Wifi extender vs booster -Which one will easily improve your signal?
If you’re struggling to get a strong wifi signal in some parts of your home, you can install a wifi extender or booster. These devices will help in boosting your wifi signal, but each has its way of doing this. The wifi extender vs booster comparison will show you the differences and help you choose the one that’s best for you.
Initially, when I first installed my wifi network everything was working smoothly and I had a reliable wifi signal in most of the rooms, but recently I’ve noticed there are dead spots at my upstairs bedroom and my basement.
Table of Contents
What is the difference between wifi extender and booster?
Type of wifi |
Extender |
Booster |
How they work |
Broadcasts its own signal |
Strengthens the existing signal |
Coverage |
Placed near the router |
Placed anywhere there’s a weak signal |
Suitability |
Ideal for indoors |
Ideal for both indoors and outdoors |
Wifi extender vs booster. How do they compare?
How they work
Although both wifi extenders and boosters perform more or less the same job, wifi boosters capture the wireless signal and rebroadcast it in a different location so the signal only strengthens around the booster but the original bandwidth can remain weaker by a half. The extender receives the wifi signal and passes it further expanding the signal area.
The wifi extender does a better job of extending your wifi signal to all the connected devices in your network than a booster.
Coverage
Wifi extenders have to be placed near your router but just far enough so that it can be able to broadcast its own signal to a certain area with a weak signal. Boosters can be placed anywhere around your home with a slow signal and this will help to strengthen the existing signal in that area.
When it comes to coverage, you’re better of using a wifi booster that you can easily place anywhere in your home to improve the signal.
Wifi extender vs booster – A comparison review
Wifi extender
This is a type of wifi booster that uses a wired connection to connect directly to your home network. This means it will extend the range of your existing wireless connection to cover more areas in your home. This way it can reach even your dead zones. Several things can affect the strength of your wifi signal; the positioning of your wireless router in your home. Also, obstacles and distance will weaken your signal which means the further away your device is from the router the weaker the signal. Objects like floors and walls can also affect the signal’s strength greatly. The extender should be close enough to the router but far enough for it to broadcast its own signal to the desired area. Both your router and extender have different names so ensure you know the SSID you want to connect to.
Here are some wifi extenders you might like.
Netgear wifi range extender EX3700
- EXTENDED WIRELESS COVERAGE: Adds Wi-Fi range coverage up to 1000 sq ft, and connects up to 15 devices...
- AC750 WI-FI SPEED: Provides up to 750Mbps performance using dual-band and patented FastLane(TM)...
This wifi extender has a range coverage of 1000 sq. feet and can connect with up to 15 devices like your smartphone, laptop, speaker, tablet, etc. It’s compatible with any wireless router or cable modem using wifi. The one 10/100m Ethernet port will help you to connect to a wired device very easily for fast and uninterrupted connection. It provides you with a wifi speed of 750 Mbps using a dual-band and FastLane technology.
Tplink N300 wifi extender
- Extend Wi-Fi Coverage - Boost Internet Wi-Fi Coverage up to 800 Square feet - Compatible with any Wi-Fi...
- Eliminate Wi-Fi Dead Zones - Enjoy Lag-Free connection to any type of devices, including wired devices...
A wifi extender that has internet coverage of up to 800 sq. feet and is compatible with access points, gateways, and wifi routers. You can enjoy a lag-free connection on all your devices and also eliminate dead zones around your home. It uses a single band, 2.4 GHz, 2 external antennas, and MIMO technology to provide 300 Mbps in speed performance that helps improve the range of your signal and signal reliability throughout your home.
Tplink AC1200 wifi extender
- Extend Wi-Fi Coverage - Boosts Internet Wi-Fi Coverage up to 1500 Square feet and connects up to 25...
- Eliminate Wi-Fi Dead Zones - Enjoy Lag-Free connection to any type of devices. Does not support Ethernet...
A sleek and compact range extender that will blend in very well with your walls and décor and is universally compatible with standard routers, access points, and gateways. It will boost your internet coverage up to 1500 sq. feet and connect with up to 25 devices in your home while eliminating dead zones. It has a smart indicator light that helps you to know the right place to get the strongest signal. This dual-band can provide 300 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and 867 Mbps on the 5 GHz band and connect to WPS compatible routers using the WPS button for easy setup and extension of your wifi.
Pros
- Very easy to set up and don’t require extra wires
- You can use it with your old router
- Will effectively eliminate dead zones and provide faster internet speeds
- It’s a very cheap investment
Cons
- It’s not the best for large homes with many floors
- Helps to extend your signal but not fix the problem of a weak signal
- Need to be individually configured if they’re many
Wifi booster
If you want fast and reliable wi-fi coverage everywhere in your home, a wifi booster is a great solution. It’s a boosting device to help strengthen your wifi signal to prevent weak signals around your home. A wifi booster can serve the same purpose as a wifi extender and repeater. However, unlike an extender a booster doesn’t broadcast its signal in the area, it intercepts the existing signal from your router and retransmits it with more strength. It increases the signal’s speed and coverage so that you can easily connect your devices even in areas with a weak signal. A wifi booster will instantly boost wifi performance throughout your home with uniformed internet access.
Here are some wifi boosters you might like.
Netgear AC3000 tri-band wireless signal booster
- 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...
This wireless signal booster can provide a wifi range coverage area of about 2500 sq. feet and connect with up to 50 devices using the existing network so you don’t have to keep disconnecting every time you move from one room to the next. It has a wifi speed of 3000 Mbps using a tri-band and patented Fastlane 3 technology if you’re doing a lot of HD streaming and gaming with multiple players. It will boost the range of your existing network and reach the hard to reach places in your home both indoors and outdoors.
Tplink AC750 dual-band wifi booster
- Extend Wi-Fi Coverage - Boost Internet Wi-Fi coverage up to 1200 square feet and connects up to 20...
- Eliminate Wi-Fi Dead Zones - Enjoy Lag-Free Connection to any type of devices, including wired devices...
This wifi booster will extend your wifi coverage by 1200 sq. feet and connect with up to 20 devices and eliminating any dead spots so you can enjoy a lag-free connection with any type of device. It uses one mesh technology to help you create a mesh network that allows seamless roaming without worrying about the spotty signal. You can use the TP-Link tether app to customize the wifi settings and manage your network.
Tplink AC1750 dual-band wifi booster
- Extend Wi-Fi Coverage - Boosts Internet Wi-Fi Coverage up to 2000 Square feet and connects up to 32...
- Eliminate Wi-Fi Dead Zones - Enjoy Lag-Free connection to any type of devices, including wired devices...
It has 3 powerful antennas that help to provide super-fast wifi across your home so you can easily stream and game in any room in your home. It’s very easy to install and helps you to expand your wifi and connection to your wired device even up to 2000 sq. feet. It will connect to 32 devices in your home and eliminate any dead zones.
Pros
- Help in eliminating dead spots in your home
- Boost your internet where it’s slow
- Extend your wifi coverage outdoors
- Help to add faster speeds and new features to your wifi network
- Ideal for large homes
Cons
- A stronger signal can interfere with your neighbor’s wireless network
- Your devices may not be able to respond and maintain a stable connection
Conclusion
Both wifi extenders and boosters work have the same job in that they help in strengthening the weak wifi signal around your home and removing dead spots so you can enjoy uninterrupted connection throughout.
So, which one is better wifi extenders or boosters
Wifi boosters are better because you can just place them around you in areas where you have a weak signal and where you have a slow connection. You can also place them outside to expand your internet connection.
FAQ
Where should you place a wifi extender?
The ideal place is at the center between your router and your computer but within the wireless range of the wireless router.
Can wifi extenders cause problems?
The most common problem is interference but also how you setup your wifi can also cause problems.