“This connecting and reconnecting can get tedious, particularly as you move back and forth between rooms.”īut one advantage of putting in a Wi-Fi extender is that it will allow you to get online in spaces you don’t traditionally think of as having an Internet connection. “This means that you have to manually switch over to your range extender network as your devices will automatically connect to your router,” Ward says.

Other factors, such as the size of the ethernet and compatibility with other devices, should also factor into your buying decision.Īnother consideration is whether the signal rebroadcasted by your extender is different than the one your wireless router emits. You’ll see speed ratings that represent the theoretical maximum speed of the router you’re purchasing. Many extenders use two frequencies: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. When shopping for a router, pay close attention to frequency. The goal is to extend the reach of the Wi-Fi signal being sent by your router, so you’ll be moving it to an area of your house where connectivity is poorest due to being too far away. The first step is finding the best area of your home for the extender. You just plug it in and follow the directions to connect it to your home’s router.

You may fear that setup will be complicated, but with most of today’s extenders, installation is actually fairly easy. “As the name suggests, Wi-Fi extenders expand the range of Wi-Fi in your house or office by rebroadcasting your existing signal from your wireless router,” our technology expert Patrick Ward, editor-in-chief of the IT industry education blog High Speed Experts, explains.īut buying a Wi-Fi router can feel intimidating at first. Quickly and easily, you can buy one of these devices, plug it in and, in a matter of minutes, extend your router’s reach to those “dead zones” in your home. You’ll likely still have the same problem, especially if you have areas of your house that are far away from your router. Upping your network speed isn’t always the solution. If your network is too slow, you could find that your shows constantly lock up or downloads take far too long. Whether it’s doing homework or streaming the latest Netflix show everyone’s watching, a high-speed network is key. Chances are, your household relies heavily on a Wi-Fi network.

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