What Is the Best Wifi Range Extender for the Money?

Any time you employ a wifi router, it’s important that you have a good signal for all of your devices that need internet connectivity. If you live in a closet, this isn’t difficult to achieve. But if you have a slightly larger space, the configuration of your home or office can make it difficult for your wifi signal to reach everywhere you need it. Thick walls are a common culprit that can render a great internet connection useless in certain areas, which can quickly lead to frustration among you and other web users.

There are some significant advantages to going this route for amplifying the power of your wireless connection. For one, with a wifi range extender, you don’t get any new cables taking up space and creating an eyesore along your walls. A wifi extender can also have features such as audio jacks, ethernet ports, advanced security options, touchscreens, and more. They also come at various price points so you can choose the right one based on your needs, be they for a smaller home setup or a large office serving a larger group of people.

One thing that can be tricky is proper placement of your wifi range extender, but some extenders have a feature for this too; namely, tracking features that help you identify the ideal place to put it for maximum wifi range. Now that we’ve explained a bit about what these devices do and why you might need one, let’s take a look at some specific models that consistently come up when discussing the best wifi range extender for a home or office.

Top Five WiFi Extenders on the Market

1. NETGEAR N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender, Essentials Edition (EX2700)

This extender from NETGEAR won’t break the bank and its compact wall plug design means that it will easily blend in to the decor of your room. The range and speed of your connection are significantly increased, even in those most difficult spots. It is also a bestseller on Amazon, with nearly 14,000 positive reviews and over 1,000 answered questions, so you can tap into an established community to learn more about the model before purchase.

2. NETGEAR AC1200 Desktop WiFi Range Extender (EX6200)

Sticking with the well-known and trusted NETGEAR brand, let’s now examine a slightly-higher end model to see how it compares. This model offers truly high-performance, with dual band WiFi up to 1200 Mbps, 700mW high-power design and a dual-core processor. Its Beamforming+ technology focuses WiFi signals directly to wireless devices for more reliable connections. What’s more, it comes with 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports to connect devices including gaming consoles, smart TVs and much more. For those that require a bit more from their wifi extender, this model is a great one to look into.

3. TP-Link N300 Wi-Fi Range Extender (TL-WA855RE)

This TP-Link wifi extender model has one definite benefit setting it apart from the pack: it’s the cheapest out of any of the models we’ve examined. As with bargain-basement options in other product categories, the (understandable) fear is that the lower price represents a compromise in quality. So what’s the deal here? Although the TL-WA855RE is a more compact size compared to many other extenders, it still boasts impressive range allowing wifi to flow to those hard to reach areas in your home that your standard router can’t reach. And it also does so with impressive strength and speeds of up to 300 Mbps for all your devices. For those looking for a cost-effective option, look no further.

4. Securifi Almond Touchscreen Wi-Fi Range Extender/Router/Access Point/Wireless Bridge

This extender from Securifi is something of a mid-range device: it costs a little more from the bargain tier but offers superior features and performance to distinguish it from that class. It’s also not just an extender for your signal, it also works as a full-featured router and it’s completely secure out of the box. And to help those looking to avoid a lengthy or confusing installation process, it boasts a simple 3-minute setup. The usability of its touchscreen adds ease and convenience.

5. TP-Link AC1900 Desktop Dual Band Wi-Fi Range Extender (RE580D)

This TP-Link extender is a peer of the NETGEAR AC1200 examined above: you pay more than the cheaper models but the additional features and power make it a better choice in many situations. Here, you get range of up to 10,000 square feet, perfect for larger home or office settings. The device employs three external dual band antennas with 700mW high-powered amplifiers to achieve that impressive range. It also has 5-Gigabit ports for all your devices and a companion app that makes setup and maintenance a breeze.

This concludes our look at wifi extenders, including their distinguishing features as well as the best five options we’ve seen that are currently on the market. If you’ve tried these or any other extenders, let us know what you think in the comments below.