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We live in an age where you don’t need someone to be beside you to play a game with them. Many games use online features these days, so you can play with anyone from any part of the world. Unfortunately, depending on how you set up your Wi-Fi router, you may experience a weak signal or lag. It could be because your computer or gaming console is far from your router. Fortunately, you don’t need to have your devices near your router because all you need to do is buy a Wi-Fi extender. These extenders will help minimize latencies and make everything run smoothly. It will help you get rid of dead spots and give you the best signal possible from any room in your house. Having an extender will also help eliminate the need to have a long Ethernet cable that connects your devices directly to your main router. Still, you connect your devices directly to the extender using an Ethernet cable to get the best reception possible. Once you have an extender, you will see a significant improvement in your Wi-Fi signal, and you won’t have to worry about your games experiencing glitches or losing connection. Let’s look at some of the best Wi-Fi extenders for gaming in 2022.
The NETGEAR Nighthawk EAX80 is undoubtedly one of the best Wi-Fi extenders your money could buy because its Dual-Band Wi-Fi technology allows you to achieve speeds of up to 6 Gbps. This means you will get to enjoy lag-free gameplay and stream 8K or 4K content from your favorite streaming services. You can have your router far from your bedroom without worrying about dead zones because it extends the range up to 2,500 square feet. The extender has four high-powered antennas inside the device that helps you get reliable, long-distance Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home. This extender will cover all the gadgets you have at home since its eight Wi-Fi streams allow you to connect up to 30 devices simultaneously. Your network signal won’t disappoint you even if many devices are connected to the extender because it has OFDMA technology that efficiently shares the Wi-Fi bandwidth among all of them. It increases the data your devices can receive and send. The NETGEAR Nighthawk EAX80 comes with seamless smart roaming, so you can use one network SSID name around your house. This extender is optimized for W-Fi 6 routers and is compatible with a wide range of wireless routers, cable modems with Wi-Fi, and gateways. Users also can connect their devices or consoles directly to the extender using an Ethernet cable. It also comes with a USB 3.0 port for shared printers or storage. You can expect superb security from the extender because it supports WPA/WPA2 and WEP security protocols. It’s easy to set up the extender because all you need to do is press the WPS button or use the free Nighthawk app. You have to make sure that the desk you place the extender on is stable because it’s pretty big and stands upright like a PlayStation.
Speeds of up to 6GbpsExtends the range up to 2,500 square feetConnect up to 30 devices simultaneouslyHas Ethernet ports and a USB 3.0 port
ExpensiveLarge sizeNeeds an ample amount of space on a desk
If you live in a large home, the Linksys RE9000 would be perfect for you because this Wi-Fi extender can extend your network’s range to up to 10,000 square feet. It features Tri-band AC3000 technology, and its maximum speed reaches 3 Gbps. The speeds you get from a tri-band extender are about 3x faster than Dual-Band extenders. The extender comes with four high-performance external antennas and a powerful amplifier that makes sure that you don’t have dead spots at home and that everyone in your household can have a smooth gaming or streaming experience. This extender will work with any Wi-Fi router, even those that come from Internet Service Providers. Setting it up will be a breeze because it has a Push Button Connect feature that makes the extender sync with your router in seconds. You will also find its Spot Finder technology useful because it tells you where to place your extender for the best reception possible. The Linksys RE9000 features Band Steering technology that automatically connects your devices to the least congested and fasted band available. Users can also manually assign older devices to the extender’s 2.4 GHz band and newer devices to its 5 GHz band. Having a ton of users connected to the extender simultaneously won’t be an issue because of its MU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology.
Maximum speed of 3 GbpsSpot Finder technologyBand Steering technologyMU-MIMO (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) technology
Can experience slower speeds because of its automatic firmware updatesPricey
The NETGEAR Wi-Fi Mesh Range Extender EX7500 is a fantastic deal for less than $115 because you get a powerful extender with the right balance of range and speed. It allows you to extend the range of your internet to up to 2,300 square feet. It’s also a superb choice for those with many gaming consoles, smart devices, etc. because you can connect up to 45 devices simultaneously. The extender features Tri-Band technology that makes a dedicated Wi-Fi communicate directly with your main Wi-Fi router. When paired with its FastLane3 technology, the extender gives you a maximum speed of 2.2 Gbps. It’s the perfect tool for when you do constant gaming or 4K streaming. Since it comes with NETGEAR’s Smart Roaming with Mesh Technology, you won’t have to be confused with your networks since you can use a single network SSID name. You don’t need to free up desk space for this extender because you plug it directly into a power outlet. Users can set the extender up quickly and conveniently with a touch of a button. The NETGEAR Wi-Fi Mesh Range Extender EX7500 comes with parental controls for those who need to restrict access to their internet at specific periods.
Connect up to 45 devicesTri-Band technology and FastLane3 technologyMaximum speed of 2.2 GbpsSmart Roaming with Mesh TechnologyPlugs directly into an outletOne-touch setupParental controls
Still pretty bulkyNo Ethernet portsCould use improvements with its range speed
NETGEAR’s Mesh WiFi Extender EX7000 is another excellent option because of the overall performance and range you get. This extender features patented FastLane technology and Dual-Band Wi-Fi to give you a maximum speed of 1.9 Gbps. This will extend your network’s coverage up to 2,100 square feet, so no room in your entire home will be a dead zone. You can connect up to 35 devices to the extender, and it will automatically select between dual bands, so you get the best speed and minimal interference. The NETGEAR Mesh WiFi Extender EX7000 features Smart Roaming with Mesg Technology, so it will automatically switch to your best network. You can even keep things simple and use one network for your house. The extender has five high-speed Gigabit Ethernet ports for when you want to establish wired connections for your devices. If you have kids at home, and you don’t like them browsing the internet on a school night, you can control access and set schedules using the parental controls found in the NETGEAR Wi-Fi app. It will take around five minutes to get the extender up and running because all you need to do is press the WPS button. The NETGEAR Mesh WiFi Extender EX7000 exceeds many people’s expectations, but we still wish it came with Wi-Fi 6 support.
FastLane technology and Dual-Band Wi-FiMaximum speed of 1.9 GbpsConnect up to 35 devicesExtends range to up to 2,100 square feet
Lacks Wi-Fi 6BulkyPricey
You don’t always have to empty your pockets for a fast and reliable Wi-Fi extender; there are options like the NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6120 that will cost you less than $50. This extender features a compact design, and you save space because you plug it directly into a power outlet. Its two external antennas ensure that you will get the best performance out of it. It promises a maximum speed of 1.2 Gbps thanks to its FastLane technology and Dual-Band Wi-Fi. Users can connect up to 25 devices to the extender simultaneously, and even if this is less than its competitors, it’s still enough for those who only have several gadgets at home. The extender comes with one Ethernet port, so your computer or gaming console can get an uninterrupted fast connection. The NETGEAR Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6120 is compatible with all Wi-Fi routers, and pressing one button will immediately set up your extender. The extender might be cheaper than most, but you can still be confident that you won’t have any data breaches since it comes with WPA-WPA2 and WEP wireless security protocols.
AffordableMaximum speed of 1.2 GbpsConnect up to 25 devicesWPA-WPA2 and WEP wireless security protocolsOne-Touch setup
Not the best build qualitySome had issues connecting to dual bandsOnly one Ethernet port
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