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1. Best Mesh Router For Large Home
2. Best Mesh Wifi Router Systems
3. What Is A Mesh Router
4. Best Mesh Router For Mac
5. Best Mesh Router Reviews

Unlike range extenders, which 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 to each other. Best WiFi Mesh Routers Buying Guide: Welcome to Technika’s round-up of the top WiFi Mesh Routers you can buy in 2018. This buying guide is the result of many days of research, reading thousands of user reviews, crowdsourced opinions and owner ratings, our personal experience, and more. The Best Wi-Fi Mesh Network Systems of 2018 Have a larger home with Wi-Fi dead zones? A multi-node system might be a better solution than a traditional wireless router and extenders.

WiFi boosters are a simple and cheap way of getting better WiFi signal in hard-to-reach areas of your home or small office.

WiFi extenders need to be within a reasonable distance of your main router and not have too many solid walls obstructing them to offer maximum advantage. The best WiFi boosters can provide more than 10,000 square feet of extra WiFi area, meaning you can use your smartphone, laptop or smart devices without the annoyance of the internet disconnecting.

We spent over 100 hours rigorously testing WiFi range extenders to find the best way to boost your WiFi. Our best overall pick, the TP-Link RE450, performed better than every other extender across five tests. Its useful signal strength indicator, Gigabit Ethernet port and easy WPS setup make it an ideal extension for your network. At about half the price for similar performance, the TP-Link RE305 is the best cheap WiFi booster in our list.

1. TP-Link RE450: Best Overall

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

In our tests, the TP-Link RE450 performed better than any other extender. On average, it captured and rebroadcast 100% of the original network signal to our test laptop.

The RE450 is an AC1750 device capable of speeds up to 450 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz frequency and 1,300 Mbps on the 5 GHz band for a combined max throughput of 1,750 Mbps. Most household internet subscriptions don’t need Gigabit-speed networking equipment, but its compatibility with superfast connection speeds is a bonus. The TP-Link RE450 is also extremely easy to position and set up, thanks to its helpful signal strength indicator and WPS connection option. Its easy to navigate instructions, companion app and front-facing status LEDs make it an accessible upgrade for any level of tech savvy, from total beginner to professional.
Though a great device, the TP-Link RE450 isn’t aesthetically pleasing. It follows a similar form factor to many high-speed, wall-plug range extenders, but it’s large for a wall-plug device, and extremely top-heavy. Both factors make it easy to knock out of place.

• Read the review:TP-Link RE450

2. TP-Link RE305: Best cheap

TP-Link RE305

Half the price as our top Wifi booster, but almost all the performance

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

The TP-Link RE305 performed almost as well as our top pick in testing, but it costs half the price. It’s a great value for a Wi-Fi signal booster, but the lack of a Gigabit Ethernet port limits its usefulness for fast wired connections or as a wireless access point.

The RE305 is a wall plug extender with two adjustable antennas, one on either side of the device’s body. Its front is blank, with status lights and the WPS button sitting at the top of the device. This isn’t the best placement, as it’s more difficult to see the status lights from a distance. If you use the extender on a bottom outlet and plug something else in above it, it blocks the light. It’s simple to set up with either WPS or manual options, and its signal strength indicator and status lights for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz connection bands make it easy to see exactly if it’s working correctly. With the two frequency bands, the TP-Link RE305 can sustain AC1200 speeds, and it’s compatible with any Wi-Fi router or access point. TP-Link also has a useful smartphone app that allows you to remotely access and manage your network.

• Read the review: TP-Link RE305

3. Netgear EX6200: Best desktop extender

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

The Netgear EX6200’s adjustable antennas and optional vertical mount make it a great option if you need more placement flexibility than a wall-plug offers.

The Netgear EX6200 is a striking device. Its triangular ventilation holes and black and red color scheme make it look edgier than other extenders, though not particularly ostentatious. It’s also much more flexible when it comes to extender placement, as it doesn’t sit directly on an outlet. It comes with an optional vertical mount base and two adjustable antennas, giving you a wealth of configuration options to find the best setup for your network. The only disadvantage to this form factor is that it’s much larger than most wall-plug extenders. Because of its bulk, however, it houses more Gigabit Ethernet ports than wall plugs. It has five ports for linking wired connections to end devices. Plus, you can connect the EX6200 to your router directly via Ethernet and use it as a wireless access point.
In addition to its striking design, the EX6200 is the best desktop range extender we tested. It's a dual-banded device that reaches up to AC1200 speeds using both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. Equipped with high-gain external antennas and a 700 mW amplifier, it extends your existing Wi-Fi network while keeping up with simultaneous high-traffic connections, thanks to its MU-MIMO technology. In our tests, setting up the EX6200 was slightly more frustrating than with other models, as its WPS function did not work.

• Read the review: Netgear EX6200

4. Linksys RE7000: Best low-profile extender

Linksys RE7000

If you don't have much space this is a good option

The Linksys RE7000 uses internal antennas and MU-MIMO technology that claims to boost your Wi-Fi network up to 10,000 square feet. It looks much sleeker, cleaner and unobtrusive than most of the extenders we tested.

The RE7000 Max-Stream AC1900 Wi-Fi range extender is a wall-plug style device with a minimalist design. It has a single status light on the front that works as both a power and WPS indicator. One side holds the WPS and reset buttons, and the bottom features a Gigabit Ethernet with a small status light. You can use this port to connect to a router to use the RE7000 as a wired access point. Unlike many other products we tested, the Linksys extender doesn’t have a built-in signal quality indicator. Therefore, setup and placement are a little more difficult, even though Linksys does have a spot finder web application.

• Read the review:Linksys RE7000

5. Amped Wireless RE1750A: Most customizable

Amped Wireless RE1750A

If you want to tinker with Wifi permissions and more then this booster is the one

Reasons to Buy

Reasons to Avoid

One of the two desktop-style Wi-Fi extenders we tested, the Amped Wireless RE1750A is a decent network extender and offers advanced network customization options.

The RE1750A is a dual-band, AC1750 Wi-Fi extender. Powered by 12 amplifiers and three high-gain external antennas, its advertised operating range is up to 12,000 square feet. In testing, the Amped Wireless extender had average performance and worked best when placed within 50 feet of the router, even through ceilings, floors and walls. Though the RE1750A has more flexibility in placement than a wall-plug extender, it is limited by its size. It sits horizontally and takes up more space than desktop devices that stand vertically. It has five gigabit Ethernet ports to connect devices to your Wi-Fi network or to use the extender as an access point. It also supports simple setup with WPS.
Amped Wireless’s AC1750 desktop extender is the best for network customization because it gives you more control over your network than its competitors. The extender allows the network administrator to restrict access to specific users, set a daily network availability schedule and control the amplified network’s range. Additionally, the RE1750A allows for up to eight guest networks, which you can customize with schedules, bandwidth restrictions and unique passwords.

• Read the review: Amped Wireless RE1750A

Why Trust Us

We’ve reviewed Wifi boosters since 2012. For this round of evaluations, we spent over 100 hours on hands-on testing alone, not to mention the hours of research we conducted to choose the top ten contenders for our side-by-side comparison. Our team is made of tech geeks and home networking gurus who prefer the strongest internet connections, and we’re dedicated to helping you avoid Wifi dead zones.

How We Tested

We spent over 100 hours testing Wi-Fi range extenders in a variety of configurations throughout our office and lab space. We created five test runs throughout our building including a 100-foot line-of-sight test, a 150-foot line-of-sight test and three different multi-floor setups. Both straight runs were conducted in the hallway of our building with no obstructions between the router and laptop, with the extender placed halfway between the two. The three multi-level setups tested the extenders’ performance in a more house-like setting, with floors and walls between each device. During these tests, we also rated the products’ ease of setup and use, helpful features and design.

We started each trial by taking a baseline measurement of the network’s performance using Ixia’s IxChariot, as you can only boost the Wifi you have, and network speeds fluctuate. We then connected the extender and ran the speed test five times, removed the top and bottom results and averaged the remaining scores. After collecting all 50 measurements for each product (five tests requiring five baseline measurements and five test measurements each), we compared the extenders’ results to their corresponding baseline measurements to see what percentage of the available signal was captured and rebroadcast.

Should You Buy A Wifi Extender?

With ever-evolving improvements in networking tech, Wifi extenders are almost obsolete. When we spoke with Phil Michas, owner of SLC Tech Authority in Salt Lake City, Utah, he told us, “At this time I would recommend a ‘mesh’ network to encompass whole-home signal coverage.” He cited the extenders’ limitations and the advances in concurrent technology as his reasons. “Wifi extenders are connected via wireless connection, so speeds and coverage will flux.” Traditional routers have wider ranges and stronger signals than before, and residential mesh routers are steadily becoming cheaper and more accessible, but are still often much more expensive than a Wifi booster.

Router Placement

Repositioning your router, or even the antennas on your router, can make a difference to your Wifi coverage. If your router has internal antennas, make sure the router itself is standing vertically for the best range. It’s also best if you place your router in a central location, without major obstructions between it and the places you most use the Internet, such as walls with metal running through them (as in a kitchen or bathroom). Other wireless signals also affect your Wifi. Devices using similar frequencies, such as microwaves, baby monitors, wireless security systems or even your neighbor’s Wifi network, can congest the channel and affect your connection.

If repositioning your router doesn’t do the trick, and if your router is an older model, replacing it may also improve your network performance. Since a home network is limited by the slowest part of that network, a router upgrade could give your Wifi a necessary boost. However a good router is more expensive than a good wifi extender.

How to Choose a Wifi Extender

Best Mesh Router For Large Home

Even with available mesh systems and improved networking tech, range extenders are still an inexpensive option to get Wifi into that one corner of the house that always has weak signal. Here are a few things to look for when purchasing an extender for your network.

Wifi Booster Price
The best Wifi extenders we tested cost between $40 and $80. Many products available for less than $40 use previous-standard wireless n technology, which we do not recommend. Devices more than $80 usually have faster advertised speeds, but the added cost is usually not worth the extra potential performance.

Compatibility
A network is only as fast as its slowest link, so buy a Wifi extender on the same wireless standard as your router. For example, if your router advertises AC1750 speeds, an extender that can also reach AC1750 speeds works much better for you than something with N300 speeds.

You also want to check the frequencies the extender can use. Every product we tested, and almost any device on the wireless ac standard, support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.

Types of Wifi Extender
There are two main types of Wifi boosters: range extenders and repeaters. These two names are used interchangeably, but they technically describe different technologies. All the products we tested are range extenders. These capture an existing Wi-Fi signal and rebroadcast it as a separate network. The downside is that you must sign in and out of networks to get the best Wi-Fi signal throughout your home, and many extenders only boost half or less of your existing signal. Repeaters also capture your existing signal, but they don’t create a separate network. They work more like amplifiers to boost your signal further than it would normally reach.

Placing Your Extender
The placement of your booster is paramount to its successful operation. To effectively boost your Wi-Fi signal, place your extender in an area that has both a decent signal from the router and is within range of your dead zones. The sweet spot is about halfway between the two. Placing an extender in an area with an already-weak signal doesn’t improve the signal at all, it simply pushes that weakened signal further. Placing it closer to the router where there is a stronger signal to amplify generally increases the quality of the Wi-Fi at your target location.

Many Wi-Fi extenders have built-in signal strength indicators that tell you the quality of signal received from your router. Some also display the quality of connection between the extender and a connected device, so you know your extended network reaches where you need it.

TP-Link RE450

The TP-Link RE450 performed better than the rest of the range extenders we tested, matching or improving connection speeds in most test runs.

Best Mesh Wifi Router Systems

TP-Link RE305

The TP-Link RE305 is one of the cheapest Wi-Fi extenders we tested, and its stellar performance makes it a great deal if you don’t need a Gigabit Ethernet port.

What Is A Mesh Router

Best Mesh Router For Mac

Netgear EX6200

Best Mesh Router Reviews

The Netgear EX6200 is a great desktop Wi-Fi range extender. It features five Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections and lays flat or stands upright.