Mesh networking systems work in a similar way to Wi-Fi repeaters but they give you the option of placing multiple nodes all over your home to cover a larger area than a single extender could manage. You can learn more, and explore our recommended models, in our guide to the best mesh Wi-Fi routers. The RE450 isn’t the cheapest Wi-Fi 5 extender, but it’s faster and more stylish than the budget competition. Don’t be put off by its age: it still deserves a place on anyone’s shortlist.

Every Wi-Fi extender we review goes through extensive hands-on testing. Each unit is installed in a real home, at an appropriate distance from the main Wi-Fi router according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. If it’s a powerline system, we connect the base unit to the main router via gigabit Ethernet and, again, situate the remote unit according to the instructions.With the receiving notebook 40 feet from the extender, it fell short of its competitors with only 50.6Mbps of bandwidth available. That’s one-sixth the performance of the Nighthawk EAX80. As a bonus, if you have a TP-Link router that supports its OneMesh technology, you get hassle-free, seamless connectivity wherever you are in your home. Needless to say, you need a Wi-Fi 6 router and compatible devices to make the most of it, but this extender gives you the latest wireless tech at a bargain price. The downside of these speeds is that they involve a design that looks more like a small router with a separate power supply. However, this gives you more flexibility than a plug-in unit, helping you to get a better signal, while you can also use this repeater as a Wi-Fi access point. And, just like the Repeater 3000, it’s as simple as anything to set up. The WiFi 6 Repeater 5400 will be overkill for many people, but if you must get a high-speed connection to a distant corner of the house, nothing else out there comes close. READ NEXT: Our full review of Netgear’s outstanding Nighthawk X6S Wi-Fi extender Tenda A15 AC750 review: Verdict When the test system was moved upstairs to a bedroom, the throughput was a more reasonable 173.1Mbps, with slightly higher performance than the Linksys RE7310 and half the Nighthawk EAX80’s 358.0Mbps.

It’s also worth trying out a few different wireless settings, such as switching radio bands, before you splash out on a new bit of kit. You might find that this gets you a better signal from your existing equipment and that there’s no need to buy an extender at all. What speeds can I expect? If the extender has advanced features, we’ll also factor these into our review; we’ll thoroughly explore the configuration portal to see how responsive and user-friendly it is, and, if the unit has an Ethernet port, we may test network performance over a wired connection. Up until recently, most extenders and Powerline kits only went as far as the Wi-Fi 5 standard, but we’re seeing a growing number that go faster with Wi-Fi 6 support. If you only have a Wi-Fi 5 router, you can save some cash by partnering it with a Wi-Fi 5 extender, but the newer models may give you a faster connection between the extender and devices that support Wi-Fi 6. What’s more, there’s an argument that buying one of these makes more sense if you plan to upgrade your network in the future. What’s the difference between a repeater and a powerline extender? It barely kept its cool, hitting a peak of 107 degrees Fahrenheit, despite its array of cooling vents. The E15’s 115-degree Fahrenheit surface temperature was higher though. Tenda A27 review: FeaturesNaturally, however, connecting devices to an extender via Ethernet won’t be as fast as a direct wired connection to the router because the signal still needs to travel from your router to the extender over the airwaves first. What other features should I look for? With the ability to cover up to 2,000 square feet, the Tenda A27 did well in my 100-year-old home, pushing the Wi-Fi network into new areas. It was able to move 294.3Mbps with the extender 40 feet from the Asus AXE-11000 router and the Samsung Galaxy Book Pro test system another 10 feet away. That’s about one-third more throughput than the D-Link E15 was capable of but well short of either the TP-Link RE705X’s 528.0Mbps or the Nighthawk EAX80’s 358.0Mbps. TP-Link’s RE300 is basic, but it’s incredibly easy to set up via the TP-Link Tether app and it comes with a couple of extra modes to help you make the most of your current wireless network. We found it worked best in default mode, where speeds averaged 11.3MB/sec in testing. If you’re a tinkerer, however, you can also set it up so it uses the faster 5GHz band as a dedicated link to your existing network and the 2.4GHz band for your devices.