No, Even the Best Wi-Fi Extender Isn’t Worth Your Time (2025)

After testing some of the best Wi-Fi extenders on the market, my advice? Don’t buy one. It’s not that Wi-Fi extenders don’t work but that they don’t work well. There are many more-effective ways to improve your Wi-Fi, and I’ll dig into a few later on, but first I want to explain the issues I have with extenders—also sometimes called Wi-Fi range boosters or repeaters. If you still want to try one, I have a few options for you to consider. Also, check out our other networking guides, including the Best Routers, Best Mesh Routers, and Best VPNs. Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today. The Trouble With Wi-Fi Extenders As the name suggests, Wi-Fi extenders pick up the Wi-Fi signal from your router and extend it. They use the same frequency band as your main router and repeat the signal. They are desi ... Read full article.