Improve your network and extend its area of coverage with one of the best Wi-Fi extenders of 2021. These repeaters boost your network signal to reach every nook and cranny of your office or home. So, not only do they extend your coverage area, but they also provide uninterrupted signal throughout your space and minimize no weak spots.
A Wi-Fi extender or repeater will increase and improve your connectivity – for gaming and for productivity – and save you money since you won’t have to replace your router. It might be that an upgrade to a mesh Wi-Fi router or something with Wi-Fi 6 support is what your network needs. But for many folks, a Wi-Fi extender is more than a good enough fix, and it might be even more cost-effective.
To help you find the solution to your network blues, especially this back to school season, we’ve collected our choices for the best Wi-Fi extenders. If you’re wondering if you should buy a Wi-Fi extender , our guide below should help you decide. Be sure to check our price comparison tool included to get the best deals available .
(Image credit: Netgear) 1. Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 Tri-band WiFi Extender The best Wi-Fi extender in 2021 Specifications Bands: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4/5GHz simultaneous
Connectivity: 4 x RJ-45 10/100/1000M LAN ports
Features: Tri-band
Reasons to buy + Fast speeds and dependable network coverage+ Easy setup to create a mesh network
Reasons to avoid – Large and bulky
If you’re after a Wi-Fi extender that provides best-in-class performance for expanding your wireless network throughout your home, then the Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 Tri-band WiFi Extender is the one for you. You can use this extender to create a mesh network, so you have a single, large, Wi-Fi network, rather than smaller separate ones. This allows you to easily roam your house, and your device will seamlessly keep connected. It’s expensive, but it’s the best Wi-Fi extender you can buy right now, offering fast speeds and dependable network coverage throughout your home.
(Image credit: TP-Link) 2. TP-Link RE605X WiFi 6 Range Extender Simple set-up and solid performance Specifications Bands: 802.11ax 2.4GHz + 5.0GHz
Connectivity: 1x Gigabit Ethernet
Features: Wi-Fi 6, Intelligent Signal Light, TP-LINK Tether App
Reasons to buy + Affordable Wi-Fi 6 range extender+ Works with any router
Reasons to avoid – Only dual-band support, and 1800Mbps speed
If you’re looking to extend your newly-minted Wi-Fi 6 network to all four corners of your home, TP-Link’s RE605X WiFi 6 Range Extender is worth taking a look. It’s as affordable and as easy to set up as the RE650 extender while being backwards compatible with older Wi-Fi 5 routers. It isn’t just for the less savvy users, however. The RE605X also provides a web browser interface for more experienced users who want more control over their network settings.Read the full review: TP-Link RE605X WiFi 6 Range Extender
(Image credit: Netgear) 3. Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700 Mesh Range Extender The best affordable Wi-Fi range extender Specifications Bands: 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz
Connectivity: 2 x Ethernet
Features: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPS), Mesh connectivity
Reasons to buy + Small design+ Powerful enough for 4K content
Reasons to avoid – Pricier than most extenders
Bring the power and convenience of a mesh network to your home with the Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700. Not only does this extend the area of your Wi-Fi network, but it creates a seamless Wi-Fi network throughout your home or office – so you don’t need to switch networks while moving around.
Thanks to the powerful hardware inside the Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700, you can stream 4K content, play games and hook up all kinds of devices to your Wi-Fi network without a hitch. The included Ethernet ports are also a nice addition for bringing your network to wired devices.
4. TP-Link RE650 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender Simple and easy to use Specifications Bands: 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz
Connectivity: 1 x Ethernet
Features: Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPS), LED shows connection strength for easy placement
Reasons to buy + Good Wi-Fi performance at a competitive price+ Extra Ethernet port is really handy for older PCs
Reasons to avoid – Set-up takes a little while
TP-Link is a Chinese networking company that has been steadily gaining popularity in the west, and for good reason. With devices like the TP-Link RE650 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range extender, it’s easy to get why: this extender – among the best Wi-Fi extenders you can buy right now – does the job well, and it’s affordable. It’s not going to be the fastest Wi-Fi extender out there, but with the range this extender provides at the price it’s available at, it’s a steal. Finally, thanks to an LED signal indicator on the front, installation is a breeze.
Read the full review: TP-Link RE650 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender
(Image credit: Devolo) 5. Devolo Mesh WiFi 2 All-in-one PowerLine and mesh networking kit Specifications Bands: 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz
Connectivity: 4 x RJ-45 10/100/1000M LAN ports
Features: multi-user MIMO technology, future-proofed G.hn Wave 2 standard, access point steering
Reasons to buy + Mesh Wi-Fi networking+ Two Gigabit Ethernet ports on each adaptor
Reasons to avoid – Unhelpful app and documentation
Extend your network through thick walls and into the furthest corners of your space with the Devolo Mesh WiFi 2. Boasting both mesh Wi-Fi features and versatile powerline connectivity, this device can even follow you and your mobile devices around, automatically switching you to the closest adaptor and the fastest Wi-Fi band. It even has three adaptors that give you five Gigabit Ethernet ports for fast, wired connections. This is the best Wi-Fi extender for games consoles, smart-TVs and other devices that work best with wired connections.
Read the full review: Devolo Mesh WiFi 2
(Image credit: Netgear) 6. Netgear Orbi Whole Home Mesh WiFi System Fast, affordable, tri-band mesh Wi-Fi Specifications Speed: IEEE 802.11ac dual-band with 1x 2.4GHz (400Mbps), 1x 5GHz (866Mbps)
Connectivity: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet
Features: Beamforming implicit and explicit for 2.4GHz/5GHz bands
Reasons to buy + Affordable dual-band mesh Wi-Fi system+ Good performance for mid-sized spaces
Reasons to avoid – Only one Ethernet port for wired connections
The tri-band Orbi Whole Home AC1200 offers solid performance at a reasonable price, and will be a good choice for most small and medium-size homes that need to improve their Wi-Fi coverage. It’s simple to set-up and use for newcomers, although Netgear’s decision to use Disney’s subscription-based Circle service for parental controls is discouraging, considering that rival routers and mesh systems have often provided better parental controls for free. The lack of Ethernet ports for wired connections as well as more advanced features in the Orbi app might turn off experienced users as well.
(Image credit: Linksys) 7. Linksys Velop Wi-Fi extender Layman’s mesh Wi-Fi comes at a cost Specifications Bands: 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz
Connectivity: 2 x Gigabit Ethernet per unit (1 WAN and 1 LAN each)
Features: App-based setup; dual-stream (2×2), 802.11ac networking; 716MHz quad-core ARM Cortex A7 processor, beamforming
Reasons to buy + Fully modular mesh network+ Inconspicuous design
Reasons to avoid – Performance too dependent on position
The Linksys Velop offers a solid argument for a wireless mesh network’s ease of setup. Looking to replace both your router and your now-antiquated range extender, the Velop comes at a time when companies like Google and Netgear are trying to accomplish the same thing. The main way Linksys hopes to stand out from its competitors in the wireless mesh networking space is with a user-friendly setup that anyone with a smartphone can easily do. With just a visit to the App Store or Google Play marketplace, you’ll have the Linksys Velop up and running in a matter of minutes. It’s certainly a worthy addition to our list of the best Wi-Fi extenders.
Read the full review: Linksys Velop
8. Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere Powerline 1200 AV2 Two birds with one stone Specifications Bands: : 802.11n (up to 300Mbps) 802.11ac (up to 866Mbps)
Connectivity: : 3x Gigabit LAN ports
Features: : 300m range over electrical power lines, Auto-connects to other TRENDnet powerline adapters, QoS Management support
Reasons to buy + Easy to set up and straightforward to reconfigure+ Three LAN ports
Reasons to avoid – Flawed Design
If you need a great way to upgrade your network so you can have fantastic coverage anywhere in your house, a powerline adapter is a remarkable option. Not only do they offer the same functionality as the best Wi-Fi extenders, but the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere Powerline might just be a dream come true.
It’s not exactly visually pleasing, and the price tag may be a bit much. However, this unit more than makes up for those issues with sheer performance. And, unlike other powerline adapters, the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere features a clone button that will clone the SSID and WPA key of your network so that it can double as a Wi-Fi extender.
Read the full review : Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere powerline 1200 AV2
This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Linksys Velop (Image credit: Linksys) 9. Linksys RE7000 Max-Stream AC1900+ Wi-Fi Range Extender Another great compact Wi-Fi extender Specifications Bands: : 802.11ac dual-band
Connectivity: : 1x Gigabit LAN ports
Features: Seamless roaming, deadspot finder
Reasons to buy + Easy to set up+ Compact size
Reasons to avoid – Can run hot– Not the best performance
If you want a small, discrete, Wi-Fi extender that will reliably spread the coverage of your network throughout your home or office, then the Linksys RE7000 Max-Stream AC1900+ Wi-Fi Range Extender is a great choice. It’s small enough that it won’t block other power outlets (like some larger Wi-Fi extenders can do), and it offers pretty good performance for a nice low price. Best of all, it comes with a ‘dead spot’ finder that allows you to locate where your network strength is the weakest. By installing it there, you should see a nice boost to your Wi-Fi.
Product Plume Superpods Netgear AC1200 WiFi Range Extender EX6150 D-Link Wi-Fi Dual Band Range Extender DAP-1520 TP-Link RE350 AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender 5. Linksys RE6500 AC1200 Dual-Band Wireless Range Extender D-Link DAP-1320 Wireless N300 Range Extender Linksys Velop Wi-Fi extender Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere Powerline 1200 AV2 Bands 802.11b/g/n/ac 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz 802.11n 2.4GHz 802.11ac 5GHz and 2.4GHz 802.11n (up to 300Mbps) 802.11ac (up to 866Mbps) Connectivity 2x Gigabit LAN ports 1x Gigabit LAN ports N/A 1x Gigabit LAN ports 4 x Ethernet, Audio Jack N/A 2 x Gigabit Ethernet per unit 3x Gigabit Ethernet ports