Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders (2026)

TL;DR

Top pick: TP-Link RE715X — PCMag's best Wi-Fi range extender overall, an Editors' Choice that "garnered 410Mbps" on its same-room 5GHz test, and BroadbandNow's top pick, the fastest extender BroadbandNow tested. A dual-band AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 plug-in with 160MHz channels, a gigabit Ethernet port and TP-Link OneMesh that, PCMag notes, works with any Wi-Fi 6 router. [src1, src2]
Best value: Asus RP-AX58 — Tom's Guide's best value, with 490.2 Mbps at 10 feet and the longest range in its test, 115 feet, and BroadbandNow's next-best extender, "a slightly cheaper alternative to the TP-Link RE715X." Availability: the Amazon listing we link had no purchasable offer in our last three daily checks, through 2026-10-12, and ASUS's own US product page listed it at $79.99 but out of stock when we checked on 2026-10-13. Best you can buy today: the TP-Link RE715X above, which Amazon.com had in stock when we checked on 2026-10-12. [src3, src2, src10]
Best budget: TP-Link RE315 — Wirecutter's top pick for over four years, which lifted its dead-zone test connection from 27 Mbps to almost 160 Mbps; also Engadget's best budget extender and BroadbandNow's best for budget buyers. Wi-Fi 5 (AC1200) with a 100 Mbps Ethernet port, and BroadbandNow found it struggled to pass 15 Mbps on the upper floors of its three-story test house. [src5, src4, src2]
Best for Wi-Fi 7 routers: TP-Link RE655BE — Tom's Guide's best Wi-Fi extender overall and the fastest in its test: 719.5 Mbps at 15 feet and 376.7 Mbps at 40 feet, with a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port. Tom's Guide and Wirecutter both advise it only for a home that already has a Wi-Fi 7 router. Wirecutter tested the RE653BE, which it calls functionally identical to the RE655BE. [src3, src7, src5]
Best for easy setup: TP-Link RE705X — Engadget's best Wi-Fi extender overall, paired with its router in "all of five minutes," and Tom's Guide's best for setup, running in a little over six minutes. In Tom's Guide's tougher test, with the extender 40 feet from the router and the laptop 10 feet beyond, it managed 528 Mbps, ahead of every other plug-in extender in that group. [src4, src3, src8]
Best for wired devices: Netgear Nighthawk EAX80 — a router-style desktop extender with four gigabit Ethernet ports and a USB port. Engadget's best premium extender, which came very close to its main network's speeds, and TechRadar's best for gamers, which lifted its 5GHz test from 60 Mbps to 342 Mbps. [src4, src6]

Stock does not change the order: the table at the top of the page shows today's price and stock for every pick.

The testing outlets do not agree on one best extender. PCMag and BroadbandNow make the TP-Link RE715X their best overall [src1, src2]. Tom's Guide makes TP-Link's Wi-Fi 7 RE655BE its best overall [src3], and TechRadar picks the RE653BE [src6], which Tom's Guide and Wirecutter call identical to the RE655BE [src7, src5]. Engadget's best overall is the TP-Link RE705X [src4], and Wirecutter's top pick is the inexpensive TP-Link RE315 [src5].

We rank the RE715X first because two testing outlets make it their best overall and, as PCMag notes, it works with any Wi-Fi 6 router. The other two-outlet winner is TP-Link's Wi-Fi 7 extender, but the outlets tested it under two model numbers, and both Tom's Guide and Wirecutter tie it to a Wi-Fi 7 network. Tom's Guide's buying advice is to match an extender to your router's Wi-Fi standard rather than overpay for Wi-Fi 7 on a Wi-Fi 6 router. Wirecutter recommends the RE655BE/RE653BE only if you already have a Wi-Fi 7 router and Wi-Fi 7 laptops or phones to connect [src1, src2, src3, src5]. The Asus RP-AX58 is best value because Tom's Guide names it so and BroadbandNow ranks it second as a cheaper alternative to the RE715X [src3, src2]. The RE315 is Wirecutter's top pick and the budget pick at Engadget and BroadbandNow [src5, src4, src2].

Set expectations before you buy. In BroadbandNow's tests on a gigabit connection, only the RE715X passed 200 Mbps on a Wi-Fi 5 laptop, every extender struggled to breach 500 Mbps on a Wi-Fi 6 phone, and latency ran higher than on standalone routers [src2]. The other side of that is Wirecutter's dead-zone test, where even the cheap RE315 lifted a 27 Mbps connection to almost 160 Mbps [src5]. If more than one area of the house has weak Wi-Fi, Tom's Guide and Wirecutter both point you to a mesh system instead [src3, src5].

Top pick: TP-Link RE715X — Check price

PCMag's best Wi-Fi range extender overall and an Editors' Choice: it installs in minutes, works with any Wi-Fi 6 router and supports 160MHz channels, and it "garnered 410Mbps" on PCMag's close-proximity 5GHz test. It has one gigabit Ethernet port, and with a TP-Link OneMesh router it joins the network as a mesh node. The drawbacks PCMag lists are its bulk (the fold-up antennas bring it to 10 inches tall) and no pass-through outlet [src1]. BroadbandNow's top pick, it delivered the fastest speeds of any extender BroadbandNow tested: it was the only one to pass 200 Mbps on a Wi-Fi 5 laptop (314 Mbps beside the router) and reached almost 400 Mbps on a Wi-Fi 6 phone. Its weak spot there was latency on the second and third floors, above 350 ms in the Wi-Fi 6 tests [src2]. Wirecutter tested the RE715X for an earlier version of its guide and dismissed it, keeping the RE315 as its pick [src5].

Best value: Asus RP-AX58 — Check price

Tom's Guide's best value: a two-prong AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 extender with a gigabit Ethernet port and ASUS's AiProtection Pro security and parental controls built in. Tom's Guide measured 490.2 Mbps at 10 feet and 201.1 Mbps at 40 feet, and the longest range in its test, 115 feet; it has no 6GHz band [src3, src9]. BroadbandNow ranks it second as "a slightly cheaper alternative to the TP-Link RE715X." It found the RP-AX58's upload speeds unusually quick and noted its tall design covers the whole electrical outlet [src2]. With an ASUS AiMesh router it works as a mesh node [src1, src9]. PCMag rates its throughput very good, but found its signal much weaker on the far side of PCMag's test house, so it does not suit buyers who need as much range as possible [src1].

Availability: the Amazon listing we link had no purchasable offer in our last three daily checks, through 2026-10-12, and ASUS's own US product page listed it at $79.99 but out of stock when we checked on 2026-10-13 [src10]. Best you can buy today: the TP-Link RE715X, our top pick, which Amazon.com had in stock when we checked on 2026-10-12.

Best budget: TP-Link RE315 — Check price

Wirecutter's top pick, and its extender pick for over four years, at a price that has hovered between $20 and $40. In Wirecutter's dead-zone test it lifted the connection from 27 Mbps to almost 160 Mbps and cut latency from 4,484 ms to 765 ms. With a compatible TP-Link router, EasyMesh joins it to the router's network. Its one Ethernet port runs at only 100 Mbps, and its antennas are "a bit of an eyesore" [src5]. Engadget's best budget extender: Wi-Fi 5 (AC1200), rated for 1,500 sq ft, with OneMesh support, and Engadget did not notice much difference from the RE705X in real-world use [src4]. BroadbandNow's best for budget buyers: on the same floor as the router it was as effective as models three times its cost and had the lowest latency of its picks, but on the second and third floors it struggled to pass 15 Mbps [src2].

Best for Wi-Fi 7 routers: TP-Link RE655BE — Check price

Tom's Guide's best Wi-Fi extender overall and the first with Wi-Fi 7: a BE11000 tri-band extender that uses the 6GHz band with 320MHz channels, has four repositionable antennas and a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, and can join a TP-Link EasyMesh network. Tom's Guide measured 719.5 Mbps at 15 feet and 376.7 Mbps at 40 feet, the fastest of the extenders it tested. It is large enough to block the outlet beside it, and Tom's Guide says it "costs about what a good router does" [src3, src7]. Wirecutter tested the RE653BE, which it says is functionally identical to the RE655BE and differs only in where you can buy it; Tom's Guide also calls the RE653BE identical. Wirecutter reached 700 Mbps or more over Wi-Fi 7 in a room its router could not reach on 6GHz. It recommends the RE655BE/RE653BE only if you already have a Wi-Fi 7 router and Wi-Fi 7 devices to connect, and finds a Wi-Fi 7 mesh system likely cheaper in the long run [src5, src7].

Availability: our link opens TP-Link's own product page for the RE655BE, whose Buy Now button sent us to Best Buy when we checked on 2026-10-13 [src11]. Tom's Guide's May 2025 review said an identical RE653BE would be sold at Amazon [src7]. When we checked on 2026-10-13, Amazon.com listed the RE653BE (BE10000) as in stock, sold by Amazon.com.

Best for easy setup: TP-Link RE705X — Check price

Engadget's best Wi-Fi extender overall: setup through TP-Link's Tether app took "all of five minutes" with Engadget's Verizon Fios router, it supports TP-Link OneMesh, and Engadget's phone did not drop its connection moving between floors, as it did with other extenders [src4]. Tom's Guide's best for setup: it was running in a little over six minutes. With the extender 40 feet from the router and the laptop another 10 feet away, it managed 528 Mbps, handily beating every other plug-in extender in the group and the Netgear EAX17 by over a third. It draws 4.8 watts and runs warm under heavy use, and its range is about 110 feet [src3, src8].

Availability: our link opens Amazon's RE705X listing, which had no offer when we checked on 2026-10-13. TP-Link's own product page for the RE705X sent us to Best Buy when we checked the same day [src12].

Best for wired devices: Netgear Nighthawk EAX80 — Check price

A desktop extender that looks like a router, with four built-in Ethernet ports for a TV or console and a USB port. Engadget's best premium extender: it came very close to Engadget's main-network speeds, and its smart roaming kept one network name through the house. Engadget calls it expensive, and its app cannot rename devices [src4]. TechRadar's best for gamers: its 5GHz test jumped from 60 Mbps to 342 Mbps, and several EAX80s can be linked into a mesh. TechRadar notes it is a little older and works best with a Wi-Fi 6 router [src6].

Availability: the Amazon listing we link had no purchasable offer when we checked on 2026-10-12.

Tom's Guide's best for reliability: Netgear EAX17 — Check price

Tom's Guide's best for reliability: an AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 extender with a gigabit Ethernet port that recorded 383.1 Mbps at 10 feet and held 197.9 Mbps at 40 feet. It roams seamlessly when you reuse your home network's name and is cheap to run. Against it: a three-prong plug, no 6GHz band and a 90-day support policy; Tom's Guide lists it at $129 [src3]. Wirecutter tested it too: it improved Wirecutter's connection and acts as a mesh extender with a shared network name even with other makers' routers, but cost significantly more than the RE315 [src5].

Also tested: Linksys RE7350 — Check price

A small two-prong AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 extender with a gigabit Ethernet port that Tom's Guide rates three stars out of five: it managed 203.7 Mbps at 10 feet and 80.6 Mbps at 40 feet, though its 110-foot range was beaten only by the Asus RP-AX58. Setup is through a browser, with no app [src3, src13]. BroadbandNow liked it but was "left wanting" on speed next to the TP-Link models [src2], and Wirecutter dismissed it in an earlier version of its guide [src5].

Head-to-Head Comparisons

TP-Link RE715X vs Asus RP-AX58

BroadbandNow tested both. The RE715X outperformed every extender at every distance in its Wi-Fi 5 tests and was beaten only once, by the RP-AX58, in the busy-network test at the farthest spot. BroadbandNow calls the RP-AX58 a slightly cheaper alternative [src2]. PCMag makes the RE715X its best overall and the RP-AX58 its best ASUS mesh-ready extender [src1]. Choose by router brand as much as speed: the RE715X joins a TP-Link OneMesh network, the RP-AX58 an ASUS AiMesh one [src1].

Pick TP-Link RE715X if: you want the faster extender in BroadbandNow's tests or you have a TP-Link OneMesh router.
Pick Asus RP-AX58 if: you have an ASUS AiMesh router, or you can find it in stock for less than the RE715X.

TP-Link RE655BE vs Asus RP-AX58

Tom's Guide tested both. The RE655BE's 719.5 Mbps peak was about a third more than the RP-AX58's 490.2 Mbps, and at 40 feet it ran at 376.7 Mbps, nearly double the RP-AX58's 201.1 Mbps [src7]. The RP-AX58 reached farther, 115 feet against 90 [src3]. Tom's Guide puts the RE655BE at just over $200 and the RP-AX58 at just under $80, and advises Wi-Fi 7 only if your router has it [src3].

Pick TP-Link RE655BE if: you already have a Wi-Fi 7 router and Wi-Fi 7 devices, and want the fastest extender tested.
Pick Asus RP-AX58 if: your router is Wi-Fi 6 or older, or you need the extra range.

TP-Link RE705X vs Netgear EAX17

Tom's Guide tested both. In its tougher test the RE705X beat the EAX17 by over a third on throughput, and Tom's Guide says the two cost about the same when the RE705X is on sale. The EAX17 is Tom's Guide's pick for reliability and low running cost, and it keeps one network name as you move around the house [src3]. Wirecutter found the EAX17 does that even with other makers' routers [src5].

Pick TP-Link RE705X if: you want the faster extender and the quickest setup.
Pick Netgear EAX17 if: you want one network name through the house without a matching router.

TP-Link RE315 vs Linksys RE7350

The RE315 is Wi-Fi 5 with a 100 Mbps Ethernet port, and Wirecutter puts it at $20 to $40 [src5]. The RE7350 is Wi-Fi 6 with a gigabit port, but Tom's Guide measured only 203.7 Mbps at 10 feet and 80.6 Mbps at 40 feet from it [src3]. Wirecutter tested both and kept the RE315 [src5].

Pick TP-Link RE315 if: you want the cheapest proven fix for one dead zone.
Pick Linksys RE7350 if: you need a gigabit wired port and prefer setting up in a browser.

Decision Logic

If your router is Wi-Fi 7 and you have Wi-Fi 7 laptops or phones

→ TP-Link RE655BE (Tom's Guide's May 2025 review said an identical RE653BE would be sold at Amazon; Amazon.com listed the RE653BE as in stock when we checked on 2026-10-13). Tom's Guide measured 719.5 Mbps at 15 feet, the fastest extender it tested; Wirecutter recommends it only on a Wi-Fi 7 network. [src3, src7, src5]

If your router is Wi-Fi 6 or older and you want the fastest plug-in

→ TP-Link RE715X. It is PCMag's and BroadbandNow's best overall, and it was the fastest in BroadbandNow's tests. [src1, src2]

If you want the simplest setup

→ TP-Link RE705X. It took five minutes to set up at Engadget and a little over six at Tom's Guide. [src4, src3]

If budget is under $50 and one room is the problem

→ TP-Link RE315. Wirecutter measured it lifting a 27 Mbps dead zone to almost 160 Mbps, but BroadbandNow found it weak on the upper floors of its test house. [src5, src2]

If you own an ASUS router with AiMesh

→ Asus RP-AX58, which joins an AiMesh network as a node. [src1, src9]

If you want to wire a console, TV or PC at the far end of the house

→ Netgear Nighthawk EAX80, with four Ethernet ports and a USB port. [src4, src6]

Default recommendation

→ TP-Link RE715X. It is best overall at two testing outlets and works with any Wi-Fi 6 router. [src1, src2]

• Wi-Fi 7 extenders have arrived, at router prices: TP-Link's tri-band RE655BE/RE653BE was the fastest extender in Tom's Guide's test, but Wirecutter puts it at $230-300. The cheaper dual-band Wi-Fi 7 extenders Wirecutter tested (TP-Link RE405BE, RE223BE and RE235BE, Asus RP-BE58, Netgear EXS27) skip the 6GHz band and so end up about as fast as Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 5 models. [src5, src7]
• Fewer traditional extenders: TechRadar says mesh systems have largely replaced extenders and many makers have moved to routers and mesh. Tom's Guide finds desktop-style extenders much harder to find than plug-in ones. [src6, src3]
• One network name, more often: TP-Link's OneMesh/EasyMesh and ASUS's AiMesh join an extender to a same-brand router's network. Wirecutter found Netgear's EAX17 and EXS27 do it even with other makers' routers. [src1, src5]
• Outdoor mesh extenders: Wirecutter notes ASUS, Eero and TP-Link have released weatherproof outdoor extenders for their mesh systems, which it has yet to test. [src5]

• Stock does not change the order. The Asus RP-AX58 stays best value although Amazon had no purchasable offer for it in our checks through 2026-10-12 and ASUS's own product page showed it out of stock on 2026-10-13; the table at the top of the page shows today's price and stock for every pick.
• Lab numbers are not comparable between outlets: Tom's Guide measures at set distances, BroadbandNow in a three-story house, Wirecutter in a two-story house through masonry walls, PCMag in its own test house. [src3, src2, src5, src1]
• An extender rebroadcasts what reaches it. BroadbandNow found extenders cannot carry a full gigabit plan and add latency. Wirecutter says even its pick, the RE315, is no substitute for an Ethernet cable, powerline or MoCA adapters, or mesh Wi-Fi. [src2, src5]
• Wi-Fi 7 speed needs both a Wi-Fi 7 router and Wi-Fi 7 devices. [src5]
• One pick links to the maker's own page rather than a store: TP-Link's page for the RE655BE sent us to Best Buy when we checked on 2026-10-13. Amazon's RE705X listing, which our RE705X link opens, had no offer when we checked on 2026-10-13, and TP-Link's own RE705X page sent us to Best Buy that day. [src11, src12]