What repeater should i buy

It's also worth making sure that your range extender includes at least one Ethernet port. If you can connect your wired device like a smart TV directly to it, then you'll enjoy speeds that are as fast as possible. 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 and you can get one for less than you might think.

One last note: If you're living in a larger home, or if you need speeds faster than Mbps at range, then it's probably worth it to go ahead and upgrade to a mesh router that comes with its own range-extending satellite devices. You've got more options than ever these days, and just about all of them would likely outperform a standalone router paired with a plug-in range extender like the ones tested here.

For instance, I had a three-piece TP-Link Deco M5 mesh router on hand during my tests, so I set it up and ran some speed tests alongside the four range extenders I initially tested. My average speeds stayed well above Mbps throughout my entire house, even in the back. Better still, I didn't need to jump back and forth between my main network and separate extension networks. Everything was consolidated to a single, unified network and the mesh automatically routed my connection through an extender whenever it made sense.

If you can afford it, my recommendation is to invest in a system that does both, as tri-band design paired with Wi-Fi 6 makes for one of the most powerful combos you can get in a mesh router.

Later in , we'll start seeing mesh routers that support Wi-Fi 6E , which adds in exclusive access to the newly opened , ultra-wide 6GHz band. I've got plenty of information on systems like those in my full mesh router rundown , so be sure to give that a look, too. That said, if all you need is for your current router to maintain a steady signal one or two rooms farther into your home, then a simple range extender will probably do just fine -- especially if you buy the right one.

Got questions? Look me up on Twitter rycrist or send a message straight to my inbox by clicking the little envelope icon on my CNET profile page. In the meantime, I'll post answers to any commonly asked questions below. Plug-in range extenders like these can help boost your speeds when you're connecting far from the router, but they can only do so much.

The actual speed boost will depend on a multitude of different factors, including the layout of your home, the type of router you're using, the type of device you're trying to connect with, and your internet plan's speeds. If your home's internet connection offers top speeds of Mbps or higher, then a decent, well-placed range extender should be able to boost your download speeds in a dead zone or when you're in range by at least 50Mbps.

That's enough to browse the web or stream video online. Having a separate network like that under the same roof as your main network could potentially cause a small amount of interference, but I haven't seen any noticeable slowdowns on my main network during any of these tests.

That said, keep an eye out for client devices phones, laptops and so on that automatically connect to whichever network offers the best signal at the time. If you've used a device like that on both your main network and the extender's network, then it's possible that your device will jump from one to the other without you realizing it. For instance, if your laptop is on your main network and you move a bit closer to the extender than the router, then your laptop might lose its connection and jump over to the range extender's network for the stronger signal strength, even though the speeds on that extender network might be slower.

Plug-in range extenders are a good fit when you need to boost the signal in a single dead zone. If you have more than one dead zone in your home where the speeds plummet, then you might be better off just upgrading to a good mesh router we've got plenty of recommendations there, too. The best way to figure out how many dead zones you're dealing with is to grab your phone or a laptop and run some speed tests in each room where you need to use the internet. Start with a fresh connection to your network in the same room as the router, and then pull up a good speed-testing site I like the Ookla speed test , but there are several good ones you can use.

Run at least three speed tests in the room, jot the download and upload results down for each one, then move to the next room and repeat. Those are the rooms that could use a boost -- if it's just one or two that are close together , then a single range extender might be all you need. If there are more than one, then maybe mesh is the way to go. Bring your home up to speed with the latest on automation, security, utilities, networking and more.

Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. To get the best results, you have to plug the extender into a power outlet midway between your router and the dead-zone area. The extender can then pick up the WiFi signal from your router and push it deeper into your home.

That extra step can reduce the speed of your WiFi signal by about half. By contrast, mesh routers use two different frequency bands, which limits the speed loss to roughly 10 percent. They often come in packs of three, too, which allows you to move the units around your home, creating widespread coverage.

To answer that question, we put a half dozen models to work in two modest-sized homes owned by Consumer Reports testers. One house measures about 2, square feet and the other nearly 2, square feet. The smaller house has an outdoor deck area with spotty WiFi. The larger place needed help getting a WiFi signal to the home office above the garage.

The first thing we learned is that the mobile apps designed to guide you through the setup process aren't as easy to use as the manufacturers would have you believe. All of the models except for one the Linksys RE supported this app-based setup, but our testers were often tripped up by the unclear directions. In some cases, the apps even failed to set up the extender.

If your router supports WPS, too, we recommend going that route. You simply push the WPS button on the router and minutes later on the extender, and the device gets linked to the WiFi network without making you type in a username and password.

Once the connection is complete, you can use the extender app to adjust the device settings to suit your needs. To position the extenders properly, we followed the directions included with each model. They generally recommend plugging the unit into an outlet about halfway between the router and the area you hope to reach with the extended signal.

If you place the extender much farther from the router, you risk losing more signal speed than necessary. It also has a handy smartphone app that makes managing your network easier. If you're willing to pay for top performance, the Editor's Choice Netgear AX 4-Stream Mesh Extender EAX20 is the most capable extender we've reviewed, with Wi-Fi 6 speeds and built-in mesh support, but it's a larger desktop model that's not as easy to hide.

The TP-Link RE takes a top position as the best Wi-Fi extender overall, with a convenient plug-in design, and long range for big homes. It packs a lot of power, and delivers great speeds at up to 75 feet.

Really, our only problem with the TP-Link RE is that the plug-in unit is large enough that it will probably block adjacent outlets, but that's a small quibble for the excellent performance this extender provides. That performance came second only to our top overall pick, but the TP-Link RE offers competitive speeds in a handy, easy-to-install design.

You can also set up and monitor your extended network with TP-Link's handy Tether app, which puts advanced settings and security tools right on your phone or tablet. While not everyone will be excited about it's large desktop design — without a plug-in design, there's no hiding this extender behind the couch or in the corner — and a price that's more expensive than some routers, the proof is in the performance.

And boy, does the Netgear EAX20 deliver, with category-leading speeds and an awesome foot range. The Netgear EAX20 does one thing and does well: it extends networks that are faster and have a longer range than the competition. Throw in a handful of customization options, and add a layer of online security to help protect your home network, and it's not hard to say that this admittedly pricey extender is worth every penny. With solid basic Wi-Fi performance and dead-simple setup, this little Wi-Fi extender is a great way to cover the odd dead spot in your Wi-Fi coverage, or to push stronger wireless signals out to your back patio or garage.

With a compact plug-in design and adjustable antennas, you can easily tuck the Rock Space extender out of the way, and setup can be done in just minutes, with no extra app to worry about. And with solid middle of the road performance that works as well between floors as it does room-to-room, it's also a great choice for townhouses and other multi-floor homes. Just don't expect blazing speeds or advanced customization options — this is strictly for basic Wi-Fi.

Need to beef up your Wi-Fi network coverage and range, but don't want an extender that stands out? It's easily the best Wi-Fi extender we've seen for people that want an unobtrusive design, instead of an antenna-festooned brick that blocks adjacent outlets. The overall performance is pretty good, but that set-up assistant makes it a great choice for anyone that wants a little help getting things set up just right.

D-Link's DAP is easy to set up, provides a convenient mobile app for managing device settings and can help fill a home with Wi-Fi.

Despite some irregular performance, the D-Link DAP does particularly well when pushing signal to a floor above or below. That verticality makes it one of the best Wi-Fi extenders available for getting signal to every floor of a multistory home, making it the perfect choice for anyone who finds their Wi-Fi signal dropping out when they go up or down stairs. With so many options for upgrading your home network, like getting a new router or a mesh router, or adding a Wi-Fi extender or powerline extender, how do you know which is the best option for you?

If most of your house is adequately served by the Wi-Fi router you already own, you may not need to buy a new one. A Wi-Fi extender is the perfect solution if you've got one room or one section of the house where your internet always seems to cut out. Wi-Fi extenders are great for knocking out a specific dead spot, for giving you a little more signal with a little more range, enough to reach that far room or give your Wi-Fi a little oomph to make it to the next floor.

However, if you have large portions of your home or property that don't get adequate Wi-Fi, you may need to step up to one of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems , which use multiple devices to create a larger shared network. If you have multiple rooms with spotty coverage, or a far end of the house that your router can't reach, or want to extend your coverage out to the backyard or garage, then a mesh kit is the better choice.

Manufacturer — you would expect the range extender from the same manufacturer as that of the router would work well together, this all depends on the frequency and standards above. If the router works on 2. Similarly if a router is IEEE There is always the technical literature and specifications to fall back on to confirm that both router and range extender play well together. Cost — this is often subjective and all we can say is go with the best WiFi Extender you can afford, that will perform best with your router and offers the best performance for the money you will spend.

Ports — availability of ethernet port for wired connection. Most plug based extenders have one or two ethernet ports. Desktop based extenders can have up to five ethernet ports perfect for devices that do not have WiFi connectivity such as an old desktop, printer or IP camera.

Performance — Apart from the range, the performance of WiFi extenders can be easily be identified by the bandwidth. While this is limited by what your router can support, it offers an easy way to understand the maximum throughput and bandwidth it is capable of supporting.