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So many of us are working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that the WiFi at our homes is receiving more traffic than ever. If your family has multiple working members, each of them has to attend meetings, write articles, send emails, etc. For all this, they must require a different room. In such a case, a WiFi Extender is a necessity as you might not receive great WiFi signal strength in the room you are in.
A WiFi Extender is just the solution for that. It receives your existing WiFi signal, amplifies it, and then transmits the boosted network. It is a much more efficient and reasonable option than buying a new router or upgrading your internet pack. Although they do not give as much strength as the original router, they extend its range to the entire house.
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WiFi extenders are great for increasing the coverage of your already existing WiFI network. There are many different types of extenders available with different configurations. To know the kind of extender you'll need for your home or office, go through this extensive buying guide.
You cannot just buy any WiFi extender from the market. It needs to match your router's specifications. For example, if the WiFi router installed in your home is a dual-band AC1900 router, you need to get at least a dual-band AC1900 extender or a model higher than that.
In case your router supports Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), you need to look for an extender supporting this technology. This kind of router enhances performance by sending data simultaneously rather than sequentially. Even if you do not know about your router type, you can easily find the type written under it.
Ideally, you should buy an extender that provides 5 GHz band as it will give you a faster connection. If your internet usage goes beyond just browsing some websites, and you love to stream videos on your devices, then you definitely need an extender with 5 GHz bandwidth as it will give you a steady flow of bandwidth.
There are two kinds of WiFi range extenders available - plug-in and desktop. As the name suggests, plug-in extenders directly plug into a wall socket and are much smaller in size than the desktop versions. Some of the plug-in extenders have antennas on the outside, and some have internal antennas.
If you are looking for an affordable option, this is the best kind for you as its small size also means that it does not have USB connectivity and has only a single LAN port. Desktop range extenders, on the other hand, look like just another WiFi router.
They come equipped with multiple external antennas, multiple LAN ports to connect gaming consoles and smart TVs, and multiple USB ports for storage devices. These are relatively expensive but are loaded with features and provisions. The network strength and speed of both of them, however, is pretty much the same.
Many people believe that a WiFi extender will act exactly like your main router. This cannot be farther away from reality. A WiFi extender uses a separate network SSID that you need to log in to. The network strength and speed that you receive from this is generally half of your original router.
This happens mainly because the devices connected to the extender are competing for bandwidth with the router. To alleviate this congestion, some extenders come with a band for router-to-extender communications.
This dedicated band does not conflict with the router's bandwidth and enables a better speed and strength coming out from the extender. Another thing that can ease this congestion is the strategic placement of the extender. We have discussed that further in this article.
An essential thing for you to consider is whether you need a single or a dual-band, which offer transmissions of 2.4 GHz, and 2.4 and 5 GHz, respectively. Most of the WiFi devices used to run on 2.4 GHz, which is quickly becoming obsolete as it interferes with many other gadgets running on the same bandwidth.
Almost all extenders available in India are dual-band extenders. This allows you to have a faster connection, with minimum hindrance. Everyone these days constantly streams videos and play high-end games. Therefore, you must buy at least a dual-band extender as it will give you a steady flow and allow you to connect multiple devices simultaneously.
Higher the bandwidth faster is the speed of the internet. You should check the maximum speed a WiFi range extender can generate. Usually, it ranges from 300 Mbps to a rare 2250 Mbps. You should also buy one according to your actual internet plan, original router speed, and usage.
There are some WiFi extenders with a "guest network" feature. This feature allows you to have a guest network with separate internet access. The guest network has its own ID and password. You can share the guest network's credentials with your children, without providing them with the main network's password.
This way, you can put a time after which the guest network will be shut down and your kids can go to bed at the appropriate time. Also, you won't need to shut your network, and you can continue using your fast-speed internet after your kids' bedtime. This is another, less talked about feature of a WiFi extender.
The Nighthawk AC2300 is designed to keep gaming, streaming, and mobile devices in mind. It supports MU-MIMO for simultaneous streaming on multiple devices, giving less lag and buffer. It also contains in-built amplifiers and external antennas to give you extreme performance.
This model also has Dynamic QoS, a technology that knows how to prioritize network traffic by application and device. This unique feature helps ease traffic congestion, especially when the internet bandwidth is limited and different devices are competing for it.
Expand your WiFi range up to 1500 square feet with the Mesh EX6250. It can fulfill all your demands of HD streaming and gaming simultaneously. The mesh technology enables you to have unhindered connectivity and lets your device switch to the strongest network automatically.
The best feature of this device is that it can connect up to 25 devices in a house. From phones to TVs, from tabs to smart kitchen appliances, you can connect them all without worrying about traffic. Additionally, easy parental control lets you become a responsible parent. It is super easy to set up. Although a little expensive, it is worth all the money.
The EX6120 is engineered to extend the range of your WiFi up to 1200 sq. ft. It is a great, reasonably-priced, and small device to reach the hard-to-reach areas of your home and is compatible with every router. The 1200 Mbps speed means that you can easily stream HD videos and play games.
It also intelligently selects between dual bands and minimizes traffic congestion, maximizing speed for your wireless devices. An ethernet port also gives you an option to connect a LAN cable to a nearby device for a faster connection. Lastly, it is also effortless to configure and install.
The RE305 is a great model by TP-Link. Its dual bands of 2.4 GHz at 300 Mbps and 5 GHz at 867 GHz can connect multiple wireless devices without traffic congestion. It also has an ethernet port to plug in the LAN and enjoy fast internet.
This plug-in device has an intelligent signal that turns red when the extender is too far away from the router. The blue light signifies that it is in the perfect location. You can download TP-Link's free Tether app on Android and iOS to set up the extender hassle-free.
The DAP-1330 from D-Link gives reliable and constant coverage of the internet in every part of your home. It has an ethernet port and is ideal for homes providing LAN cable in various rooms. This extender can be used in any room, even by connecting a LAN cable.
It is compatible with virtually all router models and types. The LED lights in the front display the signal strength for you to easily change the range extender's location. Also, it can easily set-up with just one push of a button.
With AC750 dual-band coverage, you can simultaneously stream HD videos and play games. It comes with a beamforming technology that improves signal strength by locating devices and targetting them with a stronger signal.
Its intelligent signal indicator lets you easily find the best location to plug in this device. It saves network information, so you can change the location any time you feel like. It can also be set up using TP-Link's tether mobile app.
This device can give you a spectacular speed of 1200 Mbps and reduce interference. It is a simple-looking device with four LED indicators on the front. It can extend your WiFi range up to 1200 square feet. Using both WiFi bands, establishing one super high-speed connection.
This extender is ideal for gaming and HD streaming. It does not have an ethernet port, so it does not have a provision to connect a LAN cable wherever possible. It creates a stronger network range for 802.11 b/g/n/ac devices. This information can be found written on your router.
This product by TP-Link is unique. It has two separate devices, TL-PA410, and TL-WPA4221. The former can be plugged into the wall and be connected with a router using a LAN cable. The latter, then, can be plugged-in anywhere in the house. Pressing the "Pair" button on both these adapters makes the connection more secure.
It is based on Powerline technology, enabling you to go beyond the coverage of your router. You can also download the tpPLC app for iOS and Android devices. This app enables you to control wireless network settings and set schedules for WiFi availability. The only downside of this product is that it requires two adapters.
This unique product by TP-Link is not an extender by definition. It is rather a router with a range extender mode. It can give a speed of up to 300 Mbps. With its access point mode, you can create a new WiFi access point. Subsequently, using the range extender mode, you can boost the existing wireless coverage in your house.
This router also comes with parental control, giving you a provision to manage when and how the connected devices can access the internet. It also gives you a Guest Network to give separate access for guests visiting your home. So, it is not exactly an extender but will mildly increase the range of your network from your router.
The three beautiful antennas on the MW300RE are designed to give you a wireless speed of up to 300 Mbps. The MIMO technology helps you connect multiple devices with this extender at once. The multicoloured LED display assists you in finding the best location for your device.
It is one of the most reasonably-priced extenders with these many features. This device's setup is also super easy and can be done with two touches of a button. The 2.4 GHz WiFi is enough to use your regular internet but is not enough to play high graphics games.
Watch this video for an easy guide to setup your plug-in WiFi extender yourself. It is effortless, even for someone who is not at all tech-savvy. This video will assist you in:
1. Knowing what the various buttons mean - On the other hand, you should also not place the extender too close to the router as the main router, and the extender will have too much overlap.
2. Finding the right location for the extender - Finding a good location for the extender is really crucial. There are many dead zones in the house where the WiFi signal strength does not reach anyway.
For more information on the right way to place your WiFi extender, visit https://in.pcmag.com/networking/68806/wireless-witch-how-to-place-a-wireless-extender
There are so many brilliant devices that have been engineered to give your life more convenience and add value to your home. Check out some of these devices by clicking on the links mentioned below.
Give your home uninterrupted connectivity in these times when every member of your home is on his or her own gadget. It's hard to imagine life without an internet connection now, and it is even harder to imagine one with a slow one. A WiFi extender is a great and easy solution to provide a network to all the corners of your home.
Author: Rudraveer
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