Best WiFi Range Extenders In The UK For 2024

My WiFi Is Bad – What Can I Do?

If you want to carry your broadband connection further away from your router – these are your main options:

1. WiFi Range Extenders

Note: For simplicity, I’ll use the terms WiFi booster and WiFi extender interchangeably, although these used to be two different things.

So, what does a WiFi range extender do? Let’s say your router is on the first floor, and you want to use the internet on the second floor.

In this example, your ISP’s router only manages to hold a strong WiFi connection up to the middle of the staircase to the second floor.

And that’s where the WiFi booster comes in – it sits in the middle of the way – let’s say, near the staircase – where it “catches” your router’s WiFi signal at a place where it’s still strong. Then, the booster, well, “boosts” that WiFi signal – giving it an extra strong push, and extending its range up to the second floor.

In most cases, these devices are small boxes that connect directly to your power sockets. The easiest solution is to buy ones that keep the same network running around the house – which means you won’t need to connect to a different WiFi network when you go upstairs, for example.

It’s important to note that WiFi range extenders will never give you a perfect connection – even the best ones, will lose some of the speed your router is broadcasting, due to the process the signal has to go through when it jumps from the router to the extender and outwards. But generally speaking, the best WiFi extenders will give you a strong, stable connection – and, in most cases – fast enough for your TV streaming needs.

2. WiFi Mesh System

Sometimes, a signal WiFi range extender just isn’t enough. If, for example, you live in a particularly big house – or if your walls are particularly thick, and there’s a lot of interference in the air.

If that’s the case, then even with a good WiFi extender you might still get dead spots where the WiFi signal just can’t reach. That’s where the WiFi mesh systems come in.

WiFi Mesh systems consist of two – and often three (or more!) “special” WiFi range extenders, that create a big net – or, a mesh – around your house. When you connect two regular WiFi extenders, for example, they BOTH need to be close to your main router. So you can put them in different directions, but you can’t put one on the second floor, and then another one of the third floor.

With Mesh extenders, you can use each device as part of a WiFi relay-network. So for example, the first device sits near the second floor (but close enough to the router on the first floor), and that one “throws” the WiFi signal further away, for the SECOND mesh device – that sits near the third floor – to catch.

If it all sounds a bit confusing, just remember this – WiFi Mesh Systems give you better coverage around larger areas – but they’re also more expensive, so consider whether you actually need them.

Another thing to note, is that some WiFi Mesh Systems are also meant to replace your ISP’s router – which complicates things a bit. That’s why, in this article, the one Mesh System I picked for recommendation is one that works alongside your original router, without replacing it.

3. Powerline Adapter with WiFi

A regular powerline adapter is a device that lets you skip WiFi altogether – and send data via the power lines in your home. You connect the “base” device to a power socket near your router, and connect the router to the adapter’s Ethernet port with a cable.

Then, on the second floor (or wherever you need broadband), you connect the second powerline adapter, to a different socket – and then connect your computer (or any other device with an Ethernet port) to the adapter with an Ethernet cable.

• See my picks for the Best Powerline Adapters here

This is a great system for connecting specific devices to your router, but it’s not always perfect. First, it depends on your electrical wiring – some old house will have wires that are not a good match for this technology.

Second, you still don’t get WiFi on that second floor – you only get a specific, additional wired connection.

However, if you want to extend your WiFi and a regular range extender isn’t good enough – you can use a device that combines a powerline adapter with a WiFi extender.

So – you still connect the base unit to the router via Ethernet ports. And you connect the second unit to the power socket on the second floor (or wherever you need). Then, that device uses the data it gets from the electrical wires – to also create a second WiFi network, around the adapter.

Choosing The Best WiFi Range Extender: Things To Consider

The WiFi Range extender market is a bit of a digital wild west, with weird naming conventions, features you might want and features you shouldn’t really care about.

First, make sure the WiFi extender supports the 802.11ac networking standard – most extenders sold today already do, but older ones might not, so take note of that.

Other than that, here are the main points you SHOULD look at before you buy:

1. WiFi Speed and Range

No matter which extender you get, your broadband speed is going to get cut when you use it. By how much, depends on the device’s quality – and how far it is from the router.

Still, you should get an extender that offers decent speed – even if that’s not the speed you’re going to see in a real life setting.

Most boosters have an AC-Number in their name – and that number represents that maximum theoretical speed that WiFi extender can reach. It’s a confusing number, because it only means the maximum speed the device can use across ALL the channels it’s using (see ahead) – so really, it doesn’t mean much.

Still, if the WiFi extender is too slow, then it might struggle if you have several devices using it at once, especially if it’s far from the router. So I would recommend getting an extender with at least AC-1200, which means 1200 Mbps.

Range is also something that’s hard to measure, because it depends a lot on the circumstances in your home (walls, other wireless devices, etc’) – which is why most manufacturers don’t even specify a number, but instead write things like “Excellent” as opposed to “Great” (somehow no one writes “Rubbish Coverage”).

2. Frequencies Used (Single/Dual/Tri Bands)

WiFi extenders use frequency bands in the air to transmit the data. The common band, 2.4GHz gives a wide range, but is slower. Plus, because a lot of wireless devices use it, the air can get “crowded”, and speed will suffer for it. That’s why WiFi extenders started using another band – the 5GHz frequency, which is faster – but has a more limited range.

Most WiFi extenders sold today, support both the 2.4GHz frequency and the 5GHz frequency. Old ones only supported 2.4GHz, so take note of that.

Some of the more advanced WiFi extenders use two 5GHz bands (“Dual Band”) – you won’t get faster speeds, because your device is only going to use one band at a time – but these Dual Band extenders can be useful if you have a lot of devices that connect and use the WiFi network at the same time. (As in, several family members watching streaming video at the same time…)

3. Ease of Use and Installation

These days, setting up WiFi extenders SHOULD be easy – but that’s not always the case.

If your broadband router has a WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) button, and the booster supports it as well, then setting up basically means plugging the device, and pressing the button on both the router and the booster.

However, without WPS, you would need to go into the WiFi extender’s settings and setup the wireless network from there. The good devices offer an app for that – while with others, your only choice is to go to a web address and do it from there.

Additionally, take note of the LED lights at the front of the device. Some only have one – and if something goes wrong, you’ll have to dig up the manual to find out what that blinking light means. If they have several, it might be easier to identify problems.

4. What’s WiFi 6, And Do I Need It For My Range Extender?

As someone who’s been using WiFi extenders for years, I can tell you that WiFi 6 CAN be a game-changer – but only in certain use cases.

Officially known as 802.11ax, WiFi 6 is a more advanced WiFi standard. It offers significant improvements in speed, efficiency, and capacity over its predecessor, 802.11ac or WiFi 5.

The most notable features of WiFi 6 include:

• Faster speeds: WiFi 6 can deliver speeds up to 9.6 Gbps, compared to 3.5 Gbps with WiFi 5. It means faster downloads, smoother streaming, and more reliable connections for multiple devices.
• Better efficiency: WiFi 6 uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology, which allows multiple devices to share the same channel simultaneously, reducing latency and increasing overall network efficiency.
• Increased capacity: With features like BSS Colouring and Target Wake Time (TWT), WiFi 6 can support more devices simultaneously without compromising on performance, making it ideal for busy environments like offices, homes, and public spaces.

Now, let’s discuss whether you’ll need WiFi 6 for your range extender. In my opinion, it depends on your specific needs, existing network setup, and, of course, the size of your home.

If you’re using the latest devices, such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets equipped with WiFi 6, investing in a WiFi 6 range extender can help you fully take advantage of the enhanced features, especially if your router is already WiFi 6 compatible.

On the other hand, if your devices and router are still using older WiFi standards, then a WiFi 6 extender might not be your immediate priority, as you won’t have any devices that can actually utilise its improved performance.

Upgrading your router to a WiFi 6 model first might be a better option (but most UK ISPs don’t provide one, for now).

In conclusion, a WiFi 6 range extender can provide better performance and support for more devices, but its benefits will only be fully realised if your existing system is compatible.

Oh, and if you want some more confusion – there are now WiFi 6E routers and WiFi 7… but for regular home use, without special circumstances in the house – WiFi 6 should be more than enough for most people, for now.

5. Additional WiFi Extender Features

Ethernet Port: If you want to connect a device that doesn’t have WiFi (a desktop computer for example), and your router is far from that device, then a WiFi extender with an Ethernet port is useful. You won’t get the full speed you could get by connecting your device directly to the router – it is relying on WiFi after all – but it’s a decent workaround.