fi extender.
Even though this extender does not come with a gigabit port and only runs on a single 2.4 GHz band, it brings good value for money, especially if you are not interested in availing yourself of Gig-high speeds (1,000 Mbps) and don’t need to connect multiple devices to your in-home Wi-Fi.
If you have an area around the house where you are supposed to have Wi-Fi signals but your device fails to connect to the internet, this is exactly where NETGEAR’s EX6120 will come to your rescue! It will turn out to be a ready and inexpensive answer to the problem.
Though the TP-Link N300 price is hard to beat, EX6120 from the Netgear family is still one of the most affordable extenders. Not only that, it functions upon the AC1200 standard that is responsible for supporting much faster speeds compared to TP-Link’s N300.
In case, you are an avid gamer or have a big household passionately browsing the internet, you will certainly need something that is a little more superior. However, this can be a perfect option for you if all you have to do is to surf the internet while sitting in your favorite spot where the signal is always weak.
Are Wi-Fi extenders really effective?
If you need extra coverage to restore life to the dead zones around your town house or apartment, Wi-Fi extenders will certainly turn out to be effective. When you choose to invest in an extender, you are more likely to experience a stable and fast connection. However, what you need to know is extenders are not always the solution to a lost connection or poor loading speed.
In some cases, there are other reasons that lead to lagging internet speeds or a weak Wi-Fi signal. At times, if your internet speed is too slow, it will certainly not be able to support the bandwidth you need to handle your streaming activity.
Chances are you haven’t placed your router in a suitable spot in the house. This could be one of the major reasons why you may have problems downloading and browsing the internet. When your router is placed in the wrong spot, it doesn’t let the signal reach everywhere you need it to go. In case you find your router is old and outdated, it would be ideal to consider investing in a long-range router.
Where should I place my Wi-Fi extender?
Try to place your Wi-Fi extender in a location where it can easily pick up the signal from your router. This is one of the most effective ways to get the best out of your Wi-Fi extender.
When both the router and the extender have good coordination facilitated by correct placement, you end up enjoying a speedier internet connection. Just make sure you keep any metal appliances out of their way so you can have stable signals at all times.
All in all, when you start experiencing dead zones at home, first take the time to reset the router to deal with the problem. In case, you still find dead zones in specific spots of your residence, make a wise decision by opting for a Wi-Fi extender from the aforementioned list. It certainly plays a vital role in expanding in-home Wi-Fi coverage.
A Wi-Fi extender ensures that your router’s WI-FI signals are picked up and further amplified to rebroadcast a boosted internet signal.
The D-Link DAP-1650 Wi-Fi extender is no doubt the best one, as it works both as an internet access point and a media server.
Yes, it is, since it managed to spread your Wi-Fi signals through walls and floors throughout the house, making it an exceptional Wi-Fi extender.
It’s always recommended to place a Wi-Fi extender in a location where signals can be picked up easily, without any hindrance.