Whether a WiFi extender works for you depends on your home network set up and needs. The short answer is yes, they work. The better question is whether a WiFi extender is the right WiFi booster for your home.
What is a WiFi extender?
There are two kinds of WiFi extenders: wireless range extenders and wireless network extenders. We have a page about WiFi range extenders, so here we will focus on WiFi network extenders.
A WiFi network extender is a hardware device that communicates directly with your cable modem router or router through a wire. A WiFi extender reduces the distance that your WiFi signal has to travel to your wireless devices. Instead of the WiFi signal traveling from your router to your devices, the extender acts as a middleman to carry the reach farther and increase the speed and performance of your network.
How a WiFi extender works
WiFi is vulnerable to interferences that impact performance. A network that is underperforming has a weak WiFi signal. A weak signal causes dead spots in your home.
If your signal isn’t weak but struggles to cover your home, that’s when you should turn to WiFi boosters. WiFi extender works by taking that strong WiFi signal and re-broadcasting it to your wireless devices without impacting your network bandwidth.
Just connect the extender to your router with a wire (wires offer a stable, reliable connection) and place it between the router and the area that needs better coverage.
Are there other WiFi boosters?
Yes, there are a few different types of WiFi boosters. They all have their pros and cons. Some are more budget-friendly, convenient or better suited for the size home that you have.
For example, WiFi mesh is expensive and best suited for large homes. Whereas, a WiFi range extender or network extender is more cost effective and suited for smaller homes or rental units.
Hitron’s offerings of WiFi Boosters are easy to use whether that is through Ethernet, MoCA, or WiFi. They fit into most budgets and offer better WiFi signal coverage in smaller homes. Ask your Internet service provider (ISP) about Hitron’s WiFi boosters today.
Want more information like this? Check out Hitron’s Learn Page for more.