Range Extender vs. Access Point

What It Means

Range extenders and access points are two very different approaches to extending Wi-Fi coverage into parts of a home the main router cannot reach well, and understanding the difference saves consumers from the most common Wi-Fi complaint. A wireless range extender (sometimes called a repeater) receives the main router's Wi-Fi signal, then rebroadcasts it on the same frequencies. Because the extender must both receive and transmit on the same radio, effective throughput through the extender is roughly halved, a 1 Gbps main signal becomes a 500 Mbps rebroadcast signal at best, and typically much less once real-world overhead is accounted for. Range extenders are sold at $30 to $80 by TP-Link, Netgear, D-Link, and others, they are cheap and easy but provide mediocre performance. An access point (AP) connects to the main router via a wired ethernet cable (not wirelessly) and broadcasts a full-strength Wi-Fi signal without the repeater speed penalty. Access points from Ubiquiti UniFi, TP-Link Omada, and EnGenius cost $80 to $250 but require ethernet cabling to reach the AP location, which may require in-wall wiring. Mesh Wi-Fi systems (Eero, Google Nest Wifi, Netgear Orbi, TP-Link Deco) split the difference by using a dedicated wireless backhaul channel (often 6 GHz on Wi-Fi 6E systems) that avoids the extender speed penalty. For Broadband Grade speed testing, always test near the main router first to isolate ISP performance, testing near an extender will show the extender bottleneck rather than true ISP speed.

Frequently Asked Questions