A mesh Wi-Fi system is also known as a whole-home Wi-Fi System. A Wi-Fi extender is one of the easiest ways to improve your home Wi-Fi speed, eliminate network black spots, and enjoy coverage that reaches every corner of your house. Wi-Fi extenders simply piggyback on your existing Wi-Fi connection and re-broadcast to provide a signal to those further-away places. We test reception and analyze their effective range, as well as each extender's included feature set and how well those features are implemented. A side-mounted WPS button can be used to connect to your router automatically. 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports. If basic troubleshooting isn’t effective at eliminating dead zones, you probably want to look into a Wi-Fi extender. It may also allow you to send your friend a guest Wi-Fi password or block certain content. Rated at 300Mbps, it only uses the 2.4GHz band so doesn’t offer the contention-reducing abilities of 5GHz, nor the speed of AC. You can change this manually by logging into the extender’s web interface or using TP-Link’s mobile app. The GigaGate is effectively a very fast two-part Wi-Fi extender using a dedicated Wi-Fi channel to shuttle data back and forth between a base unit connected to your router, and a satellite that’s in a room that has poor coverage. TP-Link offers a variety of wireless extenders, and this AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE650) is its premium entry in the extender space. Whereas range extenders communicate with the router via the 2.4GHz or 5GHz radio bands, most Wi-Fi system satellites use mesh technology to talk to the router, and to each other. Most plug-in range extenders only offer basic features at best, but the TP-Link RE220 also includes a signal strength tester and a High-Speed Mode in the app. Everything was consolidated to a single mesh network. As a Contributing Editor for PCMag, John Delaney has been testing and reviewing monitors, TVs, PCs, networking and smart home gear, and other assorted hardware and peripherals for almost 20 years. It’s one of the most cost-effective solutions. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Winegard Wi-FiiiW-2Wi-FiOutdoor WiFi Extender #8. 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It’s still a fairly large device, so is likely to block adjacent plug sockets, but it isn’t as tall as the Netgear EX7300. When choosing a product, also keep in mind that a mesh system represents total coverage, while a Wi-Fi extender represents additional coverage. See It. The 2.4GHz band was able … BT Complete Wi-Fi is a bit of an anomaly in our round-up of the best Wi-Fi extenders as it’s more than just a range extender – it’s a comprehensive whole home solution comprising a new BT Smart Hub 2 router and signal boosting discs similar to the ones provided with the BT Whole Home Wi-Fi solution. A Wi-Fi extender can help promote a more stable connection in areas where your standard Wi-Fi signal from a router alone is lacking. A mesh router with its own, dedicated range extenders will do an even better job of spreading a speedy Wi-Fi signal throughout your home. Most gamers will want to find a way to connect their gaming PCs using an ethernet cable—whether via a Powerline or just a long cable—but if that's impossible, then extending a Wi-Fi signal may be the next best thing. The antennas are internal, giving the RE7000 a compact size. Seamless roaming. I also spent time playing with each extender's settings. Think of your Wi-Fi signal like a sound wave, which gets quieter as it travels and goes through walls, doors, and floors. Upload speeds where typically in the single digits, and in most cases, my connection would drop after a few minutes in the room. As for setting a range extender up, you should know that it's about as painless as it gets. As such, a top-notch 5GHz AC router provides super-fast performance, even at long distances – so much so that, if you’re thinking of upgrading your router anyway, spending the extra on a top-end one may well eliminate the need to buy an extender. A cheaper, simplified version of the RBK50, our current best Wi-Fi range extender. The price is also a bit of sticking point – it’s not quite low enough to make this a must-have system. He's installed, tested, and configured just about every type and brand of router, firewall, wireless access point, and network extender in places ranging from single-family dwellings to office buildings. Aside from the cost, one downside to an Orbi system is that some of the more advanced features, like Netgear Armor, require a subscription. The device supports automatic firmware upgrades, which is nice, but you can't use the Linksys Wi-Fi app to tweak settings -- instead, you'll have to log in via the web portal. "I was able to get the extended signal all over my house—in every bedroom, closet, and even outside in the backyard." Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our Most of these other Wi-Fi extenders go for the unassuming, plug-into-the-outlet approach, and maybe stick a few small antennas into their design. Many mesh networks are compatible or come or equipped with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, or IFTTT. Chances are, a range extender will get the job done. The EX3700 also includes Netgear's signature Wi-Fi Analytics app, letting you check your signal strength or see what channels are getting particularly crowded. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, Better still, I didn't have multiple networks and extension networks to jump between.