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Do you get stuck with buffering and laggy connections whenever you sneak off to your bedroom to binge-watch another season of your favorite show? Wi-Fi dead zones are often a frustrating fact of life in the era of wireless internet — especially if your home is spread out over several levels.

Wi-Fi extenders, also known as Wi-Fi range extenders or Wi-Fi signal boosters, offer a simple solution by boosting the signal from your router to make it stronger in the farthest areas of your home. While not as comprehensive a solution as mesh Wi-Fi systems, Wi-Fi extenders are budget-friendly and effective in homes with connectivity issues in a room or two.

If you’re searching for a simple way to solve dead zone issues, we’ve got five of the best Wi-Fi extenders for you to consider in the following guide.

Best Wi-Fi extenders of 2024

The technology behind Wi-Fi extenders is simple enough that you don’t need to overthink this purchase too much. Plug them into the wall somewhere between your router and a dead zone in your house, and they’ll pick up the Wi-Fi signal and rebroadcast it to the surrounding area. Some Wi-Fi boosters can improve the overall speed and performance of the Wi-Fi throughout your home, and some devices offer better range extension than others.

Do I need a Wi-Fi extender?

If you regularly experience slow connections in one or two rooms in your house — say, the back addition or an upstairs room farthest from the downstairs router — a Wi-Fi extender may help you solve this problem. They can even be useful if you’re trying to boost your outdoor Wi-Fi connection on the back patio.

That said, it’s important to understand the limitations of Wi-Fi-boosters. These devices can’t really “extend” your Wi-Fi signal beyond its current boundaries. Instead, they strengthen the signal and improve performance within those boundaries. If an entire section of your home is unable to connect to the internet or you have numerous dead zones, you may want to consider something like a mesh Wi-Fi system. This is a more expensive option that essentially creates a seamless network of routers in your home.

No matter what type of device you choose, you should start by conducting speed tests in different rooms of your home and moving your router to various locations to find out if that solves the problem. Also, be sure your router is no more than a few years old and is up to current Wi-Fi 6 standards (or at least Wi-Fi 5) — internet providers will often replace them if you’re having trouble.

Which Wi-Fi extender is right for you?

There are many options on the market for Wi-Fi repeaters, extenders or boosters. Our top five Wi-Fi extender picks should work if you’re searching for a Verizon Wi-Fi extender, Xfinity Wi-Fi extender, AT&T Wi-Fi extender or Spectrum Wi-Fi extender, but they are also compatible with other cable, fiber, 5G and satellite internet providers as well.

TP-Link RE605X: Best overall

The best option on our list is the TP-Link RE605X , which comes in right at $100. It features the latest support for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), making it more reliable and secure than routers that only support Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). It features adjustable antennas for fine-tuning, offers excellent range extension and speed boosts, and even earns extra points for security because it will automatically create a new network featuring the same password as your existing router. The app, available for iOS and Android devices, is intuitive and user-friendly.

Overall, the RE605X is the ideal choice for moderately sized households that need a boost in a few spots but don’t want to go all-in on a mesh Wi-Fi system.

Netgear EAX20: Best for ethernet ports

In some cases, you may want an extra place to plug in for a direct ethernet connection. That extra feature will cost you, but it may be worth it if you need the most stable connection for gaming or video conferencing. The Netgear EAX20 can be priced over $100 depending on the retailer you buy it from, making it one of the costlier options on our list. However, it includes four extra gigabit ethernet ports to let you plug in away from your main router. It also boasts Wi-Fi 6 support and can even be used to create a full mesh Wi-Fi system.

The RE605X is the best option for households who want wired connectivity for multiple devices in more than one location.

TP-Link RE315 AC1200: Best budget Wi-Fi extender

The TP-Link RE315 is a wallet-friendly powerhouse, and it’s topped many Wi-Fi extender lists in recent years. At under $25, it’s especially impressive how well this internet booster works for many households. Like the other routers on this list, it offers dual-band, Wi-Fi 6 support for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, plus it has an ethernet port for one direct connection. It uses a feature called Adaptive Path Selection to automatically select the fastest signal path, and you can choose whether the extender or router gets priority for 5 GHz connections.

While not as fast as some other options we reviewed, the TP-Link RE315 is the clear winner for households that just need to improve their Wi-Fi connectivity on a budget.

TP-Link RE815XE: Fastest Wi-Fi extender

If you want to get the fastest possible connection throughout your house, it may be worth a little extra. At $200 when not on sale, the TP-Link RE815XE is expensive — almost too expensive. But it’s a powerhouse, boasting Wi-Fi 6E support and offering better speed improvements than most other options on the market. It also includes tri-band support, meaning it has a 2.4 GHz band, one 5 GHz band and one 6 GHz band, which is a big reason why it outperforms other Wi-Fi extenders.

This extender is definitely the best bet for households that need the fastest possible connection and Wi-Fi 6E support. But be sure to compare the cost of buying an RE815XE to the cost of installing a true mesh network.

WAVLINK AC1200: Best outdoor Wi-Fi extender

Sometimes, an indoor Wi-Fi booster won’t quite strengthen your signal outside. In that case, we recommend the WAVLINK AC1200 . This weatherproof extender comes with multiple antennae, dual-band support and a rust-proof case to protect it from the elements. It even has two ethernet ports for direct connections. The AC1200 features Wi-Fi 6 support and an extended range for outdoor use.

This one is a good choice for households that regularly need outdoor Wi-Fi—maybe for streaming and projecting Sunday afternoon football out back or blasting music for outdoor parties. Some users have found that it works for extending Wi-Fi to detached garages or carriage houses.

Other considerations when purchasing a Wi-Fi extender

Before you spend anywhere from $20 to $200 on a Wi-Fi extender, it’s worth thinking through your options carefully. Again, an extender won’t improve connection speeds on an entire floor of your home, and it likely won’t help if you’re using an outdated router. And, while a Wi-Fi booster can improve the overall speed of your home Wi-Fi system, it won’t let you browse faster than the maximum speed of your existing Wi-Fi plan. If you’re trying to game and stream on numerous connected devices throughout your home, it may be time to check out gigabit fiber plans rather than purchasing a Wi-Fi extender.

If a Wi-Fi extender is a good option for your home, then you should consider your needs and budget. For simple range extension to boost performance in one room, a cheap device like the TP-Link RE315 AC1200 will probably do the trick. If you’re trying to boost speed throughout your home, however, you might opt for a more powerful option like the TP-Link RE815XE. Some devices also allow you to dedicate faster 5 GHz bands to the router or the extender, so these will be useful if you want to favor certain rooms for high-speed connections.

Wi-Fi extender FAQs

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Luke Daugherty is a freelance writer, editor, and former operations manager. His work covers a wide range of topics, including streaming and internet tech, green energy, and personal finance. His work, bylined and ghostwritten, has appeared in The Balance, CNET, CIO Magazine, Entrepreneur, and more.

Hannah Whatley is an editor who enjoys collaborating with writers to offer readers the most relevant, accurate, and up-to-date information for their home purchases. She has previously edited for The Motley Fool, The Modest Wallet, Grammarly, JoinCake.com and SaveOnEnergy.com, gaining expertise in several industries. Hannah has a B.A. in English from Thomas Edison State University. When she isn’t editing, she enjoys studying linguistics and languages.