Best Wifi Extender For Gaming and Streaming of 2020

If you are in a hurry and need the best wifi extender for gaming and streaming then I would recommend you go for TP-Link AC1200.

A wifi connection can be adjoined to the list of facilities we avail in everyday life. More so, during times like these, we have figured that any kind of disruption in the wi-fi connectivity can be a huge bummer. If you have minimal knowledge about the working of wifi adapters, this article will resolve all your queries and issues. In the end, we have curated a list of top 10 wifi extenders which suit the needs of every kind of gamer and streamer.

Almost the entire population is at home today (kudos to you too!), you might experience troubles related to connectivity, speed, and others. Your room might already be a dead zone and with signal issues, enjoying hindrance free gaming and streaming is a privilege reveled by only a few. But don’t you worry! There’s a cornucopia of hope for you too. Dead signals around the house are not unheard of, and there’s a perfect solution for it.

What Is A Wifi Extender?

In case you didn’t find a more straightforward definition of a wifi extender, hello. Without the torturous, hard to decipher terminologies, a wifi extender is a device, if installed in your house, will provide a strong signal in any part of the house. You can experience a signal as strong as it would be near the router, everywhere in the house; even in the backyard. You might be familiar with Ethernet cables; wifi extenders can be called the wireless form of it. As using Ethernet cables over a larger distance can be hazardous, wifi extenders are safer to use. Going into the technicality, wifi extenders pick up wifi signals from your wifi router and act as a hotspot by re-broadcasting the signal to give equivalent strength in that area. wifi extenders, “extend” the reach or coverage of the wifi signal in a particular area.

Thing To Know Before Buying The Best Wifi Extender For Gaming And Streaming:

Do you want a wifi extender, or do you use the terms wifi extender, wifi repeater, and wifi booster interchangeably? You might’ve read about a lot of features and products online but were not aware whether all of them were wifi extenders or not.

Wifi Boosters:

These are the common ancestor for wifi extenders and wifi repeaters. Essentially, a wifi booster functions so as to boost the wifi signal in the areas where the signal barely reaches. While both the devices have an identical origin, i.e. wifi boosters, their approach to attain a better wifi signal is different.

Wifi Extenders:

The wifi extenders are the kind of wifi boosters that pick up the already available wifi signal from the router and strengthen it up in dead zone areas of the house or building. An impressive feat about wifi extenders is, you can move away furthermore from the extender itself and still enjoy high-speed internet. But how is it possible? Most wifi extenders have at least a couple of Ethernet ports, which can connect the extender to your device using an Ethernet cable. The latest technology allows you to plug in the wifi extender into an electrical outlet only. Hence, people mostly prefer wifi extenders for gaming and streaming as it provides better signal strength plus coverage.

Wifi Repeaters:

A wifi repeater is different from a wifi extender as they only focus on covering larger areas; they are not intended to amplify the strength for your wifi signal. In simpler terms, a repeater merely “repeats” the signal throughout the house/building. So basically wifi repeaters are of no use if your wifi signal is not good enough in the first place. So wifi repeaters are suited for use if you already have a high-speed internet connection.

Your Wifi Router Needs To Be Spruced Up Too:

Even though you have installed the latest router with the latest wifi 6 technology, which provides a 200 Mbps speed, you might still face speed issues. There are several reasons behind your wifi signal being weak in the first place. Due to the presence of obstacles like walls, appliances, furniture, the signal experiences impedance. When you start using a wifi extender, you will find ways to upgrade your wifi router too. These are several simple ways in which you can improve the quality of your wifi signal, given below:

• Make sure the wifi router is centrally placed in the house, office, etc. as no corner should be far left out from the range.
• Get the latest wifi 6 technology.
• Change the old band that you are using; wifi routers usually use the 2.4 GHz band. To switch from the 2.4 GHz to the 5 GHz band as this bandwidth is less hogged up. The 2.4 GHz bandwidth works excellent when the signal is strong.
• As the application you might be using might already be “bandwidth-hungry applications”, make sure no other such apps are running in the background.
• Two is better than one; if your wifi router has two antennae, it is more likely to provide a faster and more reliable signal.
• Now that the original quality of your wifi signal has improved, you are all set to get a wifi extender to amplify the strength and coverage of this signal.

Our Top Picks Best Wifi Extender For Gaming And Streaming:

As promised at the beginning of the article, these are our top 10 picks best wifi extender for gaming and streaming. All of these wifi extenders are reasonably priced and have impressive features. The pros and cons of all products will be discussed so you can pick the most competent product. All the listed wifi extenders have 4.0+ ratings and great reviews from satisfied customers.

1. TP-Link TL-WA855RE N300 Wireless Range Extender

Starting off with a simple wifi extender, this N300 extender gets the job done just right. TP-Link is one of the leading companies that makes the best quality networking hardware.

2. TP-Link AC750 Wifi Range Extender

All the product specifications can be found on the link provided above. These products receive several negative reviews, as usual, people have an average speed of internet connectivity. And as these models don’t support 5 GHz bandwidth, the signal tends to weaken sometimes. Hence again, if the price is not an issue and you have a fast internet connection, this product is a good buy.

However, there’s still no doubt that the TP-link AC750 deserves its lofty spot on the best wifi extender for gaming list.

3. D-Link N300 Wifi Range Extender

D-Link is a lesser-known brand but delivers great performance. Hence this model could make it into this list. Proper installation will let you enjoy high-speed internet as it does not cut down on the speed. This is a pretty good option for this range.

4. TP-Link RE450 Wifi Range Extender (White)

Again, most of the negative reviews are due to the unfitting placement of the router in the first place. Also, due to technical issues that weaken the signal strength affects the performance of the extender. But overall, as the extender supports 5 GHz bandwidth, speed issues are sporadic. So this product is one of the best wifi extender for gaming and streaming.

5. TP-Link AC1200 Wifi Range Extender

TP-Link AC1200 is one of their best products and is ideal for gaming and streaming. This product has thousands of ratings, and 70% of the reviews are positive reviews. TP-Link AC1200 is the most preferred wifi extender for gaming and streaming. No doubt, this will be your best buy on Amazon.

6. NETGEAR WN3000RP-200PES Universal wifi Range Extender (Cream White)

Netgear is another renowned company that makes excellent networking hardware and gamers and streamers from around the world opt for their wifi extenders. Even though this model does not support 5 GHz bandwidth, it significantly amplifies the signal strength. Hence it is preferred by so many people. You can find positive reviews saying they can stream videos and movies in 4K quality. So this product is surprisingly perfect and absolutely recommended.

7. Rock Space Wifi Extender – Best Wifi Extender For Gaming With Ethernet Port

This product supposedly works better when connected through an Ethernet cable. Again, this is an extender that gets the job done just right. But given the performance of Rock Space extenders even on 2.4 GHz bandwidth, this is a considerably right product.

It’s a great combination of affordability and power, and that’s exactly why it’s one of the best wifi extender for gaming with ethernet port.

8. NETGEAR WiFi Range Extender EX2800

NetGear also provides pretty impressive products. The absence of an Ethernet port doesn’t seem to be an issue as there were no complaints regarding it in the reviews. Its extender itself broadcasts a strong signal; making is sufficient without the Ethernet port. In as low price as this, this product is definitely the best buy.

9. Netgear EX3110 AC750 – Best Wifi Extender For Gaming And Streaming

This Netgear wifi extender is very impressive as it can deliver a speed of up to 1.2 Gbps which is enough even without antennae or Ethernet port. Almost 80% of the 7.5 thousand ratings are positive, and there are rarely any connectivity issues. This is one of the best wifi extender for gaming and streaming available on Amazon and is brought by customers all around the world.

10. TP-Link AV600 Powerline – Best Wifi Extender For Gaming

Lastly, we have another TP-Link product that is the AV600 Powerline wifi Extender. This product (TP-Link has done it yet again), has over 11 thousand ratings, about 80% of which are four stars and above. You can find lots of reviews written by gamers stating how unwavering the signal is, which allows effortless gaming and streaming.

These products are not listed in any specific order as each product has its unique specifications. But all in all, these products are exemplary for uninterrupted gaming and streaming.

Why Are Wifi Extenders Suitable For Gaming And Streaming?

For the folks who rise to play games and stream their favorite movies and TV shows, a steadfast and strong wifi signal is essential. As gaming and streaming include the usage of applications that are often termed “bandwidth-hungry applications”, your wifi signal experiences a lot of crowding, and the speed tends to slow down. These applications, like Netflix, consume the most internet bandwidth. And even after boosting up your wifi signal by various methods, these applications continue to hog up your wifi signal. Hence, having a wifi signal in your closest proximity is a must. Using an Ethernet cable or a powerline Ethernet is no recommended as it will allow only you to access high-speed internet. Instead, if you are using a wifi extender, you create your hotspot without disturbing the connectivity for the rest of the members.

Features To Look For In a Good WIfi Extender For Gaming And Streaming:

Several features make up a good wifi extender.

• Firstly, the wifi extender should provide maximum speed. Sometimes, the wifi extender tends to slow down by 50% as they are connected to the router as well as your device. Opt for wifi extenders that can be plugged in directly into an electrical outlet (powerline extenders) to enjoy maximum speed internet.
• It should be a dual-band wifi extender, i.e. it should provide a 2.4 GHz band and 5 GHz band. This is a necessary component of a kind wifi extender because a lot of wireless devices tend to connect to the 2.4 GHz band by default as it is the rudimentary band, meant for wifi. Being able to access the 5 GHz band is undoubtedly very preferable for gaming and streaming as it has lesser devices connected to it.
• Although a little obvious, the wifi extender should have two antennae; one for receiving the signal and one for transmitting the signal. Newer technologies do not consist of antennae and still work perfectly fine.
• The wifi extender shouldn’t have more than 5 SSIDs.
• The wifi extender should provide a constant and reliable signal from dusk till dawn.
• It should give coverage of at least 4000 sq. ft. as you wouldn’t want the signal to be cut off at extreme ends of the house. There are many powerful wifi extenders that provide coverage of up to 20,000 sq. ft.
• It should have two or more antennae that are flexible.
• They should have Gigabit Ethernet ports.
• The wifi extender should be easy to install as you might need to use it in different locations.

How Do Wifi Extenders Work?

A wifi extender, when plugged into a power outlet, picks up the existing wifi signal and rebroadcasts it, using antennae; one receives the signal, and the other transmits the signal. This is a basic understanding of how wifi extenders work. As the extender is capable of broadcasting signals on its own, it can do so at a speed of its own. For example, the internet speed in your room is only 75 Mbps while in closer proximity of the router the speed is 200 Mbps. To tackle this problem, you use a wifi extender in your room. Now, this wifi extender picks up the weak, 75 Mbps signal and rebroadcasts it to a higher bandwidth where you can access faster and reliable internet.

How To Connect? 

Although different companies make devices that are operated differently, wifi extender installation follows a standard procedure with only a slight difference.

• Firstly, you need to plug in the wifi extender into a power outlet that is near your wifi router.
• Press the WPS (wifi Protected Setup) button on the router. Then click the WPS button on the wifi extender. This will connect your router to the extender.
• Also, make sure your router is operating on the 5 GHz band to get high-speed internet.
• Now plug the extender into an outlet from the dead zone. Wait till the power light and connectivity light lights up. The light should be green (in most cases) as it indicates that you are still connected to the router. In case the light isn’t green, plug the extender closer to the router and use an Ethernet cable to connect to your device.
• Now set up the device you are using near the extender, and the name of the device will pop up on your device. Enter the same password as the router, and you will be connected to the wifi extender.

Pros and Cons Of Wifi Extenders:

The pros and cons might be pretty evident if you have been reading the article, but let’s sum them up under this section:

Conclusion:

Now, we end our list for the best wifi extender for gaming and streaming. It’s up to you which one you are interested in. Choose the one that suits you and your budget.

If you’ve any query or question just type it on the comment section we always look back into it.

Happy Gaming and Streaming!!!!

Miguel Berger

Blogger, Digital Marketing, Travel enthusiast. I blog about Laptops, Technological Stuff on OwnTheCart.

I’ve got boundless curiosity, to meet new people and visit new places.