The Ultimate Buyer's Guide for Purchasing WiFi Repeater Supplier

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Jun. 05, 2025

The Best Wi-Fi Extender and Signal Booster - The New York Times

Extenders are a cheap, easy solution to a common problem, but they’re rarely the most optimal one. Before buying a Wi-Fi extender, consider replacing a router that’s more than a few years old with a newer, faster model or going with mesh networking. If you already have a good Wi-Fi 6 router, make sure you’ve positioned it as high up and as close to the center of your home as possible. Plug computers, streaming devices, game consoles, and anything else you can into the router (or, if you need more ports, a network switch) via Ethernet, to reduce the number of devices competing for a wireless connection.

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If you’ve done all of that and still have a trouble spot, a wireless extender could help. Cost is key, though: Good mesh Wi-Fi networks start at just above $120, and they offer more features, greater range, better roaming between access points, and generally higher performance. The cost of replacing an older router and adding a Wi-Fi extender is high enough that one of our mesh picks would be a much better choice.

One final warning: Avoid extenders that don’t use 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E). Old, 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) extenders are cheaper, but when such extenders are running, they significantly decrease the speed of all devices on your Wi-Fi. In addition, for devices connected by Wi-Fi to the extender, such models provide less than half of the base router’s speed. None of our picks are 802.11n extenders.

In a 2,300-square-foot, two-story suburban home, we found a spot that had an iffy connection to a standalone Wi-Fi 6E router one floor up and across the home. To get to that location, the Wi-Fi signal had to go through several interior walls, ending in a room surrounded by masonry walls, which can absorb radio signals and interfere with Wi-Fi.

For our tests, we wirelessly connected each extender to an Asus RT-AXE tri-band router. We placed each extender in the living room, on the main floor of our test home. That was about 20 to 25 feet horizontally from the base router, through at least two interior walls, but well within the “bubble” of the Wi-Fi signal from the Asus router. (Despite their name, signal boosters can’t extend the signal too far beyond where the router’s original signal gives out.)

In the rest of the house, our test Dell Latitude laptop was able to connect to the router via Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, but its signals were stretched a little thin in our test space. In fact, the laptop lost 6E signal in the test space, but it connected to the router just fine in the master bedroom right outside the door.

Before testing any extenders, we ran baseline tests using only the Asus router. Then, as we tested each extender, we subtracted the value of our baseline test. This approach allows us to directly show you how much each extender improved our test network’s performance from what we started with.

Our test involved downloading a large file. We wanted to see an overall throughput of 100 megabits per second or better, to simulate the experience of an impatient person waiting for a device to complete an update. When we ran the test without an extender, the laptop managed only 11 megabits per second (Mbps) on Wi-Fi 6 and zero Mbps on Wi-Fi 6E.

Top pick

This is a good extender for anyone who wants to boost a network, add an Ethernet jack to another room wirelessly, or install an access point in a prewired home.

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TP-Link’s RE315 isn’t the fastest Wi-Fi extender on paper, but in our tests it improved performance and connection quality immensely compared with the Asus RT-AXE router alone. It is also compact, plugs directly into a power outlet, and has a 100 Mbps wired Ethernet port for connecting nearby devices.

It’s inexpensive. The TP-Link RE315 has been our extender pick for over a year and a half, and in that time the price has hovered between $30 and $40. That’s significantly less than the price of most of the Wi-Fi extenders we’ve tested in the past two years; those can cost as much as $200.

It improves Wi-Fi connections in a localized area. The RE315 was able to restore a speedy, lag-free connection to a room that had neither speed nor reliability. Transfer speed went from 11 megabits per second (Mbps) to almost 160 Mbps. That’s the difference between having an iffy time streaming a single 4K video versus it being no big deal to download large files or stream multiple videos simultaneously.

The extender sped up responsiveness. In addition to better transfer speed, the Wi-Fi’s responsiveness (latency) improved from 10,799 milliseconds (ms) to 765 ms. In other words, that’s a shift from an interminable wait while staring at a spinning pinwheel on your to instantly changing channels while watching YouTube TV.

Speed improvement with extender

It improved a spotty connection into a solid, speedy one. And it wasn’t just connection quality that improved: Compared with the router alone, the RE315 improved speed by 1,350% on downloads for the laptop in the dead zone. While that might not make a difference if you’re simply streaming music, it will be noticeable if you’re in a Zoom meeting or trying to get the latest game updates.

You can plug it in. The RE315’s 100 Mbps Ethernet port is convenient. Where possible, it’s a good idea to plug devices like media streamers or game consoles into an extender’s Ethernet port, rather than putting them on Wi-Fi. When you take a bandwidth-hogging device—such as a streaming box or gaming PC—off of the wireless network, you free up more Wi-Fi signal for the other devices in your home.

The RE315 is mesh-compatible with TP-Link routers. If you’re already using a compatible TP-Link router, such as the TP-Link Archer AX Pro, enabling OneMesh on the RE315 improves connectivity even further. Unlike the normal extender mode, which usually rebroadcasts your Wi-Fi network on a second network name, OneMesh integrates the two devices like a mesh-networking system does. All you have to do is enter the common network name (the SSID) on your or device, and your or device will automatically connect to the extender or the router based on whichever connection is more efficient as you roam around your home. Plus, you can manage the settings and firmware updates for both devices using the same interface on the Archer AX Pro.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Although your connection may perform faster and feel more responsive with an extender, using the TP-Link RE315 isn’t a substitute for plugging an Ethernet cable directly into your router, using powerline networking, a MoCA wired bridge, or a mesh Wi-Fi system.

The RE315’s sole Ethernet port is capable of only 100 Mbps. That’s sufficient for a single 4K streaming box, but it may be less than your internet connection can produce overall.

If you plan to hook up more than one PC or multiple devices to the extender, you may be better off with an extender that has multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports, like the Netgear EAX20.

The RE315’s two antennas, which swing up from their parked position, are a bit of an eyesore. But compared with the antenna-less RE230 we tested in a previous version of this guide, in our tests the RE315 antennas helped the extender maintain a solid connection back to the base router.

If you need extra wired Ethernet ports: The Netgear EAX20 is shaped like a router, and it has four Gigabit Ethernet ports for connecting game consoles and smart TVs. It’s normally priced around $130, so it may be cheaper to buy an RE315, a few Ethernet cables, and a 4-port hub. But the EAX20 is more convenient for multiple connections in the same room, and it’s more compact.

If you absolutely need Wi-Fi 6E: The TP-Link RE815XE has Wi-Fi 6E compatibility and was able to extend a strong Wi-Fi 6E signal to our test laptop in a room that had zero 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E coverage from the Asus RT-AXE router. You can also connect the RE815XE via Ethernet and extend Wi-Fi 6E in access point mode to a room on the other side of the house, provided you have the wire run between the router and the extender. However, since the price of the extender alone is usually $200, we’d recommend this solution only if you must connect laptops or phones with Wi-Fi 6E. Replacing your router with a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E mesh network from scratch is likely to be cheaper in the long run.

The Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders for | PCMag

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

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Best Wi-Fi Range Extender Overall

TP-Link AX Mesh Wi-Fi 6 Extender (RE715X)

4.0 Excellent

Easy to install and manage
Fast throughput performance
OneMesh ready
Supports 160MHz channels

Bulky
No pass-though outlet

The RE715X is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 range extender that is easy to install, works with any Wi-Fi 6 router, and installs in minutes. It can even be used to create a mesh network in tandem with a compatible TP-Link router, which makes it a logical alternative for people whose existing routers work fine and who therefore don't need to spend $200 or up on a new mesh system with multiple nodes. The RE715X turned in solid scores in our throughput performance tests and did particularly well on the 5GHz tests, where it garnered 410Mbps on the close proximity (same room) test.

Besides serving as a mesh alternative when coupled with a TP-Link router, the RE715X is an ideal candidate for someone with a relatively recent Wi-Fi 6 router from any manufacturer who just needs a bit of extra range to carry their Wi-Fi signals to a distant spare bedroom or perhaps the back deck.

Wireless Specification 802.11ax Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AX WPS Setup Number of Bands 2 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 1 Number of Antennas 2 Number of USB ports 0 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 GET IT NOW

Best Budget Wi-Fi Range Extender

TP-Link RE600X AX Wi-Fi 6 Range Extender

3.5 Good

Good throughput performance
Fast, easy setup
Works with compatible routers to create a mesh network

Does not support 160MHz channels
No passthrough outlet
Bulky

At $99.99, this range extender offers a fairly inexpensive way to boost Wi-Fi coverage without having to invest in a new router or mesh system. It's smaller and less expensive than our top pick, the RE715X. In return for the space and money saved, you give up some performance as well as support for 160MHz channel width. Still, it's easy to install and manage, and a solid performer overall.

If you need to boost the signal of your Wi-Fi 6 router, the RE600X is a solid option that won't break the bank. It's an especially good choice if you have a TP-Link router, since, like many TP-Link products, it can be used to create a mesh network instead of a separate extended one.

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Best Netgear Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender

Netgear AX Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Extender (EAX15)

3.5 Good

Strong 5GHz throughput performance
Good signal range
Shares host router SSID
Easy to install

Pricey
Limited settings

If your router is having trouble delivering a strong Wi-Fi signal to certain areas of your home but you loathe the thought of switching between differently named networks for different parts of your house, the Netgear EAX15 can help. It’s easy to install, and you can use it to create a mesh-like network without buying a whole new mesh system, since it supports single-SSID naming for seamless roaming if you have a compatible Netgear router. It also supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology, and it delivered solid performance on the 5GHz band in our testing.

Do you hate switching between network names as you move in and out of range? It's annoying, but if you've already got a cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6 router, you're probably reluctant to ditch it in favor of a whole new mesh system. The EAX15 is a good alternative in this situation, extending the Wi-Fi signal to previously underserved locations in your house while letting you roam seamlessly from room to room without worrying about the name of the network you're on.

Best D-Link Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender

D-Link Aquila Pro AI AX Wi-Fi 6 Smart Mesh Extender (E30)

3.5 Good

Easy to install
Mesh-ready
Good performance
Supports 160MHz channels

Bulky
No pass-through outlet
Only middling signal strength

The E30 is a dual-band extender that can be used with any Wi-Fi 6 router and will operate as a node in a mesh network when paired with a compatible D-Link Aquila Pro router such as the Aquila Pro M60. Installation is easy, and the E30 posted competitive scores in our throughput performance tests. At $99.99, it's more cost-effective than buying a new router, and it uses Wi-Fi 6 technology including 160MHz channel transmissions.

If you need to extend the range of your existing D-Link router, the E30 is a good choice because it will create a mesh network at a significantly lower cost than buying a whole new mesh system.

Best Asus Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender

Asus RP-AX58 AX Dual Band Range Extender

3.5 Good

Solid performance
160MHz channel bandwidth
Easy to install
Works as a mesh node with compatible routers

No pass-through AC outlet
Middling signal strength

The Asus RP-AX58 is a Wi-Fi 6 range extender that plugs into an AC outlet to bring wireless connectivity to areas that your router can’t reach. It’s simple to install, and it can be paired with an Asus AiMesh router to form a mesh network. At $99.99, it’s right in line with the cost of other range extenders, and its throughput performance is very good based on our testing.

If you need to extend the range of your existing Asus router, the RP-AX58 is a good choice because it will create a mesh network at a significantly lower cost than buying a whole new mesh system.

Wireless Specification 802.11ax Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AX WPS Setup Number of Bands 2 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 0 Number of Antennas 2 Number of USB ports 0 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 GET IT NOW

The Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders for Compare Specs

Rating 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Best For Best Wi-Fi Range Extender Overall Best Budget Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Netgear Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best D-Link Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Asus Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Wi-Fi Range Extender Overall Best Budget Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Netgear Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best D-Link Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Asus Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Wi-Fi Range Extender Overall Best Budget Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Netgear Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best D-Link Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Best Asus Mesh-Ready Wi-Fi Range Extender Wireless Specification 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax 802.11ax Wi-Fi Speed (Total Rated Throughput) AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX AX WPS Setup Number of Bands 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Number of Wired LAN Ports (Excluding WAN Port) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Number of Antennas 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Number of USB ports MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 6 Buying Guide: The Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders for

What makes range extenders so attractive compared with a more elaborate mesh system is that they are easy to install and inexpensive. Pair one with a budget-priced router, and you can build a tandem system with coverage that rivals what you'd get from a single high-priced router or mesh network. Range extenders come in various shapes, sizes, and speeds, but they have limitations: They are typically half as fast as your primary router, and they create a separate extended network that makes seamless roaming difficult.

Depending on the size and layout of your home, a mid-to-high-end router may provide all the Wi-Fi coverage you'll need. But some level of signal degradation is almost a certainty for homes built with dense materials like brick, concrete, plaster, and metal. Likewise, homes with multiple floors and many walls are more susceptible to signal loss than a one-story home with an open floor plan. In some cases, you can relocate your router to a central location to deliver a stronger signal to those dead zones that were previously out of reach.

In most homes, however, the router's location is tied to the room where the internet enters the house, which means relocating the router will likely require running an Ethernet cable to the desired area. Range extenders provide a relatively easy way to deliver Wi-Fi without running cables.

(Credit: TP-Link)

When shopping for a range extender, finding one that matches your router's specs is essential. For example, if you have a dual-band AC router, get a dual-band AC extender (or better). If your router supports Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) data streaming, which provides enhanced performance by sending data to compatible clients simultaneously rather than sequentially, look for an extender that supports this technology if you want to extend your MU-MIMO network.

The same goes for the latest Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 technologies, the current fastest flavors of Wi-Fi. If you recently bought a new router that supports these standards, you'll undoubtedly want to ensure any range extenders also support them.

How Does a Wi-Fi Range Extender Work?

A Wi-Fi range extender boosts the Wi-Fi signal from your existing router for greater coverage throughout your home. To do this, it picks up the signals from a specific Wi-Fi access point (your router). Depending on the brand and model of the device, it then either boosts the signals under the same network name (SSID) or under a new SSID that must be created and configured. You’ve probably seen this before, where a home’s network has a "SmithHouse" for upstairs and "SmithHouse_EXT" for downstairs. Your devices will often stay on one until it's entirely out of range; then, you can switch over to the closer range extender to get a better connection.

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Some range extenders do more than just boost your Wi-Fi signal, however. Many models are equipped with Ethernet ports so that they can moonlight as wireless access points, with an Ethernet connection to your router instead of a wireless one. In this scenario, rather than the access point boosting your router's Wi-Fi signal, your traffic flows wirelessly from your device to the access point, and then from the access point to your router via the Ethernet cable. This mode of operation is often preferred since it reduces the possibility of interference, but it requires running a cable between the router and the area of your house experiencing spotty Wi-Fi coverage.

What's the Difference Between a Wi-Fi Booster and Extender?

Some manufacturers call their products Wi-Fi boosters or Wi-Fi range boosters, while others call them Wi-Fi extenders or Wi-Fi range extenders. For most consumer purposes, all of these terms are synonymous.

However, before you buy a range extender, you should investigate other ways to boost your Wi-Fi signal without one. Many are easy and free. You could reposition your router, update its firmware, and change its broadcasting signal. These straightforward tweaks and many more like them could solve your connectivity issues without additional equipment. For more ideas, see our guide to boosting your Wi-Fi signal.

Do You Need a Desktop or Plug-In Extender?

There are two types of Wi-Fi range extenders: desktop and plug-in. Most desktop extenders look just like a wireless router and are typically equipped with external adjustable antennas, multiple LAN ports for connecting to devices like TVs and gaming consoles, and USB ports for attaching to peripherals such as storage drives and printers.

Plug-in extenders are much smaller than their desktop counterparts and are inserted right into a wall outlet. Some models have external antennas, while others use internal antennas to present a discreet profile. Due to their size, plug-in extenders usually have only a single LAN port and lack USB connectivity, making them less versatile but more affordable than desktop extenders. If you can't spare a wall outlet, look for a plug-in model with a pass-through outlet.

It's also worth noting that if you're having trouble connecting a computer to Wi-Fi in a particular part of your home, you might be better served by a USB Wi-Fi adapter. For as little as $15, these adapters are essentially antennas that plug directly into your computer to help it pull in a better Wi-Fi signal.

How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Range Extender

Not very long ago, setting up a range extender required some technical expertise and patience to find the best location (ideally halfway between the router and the dead zone). But most of today's routers and range extenders support Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which makes pairing the two as simple as pressing a couple of buttons, naming your new extended network, and creating a network password.

(Credit: D-Link)

Moreover, nearly all manufacturers offer web-based setup wizards and illustrated instructions that will help you configure basic wireless settings. Some (but not all) extenders are equipped with LED status indicators that tell you if the extender is too far from the router. Extenders can also offer advanced router-like features such as guest networking, access scheduling, and media server capabilities.

Do Wi-Fi Extenders Really Work?

While relatively easy to configure, range extenders have their limitations. In addition to the fact that they often use a separate network SSID that you have to log into as you move through the house, Wi-Fi speeds are typically half what you get from your main router. Most dual-band extenders use both radio bands to transmit data to and from the router, which means devices connecting to the extender are competing for bandwidth with the router. (Some manufacturers let you dedicate a band for router-to-extender communications to help alleviate network congestion.)

(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)

Still, maybe the fastest possible throughput is what you're after. That could be because you're running business applications across your network, or because you're in the market for a gaming router or especially a Wi-Fi 6 router. If so, test the connection between your endpoints to ensure you're getting the maximum traffic speeds you can. PCMag thoroughly tests all routers and range extenders that come through its doors, so you'll know what to expect before you buy.

Wireless Extenders vs. Wi-Fi Mesh Systems

If you're considering upgrading your network with all-new hardware, it's worth looking into a mesh-based Wi-Fi system before you spend money on a traditional router. Wi-Fi mesh systems are designed to blanket your home with wireless coverage. They comprise several networking components, including a main router and a series of satellite modules, or nodes, that you place throughout your home. They are all part of a single wireless network and share the same SSID and password, meaning you can roam throughout your house without logging into an extended network.

Whereas range extenders communicate with the router via the 2.4GHz or 5GHz radio bands, most Wi-Fi system satellites use mesh technology to talk to the router and each other. Each node serves as a hop point for other nodes in the system, which helps the nodes farthest from the router to deliver a strong Wi-Fi signal as they talk to other nodes and don't rely on one-to-one communications with the router.

Wi-Fi mesh systems are ideal for users with little or no technical knowledge. They can be installed in minutes and typically come with a user-friendly mobile app that walks you through the installation process with easy-to-follow illustrated instructions.

Many range extenders offer a hybrid approach for people who want to test out the benefits of a mesh system without replacing their existing router. These models replicate some (but not all) of the advantages of a mesh system, including the ability to switch seamlessly between the extender and the main router without changing to an "_EXT" SSID. Look for a "mesh-ready" range extender that's compatible with your existing router and made by the same company. Our top picks include mesh-ready extenders from Asus, Netgear, and TP-Link.

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