WiFi Booster VS WiFi Extender: Any Differences between them?

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People may get confused when it comes to the WiFi Booster VS WiFi Extender. In fact, WiFi boosters and WiFi extenders are basically the same thing – devices to improve WiFi coverage. There isn’t a clearly defined difference between devices that manufacturers describe as “boosters” and devices described as “extenders”. Learn more details in the following article now.

WiFi Booster

The term WiFi booster was a catch-all phrase for devices that extended a WiFi signal in the past time. A WiFi booster now is more accurately defined as a wireless range extender.  It is a device that acquires an existing signal from a wireless router or wireless access point then rebroadcasts it to create a second network. When two or more hosts have to be connected with one another over the IEEE 802.11 protocol and the distance is too long for a direct connection to be established, a wireless booster is used to bridge the gap.

WiFi Extender

A WiFi extender is used to extend the coverage area of your WiFi network. WiFi extender works by receiving your existing WiFi signal, amplifying it and then transmitting the boosted signal. With a WiFi extender you can effectively double the coverage area of your WiFi network – reaching far corners of your home or office, different floors, or even extend coverage to your yard. An extender intercepts the signal of your wireless router/switch, magnifies and retransmits it. You can extend a wire signal from the main router to a spot you want a network signal with your wifi extender.

Do you need a WiFi Booster or WiFi Extender?

Getting reliable fast WiFi around the entire house can be a challenge in our life. Maybe there’s a dead zone in an upstairs bedroom where your kids want to stream a movie, or maybe the signal drops in the backyard. Given some devices including metal appliances, and architectural features that can cause interference in your house, here are five common scenarios where a WiFi booster/extender can help improve your wireless experience.

1.There is no WiFi signal in some areas of your home: These areas are called dead zones or dead spots. They are the areas in your house where the WiFi signal disappears completely. In some cases, you may not be able to reach the wireless router, or the building function in your home is preventing the signal from passing.

2.The WiFi speed in some areas of your home is slow: Maybe your WiFi router is located in the home office upstairs, but you spend most of your time downstairs. In this case, wifi extenders will be an immediate (and cost-effective) performance improvement, allowing you to rethink how to use part of the house.

3.You want the fastest WiFi possible: WiFi boosters and WiFi extenders are usually associated with filling in dead spots, but they can also be used to add faster speeds and even new features to your WiFi network. By adding a booster or extender to your existing network, you can upgrade to the latest WiFi technology, including 802.11ac speeds, without the trouble of replacing your WiFi router.

4.Your home is large: The average size of a homes has nearly doubled in modern time.  It’s hard for a single wireless router to cover a larger home, particularly when the concrete home construction further weaken the signal.

5.You want WiFi outside: As our reliance on WiFi grows, it’s natural that we want to start using it in more places – such as the screened porch in the back of the house, out by the pool, in the front yard, or maybe in a detached garage.

How to choose the best extenders or boosters?

Choosing a WiFi extender/boosters boils down to your needs and budget. As yourself how many additional rooms would you like the extender to cover. If it’s just one small room, just about any basic WiFi extender should do the trick. However, if you want to cover a large area with a strong WiFi signal, you need a dual-band WiFi extender that supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The extender should also be compatible with the latest WiFi standards and support technologies.

If you have any questions about WiFi booster and WiFi extender, welcome to leave your comments. For any product you want to buy, you can check our website(Router-Switch.comor contact us(sales@router-switch.com.) directly.

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