You might be wondering if a Wi-Fi booster or Wi-Fi extender is right for you. Both products can help improve Wi-Fi coverage and signal strength in your home, but they are not the same device.
We will explore the differences between Wi-Fi boosters vs. Wi-Fi extenders so that you can decide which product is right for you!
Wi-Fi Booster: How Does It Work?
A Wi-Fi booster is now more precisely described as a wireless range extender. It is a device that takes an existing signal from a wireless router or access point and retransmits it to make a second network.
By enhancing your Wi-Fi coverage, you can eliminate dead spots around your home and boost internet speeds. Wi-Fi boosters are helpful if you reside in a small to medium-sized home. If you live in larger areas, it is preferable to purchase complete coverings for the whole house.
Advantages of Wi-Fi Booster
- It eliminates Wi-Fi issues at home or in the office.
- It provides a more robust wireless connection for all of the devices on your network.
- It can fill dead spots at your home to prevent dead zones.
- It can provide faster speeds at your home network.
- It can add some features to your network.
- It is designed to provide an increased signal range.
Disadvantages of Wi-Fi Booster
- It only works at one place for commercial use or in your home if the Wi-Fi router is placed near where you need to have an improved Wi-Fi signal.
- You may need to learn how to use it and troubleshoot when necessary.
- It is expensive compared with a Wi-Fi extender.
Wi-Fi Extender: How Does It Work?
A Wi-Fi extender is a networking device used to expand the range of an existing connected Wi-Fi network when the network's signal drops. When signals drop in the network, it enhances signal amplification.
Its Wi-Fi extensions can extend your desk's Wi-Fi connection to the surrounding region. It connects to a present network through Wi-Fi. This ensures that the connection will provide compelling performance, speed, and dependability.
Advantages of Wi-Fi Extender
- Extenders are used for extending your current Wi-Fi network.
- You can save money because you don't have to discard the old router just because you want a better wireless connection at home.
- Extenders are easy to set up.
- It can provide better coverage of up to 2500 ft.
- It can connect up to 25 to 30 devices
- It is less expensive than a Wi-Fi booster.
Disadvantages of Wi-Fi Extender
- It does not provide any new features on your existing Wi-Fi network.
- It cannot amplify Wi-Fi coverage.
- Wi-Fi extenders may require complicated installation processes.
Booster vs. Extender
Speed - Winner: Wi-Fi Booster
A Wi-Fi booster is unquestionably the superior choice when it comes to speed. Boosters may offer higher internet speeds since they do not need to act as a mediator and can interact directly with your devices from the router.
Power Consumption - Winner: Wi-Fi Booster
Both Wi-Fi extenders and Wi-Fi boosters consume power when in use; however, routers require a power supply all the time. Even though they do not transfer data like these two wireless networking equipment (Wi-Fi repeater vs. Wi-Fi booster), Wi-Fi boosters are much more energy efficient. In this round.
Installation Process - Winner: Wi-Fi Extender
When installing Wi-Fi extenders, generally, there's no problem at all, but only in some cases where we may have Wi-Fi boosters. Wi-Fi extenders are easy to install and can be done both by a novice and an expert in this field. But Wi-Fi boosters require the help of a specialist to set it up correctly.
Wi-Fi Range - Winner: Wi-Fi Booster
Wi-Fi boosters provide more coverage area than Wi-Fi repeaters because they don't need additional cable connections like Wi-Fi routers to extend wireless signal over the existing one. In contrast, Wi-Fi repeaters act more like mediators between your devices and router, thus resulting in less power efficiency.
Portability - Winner: Wi-Fi Booster
Wi-Fi boosters are more portable than Wi-Fi extenders because cable connections do not bind Wi-Fi boosters. You can easily carry it in your bag or pocket away from home and boost the Wi-Fi signal wherever you want.
In contrast, a Wi-Fi extender needs to be plugged into a power outlet if used to power up an amplifier which makes it less mobile.
Affordability - Wi-Fi Extender
Wi-Fi boosters can be more expensive than Wi-Fi extenders if you want high-power boosters with many external antennas. Still, many times Wi-Fi extender may be a better choice for your need because it needs less space and provides good connectivity at a lesser price, often without any configuration required from the user's end.
In this booster vs. extender duel, we picked the best boosters and extenders in the market today for you to be able to choose what's best for you.
Standout Features
Wi-Fi Booster - Gigabit Ethernet Port
With the gigabit ethernet port feature, you can use it in your Wi-Fi router or modem to increase Wi-Fi. It will work as a Wi-Fi adapter for all of your devices that do not have wireless capability.
You can use both Wi-Fi bands simultaneously, which is excellent to download something while streaming videos.
Wi-Fi Extender - WEP and WPA/WPA2 Supported
With these security features, you can be sure that you will have a Wi-Fi connection with the highest level of protection. Other extenders and boosters don't have this feature, making the Netgear EX6120 stand out.
Conclusion
If you need more range from your Wi-Fi network, a Wi-Fi booster is better. When comparing Wi-Fi booster vs. extender in terms of efficiency and portability, we see Wi-Fi booster as a clear winner.
Whereas Wi-Fi extender comes second though it's challenging to choose one over the other, both devices have their purposes. However, the Wi-Fi extender got the title for affordability.
Choose the Wi-Fi booster if:
- You want an inexpensive solution for your signal problem.
- You want a robust wireless connection for all of the devices on your network.
- You don't want to buy a new router to replace your old one. However, please note that this does not replace your router. It just boosts.
Choose the Wi-Fi Range extender if:
- You want a Wi-Fi extender with great features, including advanced security options for your network.
- You want an inexpensive solution to solve your Wi-Fi signal.
- You want a more straightforward setup.
