Mesh Networks Are Even BetterĪ Wi-Fi extender is a simple and effective way of increasing your Wi-Fi range, but it might still be slower than connecting a device directly to your router. Repurposing an old-ish router is a great way to extend your Wi-Fi without forking out for a new bit of hardware. You can't do it the other way round you'll get a big performance hit if you use an N-rated extender with an AC-rated or AX-rated router. If necessary, you can use an 802.11ac extender with an older 802.11n router at maximum speed because Wi-Fi standards are backward compatible. While there are no restrictions on mixing and matching brands, a Wi-Fi extender does need to be at least as fast as the router it's connected to. With BoostBand enabled, both 2.4GHz and 5GHz devices will still be able to connect to the Range Extender, however traffic between the Extender and Router will only use a single band.' If the 5GHz connection is not available or it is too weak, it will utilize the 2.4GHz connection with the Router. 'Will utilize the 5GHz channel between the Range Extender and the Router. For example, Amped Wireless' BoostBand technology:

Boosting both means all your Wi-Fi connected devices have a better chance of receiving a decent Wi-Fi connection.įurthermore, some Wi-Fi extenders allow you to dedicate one band for communicating with your router and another band for communicating with your devices. The dual-band Wi-Fi extender will boost the 2.4GHz signal (which has a larger range but slower connection speed) and 5GHz signal (which has a smaller range but faster connection speed). You can minimize Wi-Fi extender signal loss by ensuring you buy a dual-band Wi-Fi extender rather than an older single-band model. All Wi-Fi extenders split their available bandwidth between receiving the Wi-Fi signal (i.e., communicating with your Wi-Fi router) and broadcasting to other devices. You'll experience some signal loss, no matter the Wi-Fi extender make or model you use it's just an inevitable fact of the technology. Such obstructions can reduce the strength of the wireless signal. Ideally, it would have line-of-sight to both areas or at least no obstructions by any heavy physical obstacles (e.g., thick walls) in either direction. Most manufacturers recommend sitting the extender about mid-way between the router and the area you want to cover.

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