How To Extend and Improve Your WiFi Speed

Web pages taking a while to load? Shows and movies endlessly buffering or interrupting as you watch them? If you’re struggling to connect to the internet and access your wireless network from one of your devices, it may be a sign that your Wi-Fi is slow, or your device is struggling to connect to your WiFi.

This post aims to answer queries that ask:

How can I increase internet speed at home?
What is a WiFi extender? Repeater? Booster?
What is WiFi mesh network?

Start With a Good Router

Almost every home has a wireless router and modem that allow all electronic devices in range to connect to the internet. Routers look like small boxes with antennae and several flashing lights. These small devices emit a signal that enables devices to have a wireless connection to the internet. It’s generally best practice to put your router in a centralized location in your house so the signal spreads evenly.

This image shows what a typical household router looks like.

Many internet service providers provide routers for free or for a monthly rental. You don’t have to use their equipment. You can purchase your own router, but your ISP won’t be responsible if the equipment fails. For that, you’ll deal directly with the manufacturer. Read our guide to routers and modems.

If your router is placed in a good spot, and you’re still struggling with slow internet, the issue may be connected to one of the following issues:

The device is out of range of your router.
Too many devices are connected to the internet.
Your internet service provider (ISP) is experiencing a slowdown.
Your internet plan is too slow for what you need.

How to Enhance WiFi in a House

The first step to diagnosing the issue is to perform an internet speed test. We recommend testing the speed in a few different spots in your house using your phone or a laptop/tablet that’s easier to pick up and carry to different spots. Our article on internet speed test also troubleshoots some of the common issues that people experience with their internet.

Wifi repeater vs extender vs booster

If you’re noticing certain rooms in your house have bad internet connection, this could be because the room is a dead zone — your router’s wireless signal isn’t reaching this area. Fortunately, WiFi extenders, repeaters, and boosters can help you strengthen your wireless signal in these dead spots! We’ll break down the differences between these devices and which one is best for your needs.

What is a WiFi booster?

A WiFi booster is a name for any device that improves your existing wireless connection. Range extenders, mesh extenders and repeaters are considered WiFi boosters. WiFi boosters require you to already have a router set up with a wireless connection — they won’t make their own WiFi signal.

What is a WiFi extender?

WiFi extenders are devices that plug into a power outlet anywhere in your house. Wifi extenders are small and usually have a single blinking light or an antenna sticking out of them. Most WiFi extenders are anywhere from $15 to $100 depending on capability.

WiFi extenders work by connecting to your WiFi router and boosting the existing WiFi signal. The extender will have to be initially linked to your router. This is typically done by plugging the extender next to the router and establishing a physical connection (via Ethernet cable) or activating a “pairing mode” on your router. Once the connection is established, you can then move the extender anywhere in your house and it will emit a wireless signal. The wireless signal that the extender emits will act as a second, new WiFi network that you connect to if you’re nearby.

WiFi extenders boost your wireless signal from a single location rather than throughout the whole house. If you have a single room that’s a dead zone, WiFi extenders are a good option for improving your wireless connection there. However, if you have a multi-floor house and aren’t getting a good WiFi signal on the second floor, we wouldn’t recommend a WiFi extender as an extender only improves the connection close by to the extender.

For larger homes or structures, consider a WiFi repeater or mesh.

What is a WiFi repeater?

WiFi repeaters are very similar to WiFi extenders, with the main difference that the repeater amplifies your existing WiFi signal rather than creating a new network using your main router. You’ll also find that, technically, any WiFi extender that doesn’t have a physical connection (cable) to your router is considered a repeater. WiFi repeaters are anywhere from $20 to $100.

If you connect to a WiFi repeater, you’ll find that you’re connected to the same WiFi network as your main router. WiFi repeaters are also almost always connected wirelessly instead of wired to your router. Repeaters are commonly used in offices, college campuses, and other large areas that need a wireless signal evenly distributed.

WiFi repeaters are ideal for spreading a WiFi signal over a greater amount of space, like if you want to use WiFi while in your yard or across the house. Your device may automatically “jump” from being connected to the router to being connected to the repeater as you move throughout your house. If you have a larger dead zone or your WiFi isn’t reaching an area, a repeater may be a good idea. The main downside is that you may have to purchase multiple repeaters to spread your signal further and the experience won’t be seamless — you may lose internet if you’re actively moving throughout your house as your computer reconnects to a new repeater.

Do I need a WiFi mesh?

A WiFi mesh is a system that involves multiple WiFi boosters that are placed throughout your house. WiFi meshes usually come with 2 or 3 devices that you connect to your router and place throughout your house near power outlets. You’ll find most WiFi meshes are $150 up to $800 depending on the number of devices and strength of the mesh.

WiFi meshes work together to create a new single network across your whole house. Unlike repeaters, the mesh devices work together, forming a chain across the devices to stretch your WiFi network further. Mesh WiFi systems are usually used in multi-floor homes where the Wifi network has a lot of dead zones.

The experience is completely seamless, as your device will automatically connect to the nearest mesh device to get the best possible signal. Mesh WiFi does require a bit of setup, as you usually have to download an application to manage the WiFi mesh and sync them together to “build” a network. They’re also the most expensive option, usually being at least $150 if not more. However, this is one of the most cost-effective methods for spreading the internet throughout the house.