{"id":99946,"date":"2018-05-31T22:16:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T22:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=99946"},"modified":"2025-07-01T23:27:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:27:26","slug":"which-wi-fi-extender-is-right-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/which-wi-fi-extender-is-right-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Wi-Fi extender is right for you?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If there\u2019s one thing we&#8217;re not a fan of at Softonic, it\u2019s poor Wi-Fi signal. Having grown up in the age of dial-up (yes, I am a dinosaur), it\u2019s easy to forget how amazing it is to work untethered anywhere in your home or office.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sometimes, though, dropouts or weak signal can really disrupt the flow of whatever you&#8217;re doing online. The solution is to buy a Wi-Fi extender, a device that&#8217;s designed to deliver a fast, stable connection throughout your home\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">by boosting range and signal strength. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As there are lots to choose from,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">we&#8217;ve put together a list of our favorites to help you decide which one is right for you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Best overall value<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/wq57Euu\">TP-LINK AC1200 Wi-Fi range extender<\/a> \u2013 $62.41<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-101392 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/716x3ocWqRL._SL1500_-148x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"148\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/716x3ocWqRL._SL1500_-148x300.jpg 148w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/716x3ocWqRL._SL1500_-505x1024.jpg 505w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/716x3ocWqRL._SL1500_.jpg 740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 148px) 100vw, 148px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Affordable<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gigabit ethernet port<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Better for range than speed<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This extender performs very well for the price. With a trio of booster aerials and an ethernet port, this is a super flexible unit that will enhance your home or office Wi-Fi with ease. It performs brilliantly at long range, and the intelligent signal light on the front helps you find the optimal location for the devices in your home.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-affiliation\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__content\">\r\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/wq57Euu\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__badge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$62<\/a>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__image\">\r\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/wq57Euu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\r\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51Vtr1j4w4L._SL1338_.jpg\">\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__body\">\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__text\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/wq57Euu\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__title track-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">TP-Link AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender w\/Gigabit Ethernet Port<\/a>\r\n                <p class=\"sc-card-affiliation__supplier\">\r\n                From: <strong>Amazon<\/strong>\r\n                <\/p>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__cta\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/wq57Euu\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__button\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Add to Cart<\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h2><b>Most stable connection<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/nK4A\">Devolo GigaGate<\/a> \u2013 $724.24<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-99948 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/devolo-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"381\" height=\"381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/devolo-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/devolo-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/devolo-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/devolo-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/devolo-1200x1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/devolo.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ultra fast<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Effortless setup<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Expensive for what it is<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Given its high price, the Devolo is a fairly niche extender for those with a lot more cash to spare. The design and performance is exceptional, and it&#8217;s one of the fastest extenders on this list. The device is a two-part system with one unit pairing with your router, and the other acting as a satellite. While it\u2019s not cheap, the Devolo really delivers on speed and ease of use.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-affiliation\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__content\">\r\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/nK4A\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__badge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$724<\/a>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__image\">\r\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/nK4A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\r\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/71RsZHTEPnL._SL1500_.jpg\">\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__body\">\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__text\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/nK4A\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__title track-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Devolo Gigagate Starter Kit<\/a>\r\n                <p class=\"sc-card-affiliation__supplier\">\r\n                From: <strong>Amazon<\/strong>\r\n                <\/p>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__cta\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/nK4A\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__button\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Add to Cart<\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h2><b>Best on a budget<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/EIvLRQ\">D-Link DAP-1320<\/a> \u2013 $14.07<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-99947 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/d-link.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"372\" height=\"372\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/d-link.jpg 466w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/d-link-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/d-link-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 372px) 100vw, 372px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Excellent 2.4Ghz performance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Compact design<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doesn\u2019t support 5Ghz<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is the smallest, cheapest extender on our list. It measures just 4.75 x 6.28 x 2.95 inches, so it should fit virtually anywhere in your house. Feature-wise, it\u2019s pretty light. It&#8217;s rated at 300Mbps and only uses 2.4Ghz. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, what it lacks in features, it makes up for in ease of use. Connecting is simplicity itself, simply press the WPS button on the side and it connects automatically. Alternatively, you can connect to the device&#8217;s default Wi-Fi signal, before linking it to your router. Performance, while not the fastest, is solid.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-affiliation\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__content\">\r\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/EIvLRQ\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__badge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$14<\/a>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__image\">\r\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/EIvLRQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\r\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41GCfG4TLBL._SL1000_.jpg\">\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__body\">\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__text\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/EIvLRQ\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__title track-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> D-Link Wireless N 300 Mbps Compact Wi-Fi Range Extender<\/a>\r\n                <p class=\"sc-card-affiliation__supplier\">\r\n                From: <strong>Amazon<\/strong>\r\n                <\/p>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__cta\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/EIvLRQ\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__button\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Add to Cart<\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h2><b>Best mesh network<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/vVYu\">Netgear Orbi<\/a> \u2013 $399.99<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-99949 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/orbi-1024x914.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"402\" height=\"359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/orbi-1024x914.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/orbi-300x268.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/orbi-768x686.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/orbi-1200x1071.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/04\/orbi.jpg 1350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 402px) 100vw, 402px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Blisteringly fast<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Easy to set up and use<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Consistent coverage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Very expensive<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Not the fastest at close range<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Orbi is both an extender and router in one. Instead of pairing with your home network, the Orbi expands it. So no fiddling with your router, just turn on the Orbi and you\u2019re good to go. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Orbi devices also use a 5Ghz backchannel to communicate with each other, so there\u2019s none of the drop-off from router-to-router chatter you get with less advanced products. It might not be the fastest in terms of raw speed, but it\u2019s definitely a worthy upgrade.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-affiliation\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__content\">\r\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/vVYu\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__badge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">$329<\/a>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__image\">\r\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/vVYu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\r\n                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/61tZeYtvsRL._SL1500_.jpg\">\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n\r\n        <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__body\">\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__text\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/vVYu\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__title track-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NETGEAR Orbi Home Mesh WiFi System <\/a>\r\n                <p class=\"sc-card-affiliation__supplier\">\r\n                From: <strong>Amazon<\/strong>\r\n                <\/p>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"sc-card-affiliation__cta\">\r\n                <a href=\"http:\/\/geni.us\/vVYu\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"sc-card-affiliation__button\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Add to Cart<\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We hope you\u2019ve found our suggestions useful, and we wish you a future filled with fast, stable, Wi-Fi.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__title\">More from Softonic<\/p>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"How to connect to a VPN from an iPhone or iPad\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/how-to-connect-to-a-vpn-from-an-iphone-or-ipad\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/03\/HowtoConnecttoaVPN_image1.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>How to connect to a VPN from an iPhone or iPad<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"The best VPNs for gamers\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/the-best-vpns-for-gamers\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/03\/best-vpn-image1.png)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>The best VPNs for gamers<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"How to encrypt your internet traffic\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/how-to-encrypt-your-internet-traffic\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/11\/Computer-Hacker-Theft-Hacking-Security-Padlock-1591018.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>How to encrypt your internet traffic<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"Why you should always pay for a VPN\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/this-is-why-you-should-always-pay-for-a-vpn\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/10\/Screen-Shot-2017-10-06-at-13.38.26.png)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>Why you should always pay for a VPN<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If there\u2019s one thing we&#8217;re not a fan of at Softonic, it\u2019s poor Wi-Fi signal. Having grown up in the age of dial-up (yes, I am a dinosaur), it\u2019s easy to forget how amazing it is to work untethered anywhere in your home or office. Sometimes, though, dropouts or weak signal can really disrupt the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/which-wi-fi-extender-is-right-for-you\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Which Wi-Fi extender is right for you?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9103,"featured_media":101394,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[2441],"tags":[1032],"usertag":[781],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-99946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-gadgets","usertag-purchaser"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9103"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99946"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":327925,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99946\/revisions\/327925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99946"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=99946"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=99946"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=99946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}