If you hate how your internet starts lagging and buffering when you move to certain places in your home? With a good quality Wi-Fi extender, you can easily resolve your problems and ensure that you can watch movies seamlessly, your kids can continue playing online, and your partner can hold that videoconference without any problems in the connectivity.
We picked the Google Wi-Fi system as the best wireless extender for 2023 after a lot of serious research and interviews with tech experts. Read to find out more about our top 10 favorite Wi-Fi extenders for this year and find out why you should get one right away!
Best overall
Google Wi-Fi system – NLS-1304-25
Google’s Wi-Fi solution is our definite top pick for Wi-Fi extenders for 2023. This system router replacement device will ensure fast and seamless coverage throughout your home or other premises, no matter its size or shape.
The Wi-Fi system offered by Google is affordable and is available in packs of 1, 2, 3, or more, depending on the size of the area you want to be covered by the Wi-Fi signal.
You can say goodbye to any dead zones and annoying buffering in the places where there is no connectivity or low connectivity in your home once you install this replacement for your old router.
Google suggests that 1 unit is sufficient for areas which are from 500 – 1,500 square feet, two should cover apartments or premises from 1,500-3,000 square feet, and three of these nifty devices are enough to ensure that an area as large as 3,000-4,000 square feet gets complete, strong and reliable wireless coverage.
It has a 1200Mbps wireless throughput, expandable mesh Wi-Fi, and LAN and WAN ports. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi simultaneously, so it doesn’t matter whether you have 2.4GHz or 5GHz wireless at home.
This smart router replacement device offered by Google will detect the clearest and the fastest Wi-Fi band and will automatically connect your devices to it.
You can easily monitor your Wi-Fi connection via the Google Wi-Fi companion mobile app to see who is connected. You can also use the app to set up a wireless network for guests or to pause the Wi-Fi connectivity to the devices of your children when it is time for studying, sleep, or other activities.
The wireless extender by Google comes with a 6.5 ft. Ethernet cord and a power adapter. You will need to have a mobile device running Android 4.4 or above or an iOS device running iOS 8 or above as well as a registered Gmail address to set the unit up and control it via your mobile device.
Each of these smart Wi-Fi extenders is just 4.17 inches in diameter and 2.70 inches in height, and they weigh a mere 12 oz. so you don’t need to worry about this device taking up a large footprint and a lot of space in your home.
Google offers a 1-year warranty for its new Wi-Fi extending and boosting device and also will provide you with a 24/7 customer and technical support service.
The runner-up
TP-Link Deco M5 Wi-Fi System
Our second favorite Wi-Fi extender for 2023 is another smart home Wi-Fi system that can replace your router and extend your wireless network range. The TP-Link Deco M5 will eliminate the buffering and dead zones in your home or other property.
Thanks to the useful Deco app, you can set this device up easily in a matter of seconds. One of these useful gadgets will cover an area of up to 2,000 square feet. If you have a larger home, you may want to buy a 2-pack, which is suitable for areas up to 3,800 square feet. The 3-pack Deco system will create a mesh Wi-Fi network with coverage of up to 4,500 square feet. The more of the M5s you buy in a pack – the better the deal will be!
Like the Google Wi-Fi router replacement unit, this one too automatically connects your devices to the best, and fastest channel detected for optimal wireless connectivity no matter where you are in the house.
It works with 2.4 GHz radio frequency, 5 GHz radio frequency, and 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac wireless connections.
This smart device is compatible with Alexa devices and will become a part of the IoT in your smart home. It is protected by a highly efficient Trend Micro antivirus program for which you will receive a 3-year free subscription once you buy one of these Deco Wi-Fi extenders.
You will also receive a 2-year warranty and top-quality customer support 24/7 for this unit.
The Deco M5 is reasonably priced and compact in size. Each of these nifty Wi-Fi extenders is only 1.7 lbs. in weight and with a size of just 4.7 x 4.7 x 1.3 inches.
So, if you need an easy to set up, reliable, and affordable wireless network extender and router replacement for your home or any other premise, you should think about adding the smart TP-Link Deco M5 to your smart home and start enjoying the fastest and most reliable Wi-Fi connectivity no matter where you are in the house.
Best budget choice
TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router TL-WR802N
This small, portable, and very useful N300 Nano travel router by TP-Link is our definite favorite for a budget-friendly option for a Wi-Fi extender for 2023.
It will cost you less than $30, and you can actually carry it in your pocket thanks to its very compact size and light weight. Actually, it is only 2.2 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches in size and weighs just 7.2 ounces.
The N300 is a device that will allow you to quickly set up a secure Wi-Fi hotspot no matter where you are so that you can share it with the rest of your family or with friends. It is a perfect solution for camping, fishing, or for any other outdoor activities, as well as when you are traveling to places with no locally available Wi-Fi or other internet connectivity.
The portable hotspot can provide 300Mvps Wi-Fi speed on a 2.4GHz spectrum and is powered by an external 5V/1A power supply. You may charge it via a computer, a mobile device, or a standard USB charger thanks to the device’s micro USB connector. This is fantastic news because it implies that your portable or stationary power source can be used in either your home or outside.
The next time you try to stream a video while away from home, you won’t have to worry about annoying buffering or losing your connection thanks to this low-cost and highly effective technology.
Enjoy streaming movies and other entertainment with the convenience of instantaneous connection sharing thanks to the N300 Nano wireless travel router’s compatibility with Chrome cast and the Amazon Fire TV stick.
You can use the device at home or anyplace else with a wireless connection in its many router, client, repeater, extender AP, and WISP router modes, in addition to its hotspot functionality.
Thanks to its pre-encryption function, this Wi-Fi extender will set the initial SSID as well as provide reliable password protection.
So, for a very affordable price, you will get a multifunctional device that will help you use and share a wireless network with others when on the go, and while at home, you can use it as a fully functional Wi-Fi extender as well if you choose to buy this compact travel router by TP-Link.
Our other top picks for the best Wi-Fi extender for 2023
Linksys Velop AC2200 Tri-band Whole Home Wi-Fi Intelligent Mesh System
If you want to watch your favorite stream without any buffering or stopping as you move from one room to another, then you might want to get a Linksys Velop Intelligent Mesh Wi-Fi system.
Features:
- Perfect for homes or other premises sized up to 2,000 square feet
- Works with just about any router, ISP modem, or ISP plan – 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio frequency and 802.11 b/n/ac
- The mesh Wi-Fi system will completely replace your existing router
- The unit will always find the fastest channel and path to the internet for any connected device
- It works with a Tri-band system which ensures 100% connectivity within its range
- It flaunts a clean and compact design that can easily blend into any décor
- The device can be set up for less than 5 minutes, even by people with no technical knowledge
- You can also set parental controls, pause the internet, create safe guest networks and auto fix any node, test the speed, monitor the connections via the Linksys mobile app
- The extender works with Alexa, and you can use voice control via your virtual assistant to control it
- It eliminates the need to switch among different networks manually
- You can increase your Wi-Fi network range and area by adding more of these units in your home or outdoors – a 3-pack system will extend your home wireless network to up to 6,000 square feet
- Available in black or white colors
- It has 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports to connect devices of your choice directly to the unit.
NETGEAR Orbi Ultra-Performance Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System
If you have problems with the strength and reliability of your home Wi-Fi connectivity on another floor of your home, this Netgear Orbi Ultra Performance Home Mesh Wi-Fi system will easily resolve the problem with dead zones and buffering of the wireless connection.
Features:
- The Mesh Wi-Fi system includes a router and a satellite for wireless network extension.
- The system can ensure reliable and strong Wi-Fi connectivity in homes and other premises with an area of up to 5,000 square feet, including houses with several floors.
- It works with 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi connections.
- The unit has a dedicated Wi-Fi link allowing for the fastest possible connection between the Orbi router and the Orbi satellite.
- It utilizes the patented Tri-band technology, which provides a dedicated connection between the router and the satellite.
- Netgear assures that this system is up to 161% faster than the mesh Wi-Fi systems offered by other leaders in the industry.
- This is the mesh Wi-Fi system with the most awards from Forbes, CNET, Wirecutter, PC Mag, and others
- Thanks to the implemented tri-band technology, the wireless connection speed will remain fast and won’t slow down even if more devices are connected to it.
- It has 4 Ethernet ports on both units, so you can connect as many devices as you want, such as TVs, game consoles, streaming players, computers, and others, for a fast and stable internet connection.
- The system is easy to set up via the user-friendly Orbi app, which you can use to test the network speed, create guest networks, set parental controls, and others
- You can seamlessly expand your wireless network by adding more Orbi satellites to the system, including outdoors (these need to be purchased separately)
- The dimension of the system is 6.7 x 3.1 x 8.9 inches, and it weighs 3.92 lbs.
- A LED light on the units will alert you of its status – blue for good, orange for average connectivity, and red for not connected.
- Compatible with Windows, Android, and iOS
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NETGEAR AC2200 Mesh Wi-Fi Extender EX7300
The Netgear is universally compatible with all routers and gateways. It is easy to set up and will ensure a reliable and strong connection, no matter how much you move around the house.
Features:
- It is available as a wall plug or desktop unit
- The AC2200 has a wall-plug design with 1 Ethernet port for connecting your preferred devices such as the Smart TV, your game console, or others
- It will help extend your existing wireless network no matter what type of router or gateway you use.
- It provides combined speeds of up to 2.2Gbps – 450Mbps on 2.4GHz bands, and 1.733Mbps on a 5GHz band.
- It combines the visible Wi-Fi networks in one, so you can easily monitor it and add new devices without confusion.
- The extender will find the optimal channels for the best performance
- It is incredibly easy to set up – plug it in a wall outlet, connect it with the router or gateway, choose a location and check the strength of the signal and then proceed to connect your devices
- The device uses beamforming technology to send the data directly to the clients rather than the broad spectrum
- The size of the unit is 5.63 x 7.01 x 3.9 inches, with an internal antenna array
- You can use more than one of these extenders to further extend your network and strengthen the signal
TP-Link AV1000Mbps Powerline Wi-Fi Extender, Powerline Adapter TL-WPA7510 KIT
The reasonably priced TL0WPA7510 Wi-Fi extender kit by TP-Link will not only improve your internet speed anywhere in your home but will help save power via its energy-saving technology.
Features:
- The kit includes a Powerline Adapter and a Powerline Wi-Fi extender
- The adapter provides up to 1,000Mbps Ethernet and up to dual-band 750 Mbps (300Mbps 2.4GHz, 433Mbps 5GHz wifi
- The powerful extender will enhance your wireless network connectivity even through the walls of your home
- You can expand the network by adding several adapters
- You can also move the unit to any room which has a power outlet available
- It features a Gigabit Ethernet port to connect any device for full speed internet connectivity
- Thanks to its power-saving technology, you can reduce power consumption by up to 85%
- It is a plug and play device which requires no complicated configuration or setup
- It will help keep your home network secure and save via 128 bit AES data encryption
- It has a Wi-Fi clone button that allows you to instantly copy the network name and password of your router and sync any newly added extenders
- The size of the unit is 5.35 x 2.8 x 1.93 inches, and it weighs 1.2 lbs.
- Sold with a 20-year warranty and with free 24.7 tech support
eero Home Wi-Fi System (1 eero + 1 eero Beacon) – Advanced Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System
This kit is yet another full home smart Wi-Fi system that will replace a traditional router, a wireless extender, and an internet booster and will provide excellent Wi-Fi speeds and reliable connectivity to all devices in homes with up to 2 bedrooms.
Features:
- The set includes an eero and an eero Beacon.
- It supports Tri-band WIFI radios, simultaneous 2.4, 5.2, and 5.8GHz wireless, Beamforming, 2×2 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth, Thread 1.1 Border router, and IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac connectivity.
- It offers DHCP, VPN Passthrough, NAT, Static IP, UPnP, and Port Forwarding networking services.
- The second-generation eero is twice as fast as its predecessor but is still compatible with the older devices in the series.
- The eero Beacon just needs to be plugged into a standard power outlet and will enhance and extend your Wi-Fi much more efficiently than an internet booster would
- The eero Beacon is smaller than the eero, but it features the same advanced technology.
- You can add as many eero Beacons as you wish to your smart home.
- Utilizes TrueMesh technology, which uses several wireless access points in order to provide an incredibly fast and satisfying internet experience
- It can 2 auto-detecting Ethernet ports so you can connect your Smart TV, Ethernet switch, printer, or another device.
- The setup is easy
- You can configure it via the useful and intuitive mobile app – the eero Whole Home Wi-Fi system.
- You can control it with voice commands as it is Alexa compatible.
- You can set parental controls easily, as well as different profiles and schedules for accessing the internet.
- The size is 4.76 x 4.76 x 1.24 inches, and it weighs 2.65 lbs.
Linksys Max-Stream AC5400 MU-MIMO Tri-Band Wireless Smart Wi-Fi Router EA9500
The Max-Stream AC5400 MU-MIMO is actually a router rather than simply a wi-fi wireless extender, but it has the quality of providing top notch internet connectivity throughout the house, so you get the speed that you are paying for, no matter where you choose to use the Wi-Fi.
Features:
- This is a Tri-band smart router that works with Alexa and will become a part of the IoT of your home.
- A powerful 1.4GHz dual-core processor which can handle multiple high-speed streams, multiplayer online playing, and others simultaneously.
- The Tri-band Wi-Fi offers a specially dedicated third high-speed band which eliminates the lag and buffering of the connection.
- It is suitable for high bandwidth uses and applications such as top-quality video conferencing, and streaming of movies.
- It has two high-speed 5GHz bands and a 2.4GHz band
- The unit has 8 Gigabit ports so you can connect multiple devices for secure, fast, and steady wired internet connectivity – perfect for Smart TVs, consoles, and printers
- It also has a USB 3.0 and a USB 2.0 ports
- There are 8 adjustable antennas for optimal wireless connectivity and performance.
- The smart router will pick the strongest connection for your device as you move around the house.
- Great for 4K streaming, gaming, and work – the router will treat each connected device as if it is connected to a separate and specially dedicated router, so no more disruptions in your TV streaming while the kids are playing online
- It supports FAT, NTFS, and HSF+ storage file systems
- It has advanced security features including SPI firewall and WPA/WPA2 to keep your network safe from prying eyes and from unauthorized access
- The router is easy to set up
- You can customize your network via the Smart Wi-Fi app and add parental controls, set guest passwords, prioritize devices, and many more.
- Its dimensions are 14.3 x 5.4 x 11.7 inches, and it weighs 3.25 lbs.
- Sold with a 3-year warranty and reliable tech support
NETGEAR EX6100-100NAS AC750 Wi-Fi Range Extender
The Netgear EX6100-100NAS AC750 will extend your current wireless network via your existing router, gateway, or a rented or ISP-provided gateway.
Features:
- Very reasonably priced
- Easy to set up with all kinds of routers and gateways
- Eliminates dead zones and improves the overall wireless connectivity coverage within the area
- You can set the Wi-Fi extender up with the push of a button or the user interface via mobile
- The plugin design and compact size allow for the device to blend into any décor without taking up space
- You can either plug it into the router via Ethernet or connect it wirelessly so it can be used both as an extender and as a wired access point
- Dual-band Wi-Fi of up to 750Mbps – 2.4GHz and 5GHz
- Supports all new b/g/n and 802.11ac devices
- Features two external antennas for extended range and a better performance
- You can install the Netgear wifi Analytics App to analyze your wireless network and optimize it by checking the signal strength, identifying channels that are crowded, and others
- The extender is perfect for extending the wireless connection to all kinds of mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, and others
- Its size is 7.09 x 5.71 x 3.98 inches, and it weighs 14.1 ounces
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Final words
Our top 10 picks for the best Wi-Fi extenders for 2023 include some absolutely brilliant devices which will enhance your home network and your internet use significantly. We have chosen units of all price ranges and types. All of them are reliable, made by trusted manufacturers, safe, and very easy to set up.
So, go ahead and boost that wireless internet connection in your home so that you can get the speed and quality for which you are paying your ISP!
Good luck, and enjoy your seamless, fast and reliable internet connectivity with the Wi-Fi extender of your choice!
Resources:
- WiFi Boosters, Repeaters, and Extenders
- How Do WiFi Extenders Work?
- What is a WIFI Extender and How Does It Work?
Last update on 2023-03-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API