Best WiFi Booster for PS4 & Xbox One in 2021 (Reviews and Guide)
Boost the gaming performance of your devices with the best WiFi boosters listed below.
The performance of your Xbox One or PS4 is very much tied to the performance of your WiFi, which means that your WiFi network must be working optimally for you to enjoy the best gaming performance.
Unfortunately for most gamers and even the rest of us relying on WiFi for elegant device performance, existing wireless routers aren’t always capable of delivering the power we hope so, especially if you live in a large house or if you have a couple of devices connected to your home WiFi. And in such cases, it pays to have a system that would boost the performance of your home wireless system, and ultimately the WiFi connectivity and the overall performance of your PS4 or Xbox One.
Now, while there are many ways of boosting the performance of your home WiFi, and also the efficiency of your PS4 or the Xbox One, one of the most effective strategies for enhancing your Xbox One’s or PS4’s performance is by improving the quality and the connectivity of your internet connection. Wired connections will give you an enhanced level of competitiveness in the gaming world by significantly reducing the network lag or latency, allowing your systems to fire perfectly, but you could also opt for a WiFi booster or extender in case you have one router and you can’t really connect to the router via an Ethernet cable.
These WiFi network boosters or network extenders expand your existing home coverage, allowing you to enjoy ultra-high-speed connectivity and the most reliable network signals, hence the best gaming experience.
In this review, we’ll take a look at some of the best options of WiFi boosters for your PS4 or Xbox One. These network boosters promise the best gaming performance by expanding your signal range, speed, and reliability.
Table of Contents
Best WiFi Booster for PS4 & Xbox One – Comparison
Best WiFi Booster for PS4 & Xbox One |
Best for |
Price |
Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 |
Best Overall for WiFi Booster for PS4 & Xbox One |
|
TP-Link RE650 |
WiFi Extender with the Largest Range |
|
Actiontec WCB6200Q |
Best Bonded MoCA WiFi Booster for PS4 and Xbox One |
|
Linksys Max-Stream RE7000 |
Best Budget-Friendly WiFi Booster |
|
Actiontec WEB6000Q02 802.11ac Wireless Network Booster |
Best High-Speed Ethernet Wireless Extender |
Reviews of the Best WiFi Booster for PS4 & Xbox One
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Netgear Nighthawk X6S EX8000 – Best Overall for WiFi Booster for PS4 & Xbox One
- Extended wireless coverage: Adds Wi-Fi range coverage up to 2500 square feet, and connects up to 50...
- Seamless smart roaming: Uses your existing network SSID name so you never get disconnected as you move...
Though expensive, this WiFi booster might be the best option for you if you are looking for a high-performance wireless extender that promises to enhance your gaming performance. It is an 802.11ac wireless extender that promises very high theoretical internet speeds of up to 3Gbps. Both the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz bands offer reliable speeds, and the 6 internal antennas are designed to boost the range and the signal strength of your existing wireless router.
Since this wireless extender is a triband unit, you won’t have to worry about slow speeds or signal degradation because the third band is a dedicated backhaul that connects to your router via the FastLane3 technologies while allowing for direct communication between the extender and the router. It also supports Beamforming+ for increased range and maximum throughput. You could use it as an access point thanks to the Access Point Mode.
It’s a desktop extender, and despite the mammoth design, this device supports additional features that will boost the performance of the WiFi extender, for example, the 4 Ethernet ports that offer reliable wired connections for gaming, the quad-core processor that drives up the performance of this wireless extender, and the USB 2.0 port with support for ReadySHARE Print.
Pros
- Smart setup thanks to supporting for a single SSID
- High-speed connectivity
- 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Triband support with a dedicated backhaul
- USB printer support
- Fast 5GHz download speeds
Cons
- Expensive
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TP-Link RE650 – WiFi Extender with the Largest Range
- Extend the range of your Wi Fi with the dual band RE650, compatible with any type of Router / Gateway /...
- Quad Antenna design for ultimate coverage for all areas of your home
Next on our list is this TP-Link WiFi extender. It is one of the best WiFi extenders on the market, and it might be the most ideal option for you if you are looking for an extender that offers the largest wireless coverage range (up to 14,000sq.ft). This extender is also designed to offer the best WiFi performance from the 802.11ac setup, which allows you to enjoy blazing high speeds of up to 2600Mbps. Both the 5GHz and the 2.4GHz bands also offer top performance, and the speed delivered by the 5GHz band is more than enough for your gaming need.
The range and the performance of this WiFi extender is enhanced by the 4 antennas, along with the extender’s support for beamforming and MU-MIMO technologies. All these features work together to ensure that you enjoy high wireless speeds and great coverage throughout your large home.
It also features an integrated Ethernet port; hence high speed wired connections to your PS4 or Xbox One. This Gigabit Ethernet port also allows for the use of this WiFi extender as a wireless bridge, an access point, and an overall channel for the enhancement of the performance of this network boosting device.
It also boasts Easy setup and easy use, thanks to the fact that the extender will easily work with the same SSID and password used by your existing router. Thanks to this setup, you can easily use this WiFi extender as a reliable pseudo-Mesh node.
Pros
- Affordable design
- Ease of setup and use
- Versatile and could also be used as a Pseudo-Mesh node, besides its use as an access point
- Uses the same SSID as the router
- Support for beamforming and MU-MIMO
- Gigabit Ethernet port incorporated for the best-wired connections
- Extra-large coverage for large homes
- Great speed and overall performance
- 4 antennas
Cons
- The performance of the 2.4GHz band could be better
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Actiontec WCB6200Q – Best Bonded MoCA WiFi Booster for PS4 and Xbox One
- FASTER, BETTER WI-FI: Get faster Wi-Fi internet with an 802.11ac Wi-Fi that has 4 transmitters and 4...
- EXTEND WI-FI COVERAGE: Connect other wireless devices like doorbells, cameras, mobile phones, tablets,...
This Actiontec WCB6200Q is one of the best WiFi boosters on the market today, and you might like it if you are looking for a powerful WiFi booster to meet your gaming needs. It is an 802.11ac WiFi network extender that features bonded MoCA, and it promises the best performance. This extender features cutting edge technological features like the video prioritization technology, next-gen wireless AC, a high-performance antenna design, and a 4x4GHz radio support, all working together to ensure the delivery of the best gaming and video streaming performance. All the functions incorporated into this WiFi booster will leave you with a turbo-charged wireless home network.
Note that the use of the 802.11ac high-speed technology means that you will be able to enjoy blazing fast internet speeds, with a maximum throughput of up to 2Gbps. With these speeds, you will be able to play games online or stream the best quality videos without any glitches, buffering, or lags.
The power of this extender is further enhanced by the bonded MoCA technology, MoCA 2.0 standard, which means that the extender’s channels allow you to enjoy gigabit/ 1Gbps speeds via your existing home’s coaxial wiring.
Pros
- High-speed 802.11ac performance
- Bonded MoCA Coax connection
- No lags or glitches
- 4×4 gaming/ streaming channels
- Great coverage extension
- Compatible with all routers
- 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports
Cons
- Its use is not the easiest
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Linksys Max-Stream RE7000 – Best Budget-Friendly WiFi Booster
- ELIMINATE DEAD ZONES AND BOOST AC1900 plus WIFI RANGE: Extend your home WiFi to hard-to-reach locations...
- EXTEND NEXT-GEN AC WIFI TO MULTIPLE USERS WITH MULTI USER-MIMO: Next-Gen AC with MU-MIMO (Multi-User,...
You also have this Linksys Max-Stream WiFi booster, which is not only an affordable option for gaming but also one of the WiFi boosters that offers an excellent wireless area coverage. Its speeds and overall performance are also great, and you might like it if you are looking for something that will enhance your gaming performance.
It is a triband WiFi booster with high-performance 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, coupled with a dedicated backhaul band designed to provide a means of direct communication between this booster and your router, hence the best performance, with no interference on the active bands.
In addition to the dedicated backhaul that enhances the performance of the booster, this device also boasts support for beamforming and MU-MIMO technologies, as well as the Linksys Cross-Band technology incorporated into this unit to ensure the best performance of this network extender. It also supports a single SSID.
There is also an integrated gigabit Ethernet port for wired connections hence the best gaming performance. The Ethernet port is also essential as it enhances the versatility of this Linksys WiFi extender, and you can use it as a wired access point or as a wireless bridge.
Pros
- Single SSID support
- Dedicated backhaul for enhanced device performance
- MU-MIMO and Beamforming support
- Simple setup and network management
- Versatile unit
- Reliable speeds and a great range
- Affordable
Cons
- Some lagging experienced
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Actiontec WEB6000Q02 802.11ac Wireless Network Booster – Best High-Speed Ethernet Wireless Extender
- Instantly upgrade your Wi-Fi to blazing fast 802.11ac speeds
- The preferred solution for extending wireless coverage to an upstairs or downstairs floor.
If you are looking for a wireless extender that allows for Ethernet connectivity, this network extender might be the best option for you. With two gigabit Ethernet ports, you can connect this extender to your router and the PS4/ Xbox One, enjoying the best performance as a result.
It runs on the 802.11ac wireless protocol, which means that you will enjoy gigabit speeds from this extender easily, and this also means the best gaming performance on your PS4 or Xbox One. You might also like this network extender because it offers the best connectivity for large houses, especially story houses.
It boasts a dual-band design, which further enhances your gaming/ streaming performance, and since it will work with your existing router’s SSID and password, the setup of this desktop wireless extender is easy.
There’s also the integrated wireless networking option with two access points, the 2×2 802.11n and the other access point is for the 4×4 802.11ac.
Pros
- Ethernet connectivity
- Easy setup
- Ease of use
- Good antenna design
- Fast internet speeds
Cons
- Expensive
Buying Guide for the Best WiFi Booster for PS4 & Xbox One
For the ultimate gaming experience on your PS4 or Xbox One, you need a reliable, fast, and a strong internet connection, and for serious gamers, this often translates to wired internet connections via Ethernet cables. The wired connections leave you with a low lag and also low latency, which means the best gaming experience.
But going the wired connection way is not the only option for you since you could also opt for a WiFi booster, also called a WiFi Extender. The WiFi booster, better known as the network extender, is the device designed to amp the WiFi signals in your home. Today, the WiFi booster is better known as the WiFi extender rather than a booster; this device is designed to literally extend WiFi signals. It is a bandwidth extension device, but it also goes by other names such as the wireless range extender, the MoCA/ Ethernet WiFi wireless network extender, or a MoCA wired extender,
These WiFi network extenders/ boosters are among the best options for gamers, and it might be the ideal choice for you if you are looking to enjoy reliable and consistently high internet speeds via WiFi. These extenders, unlike the range extenders which are set up for rebroadcasting of the existing WiFi signals, the boosters, or network extenders, are designed to communicate with your main internet gateway or your wireless router directly via a wire or a cable. So, like the cellular towers, which also use cables for signal transmission, you won’t have to worry about a loss of internet speeds with an increase in distance. In fact, these network extenders will result in an increase in your device’s speeds, hence an improved performance because they are capable of shortening the distance between your wireless router and your wireless signal.
WiFi Booster Options
There are different options for WiFi boosters/ network extenders, but the main ones include Ethernet cabling, mentioned above. Unfortunately, Ethernet cabling gets messy; it’s expensive and difficult, hence the need for alternatives. Some of these alternatives include the MoCA network extenders and the MoCA adapters.
With all these options, how do you know which WiFi booster/ extender to choose? What do you need to look out for in your search for the best WiFi booster?
Things to consider before buying a WiFi Booster for PS4 and Xbox One
There are many reasons why you’d want to buy a wireless booster for your gaming unit, but first, let’s take at the main reasons and situations where the WiFi booster would be ideal.
- Poor/ weak WiFi signals in some areas or dead spots/dead zones. This is the primary reason why people get WiFi boosters or extenders, and it would be the case for you too if you live in a space with too many obstructions or interference.
- Slow WiFi in some areas of your home would also necessitate the use of a WiFi booster.
- The fastest WiFi access is the other reason why you’d want to find the fastest WiFi booster/ extender. Note that this is an option that works, especially if the booster or extender you choose offers supports for the fastest WiFi access through the 802.11ac wireless protocol. Even if your existing router lacks support for the 802.11ac protocol, a WiFi booster based on this protocol will ensure the fastest internet access. You’d also enjoy blazing fast speeds if the selected booster features additional functions/ features like beamforming, dual-band WiFi, or MU-MIMO, among others.
- If you have a large home and your existing WiFi router doesn’t offer adequate coverage, the router will come in handy.
- The booster is also ideal if you need fast WiFi access outdoors.
Buying Guide
Here are some of the features that you need to look out for in your search for the best WiFi Booster.
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Types of WiFi boosters
WiFi boosters come in different shapes and sizes, but there are two main types – the plug-in and the desktop booster. The plug-in boosters are smaller in size, unobtrusive, and they come with only one open socket. However, these boosters are not the fastest, they lack ports for wired connections, and their reliability is questionable.
On the other hand, you have the desktop or the tabletop WiFi boosters, which are large, they feature bigger antennas, have better specs, including a number of Ethernet ports, and they boast a longer range. Thanks to their specs and overall build – they are more ideal for competitive gaming. They are not, however, the cheapest devices on the market, and they take up a significant amount of space.
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Speed
What is the maximum speed offered by the WiFi booster? Generally, the best booster delivers speeds as high as what’s offered by your existing router, but some might offer lower speeds. Opt for the boosters that promise the same speeds as your router.
For reliable and the most consistent speeds for gaming, you need to find dual-band or even tri-band routers.
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Number of ports
You can never have too many ports, and when it comes to finding the perfect WiFi booster for your PS4 or Xbox One, you need to look out for the booster that comes with the biggest possible number of ports. Just make sure that the ports on the booster are the best performance Ethernet ports for reliable connectivity, fast internet speeds, reduced latency, and overall good gaming performance.
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Antennas
The best of the wireless network boosters feature antennas which ensure that the signals are well broadcast, and they often feature two antennas.
FAQs
What is MoCA?
For access to fast and reliable internet speeds during gaming, you’d want to find wired network connectivity, and this is where MoCA comes in. MoCA, also called Ethernet over Coax, refers to the wired technology allowing you to connect your router to your gaming unit and other devices by use of coaxial wiring in the walls. It creates some form of superhighway between the connected devices, allowing you to enjoy exceptionally high internet speeds and the most reliable signals. As a result, MoCA devices are ideal for gaming.
There are two main types of MoCA, the MoCA Network Extenders and the MoCA adapters. The network extenders are more like a hybrid wired-wireless internet option that allows you access to ultra-high-internet speeds and the most reliable connections. Then you have the MoCA adapters, which will enhance your gaming performance by connecting to your Xbox One or PS4 directly using the existing coaxial wiring in your home. The adapter is entirely a wired option, and you have to connect the adapter to your router and another adapter to your gaming unit.
How does a WiFi Booster Work?
Well, the WiFi booster works by extending your existing network coverage, either boosting or amplifying the wireless signals. The booster will essentially pull the existing weak WiFi signal from your router or transmitter, and then it amplifies the signal transmission to where it is needed most.
Does water affect WiFi?
Yes. The fidelity of wireless transmissions is significantly affected by water since water affects the wireless coverage of your WiFi.
Conclusion
The best WiFi booster will enhance your gaming experience by increasing your wireless system’s speed and signal strength; it will also eliminate dead zones and improve internet speeds in areas of your home where there is slow internet, while also enhancing internet coverage in large homes. The WiFi boosters reviewed above are some of the best, and they will help you attain your ultimate best level of gaming performance because they are the best WiFi Boosters for PS4 and Xbox One.