This limitation is inherited from the fact that radio waves are used as the communication medium. Radio waves, being electromagnetic radiation, drop in intensity according to the inverse square law of electromagnetism with increasing distance. Physical obstructions also create blind spots, where the WiFi signal cannot reach. An effective solution to this problem of poor range and WiFi signal reception is the use of wireless router range extender. The aim of writing this Buzzle article is to introduce you to wireless range extenders or wireless signal boosters as they are known. A listing of the best wireless router range boosters in the market today, presented below will make it easy for you to choose one.How Does a Wireless Range Extender Work?
Even if you have the fastest wireless router installed, it has a limited range, beyond which, no matter what you do, it's going to provide a weak signal. With the use of a wireless range extender, you can go beyond the periphery of your current wireless Internet access coverage range. How does this device work to achieve this objective? Let me provide a basic explanation.
Firstly, a wireless ranger booster or wireless signal booster is a transreceiver. It receives the weak WiFi signal transmitted by the wireless router, amplifies it and retransmits it over a wider range. The original signal from the router is left untouched by the range extender, besides increasing its signal strength. Thus in a way, a range extender, repeats the signal and broadcasts it further. That's why these signals are known as wireless repeaters. Many university campuses and industrial settings have a such wireless repeaters installed to ensure that there are no blind spots left, with weak WiFi signals reception. So if anybody asks you about how to extend wireless router range beyond existing limits, you know what to recommend.
Choosing a Wireless Range Extender
A glance through wireless router reviews will reveal the great variety of products available in this consumer electronics segment. Similarly, there is a great variety of range extenders available in the market, for you to choose from. Let me discuss some of the features to look out for when shopping for a range extender.
One of the most important factors to be considered is compatibility. Your existing router and other equipment needs to be compatible with the range extender you purchase. Secondly, it is recommended that you go for a 802.11n networking standard based extender as it provides the greatest transmission speeds overall. Look for security features that include WPA2 encryption and a firewall. Choose any one which suits your overall budget and requirements.
Best Wireless Router Range Extender (2011)
So now that you know how to boost wireless router range using extenders, the next question which arises is which are the best wireless range extenders that you could choose. Here are some of the best signal boosters in the market today.
- Hawking HWREN1 Hi-Gain Wireless-300N Range Extender ($68.99)
- Netgear Universal WiFi Range Extender WN2000RPT ($69.99)
- D-Link DAP-1360 Wireless N Range Extender ($69.36)
- Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless-N Dual Radio Smart Repeater ($156.72)
- ZyXEL WAP3205 Wireless N Universal Repeater ($49.64)
- Amped Wireless SR300 High Power Wireless N Smart Repeater ($89.99)
- EnGenius ERB9250 300Mbps Wireless-N Range Extender ($59.99)