Don’t buy a WiFi extender if you have poor WiFi signal – check these devices out instead
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
I can't stress enough how much better WiFi mesh systems are compared to traditional WiFi extenders.
WiFi extenders may work, but you're likely to experience half the speeds you're used to from your main WiFi router. Mesh WiFi systems, on the other hand, broadcast near-to-full internet speeds that you're paying for all over your home.
Plus, many traditional WiFi extenders require you to manually connect to the extender's own network, which isn't the worst thing, but you don't need to do that with mesh WiFi systems. Your devices will connect to mesh WiFi routers around your home automatically.
In this list, I'm suggesting you check out two or three-packs of mesh WiFi systems, as a single mesh WiFi router on its own isn't likely to fix your WiFi signal problems. After all, if you're reading this, you're probably looking to expand your WiFi network because your single router isn't reaching certain parts of your home.
I've included models that I haven't reviewed yet because, from my own experience, I'm confident that mesh WiFi systems generally work better than most standard WiFi extenders.
Prices reflect those found on Amazon at the time of writing.
Eero
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
- Excellent performance.
- Simple setup from your mobile device.
- Each unit covers up to 1,000 square feet.
- For best coverage, start with a two-pack ($300, 2,000 square feet), or three-pack ($400, 3,000 square feet).
Google WiFi
Google
- Excellent performance.
- Simple setup from your mobile device.
- Each unit covers up to 1,500 square feet.
- For best coverage, get a three-pack ($300, 4,500 square feet).
Read the Google WiFi review here >>
Netgear Orbi
Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider
- Excellent performance.
- Special feature: Uses a third band to transmit data between Orbi units, which makes for fast and efficient performance.
- Simple setup from a computer.
- Each unit covers up to 2,500 square feet.
- For best coverage, check out the various two-packs with differing performance starting at $300 for 3,500 square feet up to $350 for 4,000 square feet.
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