Best Wi-Fi Repeaters in the UK

In the world of information technologies, there are always some kinds of products that sacrifice some of its aspects in favour of others and those that instead focus on delivering the best they can do in every single category. It's not at all uncommon to find that products with great features also feature some kind of trade-offs that cut into the value they would otherwise provide. Though, generally speaking, this sort of approach entails a relatively mediocre quality of all of these elements, the TP-LINK RE450 Universal Dual Band Wi-Fi Booster is one of those welcome exceptions that exudes high quality in just about every single area.

To get the ball rolling, this Wi-Fi router booster offers a fairly solid connection speed, with up to 1300 Mbps on a 5GHz network and up to 450 Mbps on a 2.4GHz one. The aforementioned networks are secured with the help of three external dual-band antennas that extend the coverage of your wireless signal and its reliability, effectively removing any potential dead zones from your house or your place of business. Given that both of the bandwidths utilise the Wireless-AC technology, you'll be able to rest assured knowing that the power of the signal will be able to match its range.

Another great feature of this wireless router is its Gigabit ethernet port, offering a high speed wired connection that gives you plenty of flexibility in connecting devices that either do not have wireless capabilities, or that only support slower speed standards from the past. This is perfect for something such as a desktop computer or a game console that you want to connect without having to shell out more money for a wireless adapter.

Lastly, even though this TP-Link Wi-Fi booster is essentially an orthodox all-rounder, the model does incorporate a fairly unique Intelligent Signal Indicator that comes with an RE button for one-touch setup, making the setup process of the router quite easy, especially for those who are always intimidated by such things. The blue light will indicate that the connection is solid and the red one will be reserved for those occasions when it isn't, letting you quickly and easily check the status of your connection without having to go into the firmware. All in all, the TP-LINK RE450 Universal Dual Band Wi-Fi Booster is a reliable and well-rounded model that will be a perfect fit for the kind of clientele that would choose a versatile device over a specific one any day of the week.

The NETGEAR EX6130-100UKS is a powerhouse that will be able to distribute a reliable, powerful signal to every corner in your house.

The model's biggest selling point is the company's very own FastLane™ technology. The technology is able to employ both Wi-Fi bands (the 5GHz and 2.4GHz ones) to establish a single high-speed connection. A connection like that is perfect for HD streaming, gaming, and any other data-intensive task. You can use the model to extend an existing Wi-Fi connection or create an AC Wi-Fi access point.

On the other hand, you can make an argument that it is really the little things that sell the product. For example, the built-in extra power outlet that will definitely come in handy whenever there isn't an AC outlet nearby. Though, you can just as well extend a similar sentiment towards the model's sleek design that blends into most environments and is barely noticeable at all until you notice a stronger Wi-Fi signal.

The only thing we don't like here is the instruction manual. At first, it may seem straightforward and simple enough. But some parts are a little convoluted and difficult to follow.

In short, the NETGEAR EX6130-100UKS does many things well enough to earn the highest spot on our list. Its performance is exceptional and the model's versatile functionality is what really separates this Wi-Fi repeater from your average extender on the market today.

The NETGEAR EX3700 is sort of a middle-of-the-road Wi-Fi booster that should be enough to solve coverage issues in your average household. If you're familiar with NETGEAR products, it doesn't really offer anything you haven't seen before. It's just a solid extender that will help everybody in your family enjoy a strong and stable connection in every part of the house.

It will also help you prioritise the data. Using FastLane technology, you'll be able to establish one particularly high-speed connection that will allow you to enjoy online gaming and HD streaming.

The device is a dual-band booster, so prioritising in general is definitely not one of its weakest links. The 5GHz band is capable of transmitting up to 433 Mbps of data, more than enough for a few people enjoying the most traffic-demanding content. The slower 2.4GHz band caps at 300 Mbps, which is, again, more than enough for legacy devices and your everyday browsing purposes.

As it is always the case with NETGEAR, the model works with the company's very own Wi-Fi Analytics application. It will give you an overall overview of your network status. You'll be able to use it to check the strength of the signal. The app will help you measure channel interference. Finally, it is capable of identifying the locations where the signal is the weakest, so you'll have the opportunity to cover those dead spots.

In other words, the NETGEAR EX3700 is a great choice for a large family that enjoys a great variety of online content. It will help you eliminate dead spots and you'll be able to enjoy a strong signal in every corner of your house. Plus, it is compatible with all Wi-Fi standards.

The TP-Link RE205 looks like an adorable little robot from certain angles when you twist the antennas yet there's nothing adorable about this device. In fact, taking the price into account, the device's pretty mean, operating over both 5GHz (<433 Mbps) and 2.4GHz (<300 Mbps) bands to keep the wireless connection stable and secure throughout small- and medium-sized houses. The model works with most Wi-Fi routers and wireless access points, so you should not face any compatibility challenges.

Where usage and installation are concerned, the company's Intelligent Signal will allow you to easily find the best location where you'd want to install this device to eliminate all dead zones. Adding more, the Access Point mode that we've seen before has not gone anywhere too, letting you turn any wired Internet connection into the most stable and secure dual-band wireless access point.

Everything here is accessible via TP-Link's Tether app, the app that requires no introductions since most Wi-Fi repeaters from different companies try to copy this application, including its feature-rich interface and accessible installation and network management tools. Compared to TP-Link's most expensive repeaters, the only issue this product is shipped with is that there's no protection mechanism against voltage fluctuations in the network.

Aside from that, the TP-Link RE205 is what you can recommend to most average-sized households, from small flats with inconsistent users to relatively sizable houses with multiple active users sharing the network.

TP-LINK TL-WA850RE is the most affordable Wi-Fi booster on this list. And, honestly, for its price, it is a pretty good product. Of course, you don't put this thing in an office and expect it to do anything. While the model does come equipped with a couple of internal antennas, you won't be able to find much use for its range considering the limited connection speed.

This single-band extender will be able to give you up to 300 Mbps to work with. It's plenty for your average family but that's about it. Of course, you can't really hold it against the model as it was clearly designed for small houses.

That said, there is one thing that we can hold against this booster and that is the fact that it doesn't support the 802.11ac wireless protocol. But the best thing about this standard is the MU-MIMO and, again, this isn't some sort of a large office model, so you would not have been able to put it to good use anyway.

One thing that we really like about this WiFi booster is its appearance. The miniature profile and the usual wall-mounted design make it particularly easy to deploy the extender and move it around.

The convenient LED control function on the lower half of its front incorporates a night mode for peaceful sleep. This LED function also includes 5 signal lights that show the strength of the signal. Finally, since this is a TP-LINK device, you'll always be able to rely on the Tether app to easily set up access and management via your smartphone.

In short, the TP-LINK TL-WA850RE may not seem like the most impressive option on paper but the Wi-Fi booster boasts a surprisingly ace price-performance ratio. If you don't live in a large house, this thing will work wonders for you. Plus, it looks really good and is a real pleasure to work with.