9 Best WiFi Extender Options in the UK for 2021

The RE220 by TP-Link is a competent and affordable way to extend WiFi range across your home. Firstly, it has great 2.4Ghz performance and is very easy to use. We also think it looks great. Therefore, let’s see what’s under the hood:

Features and Performance

2.4Ghz and 5Ghz Bands

The 2.4Ghz band deserves all the praise but both are extended well by the RE220. Maximum data rates are 300Mbps and 433Mbps receptively. I.e. Just less than 750Mbps dual-band.

In practise, in close proximity, you can expect up to 80Mbps at 2.5Ghz. Meanwhile, at 25 feet, it’s no more than 35Mbps, and at 50 feet speed throughput drops below 30Mbps.

5Ghz is obviously faster, but it should be. Compared to other models it doesn’t quite hold up. You’ll get around 115Mbps at close range, 70Mbps at 25 feet, and less than 50Mbps when you pass the 50ft mark.

Performance-wise, it’s not good at multitasking or targeting devices directly with its signal due to a lack of MU-MIMO and beamforming technology.

Still, this is a budget WiFi amplifier that’s extending coverage. It’s better than no extension at all and for anyone but intense users, it does the job fine.

Control Panel

The Android and iOS mobile app called Tether easily controls the app. Similarly, you can use a web panel. Both display the extender’s current status, and you can choose between wireless WPA, WPA2, WPA/WPA2, or WEP.

Other settings also include WiFi name and password, auto or manual IP addresses, and scheduling power on and off times.

High Speed Mode

High-speed mode is the closest you’ll get to a MU-MIMO or a ‘gaming mode’. For instance, it lets you choose a primary band for most traffic and the other band for backhaul traffic. Similarly, auto mode decides the best configuration for the current moment.

Design

The RE220 plug extender look is really nice and will blend in with most homes. For example, it could be mistaken for an air freshener.

As a ‘miniature’ it measures in at 4.3 by 3.0 by 2.6 inches, and down the front are its LED lights. So – green is good, red is weak. You can also observe WPS and LAN activity. The LAN port is at the bottom and shouldn’t be too fiddly unless you have abnormally low plug sockets. This sits alongside a master reset button.

Price

Mediocre performance can be forgiven for such a great price. In short, you can pick up the TP-Link RE220 for just £22.99.

Verdict

If you live in a large home, want better WiFi outside or in summer houses, or you just experience a bad connection for unknown reasons, choose this. The RE220 is a good entry-level extender if you’ve never used one before. You will notice a difference immediately. 

However, intense internet users who need the best performance and have some familiarity with WiFi range extenders will want a more premium model. 

The X6 EX770 is an excellent triband middle-ground between Netgear’s entry-level EX7500 and premium EX8000. The WiFi mesh extender uses four internal antennas. Meanwhile, it’s capable of speeds up to 2.2Gbps.

Features and Performance

Triband

The X6 WiFi range extender kicks things up a gear with three separate bands. FIrstly, two 802.11AC 5GHz bands deliver speeds up to 866Mbps, while a 2.4Ghz band gets up to 400Mbps. Subsequently, performance is vastly improved as one of these bands is dedicated to back-end networking traffic.

In essence, this is MU-MIMO – multi-user, multiple input, multiple output. One person might play a game, another stream Netflix, and when someone else connects to browse the web on their phone nobody will experience any slowdown. Above all, if you’re a 4K streamer but have experienced dead spots, this is a brilliant solution.

Range

Most people won’t need 2,000 square feet of range, but the fact it’s possible is reassuring. It also means that signal strength for devices in the average-sized home is very strong. 

Up to 40 Smart Devices

Netgear guarantees smooth connections between 40 different devices, such as smartphones, a television, or a laptop. This is more than enough for the average household.

Parental Controls

The intuitive Netgear app houses the control panel. One useful feature is parental control that allows you to set timed schedules for your children’s connected devices or block them altogether.

WPS Setup

Using a WPS button, the wireless extender links with your wireless router in seconds and will only take a few minutes to configure fully with your network.

Design

The X6 EX7700 is an edgy black box that measures 7.8 by 6 by 2 inches, so far from large. However, it does not plug directly into the wall. Instead, you get a standard cable and plug. Furthermore, to the rear is the power button, two ethernet ports (ideal for consoles and smart TVs), and a reset slot. 

In addition, the LED notification lights sit at the top of the front side of the device.

Price

The Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700 has an MSRP of £79.99, which is more than reasonable for its excellent performance. 

Verdict

There’s nothing not to like about this WiFi range extender. It has exceptional reach, can handle loads of devices without slowing down. For example, 4K and intense gaming is no problem. Furthermore, it’s well priced. It might be overkill in smaller flats, but in large homes and offices, it’s one of the best WiFi extenders on the market.

Aimed at newer WiFi 6 routers, TP-Link’s RE505X Wi-Fi extender informs users where to position it for best performance. Meanwhile, the dual-band device does excellently on the 5GHz band, with top data transfer speeds of 1.2Gbps.

Features and Performance

WiFi 6

This means the wireless extender is compatible with WiFi 6 routers, the newer technology that supports a new maximum speed of 9.6Gbps, as opposed to the previous 3.5Gbps. Of course, that’s the speed of the router, not the extender. But when combined, you’re in a better overall position for speed.

Dual Band

The RE505X is a dual-band router extender with wireless speeds of up to 1.5 Gbps. That’s 1.2Gbps on 5Ghz and 300Mbps on 2.4Ghz

Real-world testing puts the 2.4GHz band at about 80Mbps in close range, 30Mbps at 20 feet, and 9Mbps at 40 feet. This is less than the cheaper RE220, though it has better overall connection stability and the RE220 is obviously not Wi-Fi 6 compatible.

It does better in the 5Ghz band, jumping to 350Mbps at close range, 245Mbps at 20ft, and 203Mbps at 40ft.

Walls and other interference will play a role, but there’s no denying the 5Ghz band does well. 

Adaptive Path Selection

Another feature that improves performance is APS. This utilizes the most ideal network path to the router to maintain speeds.

OneMesh

The OneMesh technology makes use of compatible routers for a more seamless experience across your home or business. Firstly, routers and extenders share the same name, and any device simply connects to this. Moreover, whatever extender or router currently provides the best connection automatically applies to the device.  

The downside though is the router must be compatible to experience the benefits of a Mesh network.

Easy Setup

The TP-Link Tether app allows for easy WiFi extender setup by Android or iOS. 

Design

The straight in the wall design does away with those annoying wires, though its chunky antennas aren’t the most visually appealing. Positioned down the right hand side you’ll find the LED indicators.

For even faster wired gaming consoles or smart TV streaming, you get a Gigabit Ethernet port at the back.

Price

You can purchase the RE505X from trusted online retailers for less than £60, which isn’t a terrible price. Its sister product, however – the TP-Link RE603X – is a similar price with slightly better performance.

Verdict

TP-Link’s RE505X can easily extend WiFi range with solid performance at a good price. It has WiFi 6 and OneMesh support and is very easy to set up. However, its RE603X cousin has less 2.4Ghz middling and there’s barely a price difference.

For as little as £5-£10 more than the RE505X, TP-Link delivers superior WiFi 6 and OneMesh performance over the RE505X, with the same features and ease of use. It’s time to say goodbye to dead zones. 

Features and Performance

WiFi 6

TP-Link continues its support for faster and more efficient WiFi 6 routers. This results in less latency, overall higher speed capacity, and the ability to connect tonnes of devices at once without wireless network slowdowns. That’s everything from a desktop PC to smart TVs and smart speakers.

Dual Band

This dual-band WiFi signal extender provides superior performance over the RE505X, with top potential speeds close to 1.8Gbps. Experience 1.2Gbps on the 5Ghz band – perfect for 4K streaming and online games. Furthermore, the 2.4Ghz band is great for regular browsing at a top speed of 574Mbps.

Real-world examples record 100Mbps of throughput for 2.4Ghz at close range. 38Mbps at 20ft, while 12Mbps is recorded at 40ft. 

5Ghz gets over 350Mbps at close range, 251Mbps at 20ft, and 200Mbps at 40ft.

In short, these are great results, suitable for any home or office user.

Smart Roaming

Like router beamforming technology, smart roaming follows your devices around the house and seamlessly switches extenders or routers to provide the best possible connection as you go.

AP Mode

The above combined with an adaptive path provides the best possible route through your network.

OneMesh

If your router supports OneMesh, you can get more out of the TP-Link AX1750. This eliminates devices’ normal process of searching for the router as every device compatible within the home falls under the same WiFi node.

High Speed Mode MU-MIMO

High Speed Mode is a form of MU-MIMO that splits both bands among different types of devices and uses one band for upstream and another for downstream. Effectively, all devices perform well without the network clogging up. It’s very useful to replicate this on a WiFi range extender.

Mobile App

You can easily do the initial setup and further management via the popular TP-Link Tether app for Android and iOS. 

Features include parental control and a black/white list to screen out inappropriate websites.

You can also view the status of all your devices, block ones from connecting (perhaps you just want your phone to use mobile data for a while). Moreover, this is where you manage High Speed Mode.

You can check signal strength and performance in relation to the router and where the extender is located, too. 

Design

It comes in a familiar bulky white design with two extended antennae. It plugs straight in the wall for convenience and has a Gigabit Ethernet port for faster gaming and TV streaming.

Price

The RE603X currently retails for around £65 compared to the RE505X’s £60 price tag. We see no reason not to pay that little extra.

Verdict

This is the best WiFi extender UK customers can buy for WiFi 6 range. 

This budget TP Link extender provides a respectable 1.1 Gbps top potential speed over dual band. It has Mesh network support and roaming signal. It’s an affordable choice for the average family that needs to boost the WiFi signal to cover dead spots around the house.

Features and Performance

Dual-Band Performance

Dual Bands allow different devices to get full performance without interfering with each other. It also means lots of devices can connect to the network and get good speeds.

This WiFi signal extender has a combined potential speed just shy of 1.2Gbps. The 2.4GHz band delivers 300Mbps and is ideal for regular browsing, while the 5GHz provides capacity for 867Mbps.

Actual speeds depend on your router and broadband capabilities themselves. We found spots that drop the signal altogether, such as the garden summerhouse. We could get between 20Mbps to 30Mbps on the 5GHz band, which was a pleasant surprise. 

OneMesh 

So your devices remain connected to the strongest band (or network if you have multiple), OneMesh keeps everything under one connection name. Regardless of how your network(s) are set up, you get the best possible signal strength when moving around the house.

You also may connect directly to the extender, router, or other Mesh-compatible device.

Two-Step Setup

Setting up for the first time takes just two steps! Just press the WPS button on your router and wait at least 10 seconds. Secondly, press the WPS on the powered RE300. They should now be connected and in most cases, that’s all that’s required.

Web or App Management

If your router doesn’t have WPS or you want to tinker with additional settings, the Tether app for Android and iOS is all you need. On the other hand, the same interface is available via a web browser. 

Here you can view network status, which devices are connected and their signal strength, and even set up a private guest network with its own password.

You can block any device from connecting to the network, while parental controls also allow you to schedule set times for when your children’s devices can go online.

Smart Signal Indicator

You can see signal strength within the control panel, but an even easier method is via the indicator light on the network extender itself. This goes from green (A-Okay) to red (not so good). Worry not – moving it to a different wall outlet should solve the issue.

High-Speed Mode 

This implementation of high-speed mode combines both bands into one powerful connection. When nobody else needs to use the internet, this is best used for gaming or high-quality streaming.

Adaptive Path

AP Mode automatically chooses the best path between the router, WiFi repeater, and devices to maintain the fastest possible experience. 

Design

The familiar design looks nice in any home. It’s simply a white box that plugs directly into the wall socket. Its power button, WPS, and reset slot are on the side, while indicator lights are on the front.

For game consoles and Smart TVs that cannot be wired to the main router to benefit from increased stability and speed from the plug extender, we would have liked to see an Ethernet port.

Price

At just £33.49, the RE300 is a great option for the average family that wants full broadband coverage all over the house. 

Verdict

Overall, TP-Link’s RE300 is a good WiFi extender that will immediately boost any home network. It doesn’t quite have all the bells and whistles as its more expensive counterparts, but TP-Link hasn’t scrimped when it comes to their usual features. You get OneMesh, Adaptive Path, High Speed Mode, and the app. What more could you need?

Netgear’s high-end long-range WiFi extender is WiFi 6-ready and has some of the best speeds on the market. This is particularly noticeable on the 2.4GHz band. 

Features and Performance

Dual Band

Both wireless bands deliver transfer speeds of up to 1.8Gbps – 600Mbps from the 2.4Ghz band and 1.2Gbps from the 5Ghz band. 

In practise, they’re still impressive. 5GHz stands out with over 350Mbps at close range, 170Mbps at 40ft, and 130Mbps at 20ft. 

Although impressive, it’s slower than the cheaper TP-Link RE505X, which is £30 cheaper.

The 2.5GHz band also trails the RE505X in the real world, netting 65Mbps at close proximity. But at further distances of 20 and 40 feet it surpasses the competition.

Smart LED

The smart LED signal light glows from green to red to let you know the network extender signal strength in relation to your router. Green is what you want, while if it’s red, it’s time to find a wall socket closer to the router or vice versa.

OFDMA/ MU-MIMO

Up to four devices can efficiently upload and download simultaneously with no noticeable latency. This includes streaming, gaming, video calling, etc.

Mesh Wi-Fi 6

If you have a WiFi 6 router, you get approximately four times the amount of device capacity than previous WiFi technology. The Netgear AX1800 supports WiFi 6, which means no inherent slowdowns of this new network technology. 

You can also set up a Mesh network using your current WiFi details. This allows you to connect to the closest node directly (your router, WiFi extender, or another device), so coverage is much more efficient around the house.

WPS Setup

There’s no messing about with WPS. To get connected, firstly just hit the button on your router, then the Netgear WiFi booster.

Nighthawk App

Nighthawk is Netgear’s iOS and Android app for managing your extender. Firstly, it lets you view and remove connected devices. Secondly, it runs speed tests, and manages your WiFi settings.

Design

An elegant and compact white design plugs directly into your wall socket. Despite its performance, it measures just 5.9 by 2.7 by 2.1 inches.

The LED indicators are placed vertically down the right hand side of the front panel. In addition, the WPS button, reset slot, and an Ethernet port are on the left side. Just plug it in and it will fire up, no power button is required.

Overall, this is one of the better-looking, understated Netgear WiFi extenders and would sit great in any home or office. 

Price

At just over £90, this won’t meet everyone’s budget. Especially for something as innocuous as a plug-in WiFi extender. 

Verdict

If you have the budget, the Netgear AX1800 (EAX15) has excellent throughput at 2.5GHz, a very long-range, and doesn’t overwhelm with settings. In conclusion, based on raw specs, it’s easily in contention for the best WiFi extender UK customer can buy.

The Amped Wireless AC1750 (RE1750A) model is a premium and powerful wireless signal booster, with lots of ports. Similarly, it has an excellent management panel. The 2.4Ghz band delivers the throughput we like to see on a dual-band WiFi extender, while it also has great Apple support.

Features and Performance

Apple-friendly

AirPlay (streaming), AirPrint (for printers), and Home Sharing, means Amped works seamlessly with all Apple networking features.

Five LAN Ports

You get what you pay for, and five Gigabit LAN ports are one such feature. This isn’t necessary for the average person. But if you want the perks of wired gaming and streaming without the router within immediate reach, this is the best WiFi repeater UK consumers can buy.

Web-Based Management

Amped aren’t on par with other brands that provide a mobile app to control the wireless repeater, yet its web-based control panel is second to none. And – you can load it on a phone browser anyway, so it isn’t a big deal.

You get an overview of connected devices, usage stats, and signal strength. Furthermore, its basic and advanced settings suit users of all capabilities and there are enough written explainers to guide you along the way.

You can set up guest network access, add additional security, and block devices (parental control). This includes allowing access for X amount of time.

Boost Band

Amped’s version of High-Speed mode or MU-MIMO is Boost Band, but it did little for us. The idea is the 5Ghz band is reserved just for router communication, but it had no noticeable impact on speed.

Speeds and Range

Long-range WiFi of 12,000 square feet must be a record for a Wi-Fi extender. Likewise, on paper users get around 1.75Gbps combined data speeds. Results are still impressive in the real world.

The best performance is found at 2.4Ghz, which scored nearly 47Mbps in close range. It recorded 27.5Mbps at 25ft, and at 50ft performance jumped up to 38Mbps. I.e. This is best used at longer distances than mid-range.

The 5Ghz band had some middling but we will not say it performed badly. At close range you can expect over 56Mbps. 25ft performs at 41.5Mbps, however, as far as 75ft you can experience a solid 47-48Mbps speed.

Design

The Amped WiFi repeater is on the larger side because it packs performance. As a result, you get a pass-through plug, rather than just being able to stick the whole thing straight into the wall like the smaller models. So, like a router, you might need a coffee table handy.

Its 3 external antennas deliver an impressive range, whether you’re in a massive house or office environment. Performance, surprisingly, isn’t reduced a great deal when these are removed. Perhaps consider this if you’re in a flat that has dead spots, not because you want WiFi to cover a nine-bedroom house.

Antenna or no antenna, there are three 2.4GHz amplifiers. Three 5GHz amplifiers, and six low-noise amplifiers internally also help.

Towards the rear, you’ll see the five Ethernet ports, a USB 2.0, and power jack. The WPS button allows fast network connection, and the reset switch is alongside. We especially liked the indicator switch that allows you to turn off all lighting indicators. After all, once you know it’s working, glare and flashing can be quite annoying in a dimmed room.

Price

You’re looking at around £70 which is pushing the high-end of the market. 

Verdict

This is a great WiFi repeater UK customers will see deliver immediate results. The range is superb and speeds consistent, even if there’s some middling on the 5GHz band. It also has Apple support in terms of Airplay, etc. The TP-Link AX1750 and Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700, however, outperform it in many areas. So, it’s not good value for money.

A fast wall plug-in with simple controls, and proper MU-MIMIO, highlights the greatness of the Nighthawk AC2200 Netgear WiFi range extender. It’s about as premium as you can get, but nothing’s perfect.

Features and Performance

Control

No mobile app this time but it’s easy to type mywifiext.net into a browser to access settings. You get all the signal and traffic status, along with individual device profiles. Both bands are used automatically and efficiently, but the tech-savvy will appreciate the advanced settings.

Whether you want to set up WPA2 security or change WiFi passwords, it’s all here.

Speed

The EX7300 is the fastest WiFi booster UK users can buy, on paper. Speeds reach a staggering 2.2Gbps combined. It also has some of the highest speeds available in real-world testing.

The 5GHz band returns just shy of 340Gbps at near range – the best yet. It also dominated at 170Mbps at 25ft, and 115Mbps.

FastLane Technology

Users can utilize both WiFi bands at once for combined speed and efficiency. When nobody else is home to interfere, this is designed to drive all resources to intense gaming sessions or 4K streaming.

MU-MIMO

Full MU-MIMO allows devices to send and receive data simultaneously instead of sequentially. I.e. no single device comes first and hordes bandwidth, slowing everyone else down. If you have a good internet provider, to begin with, this is the holy grail of streaming and gaming. 

Beamforming

Beamforming spreads the signal from the Netgear router extender in a more direct line towards the connected devices rather than one big circle. This provides a faster and more stable connection that follows the device around.

Mesh Network

Netgear creates a simple home-wide Mesh network with your current router, using the same password and details. Mesh networks further extend reach to those hard-to-reach areas that usually struggle with connections.

Smart LED

Know how strong the signal is between the router and the Netgear wireless extender, so you know whether either should be repositioned for better results. 

Design

Despite packing the power, it maintains a compact direct plugin design that hides its powerful antennas internally. Performance isn’t hindered at all.

At the back is a Gigabit LAN port for wired performance. There’s also the power button and the timesaving WPS button to get setup in minutes.

The LED indicators are useful for knowing where to position your Netgear range extender. Green means it’s strong. Amber is acceptable, while red requires a rethink.

Price

At £109.99, it won’t meet everyone’s budget. With class-leading performance, however, it’s a no-brainer for those that want the Best Netgear WiFi extender in the premium class.

Verdict

Fast speed on paper and in real life, make this an exceptional premium choice. Furthermore, MU-MIMO and other technology like beamforming and Fastlane, can make full use of your internet connection for different scenarios. All it lacks is WiFi 6 support.

The DAP-1650 is one of the best wireless extender options on our list. It’s packed with a bunch of other excellent features that make it more than just a WiFi booster or extender.

Features and Performance

Speed

D-Link supply combined speeds of 1.2Gbps; 200Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band and 867Mbps on the 5Ghz band. 

The 5Ghz performed great in testing, recording close to 65Mbps at close range. Above all, it shined at long range, with 39.5Mbps at 75ft, one of the highest on the market.

The 2.4Ghz band was also good, scoring 39.2Mbps in the same vicinity and 18Mbps at 50 feet. The let-down was it couldn’t hold a connection at 75ft, so this might not be the best option for large homes or offices.

Media Server

The DAP-1650’s stands out thanks to a unique media server feature. This allows you to use it as a DLNA streamer and iTunes server. To sum up, that means you can directly stream media content to different devices on the network seamlessly. 

The DAP-1650 lets devices easily talk together. E.g. if you have videos on your Windows 10 PC that you want to play upstairs in bed on your phone.

Depending on how your network is set up, it also operates as an access point.

WPS Setup

Setup is easy with WPS functionality. Just press the button on the device and then your router and the connection will take hold. Then all your other devices are good to go.

Design

The DAP-1650 has a modern cylindrical design like a hub and is currently only available in black. You get a nice four Gigabit Ethernet ports to ensure even better stability with devices like consoles. In addition, is a USB 2.0 port, and the power button. 

You’ll need to use an adapter to plug it into the wall socket.

Meanwhile, four internal antennas (one for each band) help deliver excellent range.

Price

£63.22 is a good price considering the great speeds and extra features. It’s not the fastest but not far off.

Verdict

The D-Link Wi-Fi DPA-1650 is a competent extender WiFi networks will instantly benefit from. The DLNA feature is particularly useful for gamers and streamers and is a unique touch. Speed and performance are far from bad but there are cheaper options that do it better. It also lacks Mesh networking at genuine MU-MIMO.

This purchase comes down to whether its unique features outweigh other mediocre performance measures.