In case your Wi-Fi speeds cannot sustain along with your demanding video chat wants, an costly new Wi-Fi mesh system or an web service improve might assist. However likelihood is, so will an under-$100 vary extender, particularly when you’ve got connection issues solely in a single space of your own home. Aptly named, vary extenders choose up your router’s Wi-Fi sign, amplify it, and rebroadcast the boosted sign. At PCMag, we take a look at range-extender throughput on all bands and visually map the sign utilizing specialised gear. We have examined practically 40 of them through the years, so you possibly can belief our professional critiques. Our present top-rated extender is the TP-Hyperlink RE715X. (See the editors’ notice beneath concerning the standing of networking-hardware maker TP-Hyperlink.) We’ll talk about it and a number of other really useful, examined options beneath, adopted by an in depth information to choosing the vary extender that meets the wants of your own home.
Deeper Dive: Our High Examined Picks
EDITORS’ NOTE
September 2, 2025: With this replace, our listing of really useful vary extenders stays unchanged. Our current picks have been vetted for availability and forex. Be aware that the US Commerce, Protection, and Justice Departments are investigating routers from TP-Hyperlink with a watch to a potential ban on gross sales within the US, in line with a report. For now, we retain our suggestions for the TP-Hyperlink merchandise listed right here, however we’ll reassess their standing pending additional developments.
(Credit score: TP-Hyperlink)
Execs & Cons
Simple to put in and handle
Quick throughput efficiency
OneMesh prepared
Helps 160MHz channels
Cumbersome
No pass-though outlet
Why We Picked It
The RE715X is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 vary extender that’s straightforward to put in, works with any Wi-Fi 6 router, and installs in minutes. It could even be used to create a mesh community in tandem with a suitable TP-Hyperlink router, which makes it a logical different for folks whose current routers work advantageous and who due to this fact need not spend $200 or up on a brand new mesh system with a number of nodes. The RE715X turned in strong scores in our throughput efficiency exams and did significantly effectively on the 5GHz exams, the place it garnered 410Mbps on the shut proximity (similar room) take a look at.
Who It is For
Apart from serving as a mesh different when coupled with a TP-Hyperlink router, the RE715X is a perfect candidate for somebody with a comparatively latest Wi-Fi 6 router from any producer who simply wants a bit of additional vary to hold their Wi-Fi alerts to a distant spare bed room or maybe the again deck.
Specs & Configurations
Wi-fi Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Pace (Complete Rated Throughput)
AX3000
Variety of Bands
2
Variety of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
1
Variety of Antennas
2
Study Extra
TP-Hyperlink AX3000 Mesh Wi-Fi 6 Extender (RE715X) Evaluate
(Credit score: TP-Hyperlink)
Execs & Cons
Good throughput efficiency
Quick, straightforward setup
Works with suitable routers to create a mesh community
Doesn’t assist 160MHz channels
No passthrough outlet
Cumbersome
Why We Picked It
At $99.99, this vary extender affords a reasonably cheap option to increase Wi-Fi protection with out having to put money into a brand new router or mesh system. It is smaller and cheaper than our high choose, the RE715X. In return for the area and cash saved, you surrender some efficiency in addition to assist for 160MHz channel width. Nonetheless, it is simple to put in and handle, and a strong performer total.
Who It is For
If it’s essential to increase the sign of your Wi-Fi 6 router, the RE600X is a strong possibility that will not break the financial institution. It is an particularly good selection when you’ve got a TP-Hyperlink router, since, like many TP-Hyperlink merchandise, it may be used to create a mesh community as a substitute of a separate prolonged one.
Specs & Configurations
Wi-fi Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Pace (Complete Rated Throughput)
AX1800
Variety of Bands
2
Variety of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
1
Variety of Antennas
2
Study Extra
TP-Hyperlink RE600X AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 Vary Extender Evaluate
Execs & Cons
Robust 5GHz throughput efficiency
Good sign vary
Shares host router SSID
Simple to put in
Why We Picked It
In case your router is having bother delivering a powerful Wi-Fi sign to sure areas of your own home however you detest the considered switching between in a different way named networks for various components of your home, the Netgear EAX15 may also help. It’s straightforward to put in, and you should utilize it to create a mesh-like community with out shopping for an entire new mesh system, because it helps single-SSID naming for seamless roaming when you’ve got a suitable Netgear router. It additionally helps the newest Wi-Fi 6 expertise, and it delivered strong efficiency on the 5GHz band in our testing.
Who It is For
Do you hate switching between community names as you progress out and in of vary? It is annoying, however in case you’ve already acquired a cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6 router, you are most likely reluctant to ditch it in favor of a complete new mesh system. The EAX15 is an effective different on this scenario, extending the Wi-Fi sign to beforehand underserved places in your home whereas letting you roam seamlessly from room to room with out worrying concerning the identify of the community you are on.
Specs & Configurations
Wi-fi Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Pace (Complete Rated Throughput)
AX1800
Variety of Bands
2
Variety of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
1
Variety of Antennas
2
Study Extra
Netgear AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender (EAX15) Evaluate
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Execs & Cons
Simple to put in
Mesh-ready
Good efficiency
Helps 160MHz channels
Cumbersome
No pass-through outlet
Solely middling sign power
Why We Picked It
The E30 is a dual-band extender that can be utilized with any Wi-Fi 6 router and can function as a node in a mesh community when paired with a suitable D-Hyperlink Aquila Professional router such because the Aquila Professional M60. Set up is straightforward, and the E30 posted aggressive scores in our throughput efficiency exams. At $99.99, it is more cost effective than shopping for a brand new router, and it makes use of Wi-Fi 6 expertise together with 160MHz channel transmissions.
Who It is For
If it’s essential to lengthen the vary of your current D-Hyperlink router, the E30 is an effective alternative as a result of it is going to create a mesh community at a considerably decrease price than shopping for an entire new mesh system.
Specs & Configurations
Wi-fi Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Pace (Complete Rated Throughput)
AX3000
Variety of Bands
2
Variety of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
1
Variety of Antennas
2
Study Extra
D-Hyperlink Aquila Professional AI AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Good Mesh Extender (E30) Evaluate
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Execs & Cons
Strong efficiency
160MHz channel bandwidth
Simple to put in
Works as a mesh node with suitable routers
No pass-through AC outlet
Middling sign power
Why We Picked It
The Asus RP-AX58 is a Wi-Fi 6 vary extender that plugs into an AC outlet to carry wi-fi connectivity to areas that your router can’t attain. It’s easy to put in, and it may be paired with an Asus AiMesh router to kind a mesh community. At $99.99, it’s proper in step with the price of different vary extenders, and its throughput efficiency is excellent primarily based on our testing.
Who It is For
If it’s essential to lengthen the vary of your current Asus router, the RP-AX58 is an effective alternative as a result of it is going to create a mesh community at a considerably decrease price than shopping for an entire new mesh system.
Specs & Configurations
Wi-fi Specification
802.11ax
Wi-Fi Pace (Complete Rated Throughput)
AX3000
Variety of Bands
2
Variety of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port)
Variety of Antennas
2
Study Extra
Asus RP-AX58 AX3000 Twin Band Vary Extender Evaluate
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The Finest Wi-Fi Vary Extenders for 2025
Examine Specs
Shopping for Information: The Finest Wi-Fi Vary Extenders for 2025
What makes vary extenders so engaging in contrast with a extra elaborate mesh system is that they’re straightforward to put in and cheap. Pair one with a budget-priced router, and you may construct a tandem system with protection that rivals what you’d get from a single high-priced router or mesh community. Vary extenders are available in varied shapes, sizes, and speeds, however they’ve limitations: They’re usually half as quick as your major router, they usually create a separate prolonged community that makes seamless roaming troublesome.
Relying on the dimensions and structure of your own home, a mid-to-high-end router might present all of the Wi-Fi protection you will want. However some degree of sign degradation is nearly a certainty for houses constructed with dense supplies like brick, concrete, plaster, and metallic. Likewise, houses with a number of flooring and plenty of partitions are extra inclined to sign loss than a one-story dwelling with an open ground plan. In some circumstances, you possibly can relocate your router to a central location to ship a stronger sign to these lifeless zones that have been beforehand out of attain.
In most houses, nevertheless, the router’s location is tied to the room the place the web enters the home, which suggests relocating the router will probably require working an Ethernet cable to the specified space. Vary extenders present a comparatively straightforward option to ship Wi-Fi with out working cables.
(Credit score: TP-Hyperlink)
When looking for a variety extender, discovering one which matches your router’s specs is important. For instance, when you’ve got a dual-band AC1900 router, get a dual-band AC1900 extender (or higher). In case your router helps Multi-Consumer A number of Enter A number of Output (MU-MIMO) knowledge streaming, which offers enhanced efficiency by sending knowledge to suitable shoppers concurrently fairly than sequentially, search for an extender that helps this expertise if you wish to lengthen your MU-MIMO community.
The identical goes for the newest Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 applied sciences, the present quickest flavors of Wi-Fi. When you just lately purchased a brand new router that helps these requirements, you will undoubtedly wish to guarantee any vary extenders additionally assist them.
How Does a Wi-Fi Vary Extender Work?
A Wi-Fi vary extender boosts the Wi-Fi sign out of your current router for higher protection all through your own home. To do that, it picks up the alerts from a selected Wi-Fi entry level (your router). Relying on the model and mannequin of the machine, it then both boosts the alerts underneath the identical community identify (SSID) or underneath a brand new SSID that have to be created and configured. You’ve most likely seen this earlier than, the place a house’s community has a “SmithHouse” for upstairs and “SmithHouse_EXT” for downstairs. Your gadgets will typically keep on one till it is completely out of vary; then, you possibly can change over to the nearer vary extender to get a greater connection.
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Some vary extenders do extra than simply increase your Wi-Fi sign, nevertheless. Many fashions are outfitted with Ethernet ports in order that they’ll moonlight as wi-fi entry factors, with an Ethernet connection to your router as a substitute of a wi-fi one. On this situation, fairly than the entry level boosting your router’s Wi-Fi sign, your site visitors flows wirelessly out of your machine to the entry level, after which from the entry level to your router through the Ethernet cable. This mode of operation is usually most well-liked because it reduces the potential for interference, however it requires working a cable between the router and the world of your home experiencing spotty Wi-Fi protection.
What is the Distinction Between a Wi-Fi Booster and Extender?
Some producers name their merchandise Wi-Fi boosters or Wi-Fi vary boosters, whereas others name them Wi-Fi extenders or Wi-Fi vary extenders. For many shopper functions, all of those phrases are synonymous.
Nonetheless, before you purchase a variety extender, you need to examine different methods to spice up your Wi-Fi sign with out one. Many are straightforward and free. You would reposition your router, replace its firmware, and alter its broadcasting sign. These easy tweaks and plenty of extra like them might clear up your connectivity points with out further gear. For extra concepts, see our information to boosting your Wi-Fi sign.
Do You Want a Desktop or Plug-In Extender?
There are two sorts of Wi-Fi vary extenders: desktop and plug-in. Most desktop extenders look similar to a wi-fi router and are usually outfitted with exterior adjustable antennas, a number of LAN ports for connecting to gadgets like TVs and gaming consoles, and USB ports for attaching to peripherals reminiscent of storage drives and printers.
Plug-in extenders are a lot smaller than their desktop counterparts and are inserted proper right into a wall outlet. Some fashions have exterior antennas, whereas others use inner antennas to current a discreet profile. Resulting from their dimension, plug-in extenders often have solely a single LAN port and lack USB connectivity, making them much less versatile however extra inexpensive than desktop extenders. If you cannot spare a wall outlet, search for a plug-in mannequin with a pass-through outlet.
It is also value noting that in case you’re having bother connecting a pc to Wi-Fi in a specific a part of your own home, you is likely to be higher served by a USB Wi-Fi adapter. For as little as $15, these adapters are basically antennas that plug instantly into your pc to assist it pull in a greater Wi-Fi sign.
Learn how to Set Up a Wi-Fi Vary Extender
Not very way back, organising a variety extender required some technical experience and persistence to search out the perfect location (ideally midway between the router and the lifeless zone). However most of immediately’s routers and vary extenders assist Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which makes pairing the 2 so simple as urgent a few buttons, naming your new prolonged community, and making a community password.
(Credit score: D-Hyperlink)
Furthermore, practically all producers provide web-based setup wizards and illustrated directions that can show you how to configure primary wi-fi settings. Some (however not all) extenders are outfitted with LED standing indicators that inform you if the extender is just too removed from the router. Extenders may provide superior router-like options reminiscent of visitor networking, entry scheduling, and media server capabilities.
Do Wi-Fi Extenders Actually Work?
Whereas comparatively straightforward to configure, vary extenders have their limitations. Along with the truth that they typically use a separate community SSID that you must log into as you progress by means of the home, Wi-Fi speeds are usually half what you get out of your important router. Most dual-band extenders use each radio bands to transmit knowledge to and from the router, which suggests gadgets connecting to the extender are competing for bandwidth with the router. (Some producers allow you to dedicate a band for router-to-extender communications to assist alleviate community congestion.)
Really useful by Our Editors
(Credit score: Joseph Maldonado)
Nonetheless, perhaps the quickest potential throughput is what you are after. That might be since you’re working enterprise functions throughout your community, or since you’re out there for a gaming router or particularly a Wi-Fi 6 router. In that case, take a look at the connection between your endpoints to make sure you’re getting the utmost site visitors speeds you possibly can. PCMag completely exams all routers and vary extenders that come by means of its doorways, so you will know what to anticipate before you purchase.
Wi-fi Extenders vs. Wi-Fi Mesh Techniques
When you’re contemplating upgrading your community with all-new {hardware}, it is value wanting right into a mesh-based Wi-Fi system earlier than you spend cash on a standard router. Wi-Fi mesh programs are designed to blanket your own home with wi-fi protection. They comprise a number of networking elements, together with a important router and a sequence of satellite tv for pc modules, or nodes, that you just place all through your own home. They’re all a part of a single wi-fi community and share the identical SSID and password, that means you possibly can roam all through your home with out logging into an prolonged community.
Whereas vary extenders talk with the router through the two.4GHz or 5GHz radio bands, most Wi-Fi system satellites use mesh expertise to speak to the router and one another. Every node serves as a hop level for different nodes within the system, which helps the nodes farthest from the router to ship a powerful Wi-Fi sign as they discuss to different nodes and do not depend on one-to-one communications with the router.
Wi-Fi mesh programs are perfect for customers with little or no technical data. They are often put in in minutes and usually include a user-friendly cell app that walks you thru the set up course of with easy-to-follow illustrated directions.
Many vary extenders provide a hybrid strategy for individuals who wish to take a look at out the advantages of a mesh system with out changing their current router. These fashions replicate some (however not all) of some great benefits of a mesh system, together with the power to change seamlessly between the extender and the principle router with out altering to an “_EXT” SSID. Search for a “mesh-ready” vary extender that is suitable along with your current router and made by the identical firm. Our high picks embody mesh-ready extenders from Asus, Netgear, and TP-Hyperlink.
Able to Purchase the Finest Vary Extender for You?
Try our picks for the highest extenders now we have examined in our wireless-extender evaluation summaries above and in our spec comparability chart. To get much more from your own home Wi-Fi community, take a look at our guides to organising your router and defending your Wi-Fi community.
