The best home WiFi extenders 2024

Are you looking for WiFi extenders to improve your home internet connection?

WiFi extenders can be a lifeline for those living in large, oddly shaped or older properties. These handy devices amplify the signal from your main router, increasing the range of your network. If you currently have dead spots at home or rooms where your internet speeds drop to a crawl, a WiFi extender can quickly solve the problem.

What’s the best type of WiFi extender, and what should you look for in a home internet booster? In this article, we compiled our list of the best WiFi extenders of 2024, breaking down essential features, performance metrics, and value for money.

 

What is a WiFi extender?

WiFi extenders are devices that amplify your broadband router’s signal, extending your network’s range throughout your home. They’re especially useful for:

• Large homes
• Houses with unusual layouts
• Older properties with thick walls
• Multi-story buildings

 

Why use a WiFi extender?

If you’re experiencing any of these common issues below, an extender could help.

 

WiFi dead spots

What are WiFi dead spots?

‘Dead spots’ are areas in your home where you can’t connect to your usual network at all. Devices in these areas can’t get online, and passing through them can cause your phone or laptop to lose connection. They can be caused by being too far from the router, thick walls blocking the signal or large electronic devices causing interference.

If there are areas in your home where the broadband router simply doesn’t reach, an extender would help by amplifying signals to these areas. Common locations for extenders include:

• Basement rooms and attics
• Far corners of large homes
• Areas behind thick walls or metal objects

 

Slow internet zones

If there are areas where your broadband signal becomes intermittent, or significantly slower, it may mean that the router is having a hard time reaching your device. This is helpful in situations like:

• Home offices far from the router
• Streaming video buffers constantly
• Online gaming becomes impossible
• Video calls freeze or drop
• Signal fluctuates throughout the day
• Devices repeatedly disconnect and reconnect
• Web pages load inconsistently

 

Outdoor coverage

If you work at home and spend time in your conservatory or outdoor area, you may notice your internet signal falls short as soon as you step outside. An extender could help with:

• Using the backyard or garden for outdoor working
• Streaming music to outside parties
• Smart home devices on patios
• Connecting garages and workshops
• Outdoor security systems with online functions

 

How do WiFi extenders work?

A WiFi extender connects to an existing WiFi network, creating a new access point centred on the extender. This allows your existing connection to cover a larger area.

WiFi extenders don’t increase the speed of your connection, but if you’re struggling to stay connected to a weak or intermittent signal or dealing with ‘dead spots’ in your home a range extender can be a lifesaver.

 

How to pick the right extender

The right extender for your home depends on your property and what you need to use it for. The key things to consider are:

• What WiFi standard you want to use
• The speed rating you need
• How much coverage is required
• Any additional features you’re looking for
• Value for money

 

WiFi version

WiFi technology is currently being updated, and waves of upgrades are referred to by a single standard. The latest standard is WiFi 7. Many routers and extenders on the market are still using the WiFi 5 standard, but WiFi 6, 6E and 7 devices are all available.

 

Single-band, dual-band or tri-band extenders

One of the differences between different WiFi protocols is the frequencies they can connect to. As a rule, more frequencies mean more bandwidth to broadcast data and a faster, smoother connection.

 

Coverage

The coverage for WiFi extenders is measured in square feet (ft²) or square metres (m²). This refers to the floor coverage you can expect the extender to cover. For maximum effectiveness, your WiFi extender should be positioned halfway between your current router and the dead spot or area of poor coverage. Therefore, the coverage area needs to be large enough to reach both spots. Look for one with coverage similar to the area on the floor of your home.

Sometimes, manufacturers provide a range for their extenders in feet (ft) or metres (m) instead. This refers to the maximum distance from the extender at which you will still be able to connect. However, the actual range may be affected by obstructions or changes in elevation.

Physical obstructions reduce the strength of the broadcast signal, so your range will be reduced reaching through floors and ceilings. If you’re looking for an extender to work across multiple floors, look for a greater range to compensate or consider getting multiple extenders you can place in sight of each other, such as at the top and bottom of a staircase.

 

Speed rating

When shopping for routers, one of the metrics given is the data transfer rate in megabits per second (mbps). This is the maximum amount of data that can be downloaded each second on the extender’s network. Like with your main router, the actual speed you can get will be reduced by using a wireless connection and the number of devices using the same network.

The main thing to look for is that your extender is rated for a speed higher than or equal to the speed of your network package. For example, if you have a 350 Mbps broadband connection, look for a WiFi extender with a maximum download speed of 350 Mbps or higher.

 

Additional features

Many WiFi extenders offer additional, user-friendly features, especially the higher-end models. These can include an app to help you get the best network coverage, integration with smart home devices, a unified network name and additional security options.

For most users, these extra features aren’t essential. However, power users will see the benefit of some, especially those who offer app-supported setups for optimal positioning.

 

Value for money

Like many home-tech items, the price of WiFi extenders varies a great deal. The very cheapest options start at £15-£20, with top-of-the-line devices costing more than £300. Our cheapest recommended extender currently sells for £15.99 at the time of publishing. For a typical 3-4 bedroom house, we’d expect you to pay around £59.99 for a router powerful enough to cover your entire home.

 

 

What are the differences between WiFi extenders?

While most WiFi extenders operate on the same basic technology, there are a few key differences between devices that will affect their performance and versatility.

 

Home WiFi routers operate on either single-band, dual-band or tri-band frequencies. The band refers to the frequency at which wireless information is broadcast. Home internet uses either a 2.4 GHz, 5GHz or 6GHz connection. A single-band router uses one frequency (usually 2.4 Ghz) while a dual-band router uses both 2.4 GHz and 5GHz and a tri-band router uses all three.

A dual-band or tri-band router will provide a faster home connection. Higher frequency bands carry more data per second, allowing faster downloads and uploads. Using more than one frequency also means high-priority devices like your PC can be connected to the faster frequencies, while less network-intensive devices use the lower frequency bands.

If you have a dual-band or tri-band home router, make sure the WiFi extender you choose can use the same frequencies. You won’t see any extra benefit from a network extender able to access frequencies not used by your home router.

6GHz home WiFi is still a very new technology and is part of the WiFi 7 standard. Getting an extender that can use this frequency is effective future-proofing, ensuring it’ll stay useful for years to come, but unless you have recently upgraded your hardware it’s unlikely your home router currently offers a 6GHz frequency.

 

Single extender vs. mesh network WiFi extenders

While a network extender is enough to cover one property, those looking for a WiFi signal that will offer top speeds across a large property may want to consider a mesh network. A mesh network can be made of several specialised routers, or some newer top-end WiFi extenders use the same technology.

Rather than creating a second hotspot to extend your network, mesh networks connect multiple routers into a larger single network. Mesh networks have several benefits. They allow devices to switch intelligently between hotspots, rather than relying on you choosing the best connection. They also typically offer a much greater range than a traditional WiFi extender.

These extra features come at a price, with mesh network routers and extenders typically costing more than traditional WiFi extenders.

 

Devices operating on the new WiFi 7 protocol are now available, but do you need one?

Just like mobile internet, which we’ve seen progress from the 3G standard to 4G and now 5G, the technology standard for WiFi is always improving. WiFi 7 is the latest WiFi protocol supported by some personal devices. WiFi 7 continues the extra bandwidth offered by WiFi 6E in opening up the 6GHz frequency band. Other technological advancements mean that speeds offered on WiFi 7 networks can be as high as four times faster than the WiFi 6 standard.

When it comes to WiFi extenders, you won’t see a real benefit from a WiFi 7 extender unless you already have a WiFi 7 router. Most routers, including the ones provided by major broadband suppliers with their internet packages, still use the WiFi 5 or 6 protocol.

Check your current home router and your most used devices to see which WiFi protocol they use. If you’re already using WiFi 7 devices, a WiFi 7 extender may be worth the extra cost, but otherwise, a WiFi 6E extender will be compatible with your current devices while also offering a powerful signal.

 

Plug-in vs. freestanding WiFi extenders

Some WiFi extenders plug directly into a wall socket, while others stand on a desk or shelf.

Plug-in extenders are smaller and less obtrusive, but also typically less powerful, with a smaller network range.

Conversely, freestanding extenders are usually larger and more powerful. These make them a better option for homes with a lot of dead zones, but less convenient for smaller homes where surface space is at a premium and the extra power isn’t needed.

 

The best WiFi extenders 2024

These are our top-recommended WiFi extenders for different internet users:

Details	Best plug-in WiFi extender	Best Outdoor WiFi extender	Best WiFi extender for heavy use	Best value WiFi extender
Model	TP-Link AX3000 (RE700X)	WAVLINK AC1200	NETGEAR Nighthawk EAX20	TP-Link N300
Price	£59.49 at Amazon	£89.99 at Amazon	£159.99 at Amazon	£15.99 at Amazon
WiFi version	WiFi 6	Wifi 5	WiFi 6	WiFi 4
Speed rating	3 Gbps	1167 Mbps	1.8 Gbps	300 Mbps
Radio frequencies	Dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)	Dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)	Dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)	Single-band (2.4GHz)
LAN ports	1	1	4	1

Prices and technical details given are correct at the time of publishing

 

TP-Link AX3000 Mesh WiFi 6 Extender (RE700X) – £59.49 – Buy Here 

The TP-Link AX3000 (RE700X) Mesh is our pick for the best plug-in WiFi extender. It’s WiFi 6 compatible, allowing connections at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz in line with the current generation of home routers. We also love the slim, compact design, packing a lot of power into a little package.

 

👍 What we like	👎 What we don’t like
✅ Dual-band WiFi 6 offers connections across 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies	❌ If your home router isn’t WiFi 6 ready you won’t see all the benefits
✅ Dedicated app makes set-up super easy	❌ Slim, vertical design limits the reach of the signal
✅ Adaptive path selection automatically finds the optimal connection to your router

 

 

WAVLINK AC1200 Outdoor Wireless Access Point – £89.99 – Buy Here

The Wavlink AC1200 is our recommended WiFi extender for outdoor use. Whether it’s working from the garden or trying to stream Spotify in the shed, good WiFi coverage outside is becoming increasingly important. For those with a large garden or outside area to cover, the Wavlink AC1200 outdoor is ideal. A range of up to 656 feet and top speeds of 1167 Mbps means this extender can bring high-speed internet into the great outdoors – or at least the great backyard.

 

👍 What we like	👎 What we don’t like
✅ Weatherproof casing for outdoor use rated IP67	❌ Fiddly initial set-up
✅ Dual-band network	❌ Difficult to install inside the home
✅ Dual antennas for strong outdoor signal

 

 

NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Mesh Range Extender (EAX20) – £159.99- Buy Here

We recommend the NETGEAR Nighthawk EAX20 for users who want the very best from a powerful extender they can rely on. Not many WiFi routers can handle 20+ devices over 1,500 sqft of coverage, but EAX20 makes it look easy. A blistering top speed of 1.8 Gbps makes the extender suitable for wireless 4K streaming and gaming, and there are also 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports available for a wired connection.

 

👍 What we like	👎 What we don’t like
✅ Seamless smart roaming keeps your devices connected wherever they are	❌ The EAX20 is big at just over 24 x 17 x 6 cm
✅ Dual-band signal with 4 WiFi streams	❌ Top-end features come with a top-end price tag
✅ WiFi 6 optimised

 

 

TP-Link N300 Universal Range Extender – £15.99 – Buy Here

For those looking to cover a dead spot on a budget, the TP-Link N300 is a powerful, pocket-sized WiFi extender. The extender’s two antennae are compact but adjustable, keeping the design perfect for small spaces while still delivering targetted signal and speeds of up to 300 Mbps.

 

👍 What we like	👎 What we don’t like
✅ Budget-friendly option to cover dead-spots	❌ Top speeds of 300 Mbps might not be enough for busy households
✅ Compact and unobtrusive	❌ Only uses single-band frequency at 2.4 Ghz

 

 

WiFi Extender Top Tips

Positioning and setup can make a huge difference when it comes to maximising your WiFi coverage and eliminating dead spots:

• Place your WiFi extender halfway between your main router and any areas with weak or no signal for optimal coverage
• Elevating your router to a high, open spot can also enhance its reach by reducing obstructions.
• For the most reliable and robust connection, connect your device directly to the router or WiFi extender using an Ethernet cable.

These simple adjustments can significantly boost the speed and stability of your network.

How fast is your internet? Find out with our speed test here